In the two stories which our group actors performed in class, Confucius refused to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan while agreeing with Zengxi in taking a carefree life as the ideal. What do you have to say about Confucius's choices between the public spirit and personal feelings?
Confucius's choices between public spirit and personal feelings reflect a complex balance of Confucius philosophy. It looks like that he valued public spirit over personal emotion. But in fact Confucianism also attaches importance to the individual, but it attaches importance to the moral consciousness of the individual, the consciousness of maintaining and obeying the society as a whole.
In the first instance, he refused to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan. This decision highlights Confucius's strong commitment to frugality and the importance of not squandering resources. He likely viewed the extravagant funeral as inconsistent with the principles of simplicity and economy, principles that he held dear.
In the second story, Confucius agreed with Zengxi's ideal of leading a carefree life. This choice suggests that Confucius valued personal freedom and the ability to pursue one's own happiness. It also highlights his belief in the importance of maintaining a balance between one's inner life and the demands of society. For Confucius, living a carefree life did not mean shirking one's responsibilities or ignoring the needs of others; rather, it meant attaining a state of equanimity that allowed one to better navigate the challenges and demands of life.
In both instances, Confucius's choices reflect his belief in the importance of striking a balance between public duty and personal well-being. He neither subscribed to the view that public spirit should override all personal considerations nor did he advocate for complete self-indulgence. Instead, he advocated for a middle path that allowed individuals to fulfill their duties to society while also attending to their own needs and well-being. His teachings remind us that true wisdom lies in finding this balance and that living a life of moderation and balance is key to attaining inner peace and fulfillment.
Confucius's choices between public spirit and personal feelings demonstrate a complex interplay of values within his philosophy.
Confucius declines to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan, his decision reflects a commitment to public spirit. Confucius prioritizes the greater societal good and the well-being of the community over personal gain or sentiment. This choice aligns with Confucian principles emphasizing duty, social responsibility, and the cultivation of virtues for the betterment of society.On the other hand, when Confucius agrees with Zengxi in embracing a carefree life as the ideal, he acknowledges the importance of personal feelings and individual happiness. This reflects a more nuanced perspective within Confucianism that recognizes the need for a balanced life, where personal contentment and individual fulfillment contribute to the overall harmony of society.
In essence, Confucius's choices highlight the tension and balance he sought between public spirit and personal feelings. His philosophy encourages a holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of individual well-being and the welfare of the community. The stories underscore Confucius's belief in cultivating both personal virtues and a sense of duty to create a harmonious and morally upright society.
For Confucius, public spirit isn’t inconsistent with personal feeling.
From the first story, it conveys that Confucius does not want to meeting with his own desire at the cost of breaking social etiquette. That’s because Confucius is standing the point of his own identity and patriarch system. Actually, apart from holding a grand burial ceremony, there’re many other ways to mourn Yan Yuan, such as measuring Yan Yuan’s works, attending his funeral, or the simplest one——cherishing the memories about Yan Yuan. Since there’re other approaches to satisfy one’s own need, we can not necessarily violate social etiquette naturally.
The second story is like the yearning for a free life of Confucius, but the interpretation is only at the lowest level. More deeply speaking, the story is the exposition of Confucian political ideals, which is also the public opinion of Confucius. Confucius hopes common people to live a carefree life as Yan Yuan said.
All in all, Confucius wants to fulfill the public spirit on the basis of fulfillment personal feelings and desires. Cause public spirit is composed of everyone’s wants. And the two is consistent.
For Confucius, public spirit isn’t inconsistent with personal feeling.
From the first story, it conveys that Confucius does not want to meeting with his own desire at the cost of breaking social etiquette. That’s because Confucius is standing the point of his own identity and patriarch system. Actually, apart from holding a grand burial ceremony, there’re many other ways to mourn Yan Yuan, such as measuring Yan Yuan’s works, attending his funeral, or the simplest one——cherishing the memories about Yan Yuan. Since there’re other approaches to satisfy one’s own need, we can not necessarily violate social etiquette naturally.
