Confucian Humaneness in Modern Human Rights Politics Dr.&Prof. Shan Chun China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, PRC The Three Religions or Humaneness or Ren (仁) Teachings Confucian humanism is Main strands of Chinese reflected in identical tradition: pronunciation for ‘human’:
Confucianism - both humaneness and Daoism human are pronounced as Buddhism Ren in Chinese & pictographic characters Confucianism has been the displaying as 人 and 仁 strongest for community cohesion Ren(仁) as Ethical Logo
From family to country to the “All the countries world. under heaven make a Family = the incubator of grand family(天下一 human morality 家)” Country = a term in Chinese as an expanded family (Guojia国家，家国), Implies that connotes the humanistic humaneness is relations that unite many harbored as the families together into a bigger universal ethics for family. all human beings. 人 The World = these bigger 者，仁也， families might be united into the Grand Family. Hello the Grand Family!
“The cosmos is nothing larger than Confucian my heart, and my humaneness = heart is nothing smaller than the the universal cosmos.” - Lu Jiuyuan, a Song Dynasty Confucian ethical logic in the Chinese A Westerner says “Hello Every One”, way of a Chinese says “Hello approaching the the Grand world Family”(大家好)
Humaneness as Moral and Political Rights Universal human moral rights are indicated as Inherent dignity and “the dignity and worth of inalienable equal the human person, in the equal rights of men and rights => women” in the preamble of the contents of moral Charter of the United human rights that Nations as well as “the inherent dignity and constitute other of the equal and inalienable rights of all ensuing human rights members of the human including political family” in the Preamble of Universal rights Declaration of Human Rights.
Confucius - Aristotle - “What we call politics is nothing more than “which equality justice. If the ruler and which commits himself to justice, the ruled would inequality this not behave themselves means is a otherwise.” (“Yanyuan”, in The political Analects of Confucius) question” . (Politics, 1282b 21)
Inner Saint and Outer King
Confucius stood “I am endowed firm for human with grand virtue by moral rights as Heaven, Duke natural, fair, Huantui could sacred and do nothing to unalienable: hurt me.” (“Shu er”, in The Analects of Confucius)
Son of Heaven Citizen of Heaven To Confucius and his In the moral domain peers, Heaven means they are even the source of human inferior to ordinary dignity and mandate, people termed as superior to King and Emperor, who are often “Citizen of thought of as “Son of Heaven”(Tian Min Heaven”(Tian Zi天子). 天民).
Heaven = The source of human dignity The Zhou Dynasty “If not guided by was the social humanity, can any stage of Confucius’ person behave himself in accordance teaching and with rituals? If not political activities guided by humanity, and its rule was can any person depicted as one of behave himself in rituals and music. accordance with music?”（“Ba Yi”, in The Analects of Confucius）
On Being a Cosmic Husband
“. . . a cosmic husband is one who won’t be seduced to being obscenely rich, who won’t give in because of being poor and plebeian, who won’t reconcile himself to coercion.” (“Duke Tengwen” Part II, in The Works of Mencius) Moral rights in Confucian political ethics
In the negative: “the end of The idea behind the humaneness and catchphrase: “Give Me righteousness”[仁至义尽], = no Liberty Or Give Me longer respecting somebody in Death” may be found in - their capacity as a human being.
Confucius: “The Principle If politics is degraded to “the of Prioritizing end of heavenly conscience”[丧 Humaneness to Body”[杀 尽天良], then such politics is 身成仁] morally and legitimately rejected by its people. Mencius: “The Principle of Sacrificing Life to Obtain These are all the Righteousness”[舍生取义]. representations of, which have been nursed into Chinese characteristics in their social and political undertakings.
Political Rights as Outer Kings The term “the thief of solitude” refers to political dictators Mencius contributed this concept to Confucian political ethics. In modern political and legal terms, such a phrase as employed by ordinary Chinese is the political right to participate and to criticize or comment on politics. Plebeian Emperors The political right to participate and to criticize politics originates in every human being with moral conscience
“plebeian emperors”[布衣天子], “plebeian prime ministers”[布衣宰相], “appoint people by their merits”[任人唯贤], “civil service examination system”[科举制度].
are the varied embodiments of political rights open for all people under Heaven.
Saint of the Three The Three Dynasties Accomplished Merits The 1st Three Dynasties in 1. Morality Chinese history - Xia, 2. Achievements Shang & Zhou - are 3. Precepts extolled as the Golden Age of Chinese Politics. In Modern Times: => Moral succession of - Used as justification for political power via Heaven- revolt by Chiang Kai-shek Human harmony - centered against the Qing Dynasty on universal morality - & Mao Zedong against Chiang Kai-shek The Golden Age of Chinese Politics “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton)
According to “Gao Zi I” in The In the Golden Age holy Works of Mencius, there are 2 heavenly titles were sought types of titles: while human titles were 1. Holy Heavenly Title conferred but not sought. – Humaneness, cosmic Now many say they seek conscience, loyalty, truthfulness, heavenly titles while aiming enduring tendency towards for human titles which, once goodness obtained, the quest for heavenly titles is abandoned.
Those who take titles as 2. Secular Humanely Title instruments for power - Persons of different appointed and wealth will eventually ranks come to no titles at all. (Paraphrased from Mencius) Moral Rank + Political Rank = Rule of Virtue Is rule of virtue identical to the rule of person in the West?
No, in the Confucian context, this rule of person is the Rule of Saint, much more similar to the Rule of Law in the West when law focuses on justice and fairness.
Confucianism in Modern Politics
Confucius’ doctrine: By reiterating the Confucian doctrine “to deprecate the of prioritizing moral Son of Heaven, to rights over political oust the dukes, powers, Confucian and to combat the scholars want to barons in line with demonstrate their the Rule of Saints” rights to participate （贬天子，退诸侯， in and criticize 讨大夫，以达于王 Chinese politics. 事而已矣）. Three Types of Politics
By the Confucian Confucian concepts criteria of sacred moral of moral & political & equal political rights, rights have been China has experienced acknowledged as 3 types of politics: intellectual mechanism via innate 1. Hereditary conscience to check power in its 2. Imperial-Saint administrative 3. Party-State executions.
Confucian Ethics & the CCP
How do Confucian ethics This anecdote shows of moral and political how Chinese politics has rights relate to the been essentially contemporary rule of influenced by Confucian Chinese Communist Party ethics. Terms like (CCP)? Socialism with Chinese Characteristics indicate Former German this. Chancellor Helmut Schmidt asked China’s then paramount leader Deng Confucian ethics has Xiaoping whether he been established as considered the CCP as a the mainstay of Confucian party. Deng Chinese political quickly responded in culture. English with “So what”.
Serve the People The Chinese Dream Confucian ethics manifest in Chinese With the present leader Xi Communist leadership statements: Jinping’s “Chinese Dream” for Mao Zedong’s “Serving the People” every Chinese having the right Deng Xiaoping’s “Reform and Open-Door Policy for Prosperous to live to his or her fullest Society for People” potential, we are certain to Jiang Zemin’s “The Three connect current Chinese Represents (progressive productive politics with its Confucian power, progressive cultural orientation and fundamental ethical tradition focusing on interests of the broad masses of holy moral and equal political people) rights for all people under Hu Jintao’s “political power for people, human emotion for people, Heaven. and economic benefit for people”