The Formation And Significance Of Confucian Theories Of RenYi

Being the core of Confucian idea, the formation of theories of RenYi(仁义) is not only a process from conception Ren and Yi to a systematic theories of RenYi, but also an important stage on improvement of Human Nature Theories in early Confucianism. Therefore, a thorough research on the formation and significance of the theory will definitely shed light on its connotation and offer a better understanding on Mencius' Theories of RenYi as well.Based on two research methodology: etymology and philosophic annotation, the paper makes a historical review of conception Ren and Yi, including Book of Odes(《诗经》 ), Bookof History (《尚书》), BookofZuo-Zhuan( 《左传》), BookofGuo-Yu(《国经》 ), Analects (《论语》) , Bookof Zhong-Yong (《中庸》) ,and Mencius(《孟子》), in the hope of providing a clear view on its development and probing into the significance of Mencius' Theories of RenYi in Confucianism.The Conception of Ren originally stemmed from the idea of "attaching importance to virtue" proposed by rulers in Zhou Dynasty. As time went by, Ren developed into an idea with the sense of responsibility for practicing morality, on which the idea of" love one's own relatives" and " love others" were based. The Idea of Yi was closely associated with the rites in class society, and "absolute dignity and no encroachment" characterized its real meaning. But in Book of History, it had undergone changes. Yi had become interchangeable with Yi(宜), whose meaning was "should" or "be supposed to ". In Spring and Autumn Period, Yi had gained a meaning of natural law of the Universe. The Idea of Yi served as a moral principle for people to comply with. Before the time of Confucius, Ren was a natural feeling of responsibility for morality and rites; Yi stood for right justification on the basis of morality principle, which was composed of social orders. The relationship between Ren and Yi can be interpreted as: Ren served as a tool for Yi, and Yi in turn was the goal Ren attempted to achieve.By the time of Confucius, Confucianism developed greatly. Confucius, on inheritance of the traditional conception of Ren, put forward his systematic theories of Ren, which connotes the true human nature. He gave prominence to the inner morality, believing that people could behave morally in their pursuit of Ren. Thus, His theories ofRen resolved the problem of the innate foundation and motivation in morality behaving. However, Yi originated from the natural law of universe still had externality in Confucian theories. Judgement according to Yi and its corresponding moral directives were not from human being.Zhong-Yong, on the basis of Confician Theories of Ren, advocates that the natural law of the universe was just connotation of Human nature which was Ren itself, thus making Yi the ture content of Human Nature. Though it was from Human Nature, the cultivating of the feeling of Yi relied on the practical education of the doctrines, which comprised the moral behaving, such as Yi, Li and Zhi. Therefore, in school of Zisi, Yi was still characterized by its externality, though it differed from which expressed in Book of Zuo-Zhuan and Guo-Yu. Though Yi of this school was manifested as moral behaving, it was from human nature.Based on the thoughts of his predecessors, Mencius made a great progress to the Confucianism. By debating with Gaozi, a famous scholar of the time, about internal Ren and external Yi and thus made RenYi the connotation of human nature. Furthermore, he elaborated the features of the Human Nature of RenYi, which combine the following oppositions: Xin and Xing(the moral mind and the natural feeling), emotion and reason, reality and transcendence. The integration of RenYi achieved the thorough unification of the Moral Law of the Universe and Human Nature, RenXin and RenQing(the moral mind and the natural feeling), internality and externality. This helped to make the elementary Confucian theory of Human Nature.In general, the significance of the formation of Mencius' theories of RenYi in the history of Confucianism...