Ancient Chinese Philosophy Final Synthesis Paper

Ancient Chinese Philosophy Final Synthesis Paper

I. Confucius

According to Brown (2002), values are “core beliefs that individuals experience as standards that guide how they ‘should’ function in order to attain a desired end state” and so a great deal of importance is stressed on the significance of values and virtues in the discipline of Chinese philosophy, may it be in the philosophy of Confucius or Lao Tzu. In order for man to be able to live according to the Way, he must live rightly and by this, the way is for him to achieve the end goal of both schools of philosophy by cultivating himself through virtues. The role of virtues in the development of man is to aid him attain social harmony and become the desirable end goal- the sage worthy of being a philosopher-king. 

Now, we are presented with the philosophical problem- the Way has not prevailed for a long time. And this Way is the Great Way, the Tao, and because is has not prevailed for a long time, there is the absence of social harmony. The people of Ancient China had not been living their lives according to the Way. The Tao is lost and with it came all sorts of problem that have disrupted social harmony in the community and in the state. People have forgotten the right way to live- people have forgotten how to live according to the Tao. People are no longer cultivated and so they are no longer living in virtue, their values are but lost to them. The loss of virtues in the lives of the many have led them to an incorrect life and from this, mistakes begot mistakes. So Confucius presented philosophy as the guiding light back to the Tao and back to a life lived in virtues. 

The loss of virtues in the lives of the many have led them to live carelessly and take things for granted and so people no longer care if names did not match according to their actualities nor if a guard becomes a minister. The non-correspondence of names toward their given actualities became the root cause of social disorder and because the people had been negligent in their ways and have forgotten the Tao, their awareness on this matter is lost to them. 

In order to correct this problem and provide a solution for social disorder, Confucius presented that the people should rectify names. The scope of a rectified name is not only in their corresponding actualities but it extends to people’s ranks, duties, and function (Wing, 1963, p. 41). The rectification of names and actualities will turn the track switch to return the train back to the direction that it should head to. If names are properly used and people are properly seated in their places then this would mean that things are being done correctly. It means that the people are living correctly and according to the Tao. Becoming aware of this problem and aiding it with the solution of the rectification of names and actualities will gradually pave the way for a virtuous life. The cultivation of man is a way to restore back the values that the people have lost along the way and it will also allow them to acquire more. If people are properly cultivated then people will have values that will serve as guides for them to live a correct life that will direct and motivate their actions to use names correctly and become the people that they ought to be in the society. Now we can see the importance of virtues in the cultivation of man since they motivate action and serves as standards for them to pursue their goals (Schwartz, 2012). Through virtues, man will be able to think whether or not their actions are right or wrong and decide which is good and which is bad based on the values that they have nurtured within them. Through philosophising, the power of proper discernment will come to man.

Philosophising will foster one to acquire the virtues needed for proper self-cultivation and it is through establishing the root and grounding oneself to the Tao is the catalyst that will direct him to the supreme end. Man is born with uprightness and man should use this intrinsic advantage for him to emerge from the state of inferiority. If properly maintained, this goodness in him will be manifested through his actions and it will continue to grow, leading him to do good to others. Because he is upright and because the Tao is embedded in his being, he will grow into a person worthy of his name. Man should utilise his goodness and his “innate appetite for knowledge” (Rosen, 2000, xv) to help him understand and think correctly about what is happening around him. Active thinking will allow him to understand why it is important for him to cultivate himself and help him achieve social harmony. Nietzsche (1974) believes that “the strength of knowledge depends on the edge to which is that been incorporated, on its character as a condition of life”. Discipline the body and mind according to the Tao and promulgate virtues to strengthen the character will educate and prepare an individual to live a life directed towards social harmony and reach the utmost stage of the development of the superior man.

Moses Maimonides’ The Guide for the Perplexed laid down the qualities of the both the prophet and the wise men. He described the constitutions of such a man as: …he must in addition have studied and acquired wisdom, so that his rational faculty passes from a state of potentiality to that of actuality his intellect must be as developed and perfect as human intellect can be; his passions pure and equally balanced; all his desires must aim at obtaining a knowledge of the hidden laws and causes that are in for in the Universe; his thoughts must be engages in lofty matters and an absence of lower desires and appetites… In addition, Maimonides furthered the qualities of the prophet that is very much similar to qualities of the Confucian gentleman- the prophet’s mental faculty will only be within the boundary of having knowledge that is real and that his thoughts (and actions) should be directed to general principles that would lead to the cultivation of social human relations. Those above are said to be two of the three kinds of perfection: mental perfection acquired by training and moral perfection produced by the suppression of every though of bodily pleasures, and of every kind of foolish of evil ambition (Rosen, 2000, p. 139-140). In this context, what was written above described the ideal human being.  

Analogous to this is how Confucius believes what a man should be and that in order for man to live in social harmony and become a sage is to cultivate himself by having the virtues of human-heartedness, filial piety and brotherly respect, propriety, wisdom, and righteousness. To do this is to set the will on the Way, have a first grasp on virtue, rely on humanity, and find recreation is the arts. Eastern schools of thoughts have always been directed at the improvement of the self, only varying in their end goals. The underlying thought of India’s Bhagavad-Gita enters on the idea that man should move out of Earth or the material world and transcend to the spiritual realm where the gods reside through the discipline of the self, especially the mind, from the influences of illusion and the desires brought upon by the material world. The significance in this is that Chen Lai, in her study on Studying Chinese Philosophy: Turn of the Century’s Challenges, she duly noted that the Eastern philosophical tradition were divided into Indian and Chinese Philosophy. Both have similarities in the cultivation of the person to achieve a desired end state. In the Indian context, this may entirely be religious only because the goal is directed to a Supreme Being instead of the elevation of the self as the ultimate end. Most of the early Japanese texts are usually headed as the “art of this” or the “way of that”. What “art” and what “way” mean are but methods- methods that when properly observe can bring about the desired result. The bottomline is that the Eastern discipline is a discipline about self-mastery and cultivation of the self. In order to become a full-pledged Japanese warrior you have to follow the way of the samurai. In order to triumph in the battlefield you have to master the art of war and so on and so forth. Same is true in the cultivation of the ideal human being. 

In himself, he must be that very person who adheres to the way of the Tao and embody the virtues of humanity, filial piety, propriety, wisdom, and righteousness. However, this is not an easy feat. Juggling all these virtues at once do sound impossible and that is why the chun-tzu is a development and like the person, they grow and mature with one another through the course of time. It is also important to note that the motivation behind this cultivation of the self is not entirely limited to the benefit of the agent alone but also for the benefit of others simply because he is a man of humanity and his actions are directed towards the desire to achieve social harmony. What makes the chun-tzu superior is that he is able to transcend beyond the confines of inferior desires like greed, material things, profit, and whatnot. Instead, he is guided by the virtues of humanity (jen), righteousness (yi), propriety (li), and wisdom (chih). 

