A Study On The Thought Of Tan Gong

Courtesy is one of the most important core idea in Confucius’s thought, Confucian tradition, and even in the conventional Chinese civilization. Many theorists’ significant thoughts presents in courtesy. Funeral is the key to courtesy. Book of Rites: Tan Gong, featured in narrative, recorded large amount of speech and behavior related to courtesy, especially funeral, of Confucius, his apprentices and their counterparts. In addition, the chapter of Tan Gong also contains strong sense of argumentation, for which many parts of it reveal the meaning and spirit of courtesy. Therefore, it is regarded as the precious material to study Confucius and early Confucianism. Tan Gong seems disorganized; however, this paper attempts to study it from the perspective of literariness, nature and modesty, to demonstrate its reasonable hidden thread, in which we could feel the spirit and soul of Confucius, early Confucianism as well as traditional China.