The predominant theme of Confucianism is its emphasis on moral conduct as the basis of social harmony.
In this regard, Confucianism is less a religious philosophy than it is a ethical system. Confucius saw himself not as an
innovator but as a transmitter of the ancient way. His role,
as he saw it, was to revitalize the moral values and rituals (li)
of an ancient and idealized past. By observing the appropriate rules and rituals
of conducting oneself in relation to family members and others, Confucius taught
that true social harmony could then be possible. Consequently, Confucianism places an emphasis on filial piety and
observance of familial ties and obligation. At the core of this tenet is the idea that
humans need to respect and treat others as one would wish to be treated. In this regard, Confucius predated
Christ when he articulated his moral rule: "what you do not want done to you, do not do to others."
The principle of mutuality thus lies at the heart of Confucianism. It begins with one's treatment of parents
and family members, and extends to all other human relationships.
The Principles of Jen and Yi
The principle of mutuality necessitates two virtues: jenwhich has variously
been translated as human-heartedness, empathy, or humaneness, and yi
meaning righteousness. In Confucianism righteousness means very specifically the ability to behave in accordance with the demands
of a given social situation. In the case of jen,
the ability to empathize with
another's discomfort would thus prevent the moral person to refrain from acting in ways that would
cause such a discomfort. In the interest of collective and societal well-being, the righteous
person--or one who is cognizant of yi--does what she or he knows what ought to be done.
Collective well-being rather than individual self-interest is central to Confucianism. Yi
or what humans as social creatures ought to do transcend selfish interest. Yi is thus
placed frequently in opposition to li, meaning profit, Confucius' teachings. In other words,
the virtuous person acts in a way simply because it ought to be done rather than because she or he may
profit or gain personal benefits. In the Analects
Confucius states that the righteous and thus superior person understand yi,but the petty-minded only understand li.
Confucianism therefore teaches that humans should practice "doing for nothing." In other words, we should simply do what has
to be done with no other purpose in mind except that we should do whatever has to be done. Confucius himself was once ridiculed for doing what he did even though he
was not attaining any measure of success. He did what he had to do even when he knew his principles
would not be heeded. He simply acted upon what needed to done.
Cultivating Virtue
Confucianism teaches that humans are fundamentally good, but somewhat prone to
stray. The cultivation of virtue thus demands self-discipline and a strong
emphasis on education. The acquisition of knowledge in of itself, however,
is useless in Confucius' teachings unless it translates into a person's behavior
and actions. Self-cultivation lies at the heart of social harmony, and the pursuit of
education for the sake of fame, gaining the admiration of others or the acquisition of wealth
is not considered true learning in the Confucian scheme of things. For Confucius,
"Whoever learns but does not think is lost; but whoever thinks but does not learn
is in danger." Education is therefore a "constant refinement and affirmation of the moral
sense as opposed to the acquisition of practical accomplishments"1
Doctrine of the Mean or the Middle Way
One of the principle ideas of Confucianism pertains to the so-called
"Doctrine of the Mean" the Middle Way. According to Confucius, the just and virtuous person applies a principled standard of measurement
to his or her own motives and actions. The virtuous person is thus able to
act in terms of a middle way, avoiding all extremes in either thought or action.
The Confucian middle way to become known as the Doctrine of the Mean or,
literally translated from the Chinese, chung yung or the center of harmony.
The Mandate of Heaven
The Mandate of Heaven, or ming,has been somewhat erroneously translated as "fate," or "destiny."
These translations take on a fatalistic connotation which is certainly not present in the Confucian vision. For Confucius, ming
is simply the way things are in the course of things. In the Analects, he declared that
his principles prevailed that was ming; if they did not that was also ming.
Underlying this statement is the vision of life where humans simply cannot control the unfolding of events.
Consequently, the best thing we can do is to do what we ought to do (yi) under the circumstances.
In this way, we act in accordance rather than against the mandate of heaven or ming.
1"The Mind and Sense of China,"The Cambridge Encyclopedia of China,edited by Brian Hook, Cambridge University Press,1982, p. 318.
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