Kongzi 2
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the concept of 'Li' in Confucianism, emphasizing its significance in societal organization and individual conduct. 'Li', often translated as 'ritual propriety' or 'right', is central to Confucian ethics, guiding how one should act within society. Confucius advocates for self-cultivation not for personal gain but to uphold social harmony and collective well-being. The script contrasts Western individualism with Confucian collectivism, highlighting how 'Li' naturally emerges from social interactions to maintain order and continuity with tradition. It suggests that mastering 'Li' leads to effortless living, as one becomes an integral part of the social fabric, aligning with the fluid, evolving nature of societal norms.
Takeaways
- π 'Li' is a fundamental concept in Confucianism, often translated as 'ritual propriety' or 'right', and is crucial for understanding Confucian ethics and social order.
- π 'Li' is not just about individual conduct; it emphasizes the relationship between the individual and the collective, with the collective's well-being prioritized over individual desires.
- π€ 'Li' is seen as an organic outcome of social interactions rather than a set of rules imposed by a governing body, reflecting shared values that emerge naturally within society.
- π§ββοΈ Confucius views 'self-cultivation' as the process of understanding and adhering to 'Li' for the benefit of society, rather than for personal gain or individual development.
- π 'Li' is a reflection of the 'Heavenly patterns' or 'Tian', suggesting that social conventions are not static but evolve over time, mirroring the fluidity of the cosmos.
- π€ The script suggests that 'Li' is a vehicle for social harmony, where observing social conventions is essential for maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships.
- π₯ 'Li' is not about individual action but about non-action in the sense that it is about fitting into a larger social fabric, acting as part of a collective rather than as an isolated individual.
- π The concept of 'Li' allows individuals to become part of their cultural heritage and traditions by observing the social conventions established by their ancestors.
- π± 'Li' is presented as a dynamic and evolving aspect of society, with the next video promising to explore how and why social conventions change over time.
- πΏ The script uses the handshake as an example of a social convention that has emerged organically to solve a problem, illustrating how 'Li' can develop and serve a purpose within society.
Q & A
What is the significance of 'Li' in Confucianism?
-In Confucianism, 'Li' is central and often translated as 'ritual propriety' or 'right'. It refers to the observance of social conventions and is crucial for understanding how to act in a good way, or 'Ren'. Confucius emphasizes the importance of adhering to 'Li' in all aspects of life, including sight, hearing, speech, and action.
How does Confucius define 'Ren' and its relation to 'Li'?
-Confucius defines 'Ren' as goodness, and its relation to 'Li' is that one must understand and observe 'Li' to act in a good way. 'Li' provides the framework for how individuals should behave within society to maintain social harmony and order.
What is the difference between the Western and Confucian views on the relationship between the individual and society?
-Western societies tend to emphasize the individual, with laws and organizations focused on the individual as the primary political building block. In contrast, Confucianism emphasizes the sustainability of the collective over the well-being of the individual, focusing on the relationship between the individual and the collective.
How does Confucius view the emergence of social conventions?
-Confucius believes that social conventions, or 'Li', emerge organically and spontaneously from social interactions rather than being decided by a committee or a group of people. They are seen as natural reflections of a shared value system.
What is the role of 'Li' in maintaining social harmony?
-'Li' serves as a vehicle for social harmony by establishing and maintaining inter-social relationships through proper observance. It helps individuals to enter into the social fabric of society and become part of a larger collective body.
How does observing 'Li' connect an individual to their past and tradition?
-By observing 'Li', an individual becomes a member of society in a way that sustains and develops it, and also becomes a part of their own past. This is because 'Li' is a reflection of the practices and customs developed through the interactions of ancestors.
What does self-cultivation mean in the context of Confucianism?
-In Confucianism, self-cultivation is not about personal growth in the Western sense but rather understanding and acting in accordance with social conventions for the collective good. It involves understanding why 'Li' works and promoting the well-being of society.
How does Confucius relate 'Li' to the concept of 'Heaven' or 'Tian'?
