Asian 212 Lecture 6: Confucius
Today’s lecture is a condensed overview of Confucianism, one of the most important men in the formation of Chinese culture. We will focus on the historical context surrounding Confucius, the end of the Spring & Autumn period, when the Zhou move down the yellow river valley to the east. In theory, the eastern states trace their ancestry to the founders of the Zhou, but after 770 the Zhou have lost their central power, so their claims of lineage are to fuel intra-state competition.
Eastern Zhou: Breakdown of nobility
By the time Confucius arrives in the 6th century, the nobility has begun to wipe itself out as Eastern Zhou states begin to war with each other. Even the branch lineages inside a state war among themselves. In between the high nobility and the commoners are a huge new class of disenfranchised noblemen who hold no formal office, but are nonetheless not commoners. This dilutes the value of “nobility.”
Increased scale of war
Over time, the scale of war greatly increases as armies become better equipped and trained. New weapons are invented, better generals are found. However, the native Chinese literati looked at this period as a great period of decline, even though strong competition produces numerous inventions in industry, war, and science. Instead, they longed for a so-called ancient golden age.
Social mobility
From the military of administrative realm, the best craftsman and warriors are promoted up to give their lords an edge in conquering their neighbors. For the first time in history men are able to be recognized for their talent and not their birth-line.
Confucius (551 – 479 BCE)
A low-ranking member of the noble class, without any other familiar of government distinction. He was born in the state of Lu when the Western Zhou enfiefed the Duke of Zhou in that region just after the conquest of the Shang. The Duke of Zhou is the model of all great sage ministers, so there is a strong tradition of his personality cult in the state of Lu. So, Confucius celebrates the Duke of Zhou as a great minister of the past. His job is to train vagrant young noblemen in the rituals and habits of a great gentleman of old, high Zhou. This may be the first “royalty” school we know of in China to train young men in the ways of the court.
In his social vision, which ignores bloodline for intelligence, there is an element of the revolutionary. After him, there were no others to formulate great wisdom and pass it down for future generations.
Key moral terms
Filial Piety – do whatever you parents tell you to do. It’s very clear from early Zhou inscriptions from 10th, 9th century BC that the term was an old cultic term used in the ancestral cult, which literally meant to offer food to your dead parents and grandparents. From that core meaning, it extends quickly to the living parents and any parental caring act. If you are the primary son in a noble lineage, you are the only one able to mediate between the living and dead members of your family and its honor.
There is also a homology between family and state: “As to the family, so to the state.” This creates a relationship of undying service to their parents and the states. If you assume that children believe it’s natural to offer service to their family, linking family and the state produces useful minions.
Righteousness – The set of morals for behavior that are linked to social status and other circumstances. Thus, it is the execution perfect of justice.
Benevolence – A common kindness that should be exhibited to all human beings. For example, the Geneva convention is a modern example of law which codifies this notion.
Virtue (de2) / Charisma – In latin, it means “to have the power or capacity of doing something” which is closer to the Chinese original meaning. Everyone has an innate capacity to behave a certain way which can be developed through virtue, leading to great charisma. De2 is a form of non-coercive power over others. These three ideas are related to each other, where a ruler is constantly doing good for the people he rules over, cultivating his de2, so that those people later will naturally return the favours without coercion. Thus an economy of good will is built up in the people through gift giving.
From nobleman to Confucian gentleman (??)
? means “my lord” and ? is a respectful suffix. Confucius is a Latinized version of Kongfu ?. At first, ?? was used as a signifier of blood rank, but Confucius reversed the meaning to be entirely based on moral quality. To be a nobleman has nothing to do with your birth, but rather if you can follow a moral code.
Rites & Music: Confucian curriculum for becoming ??
Now, carefully, the stereotypical view of the Confucian curriculum is that through being a ??? you will become a ??. Yes, they used the Book of Documents and the Book of Poetry, but the Confucians didn’t have written versions of the poems. Instead, they embraced ancient traditions that were archaic and out of date, in almost foreign language, of the old ways. The Confucians were convinced that performance of the rituals was enough to become a sage. For us, this is difficult to understand. How, following a book of etiquette, can I become a moral person. Confucius, however, wants to tell us that there’s no difference. (Note that Plato had a similar idea of ritualized habit to culture virtue). By performing mundane things over and over again with the rite attitude, you can achieve a higher form of development.
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2 Responses to “Asian 212 Lecture 6: Confucius”
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“de” ?(virtue, power, charisma) is a second-tone word in modern Chinese.
Thanks for the correction!