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II.6.B. Confucius: "The Analects" on Government [Asia for ... Flipbook PDF
Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS: ON GOVERNMENT Introduction Confuci
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Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS: ON GOVERNMENT
Introduction Confucius (the Latinized version of Kong Fuzi, “master Kong”) or, to call him by his proper name, Kong Qiu (551-479 BCE) lived at a time of political turmoil and transition. The China of his time consisted of a number of small feudal states, which, although theoretically subject to the kings of the Zhou Dynasty, were actually independent. Confucius and many of his contemporaries were concerned about the state of turmoil, competition, and warfare between the feudal states. They sought philosophical and practical solutions to the problems of government — solutions that, they hoped, would lead to a restoration of unity and stability. Confucius had no notable success as a government official, but he was renowned even in his own time as a teacher. His followers recorded his teachings a generation or two after his death, and these teachings remain influential in China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan to this day. The anecdotes and records of short conversations compiled by his disciples go under the English title of the Analects. The excerpts from the Analects presented below are specifically concerned with the problem of government.
Document Excerpts with Questions (Longer selection follows this section) From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 44-63. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Selections
from
the
Confucian
Analects:
On
Government
1:5
The
Master
said,
“In
ruling
a
state
of
a
thousand
chariots,
one
is
reverent
in
the
handling
of
affairs
and
shows
himself
to
be
trustworthy.
One
is
economical
in
expenditures,
loves
the
people,
and
uses
them
only
at
the
proper
season.”
2:3
The
Master
said,
“Lead
them
by
means
of
regulations
and
keep
order
among
them
through
punishments,
and
the
people
will
evade
them
and
will
lack
any
sense
of
shame.1
Lead
them
through
moral
force
(de)
and
keep
order
among
them
through
rites
(li),
and
they
will
have
a
sense
of
shame
and
will
also
correct
themselves.”
12:11
Duke
Jing
of
Qi
asked
Confucius
about
government.
Confucius
replied,
“Let
the
ruler
be
a
ruler;
the
minister,
a
minister;
the
father,
a
father;
the
son,
a
son.”
“Excellent,”
said
the
duke.
“Truly,
if
the
ruler
is
not
a
ruler,
the
subject
is
not
a
subject,
the
father
is
not
a
father,
and
the
son
is
not
a
son,
though
I
have
grain,
will
I
get
to
eat
it?”
Or,
as
Arthur
Waley
interprets
it,
“self‑respect.”
1
Primary Source Document, with Questions (DBQs) on SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS: ON GOVERNMENT Questions: 1. Why is reverence an important part of rulership? What do you think that Confucius meant by reverence? 2. Confucius lived in an agricultural society — what might he mean when he advises a ruler to use the people “only at the proper season?” How would this benefit the people? How would it benefit the ruler himself? 3. What does Confucius think is the proper way of ruling: ruling through law or ruling by moral example? Why? Do you think that Confucius is right? Why or why not? 4. Do you see any similarity between family structure and government in Confucius’ mind? How so? What might be the role of women in government? 5. Compare Confucius’ ideas on government to those of the Legalist philosophers who lived as few generations after Confucius. What are the differences between Confucius and the Legalists? Do they share any points of view or assumptions about government?
Longer Selection From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 44-63. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Selections
from
the
Confucian
Analects:
On
Government
1:5
The
Master
said,
“In
ruling
a
state
of
a
thousand
chariots,
one
is
reverent
in
the
handling
of
affairs
and
shows
himself
to
be
trustworthy.
One
is
economical
in
expenditures,
loves
the
people,
and
uses
them
only
at
the
proper
season.”
2:1
The
Master
said,
“One
who
governs
through
virtue
may
be
compared
to
the
polestar,
which
occupies
its
place
while
the
host
of
other
stars
pay
homage
to
it.”
2:3
The
Master
said,
“Lead
them
by
means
of
regulations
and
keep
order
among
them
through
punishments,
and
the
people
will
evade
them
and
will
lack
any
sense
of
shame.2
Lead
them
through
moral
force
(de)
and
keep
order
among
them
through
rites
(li),
and
they
will
have
a
sense
of
shame
and
will
also
correct
themselves.”
3:19
Duke
Ding
asked
how
a
ruler
should
employ
his
ministers
and
how
ministers
should
serve
their
ruler.
Confucius
replied,
“The
ruler
should
employ
the
ministers
according
to
ritual;
the
ministers
should
serve
the
ruler
with
loyalty.”
See
footnote
1,
above.
2
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11:25
Zilu,
Zeng
Xi,
Ran
You,
and
Gongxi
Hua
were
seated
in
attendance.
The
Master
said,
“Never
mind
that
I
am
a
day
older
than
you.3
Often
you
say,
‘I
am
not
recognized.’
If
you
were
to
be
recognized,
what
would
you
do?”
Zilu
hastily
replied,
“In
a
state
of
a
thousand
chariots,
hemmed
in
by
great
states,
beset
by
invading
armies,
and
afflicted
by
famine
—
You,4
if
allowed
to
govern
for
the
space
of
three
years,
could
cause
the
people
to
have
courage
and
to
know
their
direction.”
The
Master
smiled.
“Qiu,
what
about
you?”
He
replied,
“In
a
state
of
sixty
or
seventy
li5
square,
or
even
fifty
or
sixty
—
Qiu,6
if
allowed
to
govern
for
three
years,
could
enable
the
people
to
have
a
sufficient
livelihood.
As
for
ritual
and
music,
however,
I
should
have
to
wait
for
a
noble
person.”
“Chi,7
what
about
you?”
