Category Archives: Confucius

Episode 13 of “This Is the Way”: Family Before State

Confucianism is well known for prioritizing familial responsibilities and love over other competing demands such as public interest or duties to the state. In this episode we explore two of the best known passages from early Confucianism that some modern scholars believe makes Confucianism morally problematic. The first passage we discuss is the “Upright Gong” passage, Analects 13.18, which has Confucius advocating mutual “covering up” of crimes by fathers and sons. The second passage is Mengzi 7A35, in which Mengzi is asked what the sage king Shun would have done if his father had committed murder. Mengzi’s answer, briefly stated, is that Shun would have given up his throne and would have fled with his father to care for him for the rest of his life.

Through these passages we explore questions about justice, consequentialist ethics, and the nature of moral dilemmas (and Confucian ways of handling them). Continue reading →

Episode 8 of “This Is the Way”: The Golden Rule

Across different religious and moral traditions we often find some version of the Golden Rule. In this episode we explore the Golden Rule as formulated in the Analects and explore questions such as how fundamental it is to the Confucian ethical framework, how it is supposed to work in actual practice, and how it connects with issues about self-centeredness. We also examine how it might apply differently to ordinary people and sages, focusing on Analects 15.24 and Analects 6.30. Continue reading →

Episode 6 of “This Is the Way”: Partiality and Justice

Episode 6 of This Is the Way is on Tao Jiang’s book. We don’t cover every one of the fascinating issues raised in the 516 pages of Professor Jiang’s volume, but we do cover some of the core topics, including (1) tensions between impartialist justice and partialist humaneness, and (2) Zhuangzi and freedom. A short description follows, with the usual supporting materials. Continue reading →

Episode 5 of “This Is the Way”: Cultivation and the Autobiography of Confucius

In the fifth episode of This Is the Way, we discuss Confucius’s autobiography as found in Analects 2.4, one of the most famous passages in the Analects and a rich resource for reflection on the process of moral self-cultivation. Among the many topics we explore: what Confucius meant by being “free of doubts” and “understanding Heaven’s Mandate,” and the relationship between practicing and understanding the Confucian Way. We discuss how traditional commentaries and commentators have interpreted some of the most interesting and disputed lines, and puzzle over the philosophical concept of ‘wholeheartedness.’ Continue reading →

Episode 2 of “This Is the Way”: Confucians on Shame

The second episode of This Is the Way is on shame as a moral emotion, as understood by classical Confucian philosophers (especially Confucius and Mencius, but also Xunzi). Our special guest is Jing Iris Hu (HU Jing 胡婧), author of “Shame, Vulnerability, and Change.” Key questions include the following: What are the Confucian arguments for having a sense of shame? To what extent can shame be autonomous or independent of social attitudes, and what mechanisms do the Confucian recommend for making it so independent? Do fully virtuous people need a sense of shame?
Below you will find a more detailed accounting of topics, some specific passages and books or articles mentioned in the episode, and an opportunity to “weigh in” and share your views about the topic (or about the hosts’ wild claims about the text). Continue reading →

New Book: Portraits of Confucius

Bloomsbury Academic has recently published a new book titled Portraits of Confucius: The Reception of Confucianism from 1560 to 1960, edited by Kevin DeLapp. This is a 2-volume book that presents a major collection of Western perspectives on Confucius and Confucianism, stretching from the sixteenth century to the early twentieth century; the full Table of Contents is here. If you’d like to order this (expensive, if impressive) collection, you can order direct from here and if you use the code GLR 9VS you will receive a 20% discount.

Defoort & van Els, Confucius spreekt (Confucius Speaks)

Carine Defoort and Paul van Els have published Confucius spreekt (Confucius Speaks). Antwerp: Pelckmans, 2021. Paul writes:

While the book is written in Dutch, perhaps the Warp, Weft, and Way community might like to be kept abreast of relevant developments outside the English-speaking world? In any case, I made a quick English translation of the book-page on my website.

Question about education in Confucius’s time

I am posting this on behalf of a graduate student at University College London…

Dear All,

I am interested in discovering about the schooling/education that Confucius would have received, but have found great difficulty in locating readings on this. I know Confucius studied at his local village school and then went to the state capital to continue his studies. Would anybody be able to provide some information on this, and or recommend any texts (in English) on the ‘education system’, the curriculum and any fees that might have been paid in Confucius’ time, and who might have been permitted to study?

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration.

Qasir Shah