Neo-Confucianism Transmission Received: Tracing the Essay

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Confucius reiterates this when he asks "Is humaneness far away? If I want to be humane, then humaneness is here" (52).

Zhu Xi also attributes this duality to every human being, from the wisest to the least intelligent (733). In fact, he takes the intrinsic presence of the mind of the Way even further than Confucius did in his idea of humaneness. In Confucianism, the capacity for humaneness in everyone does not mean that humaneness is actually present in everyone. But for Zhu Xi, the mind of the Way exists concretely in every human being, and its apparent lack is only an internal imbalance between the human mind and the mind of the Way.

This difference sheds light on the centrality of achieving the Mean in Neo-Confucianism -- a centrality that seems to be missing in Confucianism itself. It could be argued that this distinction qualifies Neo-Confucianism as a separate philosophy altogether, but the difference is merely an extension of principle, not a break in principle. The shared root of both traditions is clear if one looks at the manner in which the Way is achieved and practiced by both Confucius and Zhu Xi.

For Confucius, the presence of humaneness can be identified by a person's approach to ritual, learning, and governing. The humane man carries out ritual according to the spirit of the rite more than the form: "In mourning, it is better to express grief than to emphasize formalities" (48). He approaches learning with humility, acknowledging what is unknown, turning to past sages for wisdom, and carefully adding his own thoughts to what has been learned (47). In governing, he organizes those beneath him simply by applying the standards of humaneness, loyalty and reciprocity, to himself and his ministers (49).

Zhu Xi shares these approaches in his prescription for reestablishing the Way, though he is far more detailed in the concrete details of how this should be done in society.

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In his approach to ritual, Zhu Xi like Confucius warns of the possibility of losing the "substance" of the ritual by becoming too concerned about its articulated form (746). In his advice for the reform of schools, he insists that education must be based on the works of past sages -- the primary works, not the opinions of others (741). Scholars should be motivated by "rightness, not profit" (742). He even quotes the Analects in advising students to be faithful to themselves and virtuous in conduct (743). Though Zhu Xi does not speak specifically about governing, his exhortation to select scholars and officers according to their "moral character" is reminiscent of Confucius's advice about governing according to humaneness.

There are many differences in the presentations of the two philosophies. Zhu Xi had practical reforms in mind, and was engaged in the enormous project of collecting, interpreting, and making relevant a way of thinking that had been lost for centuries. Confucius, on the other hand, was engaged in organic and immediate conversation, seeking to teach by example a tradition that was still relatively new. Because of these differences, the presentations of the two philosophies seem disparate at times. However, in spirit, in motivation, and in fundamental principles, both Confucianism and Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism stem from the same tap root; they receive the same….....

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