He
replied,
“I
do
not
say
that
I
am
capable
of
this,
yet
I
should
like
to
learn
it.
At
ceremonies
in
the
ancestral
temple
and
at
the
audiences
of
the
lords
at
court,
I
should
like,
dressed
in
the
dark
robe
and
black
cap,
to
serve
as
a
minor
assistant.”
“Dian,8
what
about
you?”
As
he
paused
in
his
playing
the
qin9
and
put
the
instrument
aside,
he
replied,
“My
wish
differs
from
what
these
three
have
chosen.”
The
Master
said,
“What
harm
is
there
in
that?
Each
may
speak
his
wish.”
He
said,
“At
the
end
of
spring,
when
the
spring
clothes
have
been
made,
I
should
like
to
go
with
five
or
six
youths
who
have
assumed
the
cap,
and
with
six
or
seven
young
boys,
to
bathe
in
the
River
Yi,
to
enjoy
the
breeze
among
the
rain
altars,
and
to
return
home
singing.”
The
Master
sighed
deeply
and
said,
“I
am
with
Dian.”
When
the
other
three
went
out
Zeng
Xi
remained
behind
and
said,
“What
did
you
think
of
the
words
of
the
others?”
The
Master
said,
“Each
one
spoke
his
wish,
that
is
all.”
“Why
did
the
Master
smile
at
You?”
“One
governs
a
state
through
ritual,
and
his
words
reflected
no
sense
of
yielding.
This
is
why
I
smiled.”
“Was
it
not
a
state
that
Qiu
wanted
for
himself?”
“Yes,
could
one
ever
see
a
territory
of
sixty
or
seventy
li,
or
of
fifty
or
sixty
li,
that
was
not
a
state?”
“And
was
it
not
a
state
that
Chi
wanted
for
himself?”
“Yes,
is
there
anyone
besides
the
lords
who
frequent
the
ancestral
temple
and
the
audiences
at
court?
If
Chi
were
to
play
a
minor
role,
who
would
play
a
major
one?”
12:7
Zigong
asked
about
government.
The
Master
said,
“Sufficient
food,
sufficient
military
force,
the
confidence
of
the
people.”
Zigong
said,
“If
one
had,
unavoidably,
to
dispense
with
one
of
these
three,
which
of
them
should
go
first?”
The
Master
said,
“Get
rid
of
the
Confucius,
while
acknowledging
indirectly
that
his
disciples
respect
him
in
part
because
of
his
age,
tries
to
ease
their
sense
of
restraint
and
to
encourage
them
to
speak
openly.
4
Referring
to
himself.
5
A
li
is
equal
to
about
one‑third
of
a
mile.
6
Referring
to
himself.
7
Referring
to
Gongxi
Hua.
8
Referring
to
Zeng
Xi
or
Zeng
Dian.
9
A
five‑stringed
musical
instrument,
such
as
a
zither.
3
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military.”
Zigong
said,
“If
one
had,
unavoidably,
to
dispense
with
one
of
the
remaining
two,
which
should
go
first?”
The
Master
said,
“Dispense
with
the
food.
Since
ancient
times
there
has
always
been
death,
but
without
confidence
a
people
cannot
stand.”
12:11
Duke
Jing
of
Qi
asked
Confucius
about
government.
Confucius
replied,
“Let
the
ruler
be
a
ruler;
the
minister,
a
minister;
the
father,
a
father;
the
son,
a
son.”
“Excellent,”
said
the
duke.
“Truly,
if
the
ruler
is
not
a
ruler,
the
subject
is
not
a
subject,
the
father
is
not
a
father,
and
the
son
is
not
a
son,
though
I
have
grain,
will
I
get
to
eat
it?”
12:19
Ji
Kang
Zi
asked
Confucius
about
government,
saying,
“How
would
it
be
if
one
killed
those
who
do
not
possess
the
Way
in
order
to
benefit
those
who
do
possess
it?”
Confucius
replied,
“Sir,
in
conducting
your
government,
why
use
killing?
If
you,
sir,
want
goodness,
the
people
will
be
good.
The
virtue
of
the
noble
person
is
like
the
wind,
and
the
virtue
of
small
people
is
like
grass.
When
the
wind
blows
over
the
grass,
the
grass
must
bend.”
13:3
Zilu
said,
“The
ruler
of
Wei
has
been
waiting
for
the
Master
to
administer
his
government.
What
should
come
first?”
The
Master
said,
“What
is
necessary
is
the
rectification
of
names.”
Zilu
said,
“Could
this
be
so?
The
Master
is
wide
of
the
mark.
Why
should
there
be
this
rectification?”
The
Master
said,
“How
uncultivated,
You!
In
regard
to
what
he
does
not
know,
the
noble
person
is
cautiously
reserved.
If
names
are
not
rectified,
then
language
will
not
be
appropriate,
and
if
language
is
not
appropriate,
affairs
will
not
be
successfully
carried
out.
If
affairs
are
not
successfully
carried
out,
rites
and
music
will
not
flourish,
and
if
rites
and
music
do
not
flourish,
punishments
will
not
hit
the
mark.
If
punishments
do
not
hit
the
mark,
the
people
will
have
nowhere
to
put
hand
or
foot.
Therefore
the
names
used
by
the
noble
person
must
be
appropriate
for
speech,
and
his
speech
must
be
appropriate
for
action.
In
regard
to
language,
the
noble
person
allows
no
carelessness,
that
is
all.”
14:23
Zilu
asked
how
to
serve
a
ruler.
The
Master
said,
“You
may
not
deceive
him,
but
you
may
stand
up
to
him.”
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