Li in Confucianism Essay - 1109 Words

Li in Confucianism Analects is a book of collected sayings of Confucius (Kong Zi, 551-479 B.C.). It is one of the most important texts of Confucianism. This classical text has been translated by a lot of Western people, and remains a hot topic in Chinese Studies (or Sinology). Herbert Fingarettes book Confucius -- the Secular as Sacred focuses on Li, one of the core concepts about human nature, comportment and relationships in Confucianism. As a professional philosopher, the author is interested in philosophical interpretation of Analects. Actually, he has given the first such reading of Confucianism in the West. That is, he has touched upon subjects in Confucianism that a philosopher in the West will pay attention to. In†¦show more content†¦Confuciuss disciple and the following Confucians and Confucianists have made contributions by editing, commentating, and developing the teaching. However, the many schools of Confucianism all base their theories on Analects, and look upon the book as their common scripture. As a philosophy, Confucianism explicates how to make the many dimensions of mans existence more reasonable. What Confucius was mainly concerned with is how to revive and maintain an ideal society. He felt a sympathetic understanding for the traditional institutions, rituals, music, and literature of the early Zhou Dynasty, and tried to rationalize and justify them in ethical terms. Confucius lived in a time of upheavals. He believed that only by restoring the Zhou Li (rituals) could an ideal human society be achieved. On the one hand, the unnamed Zhou religion constitutes part of Li -- holy ritual and sacred ceremony. Confucius interpreted the religious rituals of the Zhou Dynasty not as sacrifices asking for the blessings of the gods, but as ceremonies performed by human agents and manifesting the civilized and cultured patterns of behavior developed through generations of human wisdom. Li embodied, for him, the ethical core of Chinese society. On the other hand, Confucius app lied the term ritual to actions beyond the formal sacrifices and religious ceremonies to include social rituals:Show MoreRelatedThe Night Watches Of The Buddha1747 Words   |  7 PagesQuestion 3 Compare, contrast and exemplify the role of Chi in Daoism and Confucianism thought This research will compare, contrast and exemplify the role of Chi in Daoism and Confucianism thought. Firstly, this research compares these two religion’s basic practice and to see both belief and practice. Then this research examines how both religions interpret the role of Chi and Confucianism thought. 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