PHIL 236 Philosophy of Religion
Confucianism
Confucius
Life
There are two important teachers in Classical
Confucianism: Confucius (K’ung Fu-Tzu) 孔
夫子 and Mencius孟子.
Confucius (551-479 B.C.?): K’ung is the
surname of Confucius, and his given name is
Ch’iu 丘. He lived in Spring and Autumn
Period 春秋時代
Confucius’ Birthplace
In the Spring and Autumn Period, there are
still many small states in China. Confucius
was born in one of them, which is called Lu
魯. (In Shandong Province 山東省 of
contemporary China)
This state could preserve most of the
traditional ceremonies of the Chou Dynasty.
One reason why Confucius himself can learn
so many traditional ceremonies.
Life (2)
Confucius’s ancestors were probably some
important officers in the state of Song 宋國,
but his family moved to Lu later.
He was poor when he was young.
He was once an important officer in the state
of Lu (in charge of the internal security of Lu),
but his political life is generally considered as
a failure.
Life (3)
He also tried to persuade rulers of different states to
accept his thoughts. He failed and finally became a
teacher.
Notice that not many people could be educated at
that time. So Confucius was actually a pioneer in
education because he was willing to teach every
people, not only Nobles.
Although he did not achieve success in politics, he
was good in education.
Later, Confucianism becomes the most important
thought in China for more than 2000 years.
Life (4)
Usually Confucius is considered as the
greatest person in Confucianism,
The Analects (or Lunyu) 論語 is the book with
the collection of conversations mainly
between Confucius and his students.
Confucius did not write any book himself. But
he has “edited” several books. (The spirit of
originating through transmitting 以述為作)
Confucius and Confucianism
Is Confucius the founder of Confucianism?
Answer: Yes and No!
Confucianism, in Chinese, is “The school of
Ju 儒家”.
Ju is a title of job for some people who had
their origin in the literati (responsible for
holding traditional ceremonies, traditional
history, etc.).
Confucius is one of those Ju, but he is not
the first Ju.
Confucius and Confucianism (2)
However, in his period, many people did not
care traditions anymore.
Confucius wanted to resume this tradition.
Confucius and Confucianism (3)
Confucius does not only want to resume this
Chinese (Early Chou) tradition, but he also
gives some new meaning and interpretation
to this tradition.
The new interpretation from him is mainly
related to moral philosophy.
In this sense, Confucius is the founder of
Confucianism.
Moral Philosophy
It is always not easy to understand Chinese
philosophy. The Analects is not a systematic
work with logical arguments in the modern
western philosophical sense. And Confucius
doesn’t like to give definition.
The core part of Confucius’s philosophy is
about “virtues”.
Ren
The most important ethical concept in
Confucianism is Jen (or Ren) 仁.
Unfortunately, it is hard to give a definition of
Ren, and Confucius never did so.
The concept of Ren is similar to something
like “love”, “humanity”, “benevolence”, etc.
Although there is no definition of Ren,
Confucius did talk a lot about it. Here are
some examples:
Li 禮-early stage
Li can be used to refer to the (rules governing
the) religious rites associated with the worship of
deities or ancestor veneration that characterized
traditional Chinese religion, particularly with
regards to those rites performed by the emperor.
Li came to denote all of the emperor’s duties as
well as a wide range of other rituals, such as
marriage, and military and government festivals
Li
Confucius includes in his discussions of li such
diverse topics as learning, tea drinking, titles,
mourning, and governance.
Li can also be used to refer to common moral
prescriptions and “customary law. Li can be used to refer
to anything which orders human conduct.
Li is what the sage uses to find that which is
appropriate; it is both the means which sets the
example for others, and the end which maximizes
understanding, pleasure, and the greater good.
Yi-Explanation
Yi- Righteousness, the moral disposition to do good
Yi connotes a moral sense: the ability to recognize
what is right and good; the ability to feel, under the
circumstances what is the right thing to do
Some actions ought to be performed for the sole
reason that they are right--regardless of what they
produce; not for the sake of something else.
(Compare with duty in Kantian’s ethics)
Basic Virtues
Ren- Love, Benevolence, Humanity, etc.
Yi- Righteousness, the moral disposition to
do good
Li- rites, moral orders, ….
Applications
Xiao 孝–filial piety, be good to parents and
ancestors
Some other virtues: Xin 信 (keeping
promises, be honest); Jing 敬 (reverence);
zhi 智 (Wisdom); Yong 勇 (courage, bravery)
Rectification of Names
Five Relationships
Five Relationship: Parent and Child; elder
brother and younger brother (and sisters);
husband and wife; ruler and subject;
between friends.
Duty: Each relationship is bounded by rights
and obligations.
These relationships share the same kind of
morality.
Cheng Ming 正名
Cheng Ming: Rectification of Names
Explanation
– To have a well ordered society, the most important thing is
to carry out the rectification of names.
– Things in actual fact should be made to accord with the
implication attached to them by names.
– Every name contains certain implications which constitute
the essence of that class of things to which this name
applies.
Is Confucianism a religion?
It is obvious that the core part of Confucianism is
about morality.
Unlike Christianity, Confucianism does not have the
problem of God and Morality. At least the problem
here is not the same way as the Christianity’s
problem.
A metaphysical question: Where do these virtues
comes from? This is where Confucianism can be
considered as a religion.
