Traditional Ethics and Contemporary Society of China

Preface
Contents
1 Introduction
1 Some Questions About Chinese Ethical Thought
1.1 Research Objects of the History of Chinese Ethical Thought
1.2 The Stages of the History of Chinese Ethical Thought
1.3 The Main Problems Studied by Chinese Ethical Thinkers
1.4 Basic Features of Chinese Ethical Thought
1.5 The Emergence and Evolution of Traditional Chinese Moral Codes
1.6 Attitudes and Methods of Studying the History of Ethical Thought
2 Theoretical Understanding and Methodological Principles of Critical Inheritance of Traditional Morality
2.1 A Historical Overview
2.2 General Principles
2.3 Why the Proletariat Can Inherit the Morality of the Exploiting Class
2.4 How to Understand the Relationship Between the Universal and the Particular in Critical Succession
2.5 How to Understand the Special and Universal Significance of Moral Propositions and Moral Imperatives
2.6 Criteria for Distinguishing Between the Best and the Worst
2 The Ethics Thought of the Western Zhou Dynasty with the Duke of Zhou’s “Respecting Morality and Protecting the People” as the Core—Ethical Thoughts in Book of Documents, Book of Changes and Book of Songs
1 The Ethical Thoughts of Duke Zhou Reflected in Book of Changes
2 Ethical Thoughts in Book of Changes
3 Ethical Thoughts in Book of Songs
3 Founder of Confucianism–Confucius’s Ethical Thought with “Benevolence” as the Core
1 The Life of Confucius and the Historical Background
2 Social Morality with “Love” as the Core
3 Strengthening the Moral Norms of Filial Piety and Loyalty
4 Theory of Moral Cultivation of “Retain Yourself and Follow Social Norms”
5 Multi-level Ideal Personality of “Gentleman”, “Benevolent” and “Sage”
6 Thoughts of “Govern by Virtue”
7 The Righteousness-Benefit View of Righteousness Comes Before Interest”
7.1 About “Righteousness Before Profit”
7.2 “The Mind of the Superior Man is Conversant with Righteousness; the Mind of the Mean Man is Conversant with Gain”
8 Confucius and Confucianism
8.1 Reasons for the Long-Standing Importance of Confucianism in Ancient Times
8.2 The Primary Content of Confucianism
8.3 How to Understand the Confucian School
8.4 The Contemporary Significance of Confucian Ethics
8.5 The Right Attitude Towards Confucius and Confucianism
4 Ethical Thought in Mohism of Impartial Care and Equal Emphasis on Righteousness and Interest
1 The Life of Mozi and His Works
2 Ethical Thoughts with “Impartial Love” as the Core
3 Principle of Equal Emphasis on Righteousness and Benefit and Utilitarianism in Ethics
4 Against Fatalism for Anti-aggression
5 Labor Creation Theory of “Labor to Survive”
6 Religious Ethics of “Heaven Can Appreciate the Good and Punish the Evil”
7 Moral Cultivation Theory Based on Behaviour
8 Political Thoughts of Promoting the Worthy and Identifying Upward
5 Development of Confucius’s Ethical Thought by Mencius and the Debate with Gaozi
1 The Life of Mencius and His Works
2 Opposition Between Innate Goodness and “Man’s Nature is Indifferent to Good and Evil”
3 Intuitive Knowledge, Intuitive Ability and Conscience Are the Core of Morality
4 Cultivation Theory Based on Innate Goodness and Conscience
5 Intentionalism of Righteousness Over Benefit
6 Value on Goodness
7 Five Bonds and Its Guidelines
8 Gaozi’s Theory on Human Nature of “Nature Comes with Birth”
6 Taoist Ethics of “Nonaction” and “Detached from Righteousness and Benefit”