-Confucius sees 'Li' as manifesting the patterns of 'Heaven' or 'Tian', suggesting that the social conventions that arise from society reflect a natural order. Observing 'Li' is a way of participating in and sustaining this order.
What does it mean to act in accordance with 'Li' from an individual's perspective?
-From an individual's perspective, acting in accordance with 'Li' can be seen as a form of non-action, where one's actions are not as an isolated individual but as part of a larger, fluid, and interconnected whole.
How can 'Li' change, and what might be good or bad reasons for such changes?
-While the script does not provide specific reasons for changes in 'Li', it suggests that 'Li' is not static and can evolve. Good reasons for change might include adapting to new social realities or promoting greater harmony, while bad reasons might be changes that disrupt social cohesion or are made for selfish reasons.
Outlines
π Understanding 'Li' in Confucianism
This paragraph introduces 'Li' as a central concept in Confucianism, particularly in Confucian ethics. 'Li' is often translated as 'right' or 'ritual propriety,' referring to the observance of social norms and conventions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of 'Li' by referencing Analects 12.1, where Confucius advises against engaging in anything that violates 'Li.' The paragraph also contrasts Western individualism with the Confucian focus on the collective, highlighting how 'Li' is about the relationship between the individual and society, and the importance of self-cultivation within this context.
π Self-Cultivation and Social Conventions
The second paragraph delves into the concept of self-cultivation in Confucianism, distinguishing it from the Western idea of personal development. Here, self-cultivation is about understanding and adhering to social conventions for the collective good. The speaker clarifies that 'Li' refers to social customs and practices that arise naturally from social interactions, rather than being imposed by a governing body. Using the example of the handshake, the paragraph illustrates how social conventions can emerge organically to solve social problems and foster harmony. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of observing 'Li' as a means to maintain social relationships and harmony.
𧩠The Role of 'Li' in Social Fabric and Tradition
The final paragraph discusses how 'Li' helps individuals integrate into the social fabric and tradition. It explains that by observing 'Li,' a person extends their identity into society and history, becoming part of a collective and a tradition. The paragraph draws parallels between 'Li' and the patterns of Heaven (Tian), suggesting that they are interconnected. The speaker also touches on the idea of non-action (Wu Wei) in the context of 'Li,' suggesting that those who are adept at observing social conventions move through life almost effortlessly, as they are acting in harmony with the collective rather than as isolated individuals. The paragraph ends with a teaser for the next video, which will explore how 'Li' can change and the implications of such changes.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Confucianism
π‘Li
π‘Analects
π‘Ren
π‘Social Convention
π‘Collective
π‘Self-Cultivation
π‘Sustainability
π‘Social Harmony
π‘Non-Action (Wu Wei)
π‘Tradition
Highlights
Confucianism is deeply rooted in the concept of 'Li', which is central to understanding the Analects and other Confucian texts.
'Li' can be translated as 'ritual propriety', 'rite', or 'social convention', and it refers to the observance of rights and social norms.
Confucius emphasizes 'Li' as a guide for moral conduct, advising against actions that violate its principles.
In Confucian thought, understanding and observing 'Li' is fundamental to acting in a good or morally correct way.
Confucianism contrasts with Western societies, which tend to prioritize individualism over collective well-being.
Confucius is concerned with the relationship between the individual and the collective, emphasizing the collective's sustainability over individual well-being.
Self-cultivation in Confucianism is about understanding social convention to promote societal well-being, rather than individual growth.
'Li' is seen as emerging naturally from social interactions, rather than being decreed by a governing body.
Social conventions, or 'Li', are reflections of shared values and are essential for maintaining social harmony.
Observing 'Li' allows individuals to become part of the social fabric and tradition, connecting them to the past and ensuring societal continuity.
Confucius suggests that those adept at 'Li' move through life almost effortlessly, as their actions align with the larger collective.
'Li' is considered a form of non-action, where individuals act not as separate entities but as part of a fluid, harmonious whole.
The concept of 'Li' will be further explored in the next video, including how it can change and the reasons for such changes.
Confucius believes that 'Li' arises organically from society, similar to how a handshake emerged as a sign of peace.
