Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

52 Teachings II: The Foundation of a Good Societyher why she did not take her children and move, she said that the tigers werenot as dangerous as life under the corrupt ruler of the neighboring state.Just as people naturally avoid evil rulers, so too they would be anxious tolive in the state of a good ruler.Confucius criticized the leaders of his time. They were interested onlyin themselves, in the latest luxuries, in displaying wealth and status. Theirgreedy ambitions led them to act only in their own self - interest and, as aconsequence, to wage war. All of this was paid for, in one way or another,by ordinary people. They were heavily taxed and dragged into army serviceto fight wars that had nothing to do with them.The ideal government that Confucius proposed would not work like that.If gentlemen staffed the government, they would not be looking out fortheir own self - interest. They would not be interested in luxury or display.They would not have ambitions to conquer others. The lives of ordinarypeople would improve, in the first instance, simply because the governmentwould get off their backs.Confucius ’ ideal government and society are based on ritual and morality.17 A person cultivates moral virtues and learns ritual, first in the family,and then through education. Families, ideally, both teach proper behaviorand are the primary place where proper behavior is expressed. A gentlemanis educated in the lessons and arts of the past and this enables him tocultivate himself, learn ritual, and learn the standard of right and wrong.It is the gentleman ’ s responsibility to take action in the world, especially,if possible, in government.A ruler, ideally a sage or gentleman, should surround himself with otherConfucian gentlemen in government who will not only relieve the burdenson the people, but provide a state where people can make a decent livingand gradually internalize the morality that the gentleman models. Thegovernment would work hard at benefiting the people; and the people,in turn, would trust the government. That is the ideal picture, but in lifethings are rarely so easy or clear - cut. Confucius had opportunities to servein government and found himself caught between his great desire to serveand help reform the state and his dread of not being effective and, in theend, abetting a corrupt ruler.In one conversation reported in the Analects , Yang Huo, the steward tothe Ji family in Lu, tempted Confucius. The Ji family was the great powerin Lu, the power behind the nominal duke, and the Ji family carried on asif they were royalty. Confucius criticized their arrogant behavior a numberof times. Yang Huo offered Confucius an office in the government of Lu.Yang Huo asked Confucius why he continued to keep his talent hiddenaway. He asked further if a man could be defined as wise when he repeatedlymissed opportunities to serve. Finally, Yang Huo pointed out thattime was passing and Confucius was getting old without having taken the