Confucian Analects

Having recently finished reading the Confucian classic text 'The Analects', i want to share some of the observations i have made with you.
I have often heard the term 'Confucian Hierarchy' used in descriptions of Asian culture. but after reading The Analects i can say that the implication that Confucius promoted strict social hierarchy in the way we understand it today is misleading. While he often refers to loyalty to one's superiors as a duty, this is in the spirit of service and not in the spirit of submissiveness or tyranny of the powerful. For example, he often says that if you don't agree with the actions of the superior whom you serve, it is your duty to speak out against them, or you can be held responsible for the results of their improper action. And Confucius himself often moved around between states in service of their rulers according to how well the rules of propriety were being upheld in any place. While the text itself is sometimes paradoxical and self-contradictory, and Confucius himself a flawed man in many ways (e.g. he asks for forgiveness after consorting with a wicked concubine of one of the rulers he served), there's lots of good advice on how to balance various pressures in life to find a 'middle-way'. The text is assertive of facts but not superstitious or theological (the closest it gets is mentioning 'heavens will' and 'the way'). This echoes a kind of message heard from well-meaning thinkers through history- there is no (vengeful, all powerful) god, but there is good. Regular mentions of gentlemanliness and civility remind me of old English chivalry and European aristocratic values. Maybe those boastful scholars from the Confucian temple in Beijing that i mentioned in an early post were not so wrong after all......
Here are some quotes from The Analects that, to me, seem fundamental:
Book 1, paragraph 1: "That friends should come to one from afar, is this not after all delightful?"- useful for encouraging hospitality to foreigners....
"To remain unsoured even though one's merits are unrecognised by others, is that not afterall what is expected of a gentleman?"
para 3: "clever talk and a pretentious manner are seldom found in the good"
para 10: "our master (Confucius) gets things done by being cordial, frank, courteous, temperate, deferential"
para 15: "poor, yet delighting in the way, rich, yet a student of ritual"
Book 2: "let there be no evil in your thoughts"
"Govern the people by moral force, keep order among them by ritual and they will keep their self-respect and come to you of their own accord"
"A gentleman does not preach what he practices until he has practiced what he preaches"
"A Gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question from only one side."
"He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger."

He often talks about truth (reliability) and loyalty, service, courage and learning from the ancients (e.g. Book of Songs)
It is demanded that authorities should not abuse labour (only assign tasks that people are capable of) and rulers should be affectionate towards their subjects
Also rating a mention is the need to admit mistakes- take responsibility as we might say- and by following these methods we can 'build up moral force' which gives us power and persuasiveness.
Many of these practical principles espoused by Confucius maintain their relevance into modern times- and offer an seem to contain an earthy wisdom that is a welcome relief from the polarizing religious and ideological dogmas that still persist into the 21st century.
More difficult for modern societies to accept would be the misogynist elements (3 submissions to father, husband and son) of Confucius teaching- which, as essential cultural habits of his time and place- were in all probably-hood- simply adopted for popularity amongst stability-adoring Chinese kings.

Simultaneous to my perusing of the teaching of Confucius, my health has been struggling to adapt to life at 2000m in the cold, high mountains of northern Sichuan. Perhaps such an ancient remedy as those used in Confucius times could warm my chilled bones, but none such traditional healers are to be found in this tourist town ('It's a trick'- i've been told by modernity-loving communist party members), though many rare herbs are known to litter the slopes.
Fortunately my knowing father sent some modern-style supplements to give my immunity a boost, and my newly formed habit of playing regular B'ball has a way of improving circulation, keeping me warm and healthy.- 'Hen li hai'- colleagues say to describe my b'ball game.
Unfortunately the cold also makes one's more susceptible to injuries, and so it was that in the heat of play one afternoon the sharp jabbing of the ball into my little finger left it poking out at an awkward angle, dislocated for all to see. With a growl, I popped it back in and kept playing, but this injury was to come back to haunt me...
Other events happening around this time were the visit of AYAD Peter (Wang Xingzui's assistant) from Beijing, with whom i had some interesting cross-cultural discussions (he seemed intent on playing teacher), and we also discussed the future possibilities of AYAD-JZG co-operation.
2009 is also the China year of ecotourism- as launched with some fanfare by a posse of party leaders (though not highest level) at a ceremony in Hainan recently. The words in their speeches that day inspired some hope- e.g. acknowledging the complementarity of ecotourism with China's future development goals and opening up policies. However, this apparent enthusiasm was not later backed up by actual policies or initiatives, as i fruitlessly waited all year for any new policy announcements on the pages of the relevant government websites related to tourism and environment. The hype was all huff and puff it seemed- perhaps motivated in large part by the narrow interests of developers who (in cahoots with government officials) have been making millions at the expense of the environment while property prices skyrocketed during the past decade in Hainan.
We'll these musings are over for now, an old time recalled and recorded to some completion, I hope it is of some relevance and interest to you. Best of health and happiness as always
Callum