Confucius’s religion
Confucius didn’t really pay attention to this problem.
It seems that he assumes that there is a
heaven/supernatural being, but the existence of it is
not what he concerns.
Warring States Period
Later in the Warring States Period, most
weak states were conquered by other strong
states. There were mainly seven strong
states at that time. Qin 秦 was one of them
and she finally conquered all other states
and united China in 221. B.C
Mencius was born in such a period (371-289
B.C.?)
Mencius’s Life
He was born in a small state, Tsou (鄒), in the
present southern part of Shantung Province 山東省
Mencius learnt Confucianism from a disciple of Tzu-
ssu 子思. (Tzu-ssu was a grandson of Confucius)
Mencius was once a very famous scholar in Chi 齊,
a big and power state in Shantung at that time.
The life of Confucius and Mencius
No matter it is just a coincidence or not; the
life of Confucius and Mencius were very
similar.
They were both born in Shantung Province.
Both of them tried to persuade rulers of
different states to accept their thoughts. Both
of them failed, and finally became teachers.
Although they did not achieve success in
politics, they were good in education.
The life of Confucius and Mencius (2)
Usually Confucius is considered as the greatest
person in Confucianism, and Mencius is the second
greatest (He is called “the Second Sage 亞聖).
The Analects (or Lunyu) 論語 is the book with the
collection of conversations mainly between
Confucius and his students.
The book Mencius (The name of the book is the
same as the person) is the book written by Mencius
(and some may be from his students).
Mencius-the book
The book is divided into seven chapters, and each
chapter can be divided into two parts.
The style of Mencius is quite different from The
Analects.
Mencius prefers to talk in a lengthy and
argumentative way.
He uses a lot of metaphors and analogies. They are
colorful, but some of them may be misleading.
Questions—no answer from Confucius
Ren, Li, Yi are so important. We know their
practical values. But why?
Are they our nature, or what?
Are they related to some supernatural
meanings?
How do we apply Ren, Yi, etc. in politics?
Human Nature
Mencius also believes that those virtues suggested
by Confucius are very important (core in Confucian
philosophy) More, Mencius argues that these virtues
can be considered as our human nature.
Four Virtues
Mencius discusses four virtues togther:
Jen/Ren, I/Yi, (Righteousness 義), Li
(Propriety 禮), and Chi/Zhi, (Wisdom 智). He
even had an analogical argument to prove
that the beginnings of these virtues are in
born with humans. That is, the four
beginnings as the innate moral qualities
Human and Animals
There is no point for us to teach a Tiger to practice
virtues in a conscious fashion because it does not
have the kind of natural endowment human has.
But there is no reason for us to discriminate against
any human being by saying that he cannot be taught
to follow his own good nature.
Mencius may say that humans are animals with the
four beginnings!
Aristotle: Humans are rational animals.
Human Nature and Heaven
(Metaphysics)
From moral to metaphysics: 2A: 2
7A:1
Summary
Confucius and Mencius simply cancel the
question about the question of God and
Morality. They just directly put God and
Morality as more or less the same thing!
Advantages? (e.g. avoid challenges;
applications to applied ethics and politics;
compatible with many other religions, etc.)
Main Question: How God (Supernatural
beings) and morality can become the same
thing?
The Doctrine of Mean 1:1
The destiny of heaven is called the nature; an
accordance with this nature is called the Way
(Tao/Dao 道); the cultivating of this Way is called
education.
This sentence can be considered as a summary of
Classical Confucianism about Religion
(metaphysics) and Morality. But why is it the case?
The explanation comes from Sung-Ming
Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism)
Sung-Ming Confucianism
A re-rise of Confucianism
Mainly as a reply to the challenges from Buddhism
and Daoism
It absorbs a lot of ideas from Buddhism and Daoism
as well.
Since both Buddhism and Daoism are also religions,
the reply from Sung-Ming Confucianism also focuses
on religious/ metaphysics/ ontology.
It is also a further development of Classical
Confucianism
People
Zhou Dun Yi周敦頤 (1017-1073 AD)
Cheng Hao 程顥 (1032-1085) and Cheng Yi
程頤 (1033-1107)
Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200)
Wang Yang-Ming 王陽明 (1472-1523)
The picture of Great Ultimate (Tai Chi
太極)
Theory
See pp. 307-320
Principle (li 理) and material force (ch’i 氣)
Ren as principle
Explanation to Mencius’ philosophy on human
nature
Nature as principle 性即理
The Unity of Knowledge and Action
(Knowledge: Innate Knowledge of the Good. Chih
Liang Chih 致良知)
Influences
Sung-Ming Confucianism is a reply to Buddhism and Daoism
A practical outcome: Confucianism becomes the official school of
thought in China again (people has to take a civil exam on the Four
Books in order to work in government)
And Buddhism and Daoism are comparatively weak in China.
Sung-Ming Confucianism tried to explain why moral virtues (such as
Ren, Yi, Li, etc.) are so important. The explanation comes from their
ideas on Principle.
It is definitely a theory of metaphysics. But is it a religion? One may
compare Sung-Ming Confucianism with Natural Theology or Plato’s
form and think about how to answer this question.
Nevertheless, Confucianism is a very important school of thought in
China that we cannot ignore if we want to study philosophy of religion
in East Asia.