The second story is like the yearning for a free life of Confucius, but the interpretation is only at the lowest level. More deeply speaking, the story is the exposition of Confucian political ideals, which is also the public opinion of Confucius. Confucius hopes common people to live a carefree life as Yan Yuan said.
All in all, Confucius wants to fulfill the public spirit on the basis of fulfillment personal feelings and desires. Cause public spirit is composed of everyone’s wants. And the two is consistent.
Confucius's choices between public spirit and personal feelings reflect the complex nature of ethics and moral decision-making. In the story, Confucius's refusal to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan shows his dedication to the public spirit and his commitment to principles of frugality and simplicity.
Confucius believed in the importance of upholding moral values and serving the greater good of society. In this case, he prioritized the collective well-being over personal emotions or attachments. By refusing to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan, Confucius demonstrated his belief in the importance of humility and moderation and public spirit is based on Propriety.
On the other hand, Confucius's agreement with Zengxi in taking a carefree life as the ideal also highlights his recognition of the importance of personal happiness and contentment. Confucius understood that a balanced life includes both fulfilling one's responsibilities towards society and taking care of one's own well-being.
Confucius's choices showcase the delicate balance between public spirit and personal feelings. While he emphasized the importance of social harmony and adhering to societal norms, he also acknowledged the significance of personal fulfillment and happiness. Confucius believed that individuals should strive for both personal growth and contribute to the greater good of society.
Overall, Confucius's choices present a nuanced understanding of ethical responsibilities, highlighting the need to strike a balance between fulfilling one's duties to the community and taking care of one's own needs and desires.
From my perspective,Confucius valued public spirits than personal feelings. What Confucius insist is Li which can make the society harmonious. Confucius devoted himself to teaching people to do things with Li all his life. In Confucius' mind, following the etiquette system is superior to other personal things. Personal feelings should give way to etiquette and an orderly society. In addition, respecting the public spirit was also another form of satisfying his own personal feelings of respecting Yan Hui.
In the first instance, he refused to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan. This decision highlights Confucius's strong commitment to frugality and the importance of not squandering resources. He likely viewed the extravagant funeral as inconsistent with the principles of simplicity and economy, principles that he held dear.
In the second story, Confucius agreed with Zengxi's ideal of leading a carefree life. This choice suggests that Confucius valued personal freedom and the ability to pursue one's own happiness. It also highlights his belief in the importance of maintaining a balance between one's inner life and the demands of society. For Confucius, living a carefree life did not mean shirking one's responsibilities or ignoring the needs of others; rather, it meant attaining a state of equanimity that allowed one to better navigate the challenges and demands of life.
In both instances, Confucius's choices reflect his belief in the importance of striking a balance between public duty and personal well-being. He neither subscribed to the view that public spirit should override all personal considerations nor did he advocate for complete self-indulgence. Instead, he advocated for a middle path that allowed individuals to fulfill their duties to society while also attending to their own needs and well-being. His teachings remind us that true wisdom lies in finding this balance and that living a life of moderation and balance is key to attaining inner peace and fulfillment.
"Benevolence" is the core of Confucius' public thought, and "benevolence" is not only the inner being of individuals, but also the principle that needs to be carried out in public communication and political activities. Guided by the principle of "benevolence", politicians prudently use public power and seek welfare for the public with virtue and virtue, and people strictly abide by the principle of "rites" in public life, and apply it to various life scenes, so as to make friends, live in the village and participate in politics. In addition, Confucius hoped that the sages and gentlemen who had the virtue of benevolence would actively exert their talents and moral character and strive to realize the ideal of public life of social unity and individual self-adaptation.
I think Confucius(later in the text, I’ll abridge the name as C)undoubtedly priorities public spirit over personal feelings. From Yanyuan’s funeral, we can get our best evidence. For one thing, C’s truly in deep sorrow for his beloved disciple(Yanyuan)’s death. But his refusal to swap cart for grand burial may be misunderstood as C’s different treatment to son and disciple. But the truth is, this move is against the Zhou ritual, which will inflict huge harm on the society. Once,as an official, he disobeyed the zhou ritual, signaling a message to people that zhou ritual is unimportant, thus forming an impression that zhou emperor’s order could be unimportant too. Inevitably, this will cause chaos in the society. For another thing, as an ordinary people, Yanyuan’s not entitled to enjoy such a luxurious funeral which will give a blow to social hierarchy.
