Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

38 Teachings I: The Foundation of a Good Personafraid. Ritual is essential for a civilized society and it is a moral action whereone party shows respect for the other, whether this is saying hello, standingin line, or bowing to the Queen.There are a few things to note when it comes to ritual. First, rituals arealmost always balanced: even when one person is superior, they are requiredto play some part in the ritual for it to work. If one is introduced to theQueen, one bows or curtseys, and the Queen acknowledges the introductionin some way.Second, ritual is learned. Our parents spent time teaching us the ritualsof our culture; we were not born knowing them. This also means thatritual will vary from culture to culture: some shaking hands when meeting,others bowing.Third, ritual teaches us proper behavior: for Confucius, rituals have lessto do with the power of the spirits than with forms that instruct us in morality.In other countries and in other times in history, people have understoodrituals as something that dealt with supernatural powers and that had tobe acted out with each word spoken correctly, down to the most minuteaction and pronunciation. Confucius does not look at ritual like that: hesees rituals as the ways in which we practice civilized behavior. 45Finally, rituals are actions outside of us. We can carry on a ritual evenwhen we do not like the ritual, do not like the person we are being politeto, and desperately wish we were somewhere else and not visiting great -uncle Henry. Ritual is an exterior action and does not, in itself, require anyinternal commitment. Confucius argues that ritual should not be morallyempty; ritual should be an external expression of an inward morality. Inturn, ritual should teach us how to cultivate internal ethical attitudes.Later Confucians will also argue that ritual functions as a way to restrainour selfishness and channel our emotions. Even though we may be tiredfrom a long day, ritual tells us not to be selfish: give up your seat on thebus to someone who needs it.Ritual channels our emotions too. Funeral rituals are ways we expressgrief. They allow our grief a channel, a socially acceptable way to beexpressed. At the same time, they limit our emotional expression so thatwe do not, for example, throw ourselves into the grave during the burial.When we learn rituals and perform them properly, with inner moralintent, we become better people. The respect expressed in the ritual becomesthe outer form of an inner moral world. So Confucius wanted the practiceof ritual to be a constant in our lives. He said, “ Do not look at anythingcontrary to ritual; do not listen to anything contrary to ritual; do not sayanything contrary to ritual; do not move in any way contrary to ritual. ” 46Everything we do must be an expression of ritual, not because it allows usjust to play an empty socially acceptable role, but because ritual is a moralaction that ensures a proper, civilized society.