Study Of Righteousness Concept In The Pre-Qin Period

This paper’s major problem is to explore the development process of pre-Qin Confucian righteousness concept and tease the whole context. Through this way,we can know different connotation in different periods,the relationship between righteousness and benevolence, courtesy, and concept of righteousness-profits.Righteousness concept of the Confucianism of pre-Qin period mainly related to Confucius, mencius and xuncius’point of view, focusing on the analects, mencius, xunzi text. At the same time, righteousness concept of the Confucianism also includes the meaning of righteouness early before Confucius,which mainly distribute in the Buci, Shangshu, the Book of songs, Mandarin and other relevant ancient books. This article teased out the righteousness concept’s producing, development, evolution of pre-qin period through the study of a large number of ancient documents. The definition of the main contents include the righteousness, the concept relations, righteousness, courtesy, relations and so on. Righteousness, first produced in the form of place names, then stand for punishment to kill.But when it developed to the Book of songs, Zuozhuan and Mandarin, righteousness concept concerned patriarchal etiquette system, but overall characterized by rich ethical implication. The Confucius argue hat benevolence is the source of righteousness and elaborate the connation of righteousness from two aspects of cultivating yourself and managing common people; The relationship of righteousness and profits argues that people should think righteousness when meeting much profits. Mencius thought righteousness as humanity transcendental entities, and as one of the four side, is the intrinsic factors of humanity.Righteousness is nature and innate. In the relationship between benevolence and righteousness, Mencius advocated benevolence as safe residence,and righteousness as the way. In the relationship between righteousness and profits, mencius argues that people should focus on long-term profits and consider the interests of the majority, such as interests of the state, ethics event and so on. Xunzi is different from Confucius and Mencius.He related courtesy with righteousness, and the ritual is the essence and reliance of righteousness. The reason for emphasizing the importance of etiquette is his theory of humanity. Xunzi thought the human nature is evil. The etiquette can rectify the evil of human nature, so the rules were advocated by Xunzi. Through clarifying the Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi’s basic views of righteousness, the whole pre-qin period has already clear thread of the concept of righteousness.Confucian righteousness concept has two major characteristics:Transfer to moral concept from the firstly religious concept; The connotation of righteousness become richer and richer. In the relationship between righteousness and profits,the Confucius tend to make emphasis on the righteousness.