Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

Teachings I: The Foundation of a Good Person 29our moral abilities. Relations with our family teach us how to deal withother people and how to respect other people. Throughout the Confuciantradition the family plays a crucial role in the development of ethical virtues.Confucian discussions of filial piety took on a cosmic aspect in latertexts: “ A humane person does not overstep anything, nor does a filial son.When a humane person serves his parents, it is like serving heaven; when heserves heaven, it is like serving his parents. This, therefore, is the perfectionof a filial son. ” 18 The Classic of Filial Piety moves the concept of filial pietyinto a larger realm. Here we find the argument that there is nothing greaterthan filial piety and it is the basis of all teaching and virtue. Filial piety actsas a tie between heaven and earth, not only because when one serves one ’ sparents one serves heaven, but also because “ Filial piety is as the constantin heaven, as rightness on earth, and the path of human beings. ” 19 Thereis no moral behavior greater than filial piety.The concept of filial piety is central to Confucian thought and we will seehow it spread through the entire culture. Historians have pointed out thatfilial piety has shaped nearly every aspect of Chinese social life: attitudestoward authority, where and how people lived, concepts of self, marriagepractices, gender preferences, emotional life, religious worship, and socialrelations. During the imperial age, good behavior was defined in termsof whether or not one was a good son or daughter. Many scholars haveclaimed it is the basis of Chinese culture. 20Dutifulness or LoyaltyThe virtue of dutifulness or loyalty is implied in filial piety. A man ’ s firstduty is played out in his family. Reverence and respect, first for one ’ sfather and older brother, extend to other elder members of the family. ForConfucius, this should then extend to one ’ s superiors and one ’ s ruler. So wefind discussions of duty are usually linked to political relationships whereone is to do one ’ s duty to one ’ s superiors.Confucius described a government minister as “ dutiful ” because, whenthe minister was dismissed from his position three times, he showed noresentment and fully briefed his successor on the affairs of his office. 21 Bydoing so, the dutiful minister subordinated his own ambitions and desiresto the orders of the ruler – he did his duty.Edward Slingerland notes that there is debate about just what “ dutifulness” or “ loyalty ” means. Traditional Chinese commentators defined theChinese term zhong as “ doing one ’ s utmost. ” In the Analects it is used inpassages discussing attention to one ’ s ritual duties, especially in a politicalcontext, and so should be thought of as “ dutiful ” – fulfilling one ’ s obligationsand duties as set out in one ’ s hierarchical role. 22 As we shall see, the