Research On The Confucian Conceptions Of Righteousness And Profit In Han Dynasty

The conception of righteousness and profit is a fundamental issue in traditional Chinese philosophy,generally discussing how to handle the relationship between“righteousness” and “profit”,and it reflects people’s basic principles and handling approaches when it comes to the relationship between the collective interests of a country or society and personal interests.The discussion of the relationship between righteousness and profit in traditional Chinese philosophy has not only formed an ideological system with rich implications,but also established the basic ethical code of social life of “upholding the righteousness in the face of the temptations of profit”,which has been deeply affecting people’s behavior and value orientation.The Han Dynasty was an important stage for the development of Confucianism,and the conception of righteousness and profit had more and perfect implications than that in the pre-Qin period,which played an important theoretical role in the development of related theories in philosophy,politics,ethics,sociology,and economics in China.Reviewing and retrospecting the Confucian conception of righteousness and profit in the Han Dynasty can clarify the development context of related issues from the source,and help to form a clear understanding of the Confucian conception of righteousness and profit,thereby thoroughly understanding the Confucian ideological system.The Confucian conception of righteousness and profit in the Han Dynasty was largely formed by inheriting and transforming that in the pre-Qin Dynasty,while critically absorbing that of the Legalist School,Mohist School and Taoist School.By laying out the conception of righteousness and profit in the Five Emperors and xia-shang-zhou dynasties,that of the Confucian School in the pre-Qin period,and that of other major schools,as well as the historical background of the evolution of the Confucian concept of righteousness and profit in the period of two Han dynasties,this paper confirmed the formation and development process of the Confucian conception of righteousness and profit in the Han Dynasty.“Providence” “the human nature” and“righteousness” are the three important theoretical foundations of Han Confucians when thinking about issues related to righteousness and profit.Specifically,“Providence” is the most fundamental source of righteousness;“the human nature” is yielded due to“Providence”,directly determining whether a person is to perform righteousness or pursue profit;“righteousness” is the embodiment of the essential characteristics of“Providence”,and only righteousness and profit reach the “righteous” state at the same time can the requirements of “Providence” be satisfied.In other words,“righteousness”is the foothold of the distinction between righteousness and profit,and the consideration of righteousness and profit can be regarded as the criterion of “righteousness” in the last.Han Confucians did not tell which one was more valued when thinking about the issue of righteousness and profit,instead they analyzed it in specific cases or issues.This demonstrates that Han Confucians always followed the principle of suitability(“righteousness”)when dealing with the relationship between righteousness and profit,that is,the way of neutralization.Han Confucians performed a multi-level analysis on the issue of righteousness and profit from the perspectives of times,social stratification,motivation,and the incidental and the fundamental,showing that from different perspectives the priority and expression form of righteousness and profit would be different.But on the whole,the Confucian conception of righteousness and profit in the Han Dynasty was essentially the unity of the two based on the emphasis on the normative of righteousness,and took righteousness as an important principle of gain profit in order to achieve the purpose of realizing both righteousness and profit.Focusing on the theoretical basis of the conception of righteousness and profit,Han Confucians realized both righteousness and profit through the four paths: respect for Providence,self-cultivation,education,and legal punishment.For the core position of Providence in the relationship between righteousness and profit,the respect for righteousness is manifested by offering to Providence and obeying Providence after establishing the worship for Providence;For the important role of human nature in the relationship between righteousness and profit,propriety and righteousness were employed to strengthen physical and mental cultivation,and to educate the people.Through the cultivation of the mind and virtues,evil thoughts could be originally cut off,and the overflow of selfish desires could be prevented,so that everyone can consciously act with righteousness;Meanwhile,as a supplement to cultivation and education,legal punishment horrified people not to conduct unrighteous moves for fear of the serious legal consequences.All the four paths have the same foothold of correcting people’s behavior,so as to achieve a “righteous” state,so that people would act according to the norms of etiquette and righteousness,and the country would be peaceful.People live and work in peace and contentment,the emperor had a stable society,and the profit of both the people and the emperor can be guaranteed in the process of practicing righteousness.In this sense,both righteousness and profit can be realized.It is more comprehensive to take “Providence” “human nature” and “righteousness”as the theoretical basis of the Confucian conception of righteousness and profit in the Han Dynasty than other studies that only select one of them as the theoretical basis;Through a multi-level analysis on the conception of righteousness and profit from different perspectives,this paper actually gave an objective insight into the multiple(different)existences of righteousness and profit in the real society,endowing the conception with abstract and general theoretical attributes,and with concrete and applicable practicing characters,which can also resolve the contradictions and disputes existing in the current research;The elaboration of the four paths to realize righteousness and profit not only makes the study of the Confucian conception of righteousness and profit in the Han Dynasty more comprehensive,and it also provides a feasible way to practice such conception.In the context where the Party and the country are vigorously advocating the establishment of and adherence to the correct conception of righteousness and profit,these studies have great practical and theoretical significance for the formation,development,establishment and improvement of the conception of righteousness and profit in the new era.