Human Dignity: A Reconstruction of Confucianism

Abstract

In this chapter, I seek to clarify the concept of human dignity by introducing the contribution of classical Chinese philosophy to this subject. As I indicate in the title, however, it is a reformulation of the Confucian view, for the word “dignity” was neither explicitly mentioned in classical Confucian text nor systematically explained by traditional interpretations. I nevertheless argue that it is the most adequate concept for understanding and interpreting Confucianism, which discovered the dignity of man in the innate virtues (De) unique to mankind by which every man and woman is enabled to live a morally decent and materially self-sufficient life. The chapter is divided roughly into two parts. After a brief review of the conceptual development in the West, I explain, primarily in the words of Kongzi and Mengzi, the meaning of human dignity as exemplified by a Confucian gentleman. Next, I discuss the connection between the Confucian concept of dignity and the western concepts of rights and duties. Conceding that Confucianism failed to espouse the modern ideas of democracy and liberty, as some might contend, I argue that the idea of human dignity, which is firmly rooted in Confucianism, does contain the potential of receiving new interpretations that can bring about basic compatibility between the Chinese cultural tradition and the prevailing western notion of liberal democracy. While human dignity implies a universal demand for its protection and respect, and thus is primarily a duty-oriented concept, the universal duty imposed on the state and society does confer definable rights to the individual. I argue, indeed, that compared to the Hobbesian theory of natural right, on which the western liberal tradition is founded, the Confucian concept of human dignity can accommodate a more balanced and consistent view of rights and duties.