The observance of 'Li' is not about individual action but about participating in and sustaining the collective society.
Confucius views 'Li' as a natural order emerging from chaos, highlighting the importance of social conventions in organizing society.
Transcripts
okay so now we're going to talk about
League Li I should be spelling some of
these Chinese words for you but we're
going to talk about Lee and this is
really
um absolutely Central to Confucianism
especially to the Confucian analytics uh
if you can get some sense of how Lee
functions for Confucius it will become
much easier for you to read the analects
and to read other subsequent confusion
texts and the debates and so on and what
comes up in them
um so Lee you'll often find translated
as something along the lines of right or
ritual propriety ritual propriety right
the observance of Rights
um
that's Rite by the way in the sense of
uh religious rights like First Holy
Communion or bar mitzvah or something
like that
um
it doesn't hurt for our purposes to
refer to Lee as social convention
or to at least say that Lee refers to
what we generally think to be
um as social convention but in order to
demonstrate their centrality I'm going
to read uh from analect 12.1 really
quick here
so the question being posed to Confucius
here is um
about Ren good what's good and Confucius
answer is
um
do not look at anything that violates
the observance of ritual propriety
that's Lee
do not listen to anything that violates
the observance of ritual propriety
that's Lee do not speak about anything
that violates the observance of ritual
propriety we again
do not do anything that violates the
observance of ritual propriety so the
first thing that one might need to know
or think about when they're wondering
what good is what's a good way to act
what's the good way the Rendell
is that they need to know and understand
ritual propriety observe it and do
nothing which goes contrary to it so
it's an extremely important
aspect of Confucianism and the
organizational institution Society so
really quick we should make
generalization I probably could have
done this in the last video but I tend
to talk about this when I introduce Lee
um if we can make the generalization
about Western Society
that Western Society is more concerned
with the individual and it's developed
in that sense it's laws
um and the organization is sort of
everything
focused on the individual person as the
primary political building block right
as the atoms that built Society right so
how do I have it put in here
um
in Western societies the individuals
emphasized over Society or the
collective we can generalize the
opposite and say that
sustainability of the collective is
emphasized over the well-being of the
individual
um
Confucius is concerned
when we're talking about League
Confucius is concerned with
um how to put this the relationship of
of a person to the other and the other
could very much could very well be the
ten thousand things all the things in
heaven
uh as it were yeah 10 000 things really
just referring to everything which
exists
um
but what Confucius is most concerned
with
is the relationship of the person or the
individual to the collective and this is
emphasized over the well-being of the
individual so
um a sort of crude way to put it I guess
would be a
if it's good for society but bad for you
tough luck no I don't know um so here
what I want to say is that
um Confucius is concerned with the
relationship of one human to other
humans through the process of
self-cultivation and here
self-cultivation is something quite
different than what we think of right
immediately the Western ear hears
self-cultivation and thinks um
well about what it literally sounds like
in English to us right to cultivate the
self to do things that help us grow as
individuals whether that's
um to grow emotionally to grow
intellectually to take good care of
ourselves to go to the gym to eat well
um you know there's this these two very
important phrases in um this I think
permeate Western Society but stem back
to ancient Greek culture which is care
for thyself
and know thyself and these in in Greece
these are intertwined you must sort of
care for yourself in order to know
yourself but here in the confusion
context
um
self-cultivation means something more
like
understanding social convention why it
works being able to predict how Society
will develop being
understanding social convention in such
a way that you promote the well-being of
society that you um
act in accordance with the good way the
Rendell this is self-cultivation so
self-cultivation is for the collective
one cultivates themselves for the
collective and in terms of their
relation to the collective and not in
terms of themselves so um it's not about
learning how to do things so you could
go out and Tinker with machines or code
or just learning knowledge so that you
could talk to people about it unless of
course talking to people about it is
somehow a pedagogical tool that's good
for society so
um
Lee refers to social custom and practice
and the observances of these and
Confucius believes that so this is not
Lee social convention right and ritual
priding
um social normativity this is not
something that comes from some people
sitting down and deciding it there's no
um right and ritual propriety Council in
a Confucian society that sits down and
says this is the proper way to do it
