Edification and Ethical Tradition of Chinese Civilization

In social norms, there was a tradition among ancient Chinese philosophers: the value of education, cultivation, or edification that started from the education for aristocrats in Zhou Dynasty. In their long social practice, ancient Chinese philosophers came to realize that a man would not behave decently if he did not receive education. Besides, there was weakness in human nature, which could only be restrained or corrected through education or edification. Therefore, it was not enough for a ruler to bear in mind the idea Benefitting People or People's Livelihood. Amongst Confucians, it was widely known that Confucius was an educator. Mencius also stressed citizens must be edified when they became rich: "The ruler should endeavor to establish schools and educate them with the ideas Filial Piety and Respect. Then, the old who carries things on the road would be helped by the young." (Mencius, King Hui of Liang II) Mencius attached more importance to good education than good rule: "With good rule, citizens fear the ruler; with good education, citizens respect the ruler. Good rule brings the ruler citizen's wealth; good education brings citizen's heart." (With All Heart I) Xun Zi's view on edification was based on his theory Hua Xing Qi Wei (to guide and reform human nature with propriety and law): "We cannot change a man's nature but can reform it. We cannot made achievements when we were born, but we can attain with efforts." (Xun Zi, The Role of Confucian) He also stressed, "The ruler should edify citizens with propriety and law so that they understand to be respectful and modest. Then, the citizens behave well and the country enjoys peace." (The Evil of Human Nature)

The sense of shame was an important part in edification. As above mentioned, in the Spring and Autumn Period, Guan Zi had listed it in the four principles in ruling a country. Later, Confucianism viewed it as an essential and cardinal social norm, which was fully represented in Confucius and Mencius's thoughts. In The Analects, the sense of shame was mentioned 17 times. For instance:

A man will not humiliate himself if he acts in accordance with rite. (Xue Er)

If a ruler edifies citizens with morality and governs citizens with rite, they will know shame and law. (Wei Zheng)

Confucius said, "A man flatters with sweet words and ingratiating smile. Zuo Qingming views that as a shame, so do I." (Gong Ye Chang)

A man should not do what he views shameful. (Zi Lu)

A gentleman views it as a shame when one brags but never acts. (Xian Wen)

In Mencius, the sense of shame was mentioned 19 times. For instance,

A gentleman views it as a shame when one's fame disaccords with his action. (Li Lou II)

Human must not lack the sense of shame. When one takes the lack of the sense of shame as a shame, he will not be shamed. (With All Heart I)

The sense of shame does matter! One who plays tricks does not feel shameful. (With All Heart I)

In Book of Rites, the sense of shame was also mentioned: "One who knows shame will have the courage to correct." (Golden Mean) The sense of shame also related to the idea Purity, as it was stated in Guan Zi, "Citizens should know shame and officials know purity." In late Ming and early Qing Dynasty, Gu Yanwu expatiated, "Therefore, a corrupt man acts against rite and righteousness because he lacks the sense of shame. It is a shame for a country when the officials do not understand shame." (Notes Taken in Daily Reading, Vol. 13 Honor and Shame) It could be clearly seen that to cultivate human's sense of shame was an important part in the Confucian idea Edification, which in turn, laid moral foundation for ruling country.

The idea Edification was particularly valued in Song Dynasty. With the Confucian's efforts, the clan system in common citizens was formed. Centering on the clan, new forms in clan system came out, such as clan instruction, clan rule, clan property, pedigree, and familial knowledge. In addition, Shu Yuan (a place where children or scholars read Confucian classics, mainly translated to college, but different from today's college) was widely established. These facilitated the dissemination of Confucianism from aristocrats to citizens. For instance, Zhu Xi systematically studied the education for children and formed the rule for Xiao Xue education that corresponded to or supplemented Da Xue education. [Note: In ancient China, the education system consisted of Xiao Xue and Da Xue, and both differed fundamentally from primary school and university today. The former taught Xun Gu (the explanation of Chinese words) and the latter taught Confucian classics.] According to Zhu Xi, what one learnt in Xiao Xue education was superficial and concerned the basic rite, and what one learnt in Da Xue education was profound and concerned the state affairs. (Keys Remarks on Xiao Xue Education) Some books of Zhu Xi, like Xiao Xue Education and Knowledge Children Must Know, played an important role in cultivating the children's morality, as Feng Youlan acknowledged:

In China, philosophy closely related to one's education. In the ancient China, when one was educated, he was enlightened with philosophical thoughts. When he entered school, he was firstly taught Four Books, namely The Analects, Mencius, Great Learning, and Doctrine of the Mean. Four books had been the most important textbook for New-Confucianism philosophy since Song Dynasty. The rudimental reading for children was often Three Character Classic (San Zi Jing). With three characters as a group and six characters a sentence, it was a textbook to learn characters and easy to read and remember. The first sentence was "When human was born, his nature was good." This was actually the basic idea in Mencius's philosophy.

Feng Youlan here referred to the education since Song Dynasty, which was also embodied in the clan rule in Song Dynasty. In The Clan Instructions of the Zhang Family in Yanfu of Shangyu, the instructions included: faithful to the ruler, filial to parent, respectful to brothers, differentiating husband from wife, harmonious between relatives, educating the descendants, inhering the deceased, improving the skill, diligent in work, economical in life, upright in character, prudent in words and behaviors, modest in behaviors, cautious in marriage, valuing funeral and sacrifice, constructing ancestral temple, buying burial land, building tombstone, buying land for sacrifice, protecting trees, no steal-sell, strict in names, no lawsuit of quarrel, and no use of violence. In The Clan Instructions of Xin Qigong of the Gao Family in Pangu, the instructions included: respectful to morality, cultivating morality, paying grain tax quickly, valuing sacrificial ceremony, choosing the outstanding as leader, strict in clan rule, strict in names, diligent in leaning morality, repairing the house frequently, adhering to frugality, no obscenity and theft, no lawsuit of quarrel, no sorcery, no lying, no gambling, respectful to the knowledgeable man, courteous to the old, helpful to the poor, cautious in making friends, and cherishing the friendship. In The Clan Instructions and Rules of the Long Family in Shouzhou, there were 12 instructions and rules to reward good and punish evil each: respectful to ancestors, filial to parent, revering teacher and senior, friendly to brothers, clean in woman's bedroom, cautious in making friends, harmonious between relatives, diligent in study, valuing chastity and filial piety, diligent in work, doing good deeds to the deceased; no defiance, no violence, no gambling, no drinking excessively, no theft, no forcible burial, no cutting trees, no obscenity, no refusing to pay tax, no lawsuit of quarrel, no frivolity, and no asperity. In short, Confucianism ethnics had been deeply accepted by Chinese in a subtle way, and Confucianism embodied its best value in edificatory rather than religious sense.

However, we must admit the negative value in Confucianism ethnics, for example, the idea Three Cardinal Guides. In ancient China, it was necessary and reasonable in certain historical stage. It was actually formed before Confucianism, and consolidated in the formation of Confucianism, with the most traditional view that ruler guided subject, father guided son, and husband guided wife in Views on Five Classics Collected in White Tiger Conference in Han Dynasty. Afterward, the idea Three Cardinal Guides presented the merciless and darkness in commandment compared with other positive moralities and values in Confucianism. Its irrational color became more obvious and hindered the social development.