Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

Notes 217were elaborate and expensive; they insisted on a three - year mourning period forclose family; they talked about filial piety and loyalty; they looked to antiquityand the ways of the early kings for their authority; they were identifiable bytheir antique clothing.15 Zhuangzi , “ Tian Xia ” ; see Burton Watson, The Complete Works of ChuangTzu [Zhuangzi] (Columbia University Press, 1964 ), 363. Commentators agreethat this refers to Ru dress.16 Confucius himself became a model of behavior as well: his life became “ thefunctional equivalent of a [guiding] concept or principle ” (Hall and Ames,Anticipating China , 198).17 In the Xunzi , for example, we find a discussion said to have taken place betweenDuke Ai of Lu and Confucius. Confucius describes scholars in this way: “ Scholarsare born in the present generation, but aspire to the Way of the ancient times;they live amid modern customs, but wear the clothes of ancient times. ” DukeAi wants to know, however, if all who dress in this way are capable officials:“ Of course, but of those who wear the Zhang Fu cap, ornamented shoes, anda large sash with the hu tablet, are they all worthy men? ” Confucius answered,“ Not necessarily. But, those who wear proper clothes with dark lower garmentsand a ceremonial cap while they ride in a carriage do not aspire to eat garlic.Those dressed in mourning clothes, wearing grass sandals, carrying a mourningstaff, and drinking rice gruel, they do not have their aspirations set on meat anddrink. ” Xunzi , “ Ai Gong ” ; compare Knoblock, Xunzi , 3, 259.18 Shi Ji , “ Ru Lin Lie Zhuan. ” D. C. Lau points out that only 25 students arementioned in the Lun Yu ; see his Analects , Appendix 2.19 See, for example, Xunzi , “ Contra Physiognomy ” (Knoblock, Xunzi 1, 208)and “ Contra Twelve Philosophers ” 1, 224. In the later Han dynasty, we findanother description of Confucian groupings. In the Han Shu , the Han history,the “ Di Li Zhi ” chapter, which looks back at various states of the WarringStates period, says of the state of Qi that it alone “ loved the classics and theaccomplishments ” and of the state of Lu that “ they honoured ritual and rightness.” Scholarly discussions of who belonged to the various schools and whatthey argued about are numerous.20 Conversely, Nylan argues that originally the term Ru meant “ classicist ” andindicated not a precise moral orientation or body of doctrines but a professionaltraining with the general goal of state service; not all Ru were devoted to theConfucian Way identified with the ancients; The Five “ Confucian ” Classics , 3.21 Mozi , “ Fei Ru ” ; compare Burton Watson trans., Mo Tzu [Mozi]: Basic Writings(New York: Columbia University Press, 1963 ), 127.22 There are other traditions about Mozi: that he studied Confucianism as ayoung man before rejecting it; that he was an expert in defensive fortifications;that he traveled widely to assist in defensive wars; and that he and his followerswore simple clothes and did not have much in the way of possessions. In theMozi we are missing some chapters and now have only 53, some of which,scholars point out, are clearly from a much later date.23 “ Profit ” can also be translated as “ benefit ” and “ usefulness ” as “ accomplishment” ; one can find these, and other, variations in a number of descriptionsof Mozi.