1 The Ethical Thought of “Returning to Naturalness and Truth” in Tao Te Ching
1.1 The Life of Laozi and the Book of “Laozi”
1.2 The Worldview of the Book of “Laozi”
1.3 The Gist of the “Laozi”
1.4 The Philosophy of “Doing Nothing but Doing Everything”
1.5 The Moral Ideal of Return to the Infant
2 Yang Zhu’s Ethical Thought of “Cherishing Oneself” and “Self-Favoritism”
2.1 The Life of Yang Zhu
2.2 The Core of Yang Zhu’s Thoughts is ‘Valuing Oneself’ and ‘Rebirth’
2.3 Yang Zhu’s Theory on Happiness
2.4 The Social Role of Yang Zhu’s Thought
3 Zhuangzi’s Ethical Thought of “Righteousness Over Benefit”
3.1 Zhuangzi’s Life and Works
3.2 From Epistemological Relativism to the Ethical Idea of Transcendental Good and Evil
3.3 Zhuangzi’s View of Life
3.4 Emphasis on the Nature of Man, the Transcendence of Righteousness and Profit, and the Rejection of the Bondage of Confucian and Mexican Morality
3.5 Zhuangzi’s Theory of the Ideal of Life
3.6 The Duality of Zhuangzi’s Ethics and Its Historical Influence
7 The Ethical Thought of Legalism of “Benefit Over Righteousness”
1 The Ethical Thoughts of Legalism in Qi(State) in Guan Zi
1.1 The Life of Guanzi
1.2 An Ethical View of the Complementarity of Ritual and Law
1.3 The Humanism of “Seeking Benefit Avoiding Harm”
1.4 A Preliminary Exploration of the Relationship Between Ethics and the Material Basis
2 Han Fei’s Ethical Thought
2.1 The Life of Han Fei
2.2 His Progressive View of History
2.3 All Men Are Self-conscious
2.4 Interaction Between People Is a “Counting” (or Calculating) Relationship
2.5 A Refutation of Confucian Benevolence and Morality
2.6 Ruling Scheme that Combines Law, Tactics and Power
2.7 Comments on Han Fei’s Thought
8 The Ethical Thoughts of Xun Kuang, the Representative Ethicist of Pre-qin Dynasty
1 The Life of Xunzi
2 The Human Nature Theory of “Love Benefits” and “Hate Harms”
3 Interpretation of “Courtesy” as a Normative System
4 The Complementary Thoughts in Politics and Ethics of “Govern by Virtue” and “Govern by Law”
4.1 Xunzi’s Definition of “Rites” and “Law”
4.2 “Rites” and “Law” Should Be Given Equal Importance
4.3 The Role of “Law” in Governing a State
4.4 The Role of “Rites” in Governing a State
4.5 “Rites” and “Law” Can be Complementary
4.6 “Ritual” Is More Fundamental Than “Law”
4.7 Governing the State and Cultivating Personal Moral Character
4.8 Inspiration from Xunzi’s Political Ethics
5 The Concept of Righteousness and Benefit of “Man Can Pursue Both Righteousness and Benefit”
6 Moral Education Theory Emphasizing “Law” and “Rite”
9 Systematization of Confucian Ethics—Ethical Thoughts in Book of Rites and Book of Filial Piety
1 Ethical Thoughts in the Great Learning
1.1 Ethical Thoughts in the Great Learning
1.2 The Ethical Thought of Doctrine of the Mean
1.3 The Ethical Thought of the Conveyance of Rites
1.4 Ideas on the Ethical Relationship Between Husband and Wife in the Book of Rites
2 The Ethical Thought of the Book of Filial Piety
10 Dong Zhongshu’s Theological Arguments for Confucian Ethics
1 Life of Dong Zhongshu and His Works
2 The Reason for “Venerate Confucianism Only”
3 Interactions Between Heaven and Mankind and Gifted Morality
4 About “Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues”
5 Human Nature Theory of “Fail to Do Good Things Even with Goodness in Nature”
6 Motivation Theory of “Correct Moral” and “Declare Behavior”