However this holds different in Zengxi’s case. On the surface level, what Zengxi wants is purely reveling himself in traveling around in good times. It seems that other disciples’ dream are no more than Zengxi’s. Going deeper, we’ll find out that his dream actually displays the idea society which C dreams about. Only in a peaceful and well-organized country, people can do whatever they want to do in the good times all the year round. And more importantly, in Zengxi’s description, people are not just free of war, but also heavy labor activities and starvation. Other people’s designs can regarded as their own ambition, ignoring the essence. So, in C’s choice in personal dreams, we can easily conclude that, he attaches more importance to whole society rather than personal ambition.
On the one hand: in dealing with the relationship between the individual and society and between individuals, Confucianism requires that the words and deeds of the individual should be absolutely in line with the social etiquette, with the aim of regulating the hierarchical order of the state and the interpersonal ethical relationship. Therefore, hierarchy and order are always the primary standards. Whereas in dealing with the physical and mental aspects of the individual, it is more flexible.
On the other hand, Confucianism advocates that rites must be based on true feelings, i.e., it advocates that rites must not become artificial. If the rites are devoid of feelings, then the rites will become rigid dogmas. Faced with the problem of the early death of his disciples and the lack of successors to his academic thought, Confucius's true feelings were revealed, which precisely demonstrated the rites.
Confucius's decisions regarding the balance between public duty and personal sentiments reveal a nuanced approach to ethical dilemmas. His refusal to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony demonstrated his commitment to propriety and moral principles. Confucius believed in upholding social harmony and propriety, which guided his actions even when faced with honoring a beloved disciple.
However, his endorsement of a carefree life, as mentioned with Zeng Xi, showcased another aspect of his philosophy. This perspective suggests a recognition of the need for personal fulfillment and inner balance while navigating societal expectations.
In essence, Confucius sought a harmonious equilibrium between fulfilling societal obligations and nurturing personal contentment. His choices underscored the importance of propriety and social harmony while acknowledging the significance of individual well-being within the larger context of ethical conduct.
Regarding Yan Hui's burial, Confucius did not give him a grand burial despite the depth of his grief. When asked why, he replied that it was inappropriate. Here, Confucius kept the traditional rites and values, emphasizing modesty and simplicity. Even in his deep personal grief, he did not allow personal feelings to overshadow the importance of societal norms and rituals. The choice of a simple burial was in line with the Confucian principle of adhering to the middle path and not going to extremes.
He emphasized public wealth over personal benefits. He will not choose to break the social rules for his personal feeling. I think this is what makes he to be a great people in history.
From Confucius' perspective, the observation of social etiquette precedes the expression of personal feelings. He holds the belief that public spirit is superior to personal feelings. Yan Yuan's case best proves it. Yet it doesn't mean that Confucius is an automatically indifferent person. He never skimps on his praises for his students, and he grieves about his students' demise. That's why he agrees with Zengxi in taking a carefree life as the ideal, because he values personal feelings as well. (Meanwhile, it appears to him that living in harmony with nature is the utimate goal of Li.) However, when there is a conflict between the two, he makes his own choice: public spirit outweighs personal feelings. This is what makes Confucius great. Great people are willing to sacrifice their own feelings for the big picture. In politics, a variety of rules and norms are established to regulate people's behaviour, in order to make this country a stable state. And for the society, etiquette is the standard basis for judging whether people behave morally. Confucius sticks to “Li” for the sake of the whole country.
I will focus on the Confucius's choice of the burial for Yan Yuan.
First ,I define the public spirit as conforming to"Li". Then I will talk about the choice from two terms——Instrumental rationality(工具理性)and Value rationality(价值理性)proposed by Max Weber.
