Development of a Chun Tzu

六

~What does Confucius mean by the chun-tzu (superior man)? How different is this from the traditional Chinese meaning of chun-tzu?

~What are the basic differences between the superior man and the inferior man? How crucial is this difference in the philosophy of Confucius?

~How is the development of the superior man a solution to the problem of social disharmony?

~Can any person be a superior man? What should be developed in him? How should he be developed? 

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In the Chinese tradition, the highest position that a man could attain in his lifetime is that of a sage. As he is the ideal man, this position is almost impossible to attain and so, Confucius presented the modified chun-tzu: the gentleman, the superior man. He is cultivated and mature. A chun-tzu acts humanely and follows only the highest of ethical standards. 

Analect 7:36

“The Master was mild, and yet dignified; majestic, and yet not fierce; respectful, and yet easy.”

The Analects of Confucius devoted much of its space in defining the superior man by comparing him with the inferior man and providing the standards and the actions of such a man (the title appeared 107 times in the Analects [Chan, 1963]). 

Analect 14:24

“The superior man understands the higher things (moral principles); the inferior man understands the lower principles (profit).”

Chan (1963) described the Confucian goodness as something that is righteousness as opposed to profit. 

A Chinese man of a noble birth can be considered a superior man. Translated literally, chun-tzu means “son of the ruler”. He is brought up like a civilised person who is educated and his outstanding etiquette makes him a man of name. With this, he can easily rise up as he had been prepared in his childhood and youth to attain a position in the government with the advantage of being born in a family of high status. BUT, in the Confucian sense and tradition, this does not automatically equate him as a chun-tzu. 

Confucius believes that any man can be developed and folded as a chun-tzu.

For him, a chun-tzu is a man of character. He puts the Tao before him and lives by with careful understanding and accordance to the moral laws and right virtues. He is one who accommodates others and he is one who grounds himself on the fundamentals. Additionally, he does not concern himself with poverty (Analect 15:31).

Analect 14:7

“Superior men, and yet not always virtuous, there have been, alas! But there has never been a mean man (inferior man), and, at the same time, virtuous!”

A chun-tzu focuses himself with righteousness (yi) and benevolence (jen). His love and his loyalty for his family and his respect for the elders makes him a person of character. He cultivates himself through education and arts (wen) and looks back on tradition and desires for harmony and peace. The inferior man, however, is opposite. He concerns himself with profit and acts only when there is something in return or if it is to his advantage. 

Analect 4:11

“The Master said, ‘The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of the law; the small man thinks of favours which he may receive.’”

Anelect 13:26

“Confucius said, ‘The superior man is dignified but not proud; the inferior man is proud but not dignified.’”

Confucius also pointed out the conditions for a man to become a chun-tzu. If he sets his will on the Way, if his grasp on the virtue is strong, if he relies on humanity and finds joy in arts (Analect 7:6) then he is a man of character. 

In relation to a jen, Chan had something to say:

“…to Confucius the man of jen is the perfect man. He is the true chun-tzu. He is a man of the golden rule, for, ‘wishing to establish his own character he also establishes the character of others, and wishing to be prominent himself, he also helps others to be prominent.’ (Analect 6:28).”

A superior man is a man of humanity. He reaches out to others and cultivates himself for others. The Master’s discipline, Tzu-lu, once asked him about the superior man:

Analect 14:45

“…Confucius said, ‘He cultivates himself so as to give the common people security and peace… He cultivates himself so as to give all people security and peace. To cultivate oneself as to give all people security and peace…”

Because he is a man of peace and he is one whose actions are more than his words, a chun-tzu is one who will make it as his duty to destroy the root causes of social harmony. He is one who does not stray from the Way and encourages others to do the same.

Analect 6:11

“The Master said to Tsze-hsia, ‘Do you be a scholar after the style of the superior man, and not after that of the mean man.’”

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