In China, Warring States Period was imbued with chaos of wars and the whole society was in a state of ferment. The disordered phase in ideological area, as the most direct reflection of the change, was characterized b...In China, Warring States Period was imbued with chaos of wars and the whole society was in a state of ferment. The disordered phase in ideological area, as the most direct reflection of the change, was characterized by that all the old ethical standard had been badly weaken, even failed to explain the moral facts. In terms of common people, they were confused and puzzled by the questions as "what is language?" and "what is the standard of speaking and behavior?" Some ancient scholars pinned these problems upon the reversal of "ming" (名) and "shi" (实). As a result, to rectify names and to clarify the name of ethics became a must for reconstructing the old proprieties and system. Among those scholars and thinkers, Xun Zi firstly proposed Zhengming to state the relationship between a name and the thing it represents in a systematical way. This essay only sheds light upon the reason of rectifying names: to distinguish the rank and differentiate the similarities and differences("明贵贱,辨同异")which is the must of "rectifying names".展开更多
This article scrutinizes three texts about Xun Zi written during the Qin-Han period： the final part of ＂The Questions of Yao＂ in the Xunzi, a rebuttal by one of Xun Zi＇s disciples of the idea that Xun Zi was infer...This article scrutinizes three texts about Xun Zi written during the Qin-Han period： the final part of ＂The Questions of Yao＂ in the Xunzi, a rebuttal by one of Xun Zi＇s disciples of the idea that Xun Zi was inferior to Confucius; ＂Mencius and Xun Zi＂ by Sima Qian in his Records of the Grand Historian; and the Annotated Book of the Xunzi by Liu Xiang. We explore the images of Xun Zi as a great Confucian （大儒） that emerge from these texts, as well as their authors＇ motives for writing. These texts are understood within three contexts： first, the self-identification of a Confucian; second, the dispute between Confucianism and Daoism; and lastly, the distinction between the classics and the annals and biographies. Due to their different discourse environments, Xun Zi＇s great Confucian image project a different significance in each： in one, he is a model of action who can act in accordance with perfected morality; in another, he is a model of ＂private words,＂ who can counter the philosophers of his day and become the teacher of kings; and finally, he is a model of ＂official learning,＂ able to use his knowledge of the classics in practical statecraft and elucidate the kingly Way. Overall, these three texts represent three types of discourse on a great Confucian. At thesame time, they also exhibit their writers＇ consciousness of their times and their views of the genealogy of daotong, or transmission of the Way; hence their significance for intellectual history.展开更多
Through the stories of Shun and Shangjia Wei, the Baoxun bamboo manuscript expresses the Confucian political idea of zhongdao （中道 the middle way）. Early Confucians had a strong sense of propagating the dao （道 th...Through the stories of Shun and Shangjia Wei, the Baoxun bamboo manuscript expresses the Confucian political idea of zhongdao （中道 the middle way）. Early Confucians had a strong sense of propagating the dao （道 the Way）, but they kept an open mind as to how it was to be understood, which was very different from the later doctrine of daotong （道统 the tradition of the Way）. Although ancient China possessed a long and continuous intellectual tradition ofzhong （中 center, middle, etc.）, a tradition that gave rise to a series of concepts such as zhongzheng （中正 being fair and upright）, zhongyong （中庸the principle of the Mean） and zhonghe （中和 being central and harmonious）, zhong actually originated from ancient religious rituals and was an important category of the ancient study of li （礼 rites or ritual）. After Confucius, it was Xun Zi who was the true heir to the tradition of zhong in all its fullness. The Confucian daotong is the combination of the tradition of ren （仁 benevolence） and that of li, and the Confucian dao or Way refers to the Way of becoming a sage within and a king without.展开更多
To illustrate the overall content and historical significance of Xun Zi＇s political philosophy, this paper proceeds as follows. First, it reviews previous research on ideas of li （ritual and social norms） and discu...To illustrate the overall content and historical significance of Xun Zi＇s political philosophy, this paper proceeds as follows. First, it reviews previous research on ideas of li （ritual and social norms） and discusses why Xun Zi＇s theory of li has been undervalued. Second, it briefly introduces my earlier study of this issue, The Confucian Quest for Order.＂ The Origin and Formation of the Political Thought of Xun Zi. Third, it proposes an analytical framework that highlights the intellectual characteristics and historical role of li in the Xunzi. This framework analyzes li in the broad sense, differentiating between the theory of li, li as an institution and li as a way to the restoration of order. Fourth, it describes some intellectual characteristics of the Xunzi＇s theory of li as a way to order. Based on these discussions, this paper argues that Xun Zi＇s theory of li as a way to order is a political philosophy with a broad vision which goes beyond the framework of a single dynasty or state to cover the history and modes of existence of human society as a whole.展开更多
文摘In China, Warring States Period was imbued with chaos of wars and the whole society was in a state of ferment. The disordered phase in ideological area, as the most direct reflection of the change, was characterized by that all the old ethical standard had been badly weaken, even failed to explain the moral facts. In terms of common people, they were confused and puzzled by the questions as "what is language?" and "what is the standard of speaking and behavior?" Some ancient scholars pinned these problems upon the reversal of "ming" (名) and "shi" (实). As a result, to rectify names and to clarify the name of ethics became a must for reconstructing the old proprieties and system. Among those scholars and thinkers, Xun Zi firstly proposed Zhengming to state the relationship between a name and the thing it represents in a systematical way. This essay only sheds light upon the reason of rectifying names: to distinguish the rank and differentiate the similarities and differences("明贵贱,辨同异")which is the must of "rectifying names".
