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Lecture 1 Confucius 1. Traditions before Confucius Heaven-man Humanism is the main feature of the

history of Chinese philosophy.

The Shang Dynasty (1751-1112 B.C.): tribal society when Ti (帝) as the total controller of human affairs.

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The Zhou Dynasty (1111-249 B.C.):feudal society when man was given greater importance. To justify their right to rule, founders of the Zhou developed the doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven （天命），a self-existent moral law whose constant and reliable factor was virtue. The mandate passed on from the Shang to the Zhou who deserved it not arbitrarily but because of its virtue.

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2.Confucius and His Teachings

Humanism reached its climax in Confucius (551-479 BCE). As the most important thinker in Chinese history, his influence is comparable to that of Socrates in the West.

Our best source for understanding him and his thought is the Analects [论(lún)语(yǔ)].

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Confucius in teaching

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2.1 Personal life of Confucius

He lived in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.).Princes fought against each other for power. Traditional values didn’t work any longer. People lived in social unrest.

He was born to a declined family of small office in the state of Lu. He lost his father when he was three. His mother was not even a concubine to his father. His early education was due to his mother and the grandfather on his mother’s side. Physically he was as tall as over 1.90 meters, very strong; drank but never got drunken.

He was keen on politics in his twenties and has served 7

in some minor posts in Lu. At fifty-six, finding his social and political reform couldn’t be accepted, he set out to travel for almost thirteen years in various states in a desperate attempt at his goal. Eventually disappointed, he returned, at sixty-eight, to his own state to teach and perhaps to write and edit the Classics He died at the age of seventy-three.

His contemporary influence:

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that Confucius is the honour of all nations in the world.

2.2 His major concern: a good society based on a good government

2.2.1 His radical change of the meaning of Junzi [君(jūn)子(zǐ)]:

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son of the ruler--- superior man To him, nobility is no longer a matter of blood

but of character. the perfectibility of all men.

The very beginning of the Analects writes: “Is it not a pleasure to learn and to repeat or practice from time to time what has been learnt? Is it not delighted to have friends coming from afar? Is one not a superior man if he does not feel hurt even though he is not recognized?”

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子曰：“学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？”

Junzi is characterized by a noble character within the reach of the humblest.

Another meaning of Junzi is following righteousness. Confucius said: “A superior man in dealing with the world is not for anything or against anything. He follows righteousness as the standard.”

子曰：“君子之於天下也，无适也，无莫也，义之於比。”

Righteousness means to do what is suitable, just as Jesus did something on Sabbath day and regarded it as proper.

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Front door of Confucius Temple in Qufu

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2.2.2 Righteousness is humanity.

In most cases a man of righteousness must be a man of humanity (ren). A man of humanity is a man of the golden rule, for “wishing to establish his own character, he also establish the character of others, and wishing to be prominent himself, he also helps others to be prominent.”

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夫仁者，己欲立而立人，己欲达而达人。

What is humanity[仁(rén)]? He gave many explanations, but some of them are especially well-known and easy to understand. He said “It is to love men.” 樊迟问「仁」。子曰∶「爱人。」

In another case he said: “To master oneself and return to propriety is humanity.” 子曰∶克己复礼，为仁。

He believed humanity is the essence is man. “If a man is not humane (ren), what has he to do with ceremonies? If he is not humane, what has he to do with music?”子曰：“人而不仁，如礼何？人而不仁，如乐何？”

Humanity is the nature of ceremonies and music, without which a man cannot be a true man.

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2.2.3 In politics, to practice humanity means to rectify names.

Confucius said: “To govern is to rectify. If you lead the people by being rectified yourself, who will dare not be rectified?” 「政者，正也，子帅以正，孰敢不正？」

Rectification of names is directly related to administration of the state. He pointed out that “ If names are not rectified, then language will not be in accord with truth. If language is not be in accord with truth, then things cannot be accomplished. If things cannot be accomplished, then ceremonies and music

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will not flourish. If ceremonies and music do not flourish, then punishment will not be just. If punishments are not be just, then the people will not know how to move hand or foot.

名不正，则言不顺；言不顺，则事不成；事不成，则礼乐不兴；礼乐不兴，则刑罚不中；刑罚不中，则民无所措手足。

What is the relation between language and things? Confucius has put it clearly and correctly that if we do not use correct language, we can achieve nothing because incorrect language does not describe anything. Lying means a gap between language and things.

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Law and virtue have different functions. Confucius teaches that “Lead the people with governmental measures and regulate them by law and punishment, and they will avoid wrongdoing but will have no sense of honor and shame. Lead them with virtue and regulate them by the rules of propriety, and they will have a sense of shame, and moreover, set themselves right.”

道之以政，齐之以刑，民免而无耻；道之以德，齐之以礼，有耻且格。

2.2.4 Humanity is within the reach of all.

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The way of humanity depends on us.He said : “It is man that can make the Way great, and not the Way that can make man great.”

子曰∶「人能弘道，非道弘人。」

The Way is within us. He taught “By nature men are alike. Through practice they have become far apart.”

We may become humane if we want. He said: “Is humanity far away? As soon as I want it, there it is right by me.”

子曰：“仁远乎哉？我欲仁，斯仁至矣。”

2.2.5 A good society must be one that “Let the ruler be a ruler, the minister be a minister, the father be a father, and the son be a son.”

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「君，君；臣，臣；父，父；子，子。」

Hardly translatable. Simplicity, clarity and practicality in part or full.

2.2.6 As to the heaven-man relation, Confucius regards heaven or Mandate of Heaven as a Supreme Being who only reigns, leaving his moral law to operate by itself. This is the Way according to which civilization should develop and men should behave.

Confucius said: “Does heaven say anything? The four seasons run their course and all things are produced. Does heaven say anything? ”

子曰∶「天何言哉！四时行焉，百物生焉；天何言哉？」

“The superior man stands in awe of three things. He stands in awe of the Mandate of Heaven; he stands in

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awe of great men; and he stands in awe of the words of the sages.

孔子曰∶ “君子有三畏∶畏天命，畏大人，畏圣人之言。”

Confucius’ student said: “I have heard [from Confucius] this saying: ‘Life and death are the decree of Heaven; wealth and honour depend on Heaven’.”

子夏曰∶ “商闻之矣∶『死生有命，富贵在天』”。

2.2.7 Confucius brought education from the nobility to common people.

Before him, education was limited to the ruling class who were not only rulers in politics and economy, but also the only people who had a chance to receive education. They were Junzi or ‘great men’. In contrast, common people couldn’t receive education, so they were ‘small men.’

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Against the trend Confucius said; “In education there should be no class distinction.” 子曰∶「有教无类。」

Learning is fun. “In the morning, hear the Way; in the evening, die content!” 子曰：“朝闻道，夕死可矣。”

Talking about learning method, He said: “He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.

学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆

As to teaching method, he said: “I only instruct the eager and enlighten the fervent. If I hold up one corner and a student cannot come back to me with the other three, I do not go on with the lesson.”

不愤不启，不悱不发，举一隅不以三隅反，则不复也。

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I will conclude this introduction by citing Zi Gong, a student of Confucius when he commented on his teacher. I think his remark remains true till this day.

He said; “It is no use. Chung-ni cannot be slandered. Other worthies are like mounds or small hills. Chung-ni, however, is like the sun and the moon that cannot be climbed over. Although a man may want to shut his eyes to the sun and the moon, what harm does it do to them? It would only show in large measure that he does not know his own limitations.”

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子贡曰：“无以为也， 仲尼不可毁也。他人之贤者，

丘陵也，犹可逾也；仲尼，日月也，无得而逾焉。人虽欲自绝，其何伤于日月乎？多见其不知量也！”

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