LECTURE No. 5. Confucianism

1. Confucius

Confucianism is not a complete doctrine. Its individual elements are closely connected with the development of ancient and medieval Chinese society, which it itself helped to form and conserve, creating a despotic centralized state.

As a specific theory of the organization of society, Confucianism focuses on ethical rules, social norms and regulation of government, in the formation of which it was very conservative. Confucius said about himself: "I state the old and do not create the new." It was also characteristic of this doctrine that questions of an ontological nature were secondary in it.

Confucius (551-479 BC). BC), his name is a Latinized version of the name Kung Fu-tzu (Master Kun). This thinker (proper name Kong Qiu) is considered the first Chinese philosopher. Naturally, his biography was enriched by later legends. It is known that at first he was a low official in the state of Lu, and later for a number of years he wandered around the states of Eastern China. The end of his life was dedicated to his students, their training and the organization of some classical books (jing). Confucius was one of many philosophers whose teachings were banned during the Qin Dynasty. He acquired great authority and almost deification during the Han Dynasty, and until modern times he was revered as a sage and the first teacher. Confucius's thoughts are preserved in the form of his conversations with his disciples.

The records of the sayings of Confucius and his disciples in the book "Conversations and Judgments" (Lun Yu) are the most reliable source for the study of his views.

Confucius, concerned about the decay of society, focuses on educating a person in the spirit of respect and reverence towards others, towards society. In his social ethics, a person is a person not "for himself", but for society.

The ethics of Confucius understands a person in connection with his social function, and education is leading a person to the proper performance of this function. This approach was of great importance for the socio-economic ordering of life in agrarian China; however, it led to the reduction of individual life, to a certain social position and activity. The individual was a function in the social organism of society.

The original meaning of the concept of order (li), as the norm of specific relations, actions, rights and obligations in the era of the Western Zhou Dynasty, Confucius raises to the level of an exemplary idea. Order in him is established thanks to the ideal universality, the relationship of man to nature and, in particular, the relationship between people. The order acts as an ethical category, which also includes the rules of external behavior - etiquette. True observance of order leads to the proper performance of duties. "If a noble man (jun zi) is accurate and does not waste time, if he is polite to others and does not disturb the order, then the people between the four seas are his brothers." The order is filled with virtue (de): "The teacher said about Zi-chan that he has four of the virtues that belong to a noble husband. In private behavior he is polite, in the service he is accurate, humane and fair to people."

Such performance of functions based on order necessarily leads to the manifestation of humanity (jen). Humanity is the main of all the requirements for a person. Human existence is so social that it cannot do without the following regulators:

1) help others achieve what you yourself would like to achieve;

2) What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.

People differ depending on their family and then social status. From family patriarchal relations, Confucius derived the principle of filial and fraternal virtue (xiao ti). Social relationships are parallel to family relationships. The relationship between subject and ruler, subordinate and superior is the same as the relationship between a son and a father and a younger brother to an older brother.

To comply with subordination and order, Confucius develops the principle of justice and serviceability (i). Justice and serviceability are not connected with the ontological understanding of truth, which Confucius did not specifically deal with.

A person must act as the order and his position dictate. Correct behavior is behavior with respect for order and humanity, for "a noble man understands what is serviceable, just as small people understand what is profitable." This is the way (dao) of the educated, who have moral strength (de) and who should be entrusted with the administration of society.

2. Mencius

Mencius (Meng Ke - 371-289 BC) was the successor of Confucius, defended Confucianism from attacks from other schools of that time.

As part of the development of Confucianism, Mencius developed the concept of human nature; he developed the thoughts of Confucius about the moral good and the attitude of the educated to this good.

Good is an abstract ethical category, which means order (li) when following the path (dao). According to Mencius, human nature is endowed with goodness, although this nature does not always manifest itself. So, a person can deviate from the order of things, from the path, and this happens under the influence of the circumstances in which he lives, because there are also low biological instincts in a person. The good in every person can be realized by four virtues, the basis of which is knowledge, because knowledge of the order of things, the world and man leads to realization in society:

1) humanity (jen);

2) serviceability (and);

3) politeness (whether);

4) knowledge (zhi).

In the concept of Mencius, the principle of filial and fraternal virtue (xiao ti) put forward by Confucius is consistently carried out. To the hierarchy of five links in this principle, Mencius also includes the ruler, who must be knowledgeable, wise and have moral strength (de). Its power is characterized by the principle of humanity (ren zheng). If the ruler ignores this principle, and replaces the personal power emanating from knowledge with tyranny (ba), the people have the right to overthrow him. This, in fact, political program is also closely connected with the person's belonging to the world, facing the sky (tian). Sky Mencius understands as an ideal force that endows a person with existence and social function (and hence power). Man exists thanks to the sky and therefore is a part of it, just like nature. The difference between tian, which tells man the nature of his existence, and man can be overcome by cultivating, perfecting this nature to a pure form.