As a social-moral philosophy, the cardinal virtue of benevolence is of primary importance in the development of the superior man. Without jen or the virtue of humanity, he cannot be what the the Analects purports him to be. As a social-relational being, he understands that he is not isolated- he understands that he is socially defined, first and foremost, by his family. He understands that the family, as the very basic unit of society, is the very first teacher that will establish the grounds and prepare him for self-development. It is in his family where man learns the meaning of family, how to love and respect his elders, brothers and sister, and it is where he learns how to relate with others in goodwill. 

Benevolence is also very social and relational because there needs to be a person who does the action and a person who, in turns, receives the action. Schwartz (2012) coined benevolence as something that “emphasise voluntary concern for others’ welfare. In Confucianism, this can be seen as human-heartedness and it’s very definition can also be translated into altruism. To love man is jen and according to Mencius, “to have a heart that cannot bear to see others” is also jen (Nadeau, 2012). The implication of the Confucian jen and the common benevolence cannot be without an another.  

Propriety is first learned in the family and what they basically are are shared experiences that can be manifested through rites and rituals. The richness and the value of tradition in Ancient China plays a major role in the creation and the development of the Chinese culture and society and it has very much influenced the Chinese identity. According to Lev Vygotsky, man, as a social being, cannot be separated from man and his environment. What a man should be is one who knows how to value propriety in his life and understand how important they are for the society. Along with the values of righteousness and wisdom, a man who have these cardinal values instilled in him will do right by himself and by others. Through his learnings, he will come to understand the importance, the worth of these values, and the role that they play in his continuous development. By living out these virtues in home, he will grow up and bring them outside, performing it out to a much larger field selflessly. Having been trained at home, he will carry all his learnings to his office and treat the people an extension of his primary family. He will treat the people equally and rightly, respect them and listen to them. He will do his obligations righteously and use all his wisdom for the benefit of the society. Anyone can be qualified in becoming a leader but only it is only the superior man who is fit and worthy to become one.

By being such, he will inspire others to do the same and so natural harmony in the society will be achieved if such a superior man will take seat in leading the people. His selfless devotion to everyone in the society will allow humanity to thrive and bring harmony to everyone. Therefore the key is for man to understand his position as a social-moral agent in leading the people and bringing about harmony in the society by cultivating and instilling the good virtues of humanity, propriety, righteousness, and wisdom in himself and allowing them to guide him and be one with the Tao. 

Philosophy is therefore that which guides an individual in cultivating himself and others through virtues to achieve a desirable end state that will promote harmony in humanity and in the world. In the context of this philosophy, what was forgotten (the Tao) should be remembered, through philosophising, and it is also through the cultivation of the self through the virtues that will align the self again with the Tao and cross out the problems that have caused the absence of social harmony in the society. It is also important to consider that philosophy is not limited to what is stated above. It’s a big world out there and this is only a part of it. However, what is important is that we should understand that Confucius wants us to grow in awareness that the absence of social harmony should be addressed and not by providing band-aid solutions only. What a man should be is the chun-tzu and if he can, the philosopher-king. 

II. Lao Tzu

Desmond (Rosen, 2000) defined Nature as “an organisation of univocal, impersonal forces, not an ambiguous community of personalised powers” and the many chapters of the Tao Te Ching have described Nature as such- that it is not biased and cannot be owned. To fully explain how Nature works can only be so much as it is elusive and at times hard to understand because of its very nature. Man have tried to understand it and having done so, they were able to come up with natural laws and such that have explained, at the very least, parts and pieces of the whole picture. By understanding its qualities, one can somehow create a solid perception of what Nature really is. By differentiating what is natural and otherwise will lead the person to a deeper grasp of its nature. 

One way of doing such is by being aware that opposites are natural. Realising that black implies white, that bad things are necessary and that they happen because they are a part of the whole process are the sure-steps that one can take in becoming aware of what Nature is. They happen because they are meant to do so- they are natural in the whole experience of the human life. By acknowledging these play of opposites, one will realise that the answer to the philosophical problem lies within the problem itself. There is an absence of natural harmony because people have failed to understand Nature itself and so a result, the people began to resist it, control it, and manipulate the world as they see fit. How can one fix a broken fan without understand its parts and pieces and their corresponding functions and such? 

It is also essential that in order for Natural harmony to be achieved one must understand the Tao that which gives birth to the 10,000 things requires a necessary emptiness. Understand how it works and see in the the world. Allow the mind to dig deep into the roots of the Tao and free the thoughts from any form of discrimination. Look at others as if you are looking at the Tao. Speak to others as if you are speaking to Nature. 

What better a man who can achieve natural harmony is one who understands Nature by not trying to understand it? What he should be is a person who does nothing, desires nothing, and knows nothing.  He does not do things carelessly no overdo his work, and most especially he does not attach himself to the fruits of his labor. He avoids the fast life yet he allows Nature to sweep him away. He understands this and so that is why he does not resist and let things fall into place. He desires nothing from this material world and his mind is empty. He simply is simple. His only purpose in life is to live according to Nature and according to the Tao and so, as a result, he is able to realise that natural harmony is what should be in this world. 

Such a man is a Sage. Such a man is one who embraces and accepts emptiness as essential is his life and knows that weakness can be a strength. He is open like a woman and full of unrealised potential like an infant. Translated, he is Tao-like. By philosophising, one can lead to a coherent and pure understanding of Nature. Additionally, he is able to embody the good virtues of the Tao and live out a life that is directed to achieving natural harmony. A person of this character is more than fit to become a ruler but what makes him remarkable is that he has no desire to hold such power and office. The qualities of a King is there in him, intrinsically. Such a person have transcended beyond the desires or even the mere want to have this kind of position in the society that will allow him to rule over others.

Such man is a Sage. A man who is, by all means, humble in his thoughts and ways, simple in his words, and content in his heart. 

What philosophy is therefore a guide for the individual how to co-exist with complete understanding of Nature to achieve a desirable end state which, in this case, natural harmony. The lack of reflection in ones life will cause one to take life for granted and lead a humdrum existence. Understand the self. Know who you truly are. Know that you are like an infant, full of vitality and energy and that you need the Tao to harness this positive potential in you so that you can grow in virtue and learn how live according to the Tao. 

