Confucius Analects

In the last decades of the 20th century, the revival of traditional Confucianism assumed increasing importance and relevance. The revitalization of its complex philosophical heritage thus became part of the most important theoretical currents in contemporary East Asian societies. Due to its potentially stabilizing social function and compatibility with capitalism, Confucianism is often seen as the Asian equivalent of Max Weber's " protestant ethic ". In modern sinology, this view is known as the " post-Confucian hypothesis ". The appearance of the 'vacuum of values' in modern China and its problem-atization and connection to the transformation of the structure, role, and function of social knowledge provide a good example of the consequences of explosive social transformation. This also raises the question of whether the Confucian modernization model is indeed capable of generating a non-individualistic version of modernity. Proceeding from this hypothesis, the present paper aims to show that the purported relation between modernity and individualism, which international modernization theories have always viewed as " inevitable " or " intrinsic " , is, in fact, little more than an outcome of Western historical paradigms.

A b s t r a c t. The paper discusses the realm of sacred in Confucius' Analects, on the basis of western sacred-profane dichotomy. It contains analysis of following concepts: heaven (tian), order of heaven (tianming), under heaven (tianxia), fate (ming), natural order (dao) and ritual (li). The author argues that some features of above-mentioned concepts could be described as sacred in spite of cultural differences and the general view that Confucius' thought was mainly perceived as agnostic. Those concepts constitute symbolic space that is sacred in a specific Con-fucian way. The feeling of being associated with what is sacred emerges from taking part in rituals and maintaining a natural order dao according to heaven's instructions tianming.

In the last decades of the 20th century, the revival of traditional Confucianism assumed increasing importance and relevance. The revitalization of its complex philosophical heritage thus became part of the most important theoretical currents in contemporary East Asian societies. Due to its potentially stabilizing social function and compatibility with capitalism, Confucianism is often seen as the Asian equivalent of Max Weber’s “protestant ethic”. In modern sinology, this view is known as the “post-Confucian hypothesis”. The appearance of the “vacuum of values” in modern China and its problematization and connection to the transformation of the structure, role, and function of social knowledge provide a good example of the consequences of explosive social transformation. This also raises the question of whether the Confucian modernization model is indeed capable of generating a non-individualistic version of modernity. Proceeding from this hypothesis, the present paper aims to show...

В статье рассматривается вопрос происхождения и значения названия сборника изречений Конфуция – «Лунь юй». Автор производит краткий этимологический и текстологический анализ входящих в него иероглифов, а также приводит исторические обстоятельства появления памятника. На основании исследования автор делает вывод о том, что наиболее оптимальным вариантом перевода названия «Лунь юй» является синтагма «Избранные беседы».

Survey course focusing on the major historical, political and social developments in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Australasia, from the Neolithic to the Reformation. This course incorporates multiple formative assessments to foster critical reading and analytical skills to help students prepare for summative projects and assessments.

In this paper, I compare all three editions of Bennett Reimer's A Philosophy of Music Education with early Chinese philosophy, in particular, classical Chinese aesthetics. I structure my analysis around a quartet of interrelated themes: aesthetic education, education of feeling, aesthetic experience, and ethics and aesthetics. This paper suggests that Reimer's philosophical writings have some degree of transcultural applicability beyond Western thought, counterpointing criticisms that his philosophy is narrow, ethnocentric, and culturally limited. It also serves as a plausible point of departure towards a transcultural theory of aesthetics for music education relevant to the pluralistic and globalized world in which we live.

The Korean Airlines “nut rage incident” of December 2014 was for many Westerners another sensationalized glimpse into the social and cultural phenomenon that is one of the most rapidly modernizing nations and globally dominating technology developers in East Asia: South Korea. This incident, and many others like it, appear to be a Gordian knot for the country’s further cultural, social and economic development and Western acceptance, with threads tracing back 2500 years ago to ancient China. The purpose of this thesis is to “unravel” these threads which include Classical Confucianism; Korea’s adoption and adaptation of Confucianism, and breakneck industrialization; and the philosophy of professional ethics. By identifying each in relation to one another, a nuanced understanding of roles ethics will emerge as a pragmatic paradigm to facilitate the sustainment of social harmony in South Korea and societies writ large.

This thesis examines Chonjae 存齋 Wi Paekkyu 魏伯珪's interpretation of the Mengzi 孟子 (the book of Master Meng). Wi Paekkyu (1727-1798) lived during the reign of King Yŏngjo and King Jŏngjo, when several institutional reforms were carried out during the Chosŏn dynasty. Unlike other scholars of the Zhu Xi School in Chosŏn who emphasized Zhu Xi 朱熹's commentaries and moral principles 義理, Wi Paekkyu interpreted the Confucian classics based on the original text (jingwen 經文) and its context (wenyi 文義). The contents of Maengja Ch’aŭi 孟子箚義 are a combination of the concept of Zhu Xi relativism, an objective view of Zhu Xi's interpretation, the concept of Guandaoism 貫道主義, thought as a strong relationship between the writing (wen 文) and the way (dao 道), and the result of his own introspection.

