As a disciple
of Confucius, Mencius had the same characteristic in what a Chun Tzu or a
gentleman should embody. This embodiment is figure united by the four virtues. The
Chun Tzu’s four virtues are Li, Chih, Jen and Yi. These virtues shall be
expounded through the Book of Mencius 1A:7.
In this chapter,
Mencius highlights the importance of giving respect to every person in the
family. Due respect must be paid to the elderly within the family as well as
the elderly in the extended families. Tenderness must be extended to the young
ones in other families. Let mulberry trees be planted so that men of fifty can
be clothed in silk. Animals like fowl, swine, dogs and pigs must be cared for
so that men of seventy will not be scarce in food. Let the arm of a hundred mou
be cultivated so that families will not starve. Learning the principles of
piety and brotherly respect must be given importance. The man who has directed
his empire with its people properly clothed, and fed is truly a king.
The character
of the chun tzu is embodied by the king of this bountiful empire. The virtue of
Li in respecting the elderly is long tradition of the Chinese culture. It’s the
rule of propriety to acknowledge the hierarchy of authority in the family and
society. It starts from the top who are the elders passed down to the children.
In the teachings of Confucius, this is filial piety that is also practiced
outside the family. It’s the recognition of roles and ranks in the society as
propriety directed it. That is how the king directs his empire. He is the king
and the king commands his people and empire. And the empire obeys for he is at
the top of the hierarchy. More than being in charge, the king comforts his
people. He cradles their needs, hones their character, watches over their
growth and treats them as humans and not creatures who are beneath him. This
character of the king is the virtue of Jen (human-heartedness). The most important
teaching of both Mencius and Confucius is that following all else is useless
without the genuine acceptance. The king is compassionate because his heart is
compassionate. The doings of the king comes from his duty but more than that,
he understands his duties. He sees the principle behind being a ruler as more
than a man with a title and a throne. He is a king that is dictated by
humaneness and not by the lure of power. Looking closely, the king is unbiased
to his people. The children are to be treated accordingly, the common people
are clothed and the old people are taken care of. He is a righteous king. He does
not act in accord with selfishness. He acts in accord with what is right. Righteousness
is his standard. The character of the Chun tzu is also guided by Ch’ih. It is
the virtue wisdom. It’s the inner knowledge that guides prudence. The king as a
Chun tzu has seen the totality of his empire. He has envisioned the correct way
of governance. It is the governance through the people. Wisdom lies in being
able to grasp humanity. The true king, the Chun Tzu, understands humanity. The
ruler of the empire sees his people as the empire itself. And the empire needs
a true ruler that knows them. And by knowing the people, the true king he can
govern in order to keep them bountiful.
In
conclusion, the characteristic of the Chun Tzu as represented by the King is
the total package of the sage. The sage embodies these virtues and fits the
role of the king like a glove on a hand. These characteristics stitch the
patches of society. It is not only available to the Chun Tzu; these virtues are
in all of us. It is only that there is a rigorous need for us to cultivate
these. An empire that is governed by these virtues is an empire of harmony.
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