Abstract
As has been said in the Introduction, Ch’eng I was essentially an ethical teacher. His ethical thought was built on the basis of his metaphysical concepts and his ideas about nature, history and man. But he was interested in these concepts and ideas only in so far as they had a bearing upon his ethical teaching. He was never interested in any intellectual pursuit for its own sake. All studies and writings must be done with the sole purpose of understanding moral truth and through it the achievement of perfect manhood, or else everything is a waste of time. In this, Ch’eng I was acting the part of a typical Confucian. It was because of this that though he was an ethical teacher, he was not a teacher of “Ethics” in the modern sense of the term. He had no ethics; he had only ethical teaching.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Chang Tung-sun, “Concerning the nature of Sung and Ming Neo-Confucianism; A Second Replay to Mr. Hsiung Shih-Ii”, Wen Che Yüeh K'an (In Chinese) Vol. I, No. 6, March 20, 1936.
- 2.
Doctrine of the Mean, chap. I.
- 3.
IS, XIX, 4b: 4–6, quoted in Sect. 5.2.5, above.
- 4.
Read wu instead if i, following a note in the Wan Yu ed., as it is an apparent mistake made by the recorder or some copyist (see Glossary, wu etc.).
- 5.
Mencius,VII, I, I, 1.
- 6.
YK, Appendix V, I, 3.
- 7.
Mencius, loc. cit. 3.
- 8.
Mencius, II, I, VI, 4, 5.
- 9.
*ICWC, VII, 6a, 13.
- 10.
To dampen the floor in order to keep the dust down.
- 11.
Mencius, VII, I, V, I.
- 12.
YK, Appendix III, I, I, 10.
- 13.
Analects, VI, V.
- 14.
See Ch’eng I’s definition of Shu in IS, XXIII, 1b: 3–4.
- 15.
Analects, XII, I, 1.
- 16.
The Spirit of Chinese Culture, p. 84.
- 17.
YK, Appendix III, I, VIII, 42.
- 18.
For further material on the same subject refer also *IC, II, 49b: 8–11; *IC, III, 57b: 11–12; 58a: 1–2; *IC, IV, 49a: 10–11; IS, XVIII, 6b: 5; *ICWC, VII, 8b: 4.
- 19.
Great Learning, III, 2.
- 20.
From Shih King, “The Major Odes”, Lecade iii, Ode 6, p. 425; also quoted in Mencius, VI, I, VI, 8.
- 21.
Mencius, II, I, II, 11.
- 22.
Doctrine of the Mean, II, Chu Hsi’s Commentary.
- 23.
The quotation is part of Confucius’ criticism of Tzu Kung. See Analects, XI, XVIII, 2.
- 24.
This Petition is not dead. The first one was written in 1088. Receiving no reply, he wrote the present one. The post he held was Expositor of Canonical Texts at the Ch’ung Cheng Hall. See Introduction Sect. 1.1, Footnote 43.
- 25.
Analects, VI, XXVII.
- 26.
He is known as Author A, who is responsible for the section roughly from Chap. 2 to the first half of Chap. 20. Opinions of scholars vary as to details.
- 27.
Mencius, VII, I, XXVI, 1–4.
- 28.
See Sect. 5.3.2.1.
- 29.
Mencius, VII, I, XXVI, Legge's tr.
- 30.
See Ch'eng I's own definition of “Chung yung” in #IS, XV, 13b: 12–13, quoted under Sect. 2.3.1.4above.
- 31.
Lit. callosities on the hands and feet.
- 32.
Ref. *IC, III, 16b: 7–13.
- 33.
The lines 1st and 4th, 2nd and 5th, 3rd and 6th (counting from the bottom) in a hexagram are called correlates when one is divided and the other is undivided.
- 34.
In a hexagram the second line from the bottom occupies the middle position of the lower trigram, while the fifth line occupies the middle position of the upper.
- 35.
See explanation in Footnote 33 above.
- 36.
YK, App. III, II, V, 41. Ch'eng I believed it to be virtually saying if Confucius.
- 37.
The hexagram Wei Chi consists of a lower trigram symbolizing water of which line 2 which represents the minister is the main line. The upper trigram symbolizes fire, of which line 2 which represents the ruler is the main line.
- 38.
The name of the Hexagram Ming I means Intelligence-wounded.
- 39.
This is referring to the name of the hexagram, no. 42, which means “to increase”, and in this context “to benefit”.
- 40.
Mencius, IV, I, XIX, 4.
- 41.
Analects, IV, VIII.
- 42.
Reading tu for "to stake" instead tu for "to see", following Wan Yu text.
- 43.
Doctrine of the Mean, ch. X, 5.
- 44.
Cf. Analects, I, I, 3.
- 45.
Both are Confucius' great disciples.
- 46.
181–234 A.D.
- 47.
Chou, the last emperor (c. 1154–1123 B.C.) of the Shang dynasty is said to have made a lake of wine and a grove upon which meats were hung for an all night feasting. Ref. Shih Chi: Yin Pen Chi.
- 48.
Shun as typical perfect ruler and Chih a notorious brigand of classical times. See Mencius, VII, I, XXV.
- 49.
Mencius, VI, I, XI.
- 50.
Mencius, VI, I, VI, 5–6.
- 51.
This is a comment on YK, App. III, II, V, 41, also quoted above under Sect. 6.2.2.1 in the present chapter.
- 52.
Chu, son of the mythical emperor Yao, who was made the feudal prince of Tan, was said to find his pleasure only in indolence and dissipation and in pursuing a proud oppressive course. Ref. Shu King II, IV, 1, p. 60. Shang Chün, son of the mythical emperor Shun, was said to be unworthy of his father. Hence the latter passed the authority of the empire to Yü.
- 53.
Shu King, II, I, 3, p. 41.
- 54.
The name of the hexagram is Sui, or "following".
- 55.
Cf. *IC, I, 1b: 8–10.
- 56.
Chi Chi, or "Successful accomplishment" is the name of the Hexagram commented on.
- 57.
Hsieh Liang-tao, Ch’eng I’s disciple.
- 58.
Analects, XIX, VI.
- 59.
The idea of “increase” is derived from Hexagram no. 42, II. The idea of "diminution" is form Hexagram no. 41, Sun.
- 60.
See also *IC, III, 40b: 3–5, 8–11.
- 61.
Hex. no. 15.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Foreign Language Teaching and Research Publishing Co., Ltd and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ts’ai, Yc. (2018). Fundamentals of Ethical Teaching. In: The Philosophy of Ch’eng I. China Academic Library. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8566-6_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8566-6_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-8565-9
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-8566-6
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyPhilosophy and Religion (R0)