Instrumental rationality has the following traits:
1 pursue the maximum efficiency or utility
2 ignore the emotional and iritual value of people
3 promote the establishment of hierarchy to increase efficiency or utility
4 make human indifferent and "impersonal"(非人化)
Value rationality has the trait that human's behaviors is connected with ethics,aesthetics , emotion and spirit.And it regards these behaviors have "absolute value".
Personlly speaking, "Li" has an attribute of instrumental rationality ."Li" promotes establishing hierarchy to leverage people."Li" is like a "cage". It represses and refrains Confucius' feelings and emotion.
Confucius, as a scholar-bureaucate—— a high situation in the hierarchy,choose to conform to "Li". Therefore,"Li" represses his reasonable feeling for Yan Hui's death.
Due to "Li"'s attribute of instrumental rationality, people's spritual value , emotion,personality traits and other things unrelated to "Li"'function are ignored .It requires people must be as the machine,obey and not violate the rules made by "Li".
However, without personal feelings,can human be named as "Human"?
Confucius's choice to refuse selling his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan while agreeing with Zengxi about the ideal of a carefree life reflects a nuanced balance between public spirit and personal feelings.
In the case of Yan Yuan's burial, Confucius likely prioritized practicality and frugality over elaborate rituals. This decision could be seen as a manifestation of his emphasis on the virtue of filial piety and the practical application of ethical principles.By not indulging in a grand ceremony, Confucius may have aimed to set an example of moderation and prioritization of essential values over extravagant displays.
On the other hand, agreeing with Zengxi on the ideal of a carefree life suggests that Confucius recognized the importance of personal well-being and contentment. This aligns with Confucian values that emphasize the cultivation of one's character and inner virtues. Embracing a carefree life, free from unnecessary burdens and desires, could be viewed as a pursuit of individual happiness and self-cultivation. Confucius's choices reveal a delicate balance between the obligations to society and the pursuit of personal fulfillment. It reflects the Confucian concept of balancing individual virtues with social responsibilities, suggesting that a harmonious society is built upon individuals who cultivate their moral character while fulfilling their duties to others.
At Yan Hui's funeral, Confucius put "rites" first, and advocated that Yan Hui's funeral should be handled in accordance with traditional etiquette and procedures to show respect and remembrance of the deceased. He emphasizes a solemn and solemn expression of emotion, showing respect and remembrance for the deceased through the observance of etiquette.
There may be several reasons why Confucius liked Zeng Hui's dream the most:
Zeng Hui's dream embodies the ideal of "harmony with etiquette": Zeng Hui paints a beautiful picture of bathing in water in spring, showing a harmonious social style under the rule of etiquette and music. This ideal is in line with Confucius's thought, expressing the pursuit of benevolence, harmony, and courtesy.
At the same time, Zeng Hui's ambition is noble: Zeng Hui's dream is to become a chic and comfortable person, and this noble ambition is in line with Confucius's concept of "gentleman". Confucius admired Zeng Hui's chic and comfortable, and also admired his pursuit of morality and life values.
Through these events, it can be seen that Confucius had different ways of expressing emotions on different occasions, but they all ran through the idea of "harmony with courtesy". He emphasized the importance of combining emotional experience with the practice of etiquette, so that people can feel the warmth and reality of etiquette. At the same time, he also advocated that people pay attention to harmony and coordination when dealing with interpersonal relationships, treat people with sincerity, treat people with affection, value harmony, and meet friends with literature, which are the concrete embodiment of the idea of "harmony and courtesy".
Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, placed great importance on etiquette, morality and the common good. In his teachings, individuals should participate in and promote social harmony and progress by cultivating their body and mind and virtue. From this perspective, Confucius may have tended to seek a balance between public spirit and personal emotion.
The refusal to sell a car to hold a grand funeral for Yan Yuan can be understood as Confucius's conservation of public resources and restraint of personal emotions. In Confucius' view, a grand funeral could drain a lot of social resources that could be used for something more beneficial to the public. Therefore, he chose to express his condolences for the deceased in a simple way, which reflects both his concern for the public good and his moderate control of personal emotions.