Thus, it is shown that philosophy or Ancient Chinese Philosophy for this matter is all about the cultivation of the self- social and moral improvement for Confucianism and natural for Taoism, as a priming for ruling the state, for sagehood, or for being a philosopher-king. Through the method of cultivation and discipline of the self, these end-goals can become the motivating factors or the avenue to deal with the problem of the absence of social and natural harmony in the society. 

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References:

Brown, D. (Ed.). (2002). Career choice and development. John Wiley & Sons.

Rosen, S. (2000). The Philosopher’s Handbook. New York: Random House, Inc.

Wing, T. C. (1963). A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An overview of the Schwartz theory of basic values. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1), 11.

Nietzsche, F. (1974). The Gay Science. New York: Random House, Inc.

Nadeau, R. L. (2012). The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Chinese Religions. West Sussex, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 

哲学 Synthesis Paper: 2B

哲学

老子

What is philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy…

1. by Lao Tzu…

B. in the way he lays down the assumptions of the solution to the philosophical problem?

In order for one to overcome the absence of natural harmony, he must be one with the Tao for it is in the decline or in the absence of the Tao in one’s life that things will go downhill. Being one with the Tao means being one with Nature. Understand and respect Nature for it is in these simple acts that the Tao will thrive. Understand Nature by making no distinction between what is black and what is white or what is good and what is bad. Know that these things will only cause a storm within one’s heart and this can lead to the absence of natural disharmony. 

Understanding Nature means understanding the nature of opposites. Know that they are fundamentally related to one another and that they do not compete with each other: they form their relationship by complementing each other and so they are natural. Understand that day follows night and night follows day. By understanding this, one can begin to embody the Tao. Albeit unexplainable and cannot be expressed, the Tao should be understood as it is. The Tao is. The Tao cannot be expressed into words for words are limiting and they turn into stone. The Tao is too profound for the words of man. Understand that the Tao produces the 10,000 things and understand that as the same time it is empty- there are two sides in a coin. 

There is something great about the Tao’s emptiness. As it is empty, it has the capacity to receive. Empty yet full of life and potentiality. In the 10,000 things the Tao shows us that there is harmony in opposites and the Tao expresses this by being impartial to everything. The Tao does not take sides, therefore Nature is good. It gives and it takes and it does not punish, it’s just how it is and we ought to understand and accept this. If we live according to the Tao our life will be in a state of balance. 

The Tao also tells us not to rush things. Do no be hasty in your ways and let go when your palms are about to burn from holding on so tightly. For Lao Tzu, the way of the Tao and the way of Nature is equilibrium. Therefore, too little and too much is not the way of the Tao. Do not force things because nature does not. What will happen will happen in its own time and so by following the flow of nature, one can be sure that no disharmony will take place. 

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Government of Non-interference

十四

老子

~What is Lao Tzu’s understanding of the state? What is the state for?

~What does Lao Tzu mean by government by non-interference? Would this still be government? Would it effectively meet the goals that the state was constituted to accomplish?

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If a land is ruled by a person of the Tao, then everyone and everything will be live in peace and harmony. The people will live their lives and go on their daily chores without even realising that someone, whose presence is not easily noticed but whose figure is very important is there and he is the one responsible for bringing forth such peacefulness in the land. A Taoist ruler does not command the people to do things his way. He does not interfere with the work of the people and he does not tell them what to do for his trust in them is as strong as the water within him. In turn, the people trusts him too. Because there is faith between him and them, work is done and it is done well. This they do so by following nature. Follow nature, that is, they do not take control of it because it can never be contained. 

A Taoist ruler is not one who acts lavishly nor is he one who does not lift a finger. He procures what is needed without loss nor without excess and so the people are satisfied because nothing is ever short and nothing ever goes to waste. He does not use force because he knows that there is no need for such and because he knows that force would only invite harm. He knows that if he uses force, everything will be destroyed in return. He uses weakness and gentleness to lead and by doing this he succeeds. 

The deeds of the Taoist ruler are well received by the people. Through him they become like him: a person of the Tao. By his non-action the people are inspired to follow him and so they do everything in moderation. His distaste for desire is obtained by the people and so they are simple in their ways and their words. Through his virtues the people are transformed and they too, like him, become one with nature and in harmony with each other. His virtues are his weapons for they are strong but they can never hurt someone. The virtues of a Taoist ruler can serve all and his virtues are that which aids him in being able to overcome diversities. 

Chapter 29 of the Tao Te Ching says that, “When one desires to take over the empire and act on it, I see that he will not succeed.” Why is this so? The very fact that taking over the empire is a desire, it already goes to show that this should not be. Anything that has to do with desires and gratification of the senses is shunned by Taoists and for Lao Tzu, this method will not work. Following, the Taoist philosophy is all about non-action and “taking over the empire” would mean action- it would mean that one would want to take over the empire by force. The following chapter gives us an explanation: He who assists the ruler with Tao does not dominate the world with force. The use of force usually brings requital… because whatever is contrary to Tao will soon perish. 

The use of force can also be expressed in many ways. If a ruler instills fear to the people to gain their respect and their obedience, then this is contrary to the Tao. The Taoist ruler is one who lets the people be. He does not install fear nor does he oppress them. He does not, most important, threaten them by any means. Threatening or taking lives as a form of punishment is not the way to govern a land and the people. Life is not ours and so it is not ours to take: let Heaven do its job. To rule as if you are above all is contrary to nature and contrary to Tao. It can lead to the absence of natural harmony. 

Tao Te Ching, 57

The more taboos and prohibitions there are in the world,

The poorer the people will be.

The more sharp weapons people have.

The more troubled the state will be.

The more cunning and skill man possesses,

The more vicious things will appear.

The more laws and orders are made prominent,

The more thieves and robbers there will be. 

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The Taoist Sage as Philosopher-King

十三

老子

~What does Lao Tzu mean by the philosopher-king? Why does he argue for the employment of the sage to be the ruler?

~What is the difference between a ruler who is a sage and one who is not? What advantages would the sage have over others as ruler?

*****

Lao Tzu considers the sage as the ideal human being and more so the philosopher-king because he is a living manifestation of the Tao. The sage is one who understands and loves the Tao and so in return the Tao is close to him.

Chan, 1963

He who understands Nature penetrates the way of the sage, and possesses the virtue of emperors and kings… The sage is tranquil not because he says to himself, “It is good to be tranquil,” and therefore became tranquil. He is tranquil because nothing disturbs him.

The philosopher-king is one who can clear up the muddy water to make way by being tranquil. Having perfected and understood the ways of nature, he is one who in in synch with her. He understands her and knows when it is time or when it is not. He hears her and he hears himself amidst all the noises in the world therefore he knows himself. He knows the Tao and so he does not give in to his desires. He is one with nature and one with his fellow man, therefore he resounds harmony- To be in harmony with men means human happiness, and to be in harmony with Nature means the happiness of Nature (Chan, 1963). The philosopher-king is aware and so he takes great care not to overflow. 