7 The Concept of “Benefit Does Good to Body” and “Righteousness Nourishes Mind”
11 The Improvement of Confucian Ethics Norm System and the Establishment of Its Orthodox Status—The Baihuguan Conference
1 Reasons for the Baihuguan Conference
2 Baihuguan Conference and Prophecy Theology
3 Establishment of the Orthodox Status of “Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues”
4 Significance of Baihuguan Conference
12 Criticism of Theological Ethics
1 Yang Xiong’s Ethical Thought
1.1 Life and Writings
1.2 The Human Nature Theory of “Human Nature is also a Mixture of Good and Evil”
2 Wang Chong’s Ethical Thought
2.1 Life and Writings
2.2 The Materialist View of Nature and Epistemology
2.3 Theories on Human Nature
2.4 On the Relationship Between Material Life and Morality
2.5 The Good and Evil Nature and the Fate
2.6 Nurturing Virtue and Strength
3 T Wang Fu’s Ethical Thoughts
3.1 Life and Writings
3.2 Against “Virtue by Position”
3.3 Ritual and Righteousness Born of Abundance
3.4 “Righteousness is Worth Praising, but Profit Deserves Critique”
13 Ethical Thought in the Song and Ming Periods
1 Lu Jiuyuan’s Ethical Thoughts
1.1 Life and Writings
1.2 “Mind” as a Rational Entity
1.3 Mind as Reason
1.4 The Cultivation Theory of “Establishing the Greatness”
1.5 The Saintly State of “All Things Are in Me” and “the Universe is My Mind, and My Mind is the Universe”
1.6 A Re-conceptualization of Lu Jiuyuan’s Ethical Thought
2 Wang Shouren’s Ethical Thought
2.1 Life and Writings
2.2 The First Thing in the World is to “Study and Learn from the Sages”
2.3 Conscience Can Know Good and Evil, and It is the Master of the Heart
2.4 “To Be Conscientious” Means Self-Improvement in Moral Cultivation
2.5 “Knowing and Doing” is the Unity of Moral Understanding and Moral Behavior
3 Establishment of the Orthodox Status of “Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues”
3.1 The Development of Chinese Ethical Thought by Song Thinkers in the Light of the History of Chinese Ethical Thought
3.2 The Main Contributions of Song Thinkers to Chinese Ethical Thought
3.3 The Importance of Carrying Forward the Excellent Moral Traditions of the Chinese Nation in the Light of the Current Modernization of Developing Countries
4 A New Exploration of Li Zhi’s Ethical Thought
4.1 Selfishness is in the Nature of Man
4.2 Dressing and Eating is Human Physics
4.3 Emphasizing the Autonomy of Moral Conduct and Opposing the Bondage of Feudal Conventions
4.4 Limitations of Li Zhi’s Thought and Lessons in Thinking
5 Liu Zongzhou’s Idea of “Prudence and Independence” and Its Role
5.1 Prudence is an Important Way to Become a Saint and a Sage
5.2 Prudence is the Most Important Test of one’s Moral Character
5.3 Prudence is to Promote the “Original Heart”
5.4 The Four Stages of Prudent Cultivation
14 Traditional Ethics and Moral Development
1 Confucianism and Political Rule
2 Traditional Morality and Contemporary Moral Development
3 Traditional Culture and Talent Cultivation
3.1 The Basic Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Culture
3.2 Traditional Culture and the Development of High Quality Human Resources
4 Brief Discussion on Traditional Virtues
4.1 The Virtue of “Public Loyalty”
4.2 “Awareness of the Problems” and “Preparedness for Danger”
4.3 Modesty and Hard Work
4.4 “Respect for the Elderly” and “Orderliness of Elders and Children”
4.5 “Be Kind to Your Parents” and “Be Dutiful to Your Parents”