For agreeing with Zeng Xi's ideal of a carefree life, it can be understood that Confucius respected the individual's pursuit of happiness and inner peace. Although Confucius emphasized the individual's responsibility and contribution to society, he did not believe that individuals should completely sacrifice their own happiness and inner needs. According to Confucius, an ideal society should enable everyone to pursue the common good while also achieving personal happiness and ideals.
In general, Confucius may have sought a balance and reconciliation between public spirit and personal emotion. He not only values individual responsibility and contribution to society, but also respects individual feelings and pursuits. This concept of balance reflects Confucius' idea of the mean, which seeks moderation and avoids extremes in all circumstances. This kind of thinking still has important implications for modern society, reminding us to respect and care for individual feelings and needs while focusing on the public good.
What are we talking about when we talk about Confucius's choice between public spirit and personal feelings? As far as I can discern, it's about what Confucius upholds, or the essence of Confucianism since choosing isn't necessary when all the desires can be fulfilled.
His reactions concerning Yan Yuen's death suggest that public spirit outweighs personal feelings in Confucius's case. We tacitly agree that Confucius felt great sorrow at the disciple's sudden passing away, but this overwhelming emotion of sadness was suppressed in the face of others' requests to offer their condolences at the expense of etiquette. Mournful though he was, the saint had his say and decisively rejected the breach out of concern for possible repercussions of the practice, which is to say, fulfillment of personal feelings gave way to the prospect for a society of etiquette and order in Confucianism.
Confucius insisted on “Restrain Yourself and Follow Social Norms”, and implemented the public spirit into all aspects of life throughout his life. He refused to give Yan Yuan a great funeral, and adhered to the principle of etiquette and maintaining the public spirit. At the same time, his insistence on public spirit was actually a reflection of personal feelings, which is a deeper mourning and respect, and respect for Yan Yuan's adherence to etiquette during his lifetime. His choices strike a balance between public spirit and personal feelings.
Yan Yuan adhered to Li when he was alive. Confucius believed that Yan Yuan had always followed the ritual system during his lifetime, so a great funeral might be against his wishes and values. Confucius regarded Yan Hui as his son, and he believed that he could not allow private feelings to outweigh public spirit. If he gave Yan a great funeral, it is a violation of etiquette with excessive personal feelings. And this is also the principle of Confucius to promote the etiquette system.
At the same time, there are practical reasons. Yan Yuan's family is poor, so a great funeral is not practical. Confucius believed that with Yan Yuan's family situation, a great funeral would not be in line with the actual situation, but might increase the burden on the family.
Public spirit is essentially a rational moral attitude. This is an important characteristic that distinguishes it from a "private virtue". So public spirit is seen as an important sign of the intellectual and emotional maturity of the individual.
Public spirit is the product of reason, and it is also the result of the transformation of public reason into public emotion, will, and belief.
Individuals have public spirits, which means that they transcend the boundaries of individual nature and privacy, and that individuals are in line with the public. Thus, the public spirit is sublime as a civic virtue.
Confucius's insistence on public spirit is the embodiment of his insistence on etiquette. Etiquette is the cornerstone of social order, which clarifies people's moral norms in society, and helps maintain social stability. By maintaining the etiquette system, people can show a high level of civilization and morality, and promote the progress of society. The observance of etiquette can also cultivate people's sense of morality and citizenship, and make people attach more importance to the public interest and social development.
At Yan Hui's funeral, Confucius put "rites" first, and advocated that Yan Hui's funeral should be handled in accordance with traditional etiquette and procedures to show respect and remembrance of the deceased. He emphasizes a solemn and solemn expression of emotion, showing respect and remembrance for the deceased through the observance of etiquette.
There may be several reasons why Confucius liked Zeng Hui's dream the most:
Zeng Hui's dream embodies the ideal of "harmony with etiquette": Zeng Hui paints a beautiful picture of bathing in water in spring, showing a harmonious social style under the rule of etiquette and music. This ideal is in line with Confucius's thought, expressing the pursuit of benevolence, harmony, and courtesy.
At the same time, Zeng Hui's ambition is noble: Zeng Hui's dream is to become a chic and comfortable person, and this noble ambition is in line with Confucius's concept of "gentleman". Confucius admired Zeng Hui's chic and comfortable, and also admired his pursuit of morality and life values.
Through these events, it can be seen that Confucius had different ways of expressing emotions on different occasions, but they all ran through the idea of "harmony with courtesy". He emphasized the importance of combining emotional experience with the practice of etiquette, so that people can feel the warmth and reality of etiquette. At the same time, he also advocated that people pay attention to harmony and coordination when dealing with interpersonal relationships, treat people with sincerity, treat people with affection, value harmony, and meet friends with literature, which are the concrete embodiment of the idea of "harmony and courtesy".
Confucius's choices between the public spirit and personal feelings, he balanced the two well by staying true to public spirit while expressing his personal feelings.
Confucius stayed true to public spirit by refusing Yan Lu with three reasons. The first was to say their sons were their own sons regardless the talents. The second was to say the financial background determined whether the cart was needed or not. The third had more to do with the etiquette. As a great officer, he could not walk on foot since that disobeyed the rule of etiquette. The three reasons explained Confucius’s pursuit and adherence to ritual civilization, for which he would not ignore any particular even though there was a conflict between ritual and personal feelings.
To do with personal feelings, Confucius wept over Yan’s death sorrowfully instead of breaking the ritual to sell his cart for a outer shell. It’s a coordinated way to balance etiquette and personal feelings, from which we can learn that to do something within sense and sensibility is available.
Confucius's choices between public spirit and personal feelings demonstrate a complex interplay of values within his philosophy.
Confucius declines to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan, his decision reflects a commitment to public spirit. Confucius prioritizes the greater societal good and the well-being of the community over personal gain or sentiment. This choice aligns with Confucian principles emphasizing duty, social responsibility, and the cultivation of virtues for the betterment of society.On the other hand, when Confucius agrees with Zengxi in embracing a carefree life as the ideal, he acknowledges the importance of personal feelings and individual happiness. This reflects a more nuanced perspective within Confucianism that recognizes the need for a balanced life, where personal contentment and individual fulfillment contribute to the overall harmony of society.
In essence, Confucius's choices highlight the tension and balance he sought between public spirit and personal feelings. His philosophy encourages a holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of individual well-being and the welfare of the community. The stories underscore Confucius's belief in cultivating both personal virtues and a sense of duty to create a harmonious and morally upright society.
I will focus on the Confucius's choice of the burial for Yan Yuan.
First ,I define the public spirit as conforming to"Li". Then I will talk about the choice from two terms——Instrumental rationality(工具理性)and Value rationality(价值理性)proposed by Max Weber.
Instrumental rationality has the following traits:
1 pursue the maximum efficiency or utility
2 ignore the emotional and iritual value of people
3 promote the establishment of hierarchy to increase efficiency or utility
4 make human indifferent and "impersonal"(非人化)
Value rationality has the trait that human's behaviors is connected with ethics,aesthetics , emotion and spirit.And it regards these behaviors have "absolute value".
Personlly speaking, "Li" has an attribute of instrumental rationality ."Li" promotes establishing hierarchy to leverage people."Li" is like a "cage". It represses and refrains Confucius' feelings and emotion.
According to Confucius, expressing one's innermost thoughts comes after adhering to societal conventions. He thinks that the collective spirit is more important than individual emotions. The finest example of this is Yan Yuan's case. However, this does not imply that Confucius is a naturally apathetic individual. He never holds back while praising his pupils, and he is saddened by their passing. Because he also appreciates one's own sentiments, he concurs with Zengxi that living a carefree life is preferable.In the meantime, it seems to him that Li's ultimate purpose is to live in peace with nature.When the two disagree, he makes his own decision because the good of the public spirit triumphs above individual sentiments. This is the greatness of Confucius.
Confucius's choices between public spirit and personal feelings reflect his deep commitment to moral principles and his understanding of the greater good. Confucius was a philosopher and teacher who emphasized the importance of social harmony, ethical behavior, and the cultivation of personal virtues. His teachings were centered around the idea of creating a just and harmonious society through individual moral cultivation.
In the story where Confucius refused to sell his cart for a grand burial ceremony for Yan Yuan, he prioritized the principles of frugality and simplicity. Confucius believed that excessive displays of wealth and extravagance were detrimental to society and went against the values of humility and moderation. By refusing to participate in such a lavish ceremony, Confucius demonstrated his commitment to upholding moral principles over personal gain or societal expectations.
On the other hand, when Confucius agreed with Zengxi in taking a carefree life as the ideal, he was emphasizing the importance of personal well-being and inner contentment. Confucius believed that true happiness and fulfillment could be achieved by living a life of simplicity, free from excessive desires and material attachments. By advocating for a carefree life, Confucius encouraged individuals to focus on self-cultivation and the pursuit of inner virtues rather than being consumed by external pressures and societal expectations.
Confucius's choices between public spirit and personal feelings highlight the complexity of moral decision-making. While he recognized the importance of contributing to the greater good and maintaining social harmony, he also emphasized the significance of personal well-being
The content you mentioned is not in line with historical facts. In the Analects of Confucius, it is mentioned that when Yan Yuan died, Confucius was very sad. His disciples suggested that he sell his cart to hold a grand funeral for Yan Yuan, but Confucius refused. He said that although he and Yan Yuan were like father and son, they were all gentlemen, and it was not appropriate to sell their cart to hold a funeral.
In addition, Zeng Xi is Confucius's student, not a person who agrees with Confucius. He once asked Confucius what his ideal was, and Confucius replied that it was to live a carefree life in the age of大道之行. Zeng Xi replied that he had the same ideal.
From these records, we can see that Confucius emphasized the importance of public spirit and personal feelings. He believed that as gentlemen, they should maintain their dignity and not be swayed by emotions. At the same time, he also emphasized the importance of personal feelings and friendship, and felt very sad when his student died. In general, Confucius tried to maintain a balance between public spirit and personal feelings in his life and teachings.
Confucius established the basic theme of Confucianism, and the same is true in the field of Confucian public thought. The foothold of Confucius' public thought lies in "benevolence", which is not only the inner heart of individuals participating in public life but also the principle that individuals need to carry out in public life such as public communication and political activities. In other words, the highest requirement of Confucianism for public life is to implement the principle of "benevolence" among people. Under the principle of "benevolence", politicians use public power with virtue and virtue to pursue a virtuous public politics. In public life, people abide by the norms of "rites" and concretized them into various life scenes, so as to make friends, live in villages and participate in politics. In addition, Confucius' ideal of public life not only attaches importance to the overall interests, but also attaches importance to individuals playing a role in public life and enjoying the good feelings brought by fine public life. It is hoped that those sages and gentlemen who have the virtue of "benevolence" can actively participate in public life, and work hard for the community with their own talents and virtues, so as to create an ideal life of prosperity and civilization in the community and individual peace and comfort.
As for Confucius's choices between the public spirit and personal feelings, he balanced the two well by staying true to public spirit while expressing his personal feelings.
Confucius stayed true to public spirit by refusing Yan Lu with three reasons. The first was to say their sons were their own sons regardless the talents. The second was to say the financial background determined whether the cart was needed or not. The third had more to do with the etiquette. As a great officer, he could not walk on foot since that disobeyed the rule of etiquette. The three reasons explained Confucius’s pursuit and adherence to ritual civilization, for which he would not ignore any particular even though there was a conflict between ritual and personal feelings.
To do with personal feelings, Confucius wept over Yan’s death sorrowfully instead of breaking the ritual to sell his cart for a outer shell. It’s a coordinated way to balance etiquette and personal feelings, from which we can learn that to do something within sense and sensibility is available.