Relationships + Developments

Jen

(“ren”)

• The ideal relationship that should pertain to 2

people: goodness, benevolence, love, or human
heartedness.

• Feeling of humanity toward others & respect for

oneself

• Sense of the dignity of human life

Jen + Shu
Two components:
• Doing one’s best
• Reciprocity: treat others as one would wish to be treated – shu
• Shu is the negative counterpart to the “Golden Rule”
• Confucianism would not endorse LOVE for one’s enemy; justice

is primary in responding to an enemy - through proper relationships

Li

• 2 meanings
• 1st-Propriety, the way things should be done (by virtue)
• Confucius directed peoples’ attention to the finest models of
propriety social history offered.

Li

2nd: Also means rite or ritual
• Combining terms gives meaning:

Behaving properly, even when performing apparently mundane
routines, carries at all times the significance of a sacred ritual.

• Proper behavior is largely dependent on one’s place in society.

Emperor, counselor, etc. each has his proper behavior. (Similar to “dharma” in Hinduism.)

Te

•Pronounced “day”

•Literally means power, the power by which
men are ruled.

•Te: a good example is more effective than
laws and punishment.

•Govern with virtue, not force.

• Good example nurtures a moral conscience,
+ has longer-term effects.

•SHAME is much more serious than a
temporary punishment.

•People must have confidence in their
government

•He would have agreed with Thomas
Jefferson: “the whole art of government consists
in the art of being honest.”

Wen

• The arts of peace: music, art, poetry
• Confucius valued the arts tremendously.
• Considered people who are indifferent to art as half human.
• Believed art had the power to transform human nature in

the direction of virtue.

• Arts include other skills like archery and calligraphy.

Harmony in

Relationships

The SELF:
• Seen in social terms
• Constantly changing: self continues to mature & grow through

education/experience

• Human relationships are fundamental in defining “self”
• Am I parent or child? Ruler or subject? Older brother, or younger?

Elders

• Deep respect shown for elders of society
• Advanced age = wisdom
• Greater social standing comes with age

5 Constant Relationships

Father/Son Husband/Wife

Older Brother/
Younger Brother

Ruler/Subject

Friend/Friend

3 of 5 relationships
found in FAMILY;
Friendship is most
equal of relationships

Developments in

Confucianism

Mencius (390-305 BC)
• 2nd founder of Confucianism
• “Humans are naturally GOOD;

doing evil violates human nature”

• Book of Mencius: one of

Confucianism’s central texts

Developments in

Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism
• Response to Taoism &

Buddhism

• 1000 years ago
• Chu Hsi(joo-shee) –

determined the 4 most important
books of Confucianism
(Analects, Book of Mencius, The Great

Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean)