With regard to human virtue, Confucius emphasized benevolence, and benevolence was its characteristic. Righteousness is the "appropriate" of things, that is, "should". This is an absolute order. Everyone in society has something to do, and it is necessary to do it, because doing these things is morally right. If you do these things only for immoral reasons, even if you do what you should do, this behavior is not just. A word that is often despised by Confucius and later Confucianism is "Li". In Confucianism, righteousness and benefit are in direct opposition. Confucius himself said, "A gentleman is figurative, while a villain is figurative." ("The Analects of Confucius") There has been a "division of righteousness and benefit" called by later Confucianism, which they think is extremely important in moral theory.

The concept of righteousness is a concept of form, while the concept of benevolence is much more specific. The essence of people's obligations in society is their "should", because these obligations are all things he should do. But the concrete essence of these obligations is "love", that is, "benevolence". Father loves son, and son loves father. A student asked what benevolence was, and Confucius said, "Love" (on Yan Yuan). A true lover is a person who can fulfill social obligations. Therefore, it can be seen in the Analects that sometimes Confucius uses the word "benevolence", which means not only a special virtue, but the sum of all virtues. So the word "benevolent" is synonymous with all virtuous people. In this case. "Benevolence" can be translated as perfectvirtue.

Loyalty and forgiveness

The Analects of Confucius records: "Zhong Gong seeks benevolence. Confucius said ... don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you. ..... "("Yan Yuan ") Confucius said:" A benevolent person wants to be a man and want to be successful. It can be said that the side of benevolence is also its own. " (On Language and Harmony)

From this perspective, how to practice benevolence lies in pushing yourself and others. "If you want to be a man, you must be a man", in other words, "do what you want to do". Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you. "This is the positive aspect of pushing yourself and others. Confucius called it "loyalty", that is, "do your best for others." In the negative aspect of pushing oneself and others, Confucius called it forgiveness, that is, "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you." Combining the two aspects of pushing oneself and others is called the way of loyalty and forgiveness, and this is the "benevolent policy" (the method of implementing benevolence).

Later Confucianism, some people called the way of loyalty and forgiveness "ocr". In other words, this Tao is based on me to regulate my behavior. In the third and second centuries BC, there was a collection of Confucian essays called "The Book of Rites", including an article "University", which said; "Evil is above, not below. If you are evil, don't take it to heart. What is evil is before, not after. What is the evil of the future, not the evil of the past. The evil on the right should not be left to the left. If you are left evil, don't give it to right evil. This is called the way of moments. " Another article in the Book of Rites, The Doctrine of the Mean, is said to have been written by Confucius' grandson Sisi, which said, "Loyalty and forgiveness are not far from the Tao. Give it to yourself instead of willingly. Don't do this to others. ..... seeking a son to serve a father. ..... I want to be a minister, I want to be a gentleman. ..... ask for a brother and take things as your brother. ..... Ask a friend, give it first. ..... "Examples cited in" University ". Emphasize the negative aspects of loyalty and forgiveness; The examples cited in this article mean that. Emphasize the positive aspects of loyalty and forgiveness. Either way, the "tie moment" that determines behavior is in myself, not in anything else.

The way of loyalty and forgiveness is benevolence at the same time, so loyalty and forgiveness are benevolence. Benevolence is bound to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations in society, which includes the nature of righteousness. Therefore, the way of loyalty and forgiveness is the starting point and end point of human moral life. There is a chapter in the Analects of Confucius that says, "Confucius said; Participate! My way is consistent. " Zeng Zi said, "Wei." When the child came out, the master asked, "What is it?" Ceng Zi said:' A master's way is loyalty and forgiveness. "("Liren ")

Everyone has a "tie moment" of behavior in his heart, and he can use it at any time. Since the method of practicing benevolence is so simple, Confucius said, "Is benevolence far from it?" ? I want to be kind. I am so kind. "(The Analects of Confucius)