2 - Confucianism

FILIAL PIETY

1.2: …Those who are filial to their parents and obedient to their elder brothers but are apt to defy their superiors are rare indeed; those who are not apt to defy their superiors, but are apt to stir up a rebellion simply do not exist….

1.9: …Show genuine grief at a parent’s death, keep offering sacrifices to them as time goes by, and the people’s moral character shall be reinforced.

2.5: …When your parents are alive, serve them in accordance with the rituals; when they die, bury them in accordance with rituals; offer sacrifices to them in accordance with the rituals.

4.18: In serving your parents, be gentle in remonstration. Seeing that they are not inclined to comply, remain reverent, and do not disobey them.  Though weary, do not feel resentful.

GOOD GOVERNMENT

1.5: …In governing a thousand-chariot [small] state, be reverent to your duties and truthful; economize expenditure and love men; employ the people at proper times.

2.1: …He who conducts government with virtue may be likened to the North Star, which, seated in its place, is surrounded by multitudes of other stars.

2.3: …If you govern them with decrees and regulate them with punishments, the people will evade them but will have no sense of shame.  If you govern them with virtue and regulate them with the rituals, they will have a sense of shame and flock to you.

2.19: Ji Kang-zi asked: “How do you make the people reverent, loyal, and mutually encouraging.”  The Master said: “If you preside over them with dignity, they will be reverent; if you are filial and loving, they will be loyal; if you promote the good and instruct the incapable, they will be mutually encouraging.”

REN [best translated “Human-heartedness”] and THE WELL-LIVED LIFE

4.1: To live among humane men is beautiful. Not to reside among humane men—how can one be considered wise?

13:19: Conduct yourself with respect; perform your duties with reverence; treat others with wholehearted sincerity. Even if you should journey to [barbarian lands], you cannot abandon these.

17:23: Zi-gong said: “Does the gentlemen also have people he loathes?”  The Master said: “Yes, I do.  I loathe those who babble about other people’s vices…those who…slander their superiors…those who…are courageous but have no regard for the rituals…those who…are impertinent and consider themselves courageous…those who divulge other people’s unseemly secrets and consider themselves straightforward.” 

6.22: A man of humanity places hard work before reward.  This may be called humanity.

7.3: Virtue uncultivated, learning undiscussed, the inability to move toward righteousness after hearing it, and the inability to correct my imperfections—these are my anxieties.