4.6 “Chengmen Lixue” and the Promotion of Traditional Virtues
15 Moral Development and Governance
1 Confucian Thought on Rule of Morality
1.1 The Formation and Development of Confucianism’s Moral Governance
1.2 Moral Rule is not the Absence of Punishment
1.3 Moral Rule is not the Same as the Rule of Man
1.4 Both Rule of Law and Moral Rule
2 “Rule of Law” and “Rule of Morality” Should Complement Each Other
2.1 The Differences and Links Between the “Moral Rule” of Today and the “Moral Rule” of Ancient Times
2.2 The Different Roles of Law and Ethics
2.3 Integrating the Rule of Law and Morality
2.4 Some Countermeasures and Suggestions
3 Moral Development and Governance
3.1 Historical Controversies
3.2 Strategies for Governing a Socialist Society
3.3 The Main Elements of the Rule by Virtue
4 Some Questions About “Govern by Virtue”
4.1 Will “Rule by Virtue” Lead to the Rule of Man?
4.2 Will the Promotion of “Ruling the Country by Virtue” Affect the Implementation of “Ruling the Country by Law”?
4.3 Will the Promotion of “Ruling the Country by Virtue” Hinder the Democratic Political Process in China?
4.4 How to Understand the Rule of Morality and the Rule of Law in Ancient China?
4.5 Is the Promotion of “Ruling by Virtue” a Way to Rule the People or the Officials?
4.6 What is the Scientific Meaning of the Socialist “Rule by Virtue”?
5 The History, Theory and Practice of “Rule by Virtue”
5.1 On the Relationship Between the Rule of Law and Morality
5.2 On the Relationship Between the Rule of Virtue and the Rule of Man
5.3 On the Content of Moral Governance
6 The Theoretical and Practical Significance of “Ruling the Country by Virtue
6.1 Theoretical Reflection on “Ruling by Virtue”
6.2 On the Practical Implementation of the “Rule by Virtue” Principle
6.3 Theoretical and Practical Significance of the Idea of “Ruling the Country” by Virtue
Appendix
Inherit and Carry Forward the Fine Moral Traditions of the Chinese Nation
On Promoting Good Chinese Ethics Traditional Thinking
The Right Attitude and Approach to Inherit the Fine Moral Traditions of the Chinese Nation
What is the Fine Moral Tradition of the Chinese Nation
Promoting China in the Construction of the Four Socialist Modernizations: The Importance of the nation’s Fine Moral Traditions
Promoting the Fine Moral Traditions of Ancient China: A Few Noteworthy Points
The Fundamental Purpose of Promoting the Fine Moral Traditions of Ancient China
Guiding Ideas for Promoting Good Morals in Ancient China
Promoting the Fine Moral Traditions of Ancient China While Attention Should Be Paid to the Promotion of Chinese Revolutionary Moral Traditions
Promote the Fine Moral Traditions of Ancient China, with Emphasis on the Question of the Distinction Between “Neo-Confucianism” and Confucianism, It is also a Current Issue Worth Noting
Be Aware of Unhealthy Retro Thinking Such as Feudal Superstition
The Traditional Ethical Culture of the Chinese People: Future Value Orientation
Should Traditional Chinese Culture “Die Out”?
How We Should Approach Tradition
How We Should Really Approach Traditional Culture
On the Traditional Morality of the Chinese People: “Essence” and “Dross”
Basic Principles for the Inheritance of Traditional Ethics and Traditional Culture
A Dialectical Analysis of the Fine Moral Traditions of the Chinese Nation
The “Essence” of the Chinese Moral Tradition and Macro Judgement of “Dross”
The “Five Constants” in Traditional Chinese Ethics
The “Three Principles” of Traditional Chinese Ethics
Promote the Fine Morality of the Chinese Nation with Patriotism at Its Core Tradition, Development and Construction of a New Socialist Ethic
Using the Past for the Present, Pushing the Envelope
Traditional Chinese Ethics Must Be Treated with a Correct Stance
The Treatment of Traditional Chinese Morality Should Respect the Objective Law of Cultural Transmission
The Treatment of Traditional Chinese Morality Should Be Analyzed on a Case-By-Case Basis
The Right Methodology for Approaching Traditional Chinese Ethics
The Core and Mainstream of Traditional Chinese Virtues
An Analysis of Ancient Chinese Thinkers’ Discourses on Qigong
Qigong and the Prevention and Treatment of Diseases and the Prolongation of Life
Qigong and the “Wisdom of the Ears and Eyes” and the Development of Intelligence
Qigong and the Cultivation of Temperament and Moral Character