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after the physiological turn in Confucianism

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Mencius [MEN-shus], also Mengzi

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372–289 BC

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often been described as the "second sage", that is, after only Confucius himself

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inherited Confucius' ideology and developed it further

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spent much of his life travelling around the states offering counsel to different rulers

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conversations with these rulers form the basis of the Mencius, which would later be canonized as a Confucian classic

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a key belief of his was that humans are innately good

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but this quality requires cultivation and the right environment to flourish

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rulers must justify their position of power by acting benevolently towards their subjects, and in this sense they are subordinate to the masses

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Xunzi [SHOON-zeh] or Xun Kuang

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310–235 BCE

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Chinese Confucian philosopher

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contributed to the Hundred Schools of Thought

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a book known as the Xunzi is traditionally attributed to him

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his works survive in an excellent condition, and were a major influence in forming the official state doctrines of the Han dynasty

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his influence waned during the Tang dynasty relative to that of Mencius

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makes use of Daoist terminology, though rejecting their doctrine

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human nature is bad (opposite of Mencius)

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says that Mencius is just pandering to the Daoists

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Guodian Confucian school

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the "Lost" in-between school

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nature makes a contribution but education is important

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associated with Gaozi

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420-350 BCE

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Mencius critiques him

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the Guodian Tomb

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Constance Cook, Lehigh University

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had a huge trove of philosophical texts

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Daoist cosmology of a God who hides in water

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texts: you have a nature and you have to cultivate it

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you cultivate the [duh]

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you become a [JUHN-sah]

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two ritual texts

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1. Wuxing [WOO-shing] ("five types of action")

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we knew about it but it was lost

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attributed to the disciple Zisi [ZUH-SUH]

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grandson of Confucius (551–479) and teacher of Mencius

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excavated text

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"the feeling of virtue"

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in wide circulation in the Warring States and Han period (202 BC – 220 AD)

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was lost for 2000 years

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gives a background to texts

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particularly the Mencius

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explains virtues on the basis of xin [zheen]

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build up the xin inside of you

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psysiological meanings

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heart-mind

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within body

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the xin

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the six body parts: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands and feet are all slaves to the mind

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mind as ruler

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when the mind says do this, none dare but to do this

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when the mind says do that, none dare but to do that

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one reason this text was lost is that it is really boring

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reading this physiological text is different than reading the Mencius

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uses a log of chain language: x and then y, y and then z

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you are using your mind to attain [duh]

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you arrive at a physiological state

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has qi [chee] and qi-related terms

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there is a worry about people who are faking virtue

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do ritual

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can recite classics

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but not the real thing

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how to tell

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"when the facial coloration and appearance are warm, this is affection"

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talks of the inner heart-mind

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they seem to know about Mozi and are responding to him

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there is a new sense of physiology

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the heart-mind

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virtues are integrated into your body

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2. Xing Zi Ming Chu [shing zih ming choo] ("human nature emerges from the mandate")

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best seller in Warring States China

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xing [chsing] = human nature

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Mencius and Xunzi take opposite views on human nature

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this text take the middle way

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the heart-mind has no internal inclinations but depend upon external things to arise, to get pulled out and depend upon practices to become fixed

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our heart-minds are up for grabs, we have free will

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"the way starts with basic emotions (qing [ching]), and feelings arise from human nature, but at the end one is close to rightness"

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the second one is more important: external forming

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"oxen are born to grow large, and geese are born to align in formation"

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all species have a qing

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unlike animals, humans need something from outside, learning

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separate from our nature

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we need to do training

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we have the same nature, but who we become is how we are trained and educated

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moral directness comes from the outside

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it is a middle position