The sage is kingly and he knows how to rule. He is one with Nature and being one with Nature implies that he is in harmony with the Tao. The philosopher-king takes no action but everything is done- because by taking no action, one can be able to fulfil his duty properly. He also keeps to the black (humility) and to the white (glory), the male and the female, the yin and the yang. He embodies the water and so he is weak and gently yet he is very strong. He is like an infant, weak and helpless but full of energy and potential. A philosopher-king is an uncarved wood!

Chan, 1963

In tranquility he becomes a sage, and in activity, and in activity he becomes a king. He takes no action and is honoured. He is simple and plain and none in the world can compete with him in excellence.

And because the philosopher-king knows the black and the white, he is fit in his role as the man of the people. Like an uncarved wood, he places himself bellow them through the humbleness and sincerity of his words. He does not put himself forward just so the people will recognise and respect him. He puts himself forward to protect the people and his actions are returned when it is due. He makes his decisions directed to the Tao and never for his own personal advantage.  

Chan, 1963

When water is tranquil, its clearness reflects even the beard and the eyebrows. It remains definitely level, and master carpenters take it as their model. If water is clear when it is tranquil, how much more so is the spirit? When the mind of the sage is tranquil, it becomes the mirror of the universe and the reflection of all things. 

The philosopher king embodies with him the characteristics of non-action, non-knowing, and non-desiring (Wood, n.d.). He lives by the virtues of the Tao and lives for the benefit of nature. The philosopher-king truly is the manifestation of the Tao. 

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Following the Way as Non-action

十二

老子

~What is meant by non-action? How can non-action be learned? How is non-action expressed?

~Why is non-action the way to follow the Way? How does non-action lead toward sageliness?

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Tao Te Ching 63

Act without action.

Do without ado.

Non-action or wu-wei is one of the most important facet in the philosophy of Taoism. It implies acts that which are spontaneous, natural, and effortless (Kardash, 1998). Wing Tsit-Chan (1963) described non-action as “not inactivity but rather taking no action that is contrary to nature”. The Tao’s behaviour is natural and it works in great harmony with nature and so the Tao “invariably takes no action, and yet there is nothing left undone (Tao Te Ching, 37). This implies that the non-action then is the way of and to the Tao. 

The Tao regards weakness as something that is good and this weakness can also be a manifestation of non-action or the other way around. The way to the Tao is moderation and this is where the principle of non-action lies in- it lies in the middle ground between too much and too little. Doing things naturally is non-action and doing things naturally is the way to the Tao. Finding your balance in whatever work that you do is one of the ways where one can express the value of non-action. 

Non-action in the Taoist philosophy also requires one not to force things. Tasks should not be rushed but instead, the Tao requires one to take it easy, find one’s pace, and do it gradually but what should be considered in this that one should be focused with whatever task that one is doing. Do not allow desire-based distractions to throw you off your pace but when tired, rest and when you are hungry, eat. One of the many wonders of the worlds are rock formations. There rock formations are done overtime and gradually. Nature takes no action but these rocks take form into something else. Time, and the many elements that go to fro around the rocks, work is done. 

Loy, 1985

“not acting” requires eliminating the sense-of-self which is inclined to interfere. Non-interference is not really possible unless one has dissipated the fog of expectations and desires that keeps one from experiencing the world as it is in itself (Tao), and the judgement that “something must be done” is usually part of that fog. 

Through non-action as the way to the Tao, one should also know when to stop or when to let go: withdraw as soon as your work is done (Tao Te Ching 9). After your work is done, stop. Do not seek for gratification in exchange for the product of your labor and do not do you work just for to be gratified. Do not take possession of the fruits of your labor lest they take possession of you. 

Tao Te Ching 64

He who takes no action fails.

He who grasps things loses them.

For this reason the sage takes no action and therefore does not fail. 

He grasps nothing and therefore he does not lose anything. 

The sage know of this and so he is aware that non-action is very essential in his daily life. He is weak, he do things on moderation, and most especially, he does not go against the Tao by taking actions that are contrary to nature. He is careful in his everything and keeps guard of his senses, and so no harm comes to him. He abides the Tao through non-action and so he yields to nature. Therefore the sage who takes no action is like water- he supports all things in their natural state but does not take any action (Tao Te Ching 64).

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哲学 Synthesis Paper: 2A

哲学

老子

What is philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy…

1. by Lao Tzu…

A. in the way he perceives the philosophical problem?

Lao Tzu deems that problems resulting in the lack or the absence of natural harmony is caused by the absence of the Tao. The Tao is that which bring things together and connects them. It is that which organises things and allows them to influence one another (Rawson & Legeza, 1963) and so without the Tao there will be disruptions in the process of nature that would inevitably result in natural disharmony. Lao Tzu also believes that this natural disharmony is caused by knowledge and desire and so for him, they are harmful because they drive man too seek out for what is not essential to them and allows knowledge and desire to control his life and his behaviour. Knowledge prompts man to discriminate and distinguish from is and what is not. Knowledge also influences our desires to the point that we are lead away from the middle ground. 

Both knowledge and desire cause disharmony because they are not natural: too much or too little. Being able to distinguish that which is pleasurable to the senses is also a keynote in understanding what knowledge is for Lao Tzu. What is natural is you know when to stop and when not to stop. Sleep when you are sleepy and wake up when it is time for you to wake up. For Lao Tzu, the problem is natural harmony which is caused by the absence of the Tao because of man’s want for knowledge and man’s indulgence of his desires. Additionally, for Lao Tzu, natural disharmony happens when man begins to attach himself to the material and the superficial, these that which are not natural. 

Man’s elevation in the society also causes natural disharmony. Lao Tzu believes that man should stay pure and keep away from the things that can harm him by not losing sight of the Tao. However, man’s success and prosperity often opens up another path for him to tread on- a path opposed to the Tao. When he takes this road, he attaches himself to his achievements and his properties and it gets into his head. He becomes gaudy and there is excess in his ways. He speaks even if he does not know and rushes here and there, quick on his toes, to claim things that he did and he did not do. And so man finds this very pleasurable to the senses and his desire goes overdrive, making him contrary to the man that he used to be when he was more simpler, more natural. The uncharted wood is no more and from this, natural disharmony occurs. 

Rawson & Legeza, 1973

…the aim is harmony: harmony between the components of the dialectic situation, leading to harmony between each man and his turbulent universe, and an ultimate tranquility. But harmony is impossible without ‘forces’ to harmonise, and of little value unless those forces are themselves at high power.

