Discussing On The Thought Of Virtue In The Analects Of Confucius

Virtue is an ancient yet far-reaching influential concept in Chinese traditional culture. There are many interpretations of Virtue as there are many ideologists. The thoughts and connotations of Virtue were inherited by Confucius, the greatest thinker of ancient China, who then further carried forward Virtue in an innovative way that was consistent with his own times, and enriched its essence and elegance. By doing so, he offered ancient China a thought with peculiar and unique charm, a thought that laid fundamental influences upon both the evolution of Chinese traditional ideology and cultural development. Nevertheless, as one of Confucius’most influential concepts, although Virtue has been long discussed and researched by many scholars past and present, home and abroad alike, neither the quantity of academic papers nor its depth and thoroughness of discussion could compare with that of other Confucian concepts such as Benevolence or Courtesy. Therefore, the author of this thesis believes that a thorough and detailed study of Confucius’Virtue will be absolutely beneficial for the understanding of the essence of Confucian ideologies. Confucius’s concern and thought about Virtue was the theme and the eternal intention of Confucian ideologies. As long as one takes on this basis, it will be much easier for him to grasp the whole ideological system of Confucius with coherence and clarity, and to comprehend the essence and contents of Confucian ideologies.This thesis takes a start from Confucius concept of Virtue in The Analects of Confucius. It discussed firstly the etymology of Virtue by tracing the development of ideologies and concepts of this concept before Confucius’time. Taking this as the basis, the thesis provided also an analysis of the historical and cultural background of the birth of Confucian ideologies. Besides, through a conclusion of Confucius’ contribution for the heritage and development of the concept of Virtue, this thesis listed and testified the relation and reflection of the culture of Xia and Shang and Zhou dynasties in Confucius’concept of Virtue. Moreover, the connotation and contents of Virtue in The Analects of Confucius was also discussed; and a comparison was made between Virtue and other Confucian concepts, including Benevolence, Righteousness, Courtesy, Wisdom and Trust, in order to further analyze the position and significance that the concept of Virtue plays in the Confucius’ideological system. All the previous discussion brought the author to the conclusion that, under the current circumstances of Chinese socialist reform and opening up as well as the market economy conditions, Confucian ideologies especially the concept of Virtue play a fundamental and practical role in perfecting the individual moral values, in strengthening the interpersonal communication, in building a harmonious society and in accomplishing the goal of ruling the country by concept of Virtue.