Confucius's Values

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Of these values (Ren, Li, Xiao, Junzi), which do you think Confucius values most and why? Support your answer with passages from the text. Contents Of these values (ren, li, xiao, junzi), which do you think Confucius values most and why? Support your answer with passages from the text. 1 Introduction 2 Ren: authoritative conduct 2 Li: the social propriety 2 Xiao: the filial piety 3 Junzi: the exemplary person 3 Conclusion 3 Bibliography 4 Introduction Confucianism is a way of life that was founded by Confucius around 550BC in ancient China. It can be viewed as either a philosophy or a religion as it contains aspects of both. Confucius’s teachings seem to be a very attractive living philosophy that any person, no matter what their religion or beliefs are, can apply to their everyday lives. There are four basic values in Confucianism: “Ren”, “Li”, “Xiao” and “Junzi” which show the fundamental values of Confucianism. In order to understand Confucius’s way of thinking, it is crucial to analyse these basic elements are find the relationship between them. By doing so, we can understand why many people still follow his teachings today, millenniums later. Among all four of these basic values, which value did Confucius value the most? Ren: authoritative conduct There are two answers by Confucius about “Ren” in “The Analects of Confucius” written by Ames Roger.T. One is “to act authoritatively” (Ames, 1999, p. 48) and the other one is the “observance of ritual propriety (Li)” (citation, p50). The Chinese character of “Ren” is comprised to two parts: the left part meaning person and the right part meaning the number two. It hints that Ren is about the relationship between two people, and the relationship of Ren will be established when those two people care for each other. For instance, the line “Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not want,
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