文摘This article scrutinizes three texts about Xun Zi written during the Qin-Han period： the final part of ＂The Questions of Yao＂ in the Xunzi, a rebuttal by one of Xun Zi＇s disciples of the idea that Xun Zi was inferior to Confucius; ＂Mencius and Xun Zi＂ by Sima Qian in his Records of the Grand Historian; and the Annotated Book of the Xunzi by Liu Xiang. We explore the images of Xun Zi as a great Confucian （大儒） that emerge from these texts, as well as their authors＇ motives for writing. These texts are understood within three contexts： first, the self-identification of a Confucian; second, the dispute between Confucianism and Daoism; and lastly, the distinction between the classics and the annals and biographies. Due to their different discourse environments, Xun Zi＇s great Confucian image project a different significance in each： in one, he is a model of action who can act in accordance with perfected morality; in another, he is a model of ＂private words,＂ who can counter the philosophers of his day and become the teacher of kings; and finally, he is a model of ＂official learning,＂ able to use his knowledge of the classics in practical statecraft and elucidate the kingly Way. Overall, these three texts represent three types of discourse on a great Confucian. At thesame time, they also exhibit their writers＇ consciousness of their times and their views of the genealogy of daotong, or transmission of the Way; hence their significance for intellectual history.
文摘Through the stories of Shun and Shangjia Wei, the Baoxun bamboo manuscript expresses the Confucian political idea of zhongdao （中道 the middle way）. Early Confucians had a strong sense of propagating the dao （道 the Way）, but they kept an open mind as to how it was to be understood, which was very different from the later doctrine of daotong （道统 the tradition of the Way）. Although ancient China possessed a long and continuous intellectual tradition ofzhong （中 center, middle, etc.）, a tradition that gave rise to a series of concepts such as zhongzheng （中正 being fair and upright）, zhongyong （中庸the principle of the Mean） and zhonghe （中和 being central and harmonious）, zhong actually originated from ancient religious rituals and was an important category of the ancient study of li （礼 rites or ritual）. After Confucius, it was Xun Zi who was the true heir to the tradition of zhong in all its fullness. The Confucian daotong is the combination of the tradition of ren （仁 benevolence） and that of li, and the Confucian dao or Way refers to the Way of becoming a sage within and a king without.
文摘To illustrate the overall content and historical significance of Xun Zi＇s political philosophy, this paper proceeds as follows. First, it reviews previous research on ideas of li （ritual and social norms） and discusses why Xun Zi＇s theory of li has been undervalued. Second, it briefly introduces my earlier study of this issue, The Confucian Quest for Order.＂ The Origin and Formation of the Political Thought of Xun Zi. Third, it proposes an analytical framework that highlights the intellectual characteristics and historical role of li in the Xunzi. This framework analyzes li in the broad sense, differentiating between the theory of li, li as an institution and li as a way to the restoration of order. Fourth, it describes some intellectual characteristics of the Xunzi＇s theory of li as a way to order. Based on these discussions, this paper argues that Xun Zi＇s theory of li as a way to order is a political philosophy with a broad vision which goes beyond the framework of a single dynasty or state to cover the history and modes of existence of human society as a whole.