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Knowing the Way as Unlearning

Knowing the Way as Unlearning

老子

十一

~What does Lao Tzu mean by unlearning? How can this be knowing? How can unlearning take place?

~What is the importance of unlearning in the development toward sageliness? 

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Tao Te Ching, 20

Abandon all learning and there will be no sorrow.

People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge (Tao Te Ching, 65) and so it follows that we should empty our cup so that it should be filled: what we know and what we have learned, we should unlearn. The Tao requires us to decrease so as we could increase and the way to knowing the Tao is by unlearning. It is because we know too much, it is because our heads are filled with things of these and that that we become blinded with the illusion that it is necessary for us to have them. We see a lot of things in others that we don’t have and we are then filled with the desire that we want those things for us to possess. The Tao teaches us that any kind of desire, tangible and/or intangible, is not good for us. These desires, because of the very fact that they are desires, are hard to come by and so the harder that we strive to attain them, the more we bring ourselves closer to harm’s way. Therefore our desire to fill our heads with facts, numbers, and information are that which that makes us contrary to what we truly are. Knowledge only clouds the mind. It teaches us how to discriminate and become prejudiced. Knowledge is a disease that rots the mind. The sage know of this and so, he only seeks for what is needed for life and anything beyond it, the sage rejects. Because of this, the sage rests at the heart of the Tao.

It is only by truly unlearning that we are filled, that we can accumulate the things that which are genuinely essential to us and to our being. This knowledge that we seek only but blinds us from the way of the Tao. They dizzy our head with worldly contents and concerns that we forget how who we truly are and so it is only by depleting that we can come home again. We should decrease day by day until we are nothing, until we are empty. Therefore the sage strives to achieve a mental clarity will make nature profound in him and through this nothingness within his mind, he sees the path to the Tao.  

More often than not, our senses trigger desires and our knowledge about the object of our desires only heightens our need for them. So Lao Tzu warns us: Close the mouth. Shut the doors (Tao Te Ching, 52). If we truly know ourselves then it is easier for us to guard our senses and our mind. If we know who we truly are and if we are close to the Tao then there will be wards around us, wards that keeps away the things that are contrary to nature and the things that can pull us away from the Tao. Being aware of what is truly essential to us helps us retrain worldly desires and keeps us on the right path. If we know who we truly are then we know that we do not know. The sage who knows does not pretend. He is humble in his words and in his deeds and because he keeps the value of humility he is weak. He flows in the river of the Tao, freely, away from necessary desires. The sage is empty but he is full. 

Tao Te Ching, 56

Become one with the dusty world.

*****

Wu Wei and Spontaneity

老子

九

~What does Lao Tzu mean by “acting by not-acting?” In what way is this an approximation of the movement of the Tao? What is such an approximation important in Lao Tzu’s philosophy? 

~How is wu-wei expressed in human action? How is it different from common human movements?

*****

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

Wu-wei or non-doing is important in the Taoist philosophy. However, this state of non-action or non-doing does not mean laziness or passivity. Then how will Lao Tzu take the story of Juan Tamad (Lazy John) who decided to lie down on the ground with his mouth open and wait for the fruit to drop? 

Wu-wei or non-action can be expressed as “going with the flow” of nature, and not forcibly doing things against what should be. Wu-wei requires us to do nothing so that we can do something. It calls for a natural, spontaneous and effortless actions. And because the action is done effortlessly, naturally, and spontaneously, it arises only in the need of the moment, with sincerity in the act it itself, and it is forgotten when it is done. For example, in raising a child, you do not force the child to grow up, physically and mentally. You have to wait for the child to grow, naturally. You cannot just pull your child from head to toe just so he or she will grow taller. You have to wait for time and allow the child’s natural physiological development to kick in and do its work. 

Non-action is directed to cultivating one’s mind and actions by aligning it to the flow of nature, effortlessly. Non-action does not really mean not to do anything but rather, it means that one should not do what is unnatural. Tai Chi, for examples, tells us that it can be used for self defense and street fighting. But how can such a graceful and slow-paced, dance-like activity be used for something intense and powerful? The art of Tai Chi would teach us not to block and forcefully go against the opponent but rather to receive their hits and give it back to them- their own force will return to them and knock them out. Altruism can also be seen as an act of wu-wei basically because altruistic actions are done with one’s own accord, without any intention behind the action, and it is done without seeking nor expecting for anything in return. Coercion is not the way of the Taoist non-action but instead, it highlight actions that are intrinsically motivated. 

Sometimes little bursts of energy would drive us to do rash things- rash things that are contrary to nature and which sometimes lead us to our own demise. There are certain physical movements or quirks that signifies one’s need to realise and release such drives. Pacing back and forth, the twitching of one’s fingers, or the simple act of rocking on your toes and the balls of your feet connotes the great need to exhaust this right away, impulsively. The Tao, however, tells us to do things. Although this can be called as spontaneous, there still lies a big difference between it being natural and the other as something rash or uncalled for. Sometimes we want to grow up to fast and do things that we should not be doing at all. We would wish that time would move forward and so we miss the simple and little joys that we should be experiencing every single day. Lao Tzu would say that living the fast life is a very bad idea. 

Do what you can and wait. Wait and allow nature to do its work for it will be done in the right time and in the right manner. Follow and respect the flow of nature.

Tao Te Ching, 24

He who stands in tiptoe is not ready.

He who strides forward does not go.

*****

No Knowledge, No Desires

老子

八

~What does Lao Tzu mean by “no knowledge, no desires’”? Is this realisable and desirable for humans?

~What role does such an ideal play in the philosophy of Lao Tzu?

*****

Tao Te Ching, 71

To know that you do not know is the best.

To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.

The Apology, 21e

“…the fact that neither of us knows anything beautiful and good, but he thinks he does know when he doesn’t, and I don’t know and don’t think I do: so I am wiser than he is by only this trifle, that what I do not know I don’t think I do.”

Away from the mundane and seemingly important life of the most, a self-realised man, like an infant, is unattached. He is aware of his predicament and so he refuses to bother himself with what is materially external to him. He lets it be and accept things as they come his way. He walks with no direction but he moves when it is time to move and rests when it is time to do so. A self-realised man is one who does not let material possession and egoistic virtues fulfil him but he is one who lets nature nurture and feed him. Because he takes no part does not imply that he is indifferent. It just means that he has no read-between-the-lines self-interest and because of this, he can see the clear picture from where he is. Involved but not quite, just grounded. 