this is the proper way to do it this is
the proper way to do it and here's why
[Music]
um
this is sort of an order emerging out of
chaos thing
Confucius believes that ritual variety
social convention arises sort of
naturally out of social interaction
um
so I'm gonna read I might read a little
bit more than usual when I'm talking
about Lee I apologize so order emerges
for chaos Society emerges from social
interactions between people it emerges
organically and spontaneously and not
from a meeting of people or decisions
made by a committee
um and
usually in class this is where I stop
and pause and sort of ask about some
conventions that we have and where they
came from
and I use the handshake as an example
um I there are different stories that I
I had one my students have another but
the handshake generally comes from the
idea that I'm not harmed I think so one
reaches out their hand in greeting to
show that you don't have a knife or a
gun or or so on and so forth so this is
a sort of natural solution to a problem
in society at one point in time which
thankfully we don't have quite as much
anymore
um which is that one has to fear
everyone else right um because you never
know you can't trust there's it's like a
kind of wild west thing but that's not
where it originates I think it
originates and
um not in the United States but in any
case
um
I hope that example works for you to
understand that social convention for
Confucius arises organically and
naturally this is not something which is
decided
by people intentionally
although the intent there might be
intent there
but it's not the decision of a committee
so
Lee are therefore natural reflections of
a shared value system emergent between
people emergent meaning that this arises
sort of organically between people they
are an expression and vehicle for social
harmony important here is that they are
a vehicle for social harmony so these
things arise and once they arise we need
to pay heed to them we need to observe
social convention
um because they're here for a reason and
that reason is they're necessary aspects
of inter-social relationships right so
Lee manifests the betweenness of people
so social convention is quite literally
a presentation of the fact that we exist
interpersonally inter-socially
um
with the need to be organized
um in some way in a society or so on and
so forth so Lee manifests the
betweenness of people the conventions
that establish and maintain inter-social
relationships through the proper
observance of Lee a person enters into
the social fabric of society
a complex Matrix Matrix of the
interaction between forces the
individual becomes extended into society
and into tradition so we could start to
see how Lee and the idea of heaven or or
the patterns of Heaven Tien when have
some overlap with one another and one so
hopefully you understand why I
introduced Heaven first
um
Lee manifested
so the individual becomes extended into
society and into tradition this means
that they not only become a member of
society in such a way as to help assure
the sustainability and development of
that Society but they become truly a
member of their own past by observing
ritual propriety by observing social
convention by by respecting
understanding and acting upon the
conventions which serve as the fabric of
society
we are able to enter into the deep
tradition that led here we are we are
able to really participate in the past
for Confucius so we are participating in
the past by observingly so like I said
not only do we
help sustain and develop Society but we
truly become a part of our past of the
practices and Customs developed
through the interactions of our
ancestors
um
and this last note
or maybe I have two notes
uh no I think this is the last one for
this video is to say that because Lee
emerged from society as a whole they're
not something that any individual
decides upon or makes themselves
from the perspective of the individual
to observe social convention to act in
accordance with social convention is is
can almost be considered like non-action
there's this idea that you will see in
other Eastern philosophies especially
um taoism of Wu way sort of doing
nothing or non-action
and Confucius beliefs that those who are
the most Adept those are the most
skilled in Social convention those who
um
understand where they come from why they
function and the way they function and
observes them or acts in accordance with
them sort of
uh
moves through life almost effortless
effortlessly
um to know and understand why you're
doing these things and to act in accord
with social harmony is to not act at all
because you're acting as part of a fluid
moving complicated whole you're not
acting as an individual you're acting as
one aspect of a larger Collective body
so in this sense what you have is uh
social convention adherence to social
Convention as a form of non-action
so in the next video I'll talk a little
bit more about Lee and how Lee can
change remember I said in the previous
video that heaven is not something fixed
and static it's actually fluid and so
there are some ways
cursory ways for our purposes here that
we can talk about
changingly
change in Social convention change in
right and ritual propriety
um what's a good reason for change
what's a bad reason for change
catch you in the next video
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