Abstract
This chapter discusses the background information and the origins of the philosophy of Chinese moral education at the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty, as embodied in the earliest books in China.
The ideas and concepts include the heart-to-heart transmission of a 16-word-maxim, the culture of family and state, and the principles of the moral development of the superior man in The Book of Changes. Also included are the philosophies in The Book of History, such as Jizi’s propositions of heaven and human interactions, the framework of the Five Elements, and the Duke of Zhou’s doctrines of cultivating morality to match the mandate of heaven, filial piety, righteousness, and the moral education system of rites and music.
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Notes
- 1.
Although controversies exist over the validity of this adage, the 16-word-maxim was highly regarded by famous philosophers such as Chu Hsi as the essence of Confucianism .
- 2.
Tao in Chinese philosophy literally means ‘the way’, though it possesses somewhat different connotations in different philosophical schools. It denotes the fundamental natural law in Taoism, refers to the ultimate moral truth in Confucianism , and indicates enlightenment in Buddhism, endowing the concept with rich implications for moral education.
- 3.
The ‘superior man’ (junzi) refers to a person with noble characters. This appellation is in direct contrast with the ‘inferior man’ , which refers to a mean and vicious person. Both appellations have strong implications for moral education. Due to historical limitations, junzi or scholars in this philosophy mostly refer to males, so personal pronouns such as ‘he’ are frequently used.
- 4.
Tao and Utensil is a binary categorical pair of philosophical concepts denoting the inextricable relationships between metaphysical truth and tangible matters, provoking discussions or debates over which side should reign or lead and how they should relate to each other. The mainstream ancient Chinese ideologies advocate valuing Tao and neglecting Utensil or integrating Tao and Utensil, indicating the superior position of moral education throughout Chinese history.
- 5.
Substance and Utility is a binary categorical pair of concepts related to Tao and Utensil . Substance indicates the fundamentals or the primary quality, while Utility refers to the applications or the secondary quality. Mainstream Chinese philosophers such as Chu Hsi held Tao or principles as Substance, and concrete things and events as Utility. The consistency or integration between Substance and Utility is one of the central topics of philosophical debates in China.
- 6.
The dates for the life of the Duke of Zhou is the result of the latest research result by You Huanmin et al. in their book A complete biography of the original sage—the Duke of Zhou.
- 7.
The patriarchal clan system in China featured a highly identical structure between clan and state based on consanguinity, which is related to or gave rise to an important Chinese cultural viewpoint: the isomorphism between family (clan) and state.
- 8.
The sense of shame is an important moral principle in ancient China: people avoid or redress immoral behavior for fear of being shamed (losing face), and was widely used for moral education purposes.
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You, Z., Rud, A.G., Hu, Y. (2018). The Heart of Tao Is Subtle: The Emergence of the Philosophy of Chinese Moral Education. In: The Philosophy of Chinese Moral Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56434-4_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56434-4_2
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