A self-realised person is one who knows without going. He does not need to be out there to gain and accumulate things that will never make sense. As a person makes the Tao as his home and his ground, walking away to seek material knowledge will only blunder and dull the mind. And so he stays there, within the Tao, because he knows better than to reach for something that is against the Tao; because he knows better and his knowledge comes with experience and maturity. The knowledge is given to him by nature itself. Non-action is key. Therefore go back on what is knowledge for you. Go back and see what value you put upon that knowledge that you are trying to reach. Because if it is not the way of the Tao, one step forward is three steps backward. 

A self-realised person is one who is honest towards both the honest and the dishonest. He is one who tells the emperor that he has no clothes. He treats the liar with honestly because he does not discriminate between the black and the white. He sees people as they are and treat them consistently. And because he makes no distinction between the kind and the unkind he is true to anything and everything. Therefore there is true honestly and kindness in his actions: be the samaritan! 

And as the Tao is within me I do not court Death: And yet silence will soon descend on all these noisy, living, life-thirsty people (The Gay Science, Nietzsche, 1974, pg. 225). I do not collar my neck to life for it only calls upon Death, the tighter I tie myself to it. People who know better and value life with respect to the Tao accepts life and allows Time to unfold it as it is. Without provoking death nor clinging to life, a self-realised person knows that he is but a visitor in this world and that he too, shall pass. He is a child when he is a child. He is a man when he is a man. He does not interfere with nature and does not find ways to maintain his youth. He does not interfere with nature and does not find ways to fast-forward his life to the brink of death. Therefore, do not do things that are contrary to nature. Do not wallow in desire when you have no use for it in your life, and do remain humble: To know Tao and say you do not it is the best (He Shang Kung, Chan, 1963). 

Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Nietzsche, 1961

“You look up when you desire to be exalted. And I look down, because I am exalted.”

*****

Humility

老子

十

~What does Lao Tzu mean by humility? Why is it important in the face of the Tao?

~How is humility expressed? How can it not lead to fatalism or quiet resignation?

*****

Plato’s Apology of Socrates (23b)

“He among you humans is wisest who, like Socrates, knows that he’s really worth nothing when it comes to wisdom.”

Lowering oneself is humility- genuine humility and simplicity has been paralleled to a piece of an uncarved wood that is simple and plain but genuine and it is in man’s simplicity that which makes him stand out.

Genuine humility have become a rarity today where material possessions, established family names, intelligence, and professional titles have become the markers of the person’s whole identity and it carries with it the constant desire to be acknowledged. There is always something to parade around. There is always something to be proud of. And so modesty has become a treasure or a jewel, as it has been considered in the Taoist Philosophy. The Three Jewels (or The Three Treasures) should be behind all the things that you do, no matter great or small. Compassion, moderation, and humility will lead you to the path of courage, generosity, and leadership. 

We want people to know us: who we are and what we have done. When we have achieved something we want the whole world to know about it. We want people to look up to us and treat us with great importance. We want to be the priority in everything. We want people to accommodate us and so meekness has escaped, in hiding, until we can find it again and retain tie it back to our identity, hopefully for good. Man has driven away humility by competing against each other. A modest person does not allow people to fuss over him and so he keeps away and stay on the sidelines. Like nature, one should work in humility. Nature works silently and takes no claim in its products. Nature works and execute its task in silence. The concept of Locke’s property can be attributed to humility: where there is no property, there is no injury. If you do not take claim to an achievement then it will be not be taken away from you. The lack of humility in one’s life invites danger.

Doctrine of the Mean, 33

“Over her brocaded robe, she wore a plain and simple dress, for she disliked the loudness of its colour and patterns. Thus the way of the superior man is hidden but comes more prominent every day…”

And so our need to display will only complicate and delay everything because our desire for recognition arouses another fight amongst us, an in-group fight, contradicts the roles that we are supposed to play in our jobs. A person who constantly boasts about his spoils will soon be deemed arrogant because he lacks the virtue to stay modest and his gloating will only attract trouble. Power is not privilege to stand above others and make decisions based on his own self-interest. In making a speech, he does not stand on the platform but remains on the ground, equal to the people. A humble leader is one who does not throw people under the bus and take credit for everything. And so Lao Tzu wants us, leader or not, to be like water: soft yet strong, flexible yet unbreakable, and because water is weak, it can surpass everything. 

Tao Te Ching, 22

He does not show himself; therefore he is luminous.

He does not justify himself; therefore he is given credit.

He does not brag; therefore he can endure for long.

A person with a lesser position should not design his goal towards the elevation of his position. He should direct his efforts straightly and aim to complete his own specified job. He should focus and do his own work and keep his nose away from the work of others. Credit will be given when it is due. A humble man is one who takes great care not only of his cup but of the water lest it overflows. 

*****

The Te

老子

七

~What does Lao Tzu mean by te? How different is it from the Confucian te?

~What role does it play in Taoist Philosophy?

*****

Tao Te Ching, 10

To produce things and to rear them,

To produce, but not to take possession of them,

To act, but not to rely on one’s own ability,

To lead them, but not to master them—

This is called profound and secret virtue (hsuan-te).

The Confucian philosophy defines te as that moral power by which the people are governed. In order for a ruler to be able to create a harmonious and secure land, he should govern with te and not by law and force. It also means the perfection of one’s values that can help the emperor-sage rule his land.

Prof. Victor Mair 

(American Sinologist)

There is something fundamentally honest and psychologically healthy in being oneself and striding forward with one's vision facing directly ahead, instead of trying at every turn to satisfy abstract standards of goodness established by a reigning orthodoxy. This is what te/de is all about.

Taoism, however, has another understanding of te. Te is taken as virtue and power, a virtue that helps one maintain and manifest the Tao. Therefore, it is safe to say that it refers to the conduct of man that is in accordance with nature. According to Julian Pas (1998), te refers to the “inner and outer power bestowed on each being by Tao, or all the qualities for action inherent in the nature of each being, which gives each being a way to maintain itself, to grow and flourish (Way of Perfect Emptiness, 2015). 

Pas, 1998

Tao is the generator of te. If Tao is the overreaching reality and cosmic energy, Te is what all beings receive from Tao; it is their own nature, with its specific talents and potentials, that enables them to act in their own way as if by their inner compulsion…Te is the power of Tao, individualised, as, for example, in a seed, which has the inner potential and unfailing power to sprout and grow into a preprogrammed plant or tree. 

Te can also be seen as that which makes up our uniqueness and individuality. It is also where we connect to the Tao. To be in harmony in with our Tao will help us connect to others and to nature. Since te can be found within us, it shapes our characteristic and disposition to everything outside and inside of us. Te should follow closely to the Tao and be in-tune with himself and with others. In the Tao Te Ching, te is that which nurtures the Tao that produces the 10,000 things. Te, as integrity builds up the person and allows him to become like an infant. It allows him to fall in nature and keeps him from perishing. It’s like te is the very thing that processes the Tao. Similar to the steps eight steps in The Great Learning, the cultivation of virtues follows as (Tao Te Ching, 51):

When one cultivates virtue in his person, it becomes a genuine virtue.

