Traveling philosophers (shi) offering advice to rulers
"Schools" = followers organizing texts after founder's death
Texts edited, expanded, debated for generations
Key insight: Political crisis produces intellectual creativity.
Confucius ๅญๅญ
551โ479 BCE
Life
Born in Lu state
Minor aristocratic background
Served briefly in government
Traveled teaching disciples
Died believing he had failed
Legacy
Disciples compiled Analects
Most influential Chinese thinker
Shaped East Asian civilization
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The Analects ่ซ่ช
"Selected Sayings" - conversations between Confucius and disciples, compiled after his death. Short, often cryptic passages. Not systematic philosophy but practical wisdom.
The Solution: Ren ไป and Li ็ฆฎ
Ren ไป - Humaneness
Inner virtue, concern for others
Treating people with humanity
Foundation of morality
Li ็ฆฎ - Ritual Propriety
Outer behavior, proper conduct
Traditional rituals and customs
Expression of respect
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ไป Ren - Humaneness
The character combines ไบบ (person) and ไบ (two), suggesting relationships. Genuine care for others - cannot be faked.
Confucius: "Do not do unto others what you would not want done to you."
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็ฆฎ Li - Ritual Propriety
Includes formal ceremonies but extends to ALL proper behavior - how you greet elders, serve tea, address superiors.
Key insight: Proper behavior shapes and reveals character. Repeatedly acting respectfully makes you more respectful.
Ren without Li is ineffective. Li without Ren is empty.
The Five Relationships
Ruler โ Subject
Loyalty / Benevolence
Father โ Son
Filial piety / Care
Husband โ Wife
Obedience / Protection
Elder โ Younger
Respect / Guidance
Friend โ Friend
Trust (equals)
Structure: Hierarchical BUT reciprocal. Both sides have obligations. Filial piety (ๅญ xiao) is the foundation.
Governance Through Virtue
"If you lead by virtue and regulate through ritual, people will have a sense of shame and morality. If you lead by force and regulate through punishment, people will try to evade and have no sense of shame."
โ Analects 2.3
The Junzi ๅๅญ - The Gentleman
Anyone can become a junzi through education - not about birth, but about moral character.
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ๅๅญ Junzi - The Gentleman
Originally "ruler's son" (aristocrat). Confucius REDEFINED it to mean person of moral cultivation regardless of birth.
Contrast: Xiaoren ๅฐไบบ (small person) - one who acts only from self-interest.
โธ Pause & Process
Think-Pair-Share
Would Confucian virtue work when states are trying to annihilate each other?
Could ritual and moral example really stop armies?
Think (45 sec) โ Pair (75 sec) โ Share
Mozi ๅขจๅญ - The Critic
ca. 480โ390 BCE
Background
Came after Confucius
Common background (possibly craftsman)
Direct challenge to Confucius
Mohists became organized movement
Remarkable
Practiced what they preached
Defended cities under attack
Military engineers
Willing to die for principles
Universal Love vs. Hierarchical Love
Confucius Says
Care for family first
Then expand outward
Different levels of obligation
Filial piety is foundation
Mozi Says
Jian ai ๅ ผๆ - Universal love
No distinctions family/strangers
Impartial care for ALL
Hierarchy creates conflict
"If everyone loved others' families as their own, would there be warfare?"
โ Mozi
Mozi's Practical Critiques
Anti-War
Warfare wastes resources, destroys lives
Defense justified; aggression not
Anti-Ritual Extravagance
Three-year mourning drains economy
Elaborate funerals wasteful
Merit Principle
Promote the worthy and capable
Utilitarian standard: Does it benefit the people?
Mencius ๅญๅญ - The Defender
ca. 370โ300 BCE
Two generations after Confucius
Explicitly defends Confucius against critics
Core argument: Human nature is fundamentally GOOD
The Baby in the Well
"If you see a baby about to fall into a well, everyone instinctively tries to save it - NOT for reward. Because humans have innate moral sense."
The Four Sprouts ๅ็ซฏ
Humans are born with beginnings of virtue:
Compassion
โ Benevolence
Shame
โ Righteousness
Courtesy
โ Propriety
Discernment
โ Wisdom
Like tending plants - nurture what's already present. Good environment develops it.
Benevolent Government
Rulers cultivate virtue first
Cruel rulers lose Mandate of Heaven
Rebellion against tyrants justified
Xunzi ่ๅญ - The Realist
ca. 310โ215 BCE
Still Confucian BUT controversial
Two students became famous Legalists!
Core argument: Human nature is fundamentally BAD
Humans Are Born Selfish
Natural desires: food, comfort, pleasure
"If human nature were good, why would we need sages?"
BUT: Education Can Transform Us
Ritual discipline CORRECTS bad nature
Repeated practice creates habits โ civilized people
โธ Pause & Process
Spectrum Activity
Position yourself:
GOOD
(Mencius)
Mixed
BAD
(Xunzi)
Stand and move. Talk to someone near you.
Summary: Four Perspectives
Thinker
Human Nature
Solution
Confucius
Malleable
Ren + Li, moral example
Mozi
โ
Universal love, utility
Mencius
Good
Nurture innate virtue
Xunzi
Bad
Correct through ritual
All ask: Can virtue govern? No consensus.
Next Lecture
Even More Radical Alternatives
Daoists: Stop trying. Go with the flow.
Legalists: Forget virtue. Use force.
Sunzi: War is deception.
Spoiler: Legalism conquers China. But Confucianism wins the long game.