VI. CULTIVATION OF THE FINE ARTS. The Fine Arts in General Music Ceremonies. VII. UNIVERSAL RELATIONS Death and Immortality PAGE 210 216 221 231 238 241 245 Communion with Departed An- cestors Spiritual Beings and Spiritual Power Providence God. APPENDIX. THE "GREAT PRINCIPLE" CONFUCIUS. CHANG BY DR. CHEN HUAN INDEX 307 STANFORD LIBRARY The Ethics of Confucius CHAPTER I WHAT CONSTITUTES THE SUPERIOR MAN THE central idea of Confucius is that every normal human being cherishes the aspiration to become a superior man-superior to his fellows, if possible, but surely superior to his own past and present self. This does not more than hint at perfection as a goal; and it is said of him that one of the subjects concerning which the Master rarely spoke, was "perfect virtue." (Analects, bk. ix., c. i.) He also said, "They who know virtue, are few" (Analects, bk. xv., c. iii.), and was far from teaching a perfectionist doctrine. It refers rather to the perpetually relative, the condition of being superior to that to which one may be superior, be it high or low,—that hopeful possibility which has ever lured mankind toward higher things. This accords well with the ameliorating and progressive principle of evolution which in these days offers a substantial reward, both for a man and for his progeny, if he will but cultivate higher and more useful traits and qualities. The aim to.excel, if respected of all, approved and accepted by. common consent, would appeal to every child. and, logically presented to its mind and enforced by universal recognition of its validity, would become a conviction and a scheme for the art of living, of transforming power and compelling vigour. In various sayings Confucius, his disciples, and Mencius present the attributes of the superior man, whom the sage adjures his disciples to admire without ceasing, to emulate without turning, and to imitate without let or hindrance. These are some of them: Purpose: "The superior man learns in order to attain to the utmost of his principles." (Analects, bk. xix., c. vii.) Poise: "The superior man in his thought does not go out of his place." (Analects, bk. xiv., c. xxviii.) Self-sufficiency: "What the superior man seeks, is in himself; what the ordinary' man seeks, is in others." (Analects, bk. xv., c. xx.) 1 I have been much concerned about the word which should be given for the Chinese word appearing here. Legge renders it "mean," meaning thereby "average." I discard his word as ambiguous and choose "ordinary" as nearest to the idea, which is "the average among men who are not superior." This expression must not, however, be taken as a term describing the common people; as will be seen, Confucius reverenced them, as in our age did Abraham Lincoln. Earnestness: "The superior man in everything puts forth his utmost endeavours." (Great Learning, ii., 4.) Thoroughness: "The superior man bends his attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up.' (Analects, bk. i., c. ii., v. 2.) Sincerity: "The superior man must make his thoughts sincere." (Great Learning, vi., 4.) "Is it not his absolute sincerity which distinguishes a superior man?" (Doctrine of the Mean, c. xiii., 4.) Truthfulness: "What the superior man requires is that in what he says there may be nothing inaccurate." (Analects, bk. xiii., c. iii., v. 7.) Purity of thought and action: "The superior man must be watchful over himself when alone." (Great Learning, vi., 2.) Love of truth: "The object of the superior man is truth." (Analects, bk. xv., c. xxxi.) "The superior man is anxious lest he should not get truth; he is not anxious lest poverty come upon him." (Analects, bk. xv., c. xxxi.) Mental hospitality: "The superior man is catholic and not partisan; the ordinary man is partisan and not catholic." (Analects, bk. ii., c. xiv.) "The superior man in the world does not set his mind either for anything or against anything; what is right, he will follow." (Analects, bk. iv., c. x.) Rectitude: "The superior man thinks of virtue; the ordinary man thinks of comfort." (Analects, |