When one cultivates virtue in his family, it becomes overflowing virtue.

When one cultivates virtue in his country, it becomes abundant virtue.

When one cultivates virtue in the world, it becomes universal.

Live your life without trying to live it. As we are already alive and there we manifest life, the act of living is already within us. Do not rush life and do not try to go back and wallow in the past: let life play itself and unfold its mysteries to you each and everyday. 

Tao Te Ching, 23

Therefore he who follows Tao is identified with Tao.

He who follows virtue is identified with virtue. 

He who is identified with virtue— virtue is also happy to have him. 

*****

Expressions of the Tao

老子

六

~What does weakness mean as an expression of Tao? How does it express the Tao?

~What does humility mean as an expression of Tao? How does it express the Tao?

~What metaphors do Lao Tzu use to illustrate the expressions of Tao?

*****

Pas, 1998

Tao is like water: Water is weak and soft, yet can be extremely powerful and wear down the hardest things, such as rocks. It has the strength of weakness. Water connects with other symbols of weakness: woman, mother, the valley, the infant. 

Water is often used as a basis of comparison for things that are hard to explain and describe mainly because of its universality and of its very nature. Lao Tzu have utilised water in the same sense, drawing a sense of the Tao to explain and not explain what the Tao really is. It is true that water can be contained and that is its weakness but its being contained can also depict power that can destroy the strongest wall. It’s just like what they say: still waters run deep. Like the Tao, water is formless and it can only take form by filing the nothingness of a jug.

Tao Te Ching, 78

There is nothing softer and weaker than water,

And yet these is nothing better for attacking hard and

strong things.

For this reason there is no substitute for it.

All the world knows that the weak overcomes the strong and

the soft overcomes the hard.

But none can practice it.

Tao is the Mother: “it produced all things, and continues to produce them, until they all return to their roots (Pas, 1998).” As it is the Mother, it is the symbol of fertility and the source of all life. It becomes a mother-nurse, nourishing everything. And the Tao is also the womb: the one that generates Heaven and Earth, which is the source of life (Tortchinov, 1999). In Carl Jung’s archetypes, the Mother archetype refers to the one who feeds, nurtures, and soothes. The Mother has also been used to symbolise the Earth, the woods, the sea, and the well. Jung considers the Mother as a major archetype because of she contains mostly everything. Similar to this, Jung provided another archetype that deeply echoed the first verse of the chapter 28 of the Tao Te Ching: He knows the male (active force) and keeps to the female (the passive force or receptive element)- the anima and the animus. Like an infant who does not differentiate between male and female, one should embrace the anima or the animus within them. Keep to the formless and return to the state of simplicity. 

The Tao as the infant: “Weak and helpless, a young infant is nonetheless full of vitality, its vital energy is unimpaired, and, being helpless, all its needs are taken care of. Likewise, the Tao appears to be helpless, yet, in fact, it is all-powerful.” And since it is an infant it is full of energy and cannot be exhausted.   

The chapter 9 of the Tao Te Ching tells us when to step back gracefully. It is noted that “withdrawing” does not mean that one should abandon all that has been done but instead, it tells us to step back so as to avoid attachment with the fruits of our work. There are things in life that are not eternal and we, human beings as we are, cannot go one forever. At some point we have to stop for if we do not we become exhausted, all burned out. We should not force things. We should not force nature. Let it fall into place and it will unravel when the time comes. Let one be reminded that the Tao works and it does not. Silence, at times, proves to be more meaningful than the abundance of words. 

Tao Te Ching, 43

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.

Non-being penetrates that in which there is no space.

Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.

Few in the world can understand teaching without words and the advantage of taking no action.

*****

The Reality of the Tao

老子

五

~What does emptiness mean as an essence of Tao? Why does Lao Tzu consider this an essence of Tao?

~What does openness mean as an essence of Tao? Why does Lao Tzu consider this an essence of Tao?

~What metaphors do Lao Tzu [use?] to illustrate the essence of the Tao?

*****

Ragnarok, Byatt, 2011

Everything was pat of one world, and it would not hurt Baldur the Beautiful.

The story of creation in the Norse mythology very much reminded me about the Tao mainly because it does not forward that nothing breeds something but rather it clearly described that which was already there: between Niflheim, home of the mists, and Muspelheim, the hot place, was an empty gulf. And in that empty gulf, where the swirling chaos takes place Ymir was created. He, first of he godlike giants: he was vast, he was everything (Byatt, 2011). Just like the Tao, Ymir became the product of the opposites, coming from the energy of the fire and ice. When Ymir died he became something much more: the narrative began to speak about the creation of the world.

From the flesh of Ymir 

The earth was shaped.

From his bones, the mountains, 

The heaven from the skull

Of the giant cold as frost

And from his blood,

The sea. 

Instead of become useless Ymir became everything. Albeit dead and devoid of life, he became the source of life of the birds and the trees and the flowers and the deers. Similar in this sense, Taoism considers substance more important than function (Chan, 1963). More often than not, emptiness connotes a negative feeling. Whenever we feel empty we frown and try to look for ways to “get rid” of such feeling. We associate this emptiness inside us as something that is very uncomfortable and the only solution is to fill it. Lao Tzu, however, presented a positive kind of emptiness in this matter. I am reminded of a glass filled with water. From afar it looks empty. However, on closer inspection, it is full, filled to the brim with water. And then again I am reminded of a particular story of Krishna, the Hindu God. As a child, he was very playful and one day, he “decided” to eat clay. His mother, upon finding it out, pried his mouth open. Mother and son bickered until finally, Krishna open his mouth. Upon the sight, his mother gasped. Inside his mouth was the cosmos- timeless and swirling with stars and planets. She saw the mountains, the air, the fire, and the oceans. Inside her son lies the whole universe. 

And within this universe lies the Heaven and the Earth. Both working together in creation and completion: the tree ate and was eaten, fed and was fed on (on Yggdrasil; Byatt, 2011). This is how it works. This is how nature works. And nature works the ways it does, the rain and drought are but its ways. And in the middle of the raging sea, man should find the centre. 

It held the world together, in the air, in the earth, in the light, in the dark, in the mind.  

