Confucius says….
Confucius was concerned with a lot of things. But the themes discussed in this reading were rituals, social roles, and efficient action. The Analects layout the correct and incorrect ways to live. They illustrate who important and influential Confucius was to his nations and others such as; Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. His word surpassed that of past rulers and Masters.
He believed that “humans owe each other ‘goodness’ or ‘humanity’ that is empathy and reciprocal concern, mutual respect and obligation”. Though these all seem to be basic aspects of the human ego to crave, I feel the reciprocation of such emotion is lacking in society. The Analects then describe this in the terms of the Master; “The doctrine of the Master is: Loyalty and reciprocity, and that’s all.”
A piece that I found most interesting in the Analects is when Confucius speaks about the greatness of his country China. “Barbarians who have rulers are inferior to the various nations of China who are without.” I read it three times before I realized that he meant the many nations of china were without rulers and not barbarians. This not only insinuates that China is without barbarians but also that the rulers of those nations are themselves barbarians.
The pieces of the Analects that I discovered in this reading have insured that I delve deeper into the writings and beliefs of Confucius.
3 responses so far
Confucius was a wise man who did believe that humans were entitled to treating each other with respect and empathy. He even believed that this notion of mutual respect was more important than his own ideals of rituals, which were not religious but a means of reaching social Zen. At some point, after much ritualistic practice and self-cultivation, one could reach the final stage of self-mastery that Confucius calls junzi. The ones known as junzi are considered to be far “superior” to others. Primarily, what I like about this is that superiority over persons is not determined by heredity, but by one’s morals. I also like the fact that Confucius kept an open mind in saying that anyone can reach the highest level of his system, rather than keeping it exclusive to his strong believers. Furthermore, the fact “the master” incorporates only loyalty and reciprocity shows to me that he is not a demanding person at all. Rather, he is a brilliant teacher who knows the best for his students. Lastly, Confucius explains that goodness, ritual, and attention to social roles create order in a society. If in fact there are no “barbarians” in China as implied, than I guess Confucius’ ideals and workings were successful.
There is no doubt that Confucius’s teachings have become of great importance and are still used as foundation to create/maintain order. It is evident that Confucius’s main concern was the world and the how humans interact. Respect is key in his teachings, as it sets order and harmony within a society. The Analects speaks of one of the most important aspects of a person, being a gentleman. In the Analects, a gentleman is a person in which perfects him/herself through rituals. These rituals consist of self-cultivation and trying to make society a better place. Apart from rituals there values, roles and actions each individual should take to better oneself and the society. If everyone tried to become gentlemen’s; perfecting oneself in each of the element s mentioned, we would be living in greater times. Although this sounds rather imaginary, Confucius teachings are quite direct, reasonable and achievable.
As mentioned before, becoming a gentleman is something anyone can achieve through guidance and practice, not just for “superiors”. This is evident in the reading where it discusses how Confucius’s answers change for every individual, “…his answers sometimes differ, because an overeager disciple needs to be held back, while a timid one needs to be encouraged.”This proves that Confucius in his teachings, tries to pursue and gain everyone to be active in these practices and become the society it should be, harmonious and with order.
Confucius definately was the innovator of the set of beliefs that prevailed in the east. Also known as confucianism. Confucius’ ideas dominated chinese thought. Although Confucius refuted this claim he “built a new tradition”. The blogger was precisely right. Confucius’ core views were rituals, social roles, and efficient action. However, some of his later followers believed that social roles, particularly, empathy, prevailed over ritual. His denunciation of of force and coersion by rulers in social hierarchies was embedded in the root of his ideas. He believed we should put “social duty over natural desires”. A key aspect of his teachings was harmony, and how one’s life should be in accord with this notion of harmony. Creating a balance between our own wishes, and those of the state. Devotion to the state seemed to be at the center of Confucianism. War for Confucius was a last resort. One should rule by charisma, and thought. War and violence is seen as beneath him. These thougts alone tell me that Confucius was a benevolent leader. A man of honor and grace. A man not only for the state but for his people. A true leader.