Status Updates From Confucius: The Secular as S...

To become civilized is to establish relationships that are not merely physical, biological, or instinctive; it is to establish human relationships, relationships of an essentially symbolic kind, defined by tradition and convention and rooted in respect and obligation.

It is not individual existence per se, nor is it the existence of a group per se that is the condition sufficient to create and sustain the ultimate dignity of man. It is the ceremonial aspect of life that bestows sacredness upon persons, acts, and objects which have a role in the performance of ceremony.

We must recall that Confucius expanded the sense of the word li, originally referring to religious ceremonial, in such a way as to envision society itself on the model of li. [...] Social etiquette in general, [...] persons and their relationships are to be seen as ultimately sanctified by virtue of their place in li.

The burden of teaching can be what in effect it was as Confucius taught it: to seek inspiration in one's own traditions in such a way as to reveal a humanizing and harmonizing interpretation for the conflictful present. 'He who by reanimating the Old can gain knowledge of the New is indeed fit to be called a teacher' (2:11) [...] Shared tradition brings men together, enables them to be men.

He assumes that this li, and the cosmic Tao in which it is rooted are internally coherent and totally adequate, and that, finally, the only moral and social necessity is, therefore, to shape oneself and one's conduct in li. [...] Clearly there is no way to press an ideal in the form of a tradition except by presenting the new ideal as simply a reaffirmation, an appeal to ancient, legitimate but neglected tradition.

An act may be seen as jen if we look to see how this person does it, and more specifically, whether it reveals that he treats all persons involved as of ultimately equal dignity with himself by virtue of their participation along with him in li. [...][Without speaking of intent, even if someones behavior is disrupted, we can see what they aimed at just as we can see the chord the pianist aimed to play but failed to.]

[Moral problems have four forms] [...] 1. the wrongdoer is not well enough educated to recognize and properly classify what is according to the Way and what is not' 2. the wrongdoer has not yet learned the requisite skills to follow the Way [...] [3. the wrongdoer hasn't tried hard enough] [...] 4. the wrongdoer knows enough [but is not committed to the Way, acts erratically, and or abuses li for personal profit.]

The sensitive person can often plumb the depth's of another's attitude from a handshake. [...] [Handshakes are ritual gestures like Confucius's li,] [...] Social activity is coordinated in civilized society, without effort or planning, but simply by spontaneously initiating the appropriate ritual gesture in the appropriate setting. This power of li, Confucius says, depends upon prior learning. It is not inborn.