3. Xun Tzu

Xun Tzu, real name - Xun Qin (3rd century BC), polemicizing with Mencius, put forward opposing views on the essence of heaven, and opposed the concept of human nature. Xunzi was the most prominent Confucianist of the Hundred Schools period.

He understood heaven as constant, having its own path (tian dao) and endowed with the power that imparts essence and existence to man. Together with the earth, the sky connects the world into a single whole. From this it follows that man is a part of nature. Moreover, in contrast to Mencius, he puts forward the thesis that man’s nature is bad, and all his abilities and good qualities are the result of upbringing. People organize and unite into society to overcome nature. They do this, however, with a strict distinction between functions and relationships. "If we define the boundaries of moral consciousness, then we have harmony. Harmony means unity. Unity multiplies strength... If a person is strong, he can conquer things."

Noteworthy is the articulation of nature by Xun Tzu.

1. Inanimate phenomena, consisting of qi-material substance.

2. Living phenomena, consisting of a material substance and possessing sheng - life.

3. Phenomena, consisting of a material substance, living and possessing zhi - consciousness.

4. Man, consisting of a material substance, living, possessing consciousness, having, in addition, moral consciousness - and. A person forms names in order to name things, relationships and concepts, to distinguish and clearly define the phenomena of reality. Here you can see the echo of the "Book of Changes".

Xun Tzu also deals with questions of the ontology of language. Conceptual assimilation of reality occurs with the help of the mind. Sensual contact with reality is the first stage of cognition, the next stage is rational cognition (xin - literally: heart). The mind must satisfy three main conditions, of which the main thing is the "purity" of the mind from all psychologizing interference.

Xun Tzu, although he is considered a Confucian, transcends the classical understanding of order in Confucian social ethics. A person's abilities are not fatally, or hereditarily, predetermined, they must correspond to the upbringing received. This approach, as well as emphasizing the absolute authority of the ruler, brings him closer to the legalist school.

4. Confucianism and Religion

Since the bulk of Confucius's teachings concern purely secular matters, many Western scholars argue that Confucianism is not a religion, but only a moral teaching. Indeed, Confucius at first glance spoke little and reluctantly on religious topics. So, for example, once his disciple Zi-lu asked about how to serve the spirits. The teacher answered the question with a question: "Without learning to serve people, is it possible to serve the spirits?" Tzu-lu added: "I dare to know what death is?" The teacher replied: "Not knowing what life is, how can one know death?" There are many more examples of how Confucius shied away from talking about the other world. But this does not mean that he was indifferent to the problems of religion. On the contrary, he clearly regarded these problems as a magnificent mystery, incomprehensible to mortals and therefore not subject to discussion. Without delving into the subtleties of religious theory, Confucius at the same time attached great importance to religious practice. Since in Ancient China there was no priestly caste as such, and the administration of a religious cult was the responsibility of each official, naturally, jun zi, an ideal official, should have perfectly known religious practice. It was religion, according to Confucius, that link that connected all the norms of behavior in society into a single coherent system, and the will of Heaven was the highest sanction of these norms of behavior, dictated, supposedly, by the wise rulers of antiquity, who were able to understand the will of Heaven.

Confucius himself also considered himself a conductor of the will of Heaven, who reveals to his contemporaries the "eternal truths" they have forgotten.

Thus, the system of ordered society created by Confucius was ultimately sanctified by the will of Heaven. In the set of rules (li), Heaven postulated the norms of behavior in the ideal society of Confucius. But these norms were only the starting point of political practice, specific decisions that the ruler had to make and which also had to correspond to the will of Heaven. According to Confucius, the interpreters of the will of Heaven in this case should have been jun tzu - wise advisers to the ruler, whose task was not only to instruct the people, but also to instruct the king. In practice, Confucian advisers, having come to power, interpreted the will of Heaven on the basis of "heavenly signs." If they did not like the activity of the king, they declared any astronomical or natural phenomenon "sinister". If the ruler acted at the behest of the advisers, they "did not notice" even the solar eclipses that occurred during their reign. Under the "virtuous" emperor Wen-di in 163 BC. e. "not seen" even the bright Halley's comet.

The recognition of Confucian writings as sacred, as well as the addition of the cult of Confucius (the deification of a person, a temple on the site of his dwelling, rituals and prayers addressed to Confucius), occurred five centuries after the death of Confucius - on the threshold of a new era.

Author: Pankin S.F.

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