Maengja Ch’aŭi has important characteristics in terms of structure and content. A major feature in Maengja Ch’aŭi’s structure tells us that he considers the Mengzi as a literary work and interpreted it rhetorically. Wi Paekkyu put a lot of effort into analyzing the meaning of a word, the syntax, and the tone in the composition.
A notable observation in Maengja Ch’aŭi’s content is the difference in its opinions compared to other studies on classics. Unlike rigorism, Wi Paekkyu looked at benefit (li 利) and desire (yu 欲) in a positive way, and also thought of mind (xin 心) as a lifelong truth (shengli 生理). He evaluated the precedent and the results, and inferred that the concept of straight (zhi 直) is a state in which the inherent nature could be aroused, and not as “rightfulness.” This shows that he was not confined to conventional rules and that he thought without formality and constraint because of his self-discipline and academic foundation.

In the field of Classical studies, Maengja Ch’aŭi is considered to be more significant and valuable than others commentaries. Existing interpretations of Mengzi were only tied up with philosophy (yilixue 義理學: the pursuit of moral and philosophical principles) or philology (kaozhengxue 考證學). Current research shows that there are no other rhetorical commentaries except for the Maengja Ch’aŭi and the Mengzi Lunwen 孟子論文 written by Niu Yunzhen 牛運震 in the Qing period.

After a comparative study, Maengja Ch’aŭi is found to be more complicated and profound than Mengzi Lunwen. Not limited only to the literal comments, it also explains Mencius’s choice of words, sentences and structures to embody his idea. This goes to show that diversity exists in East Asian rhetorical commentaries and that the Confucian classical studies during the Chosŏn dynasty had unique characteristics.
Meanwhile, Wi Paekkyu's rhetorical commentaries seem arbitrary, because they rely on subjective assumptions, not on objective inference. However, it can't be devalued. Rather, Maengja Ch’aŭi should be more appreciated because it has a consistent and systematic framework and it opened up new prospects in the field of Chosŏn Classical studies.

Key Words : Wi Paekkyu, Maengja Ch’aŭi, interpretation of the Mengzi, rhetorical interpretation of Classics, concept of Classic study, Chosŏn Confucianism

Данная работа представляет собой размышление на тему, каким образом метод прояснения истины, выработанный в китайской классической философии начиная с Конфуция, способен помочь в освещении автономной в своей парадоксальности проблемы – проблемы определения философии. Является ли проблема определения философии разрешимой вообще? Можем ли мы найти интегральное определение философии, которое устроило бы всех?

In this essay, I examine the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) framework from a Confucian perspective. Given that this framework has attracted attention around the world, including Confucian-heritage societies, an analysis of how key ideas compare with Confucian values appears important and timely. As I shall show, although Confucian philosophy largely resonates with the “Learning and Innovation Skills” in the P21 framework, namely, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity, it also provides fresh perspectives and nuances the framework. These insights include the notion that critical thinking is not a strictly cognitive endeavour but an affective one as well, a social construal of the self, and an ethical notion of creativity. This paper aims to redress the under-representation of Asian philosophy in the philosophy of education. It also hopes to initiate more philosophical dialogues between Asia and the West.

Agency and freedom express fundamental experiences that we have as humans in our conscious deeds and varied pursuits. The absence of terminological equivalents in premodern Chinese makes it challenging to explain Confucian views on these. It is attempted here to explain agency and freedom in Confucianism by following a metaphor—the archer—from its primary sources. A paradigm for moral agent, the metaphor discloses Confucian perspectives on purposeful activity and self-determination.

Confucianism has been notable for its preoccupation and firm belief in such as the perfectibility of Humanity (ren or jen 仁) and conforming to Righteousness (yi 義) and Propriety (li 禮) in order to achieve harmony in a social relation. The movement of Christian personalism (1) believes that the person as subject cannot and should not be reduced to any impersonal existence at all, (2) draws attention to disinterested humanity, and (3) argues convincingly for the crucial position of finite persons (individuals in the world) as in immanent relation to the infinite Person (God). The present paper delineates a global comparison in terms of the notions of humanity and relation between Confucianism as the par excellence natural revelation and Christian personalism as the par excellence supernatural revelation, arguing that the two notions are partially coexisted and compatible in the Confucian and Christian personalist traditions. Nonetheless, the limitations of Confucianism are also elucidated for its failure of fully recognizing (1) the importance of the person as a whole existence rather than as a self-cultivation of virtues and (2) the relation of the salvation of Heaven (T’ien 天)/God to human persons rather than a relation under restrictions of various Confucian standards of justice. The paper discusses at the end the place of personalism in exploring the idea of person in the contemporary China and in constructing Chinese personalism.