Great and the humblest of all. The Tao lies in the gaps between our fingers. It fills the empty void. The Tao fulfils its duty and seek for no reward. The Tao gives blessings yet it does not lord it over us. Since this is how the Tao is, the same should be with man. Empty words have no worth yet action generates a positive response. The Tao does not discriminate between the good and the bad just as Heaven and Earth plays no role in favouring man. And because the Tao plays no role between the good and the bad, it is the source of all that is natural. The Tao is Small and Great, the Tao is the mitochondria. The Tao is a room full of treasure and the many rivers that reach the sea. 

*****

The Tao as the Origin

老子

四

~What does Lao Tzu mean by the Tao (Way)? What is its basic principle?

~How does the Tao operate as the origin of all things?

~What role does the Tao play in the philosophy of Lao Tzu?

*****

Fung, 1948

The Tao of Taoism is the unitary “that” from which springs the production and change of all things in the universe.

Tao, as the source of all things, even if formless, is beyond heaven and earth and the Tao, as the origin of all things, bring harmony to it all. It cannot be seen, cannot be heard, and cannot be felt, it is unfathomable and obscure. The Tao as everything and nothing can be seen in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire’s Faceless Men. You have to lose your identity in order to become someone. This is comparable to the Tao since it can be considered as the source of existence and non-existence and by becoming no one, you can become someone. 

Action and non-action also center on the Tao, with non-action (wu-wei) as “taking no action that is contrary to Nature (Chan, 1963). This shows that Tao and Nature go together. Letting go and allowing things fall into their own place naturally is  the Way. The Tao also speaks of the Unity of Opposites, about Yin and Yang, and this concept is central in its doctrines because equilibrium is of utmost important to the Tao. By achieving this state of balance and harmony, the Tao also sets its goal on being able to unite with nature. As an example, let us look at the Taoist philosophy and the Taoist religion. Both may be the same but in fact, they are not. Taoist philosophy teaches that nature must be followed while Taoist religion is set to work against nature (Fung, 1948)

And so the Tao, as a whole, is the source of all there is, the supreme, the boundless and indescribable, formless and infinite, and above all, the Tao is natural. 

The essence of the Tao refers to several terms just like Confucianism. The Tao goes by wu and yu (non-being and being), yu-wei and wu-wei (action and non-action), yu-ming and wu-ming (namable and unnamable), the (virtue), tzu jan (naturalness), yin and yang, and ch’i (cosmic energy). It is also duly noted that as Tao gives birth tho things (or the ten thousand things), a lot of things also take part in complete them. That being so, it does not come as a surprise when Tao is also considered as the Mother of All Things (Great Mother). 

Fung, 1948

Lao Tzu speaks about the unnamable. Not everything that lies beyond shapes and features is unnamable. Universals, for instance, lie beyond shapes and features, yet they are not unnamable. But on the other hand, what is unnamable most certainly does lie beyond shapes and features. The Tao or Way of the Taoists is a concept of this sort.

Comparable to the Science of Identity Foundation, a group that believes and practices Hinduism, they deeply believe in the Bhagavad-Gita stating that we are all but part and parcel of Krsna. Even in a single grain, a drop of water, a lone leaf floating in the air, Krsna is there. And this is to say that the Tao, Mother of all Things and Origin of All Things, appear to be everywhere and at the same time nowhere. Tao also acts as the energy behind all things. It acts as the very essence of things and that is to say that it also acts as the energy of the essence behind Taoism.

Tao Te Ching, 14

Meet it and you will not see its head.

Follow it and you will not see its back. 

*****

哲学 Synthesis Paper: 1D

哲学

What is philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy…

1. by Confucius…

D. in the way he specifies the solution to the philosophical problem?

Chan, 1963 

(Book of History)

“Let the king be serious in what he does. He should not neglect to be serious with virtue.”

Therefore, nurture your values and do not forget it. Govern the state together with your virtues for they will act as your staff as you go along the Path. Govern the state together with your virtues for they will never part with you as long as you keep them close. Your virtues will be crucial in fulfilling your duties and most importantly, they will help you keep your lands secure and they will help you sustain harmony within the community. 

This virtuous man must be a cultivated man- a superior man, a gentleman, a noble man. He should be, by all means, a chun-tzu. And because he is a chun-tzu, he knows how do things rightly. First, he starts with his own self. Nothing should go past him, as he is a superior man he is always careful in his ways inside and the outside his office and inside and outside his own home. He makes sure that names are used correctly in accordance with their purpose for Confucius believes that not being able to correct names and their actualities would lead to social disorder. Confucius also extends this to the ranks and positions of men in the family and in the society.  Violation of this is but a symptom of social disorder. In line with this, the superior man should give great importance to tradition and tradition should be maintained and followed correctly. A superior man, for Confucius, is one who keeps the tradition alive and makes sure that rituals are properly followed. 

Another solution to the problem lies in the faculty of the mind. A superior man must do so well in this area and must have wisdom to be able to discern what is good and what is bad and he should have the wisdom to do good. If born with knowledge, the superior man must seek more and nurture his intelligence and if he is born without, seek it still. By this he is able to slowly develop himself and his character. He should understand and reach for the higher goals and be wary of inferior men. By being aware of such men in the society, he will try to cultivate them as he continues to cultivate his own self. With this, he is not only a man for himself but a man for others as well. 

Upon cultivating himself, Confucius believes that having a heart for others is very important in being able to develop all other virtues. Benevolence is key to the whole process that will end disharmony in the society. Nurturing jen, the superior man should also take not of his relations with his family. A superior man is one who knows how to be filial and knows how to respect his brothers. These two virtues that enters around the family are the roots of humanity. 

The conduct of the superior man, for Confucius, should be that one thread that runs in his doctrines. Altruism and conscientiousness both goes hand in hand and work better together. Through this, the superior man can exercise his humaneness and at the same time, he is able to call others to do the same. His actions should adhere to what is moral. Being righteous means that he should not tolerate any form of injustice. For Confucius and for the superior man, what is ought to be should be. Above all this, he should tread carefully and use only the road that is correct- the Way. 

With this he emerges out and begins another journey. To complete the solution, he will begin by investigation things. In order to learn and to acquire the knowledge that he needs, the superior man should start by investigating things. If he study things by investigation, he will be able to understand and comprehend the matters of the world easily. Next, his will must be sincere. As he is a superior man, he should be able to see things clearly and making his will sincere is but a way to do that. From here on, his mind will also be set rightly and correct. He does not let his happiness and sadness govern him. With a correct mind, his actions will also be correct. 

From cultivating himself, he will begin to cultivate his family. For he is filial and hold high respect for his brothers, he makes sure that they are cultivated rightly towards the Tao. From hereon, the superior man can finally emerge outside the borders of his family to the state. Until he reaches the realm of a Tao-centered philosopher-king where he rules by and with the virtues that he was able to develop. 

*****