SS 381: Comparative Religions

M. Suheyl Umer

Friday 4 th July, 2003

Confucianism and the Role of Man

Introduction

Today, Confucius’s ethical and social principles are world- renown for their mass appeal across China, as well as the rest of the world. This “Supreme editor” of Chinese culture was born around 551 B.C, and led a modest life. He was predominantly concerned with social reform in ancient China, and hence his teachings relating to the concept of Man focus mainly on how Man can hope to improve himself spiritually via his interaction with other beings. The continuity of self, society and cosmos is hence paramount in the Confucian world view. For Confucius “self-cultivation” or the focus on the individual self, was fairly important, but largely so in the context of one’s roles in society.

There are three arenas in which we can analyze the role of Man with regards to Confucianism; Man in relation to himself, Man in relation to heaven, and Man in relation to society. We will look at them one by one.

Man in Relation to himself

In his Analects, Confucius emphasizes the cultivation of moral virtues such as civility and humaneness as the two essential values that comprise the nature of a truly self-cultivated being. These two virtues, humaneness and civility, “defined the means of human relatedness as a spiritual path”(ibid). Through civility, specifically filiality, one could repay the gifts of life to one’s parents and ancestors. Through humaneness one could extend this love to other humans and eventually, to all living things. But what, one may ask, does the extension of good will to other creatures have to do with the human self? According to Confucius, it is through these acts of kindness and civility that we become more fully human ourselves. The root of practicing humaneness was considered to be filial relations, and its extension from one’s family and ancestors to the human family and the cosmic family was the means whereby these primary biological ties provided a person with the roots, trunks, and branches of an interconnected spiritual path.

Since human nature is thought to be heavenly endowed, it follows that human beings are innately pure and moral. This belief is illustrated by an example provided by Mencius, one of Confucius’s early disciples, who said that if an onlooker saw a child fall into a well, his basic instinct would be to save the child. The basic reason given for this behavior is that human beings have a naturally compassionate heart and, at the level of their primary instincts, will tend toward the good. These ‘primary instincts’ that enable us to do good consist of instincts relating to compassion, shame, courtesy, modesty and a sense of right and wrong.

Self-Cultivation helps us to work on these primary instincts and convert them into the primary Confucius virtues of humaneness, righteousness, propriety and wisdom. However, there is one major difference in Confucianism’s treatment of the concept of self-improvement, and that used by other religions. In Confucianism’s case, self-cultivation does not lead to transcendent bliss or otherworldly salvation or even personal enlightenment. Rather, the goal is to move toward participation in the social, political and cosmological nature of things.

Man in Relation to Heaven

What, according to Confucius, was Man’s relation to Heaven? In order to answer this question, we must study the meanings of two different concepts, the Chinese Li, and Qi. Qi is described as the matrix or unified field that embraces both matter and energy. It is a matrix containing both material and spiritual life from the smallest particle to the largest visible reality. Qi courses through nature. It is hence the single unifying force of all that is. Humans, for all their blindness, are intelligent enough to want to know and experience this qi more fully. Because the qi that we are each given may vary in its purity or turbidity, self-cultivation is necessary.

Li is described as the all-pervading and profound pattern and principle that orders the universe. In layman’s terms, li is the manifestation of the Supreme Being in the flow of the natural world around us as well as in the unfolding of our lives (ibid). For the Neo-Confucians, humans are imprinted with unique and differentiated li embedded in qi, the material force of their own mind-body. Li stands for the special and unique qualities of very individual, while qi establishes the material and spiritual grounds for subjectivity, thus uniting humans with one another and with the vast world of nature.

Thus, humans are given a heavenly endowed nature that joins them to the great triad of heaven, earth, and other humans. Though this is a gift from birth, it is supposed to be worked upon and added to over one’s lifetime. The process of self-cultivation helps us to achieve this goal. Self-cultivation helps us to actualize and recognize the profound identity of ourselves with heaven, earth and the myriad things.

Man in Relation to Society

The definitions of the Confucian Ethic are drawn directly from the experience of the human encounter at the practical level of everyday experience. The Confucian norms for behavior speak chiefly of 5 main values; Li or respect, Hsiao or family love, Yi or mutual reciprocity among friends, Jen or benevolence towards the stranger, and finally, Chung or loyalty to the State.

Li means a heartfelt respect, and reflects the nature of the Chungtzu, the man or woman of outgoing nature who like the great ocean conquers all by letting all things flow into its embrace. Hsiao is the virtue governing family relationships. Its definition embraces the love of children for parents and parents for children, making the family the centre of Chinese social life. Yi means the sense of deep commitment that a friend must give to a friend, as well as the reciprocity governing the transactions of honest businessmen. Jen means benevolence, or wishing good things for others. Chung refers to a sense of loyalty to the reigning power of state, coupled with an immense sense of democratic vote or common decision at the community level.

Conclusion

Thus self-cultivation is always aimed at preparing the individual to contribute more fully to the needs of the contemporary world. More than anything, then, the role of the human is to discover one’s place in the larger community of life. We are embedded in a web of relationships, and one fulfills one’s role by cultivating one’s inner spontaneities so that one can be more responsive to each of these layers of commitments. Furthermore, for Confucians this is all set within the context of an organic, dynamic, holistic universe that is alive with qi and imprinted with li.

Bibliography

Hinnels,J.(1997) A New Handbook of Living Religions.Penguin Books: London

Runzo,J and Martin,M.(2001) Ethics in the World Religions. One World Publications: New York

Fasching,J.(2002) World Religions Today .Oxford University Press: New York

“The Great Triad” by Rene Guenon

“Anthropocosmic Vision” by W.Chittick

Hinnels,J.(1997) A New Handbook of Living Religions.Penguin Books: London

Runzo,J and Martin,M.(2001) Ethics in the World Religions. One World Publications: New York

“The Great Triad” by Rene Guenon

Fasching,J.(2002) World Religions Today .Oxford University Press: New York

Hinnels,J.(1997) A New Handbook of Living Religions.Penguin Books: London

Runzo,J and Martin,M.(2001) Ethics in the World Religions. One World Publications: New York

Hinnels,J.(1997) A New Handbook of Living Religions.Penguin Books: London