The publication of the Confucius Sinarum Philosophus in Paris in 1687 represented the apex of the syncretic effort between Confucianism and Catholicism started by Matteo Ricci more than one century before. The present study draws attention to the heart of the text, which is the translation of three Confucian Classics: Daxue (The Great Learning), Lunyu (The Analects) and Zhongyong (The Doctrine of the Mean), where the contribution of Prospero Intorcetta (1625–1696) appears to be predominant.

Is Confucian ethics primarily egoistic or altruistic? There is textual support for both answers. For the former, for example, Confucius claims that one learns for the sake of oneself; for the latter, we can find Confucius saying that one ought to not impose upon others as one would not like to be imposed upon. This essay aims to explain in what sense Confucian ethics is egoistic (the highest goal one aims to reach is to become a virtuous person oneself) and in what sense it is altruistic (a virtuous person is necessarily concerned with the well-being, both external and internal, of others). The conclusion to be drawn, however, is not that Confucian ethics is both egoistic and altruistic, but that it is neither, since the Confucian ideal of a virtuous person is to be in one body with others so that there are really no others (since all others become part of myself), and since there are no others, there is no self either.

The Analects reports Confucius describing ren differently to different students. This article presents an approach to reading ren through the lens of particularities of each student in relation to how they discuss ren with Confucius. It argues for not viewing Confucius as a philosopher expounding a single universal virtue of ren that people can posses, but as a teacher guiding his students toward types of contextually appropriate conduct.

Scholars of early Confucianism such as Roger Ames and Chad Hansen argue that the doctrine of the rectification of names (zhengming) ought to be understood not as involving a metaphysically robust conception of truth as regulating the meaning of language but instead as a social practice established in connection with the performative end of social harmony. In this article, I draw some comparisons between the Confucian rectification of names, as represented by Ames and Hansen, and Wittgenstein's philosophical pursuit of clarity, arguing that the two may help shed light on each other. While the ethics of clarification present themselves in the Analects and Wittgenstein in mutually illuminating ways, a key difference between the two lies in perspicuity operating as an ultimate end for Wittgenstein while for Confucianism, rectification of names itself serves the ultimate end of renewal of social harmony.

The Analects (Lunyu) have taken on a new meaning within popular Confucian educa-tive projects in contemporary China. Participants of the so-called “classics reading movement” (dujing yundong), which emerged in the 1990s, engage in reading and reciting Confucian classics as part of a comprehensive educational approach, dubbed “classics reading education” (dujing jiaoyu). Based on data from ethnographic field research com-prising participant observation and interviews in respective private tradition-oriented educational institutions (sishu) between October 2015 and July 2016 in China, this paper analyses the usages of the Analects and demonstrates its various functions in teaching, child education, self-cultivation, and ritual. The change in meaning of the Analects from a textbook to a source of spiritual fulfilment within the context of the classics reading movement reflects the unique dynamics of the revival of traditional culture.

The 'Analects' of Confucius is a classic of ancient Chinese moral philosophy, but they often puzzle readers trained in the Western tradition. Instead of systematic arguments and conceptual analyses, one finds anecdotes, remarks, and incidents whose moral import is not always obvious. Such puzzlement should disappear, however, once the 'Analects' are interpreted in the terms of an exemplarist style of moral reason: of describing to us figures whose lives attract and inspire us because they are recognised to be exemplars, partial or total, of the Good.

The sentence 夷狄之有君，不如諸夏之亡也from the chapter Bayi八佾is one of the controversial sentences in the Analects for its possibility of being read as the exact opposite meanings: besides its literal and obvious meaning as 1. “The barbaric people with rulers are inferior to Chinese polities that are without ones.”, most scholars from Song dynasty (968-1279) chose, however, to understand it as 2. “Unlike the Chinese polities that are without their rulers, the barbaric people are with theirs (and hence being better).”, including one of the Cheng brothers (Cheng Zi “程子”), recognised founders of Neo Confucianism.
Instead of a philological study of the “correct” meaning of the sentence, the focus of this paper lies on how this sentence was read from Song to Qing, with a focus on how Manchurian monarchs in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) have ingeniously used one of the interpretations to support their legitimacy of rule in China.

This study aims to reevaluate the relation between Motoda Nagazane and Confucianism by analyzing Motoda Nagazane's lecture record to Meiji Emperor on Analect of Confucianism, know as Motoda Sensei Shinkouroku. Study on the relation between Motoda Nagazane and Confucianism this far has brought a preconceived idea that Motoda Nagazane's perception on Confucianism is a consecutive perception of Edo Confucianism or often said as a pure perception of Chu Hsi school perception. For this study, it had been analyzed how Motoda Nagazane recognized Analect in the lecture. As known previously, Japan Imperial system is carried by Shinto values, and these values have different tradition with Confucianism. In words, if Motoda hold a strong consecutive perception on Confucianism and Analect, then the result will be same with common perception of a Confucian. The analysis result shows that Motoda Nagazane had different perception on Analect, as he placed it as an explanation book of supreme value which one Japanese God (Ninigi-no-Mikoto) had taught and fulfilled by ancient emperors. This result shows that in Motoda thought there is difference of perception from common perception hold by a Confucian.