Junzi
Encyclopedia
Junzi or nobleman, was a term used by Confucius
(and the Duke of Wen
in the main Yi Jing
), to describe his ideal human. To Confucius, the functions of government and social stratification were facts of life to be sustained by ethical values; thus his ideal human was the junzi. Often translated as "gentleman" or "superior person" and sometimes "exemplary person", the junzi literally means "lord's son
". As the potential leader of a nation, a son of the ruler is raised to have a superior ethical and moral position while gaining inner peace through being virtuous. Despite its literal meaning, any righteous man willing to improve himself can become a junzi. Paul Goldin's translation of junzi as "noble man" is a clever attempt to suggest both the earlier political meaning as well as the later moral meaning.
On the contrary, the petty person or xiaoren ' onMouseout='HidePop("92449")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pinyin
: xiăo rén, lit. "small person") does not grasp the value of the Confucian virtues and seeks only immediate gains. The petty person is egotistic and does not consider the consequences of his action to the overall scheme of things. Should the ruler be surrounded by xiaoren as opposed to junzi, his governance and his people will suffer due to their small-mindness. Examples of such "xiaoren" individuals can range from those who continually indulge in sensual and emotional pleasures all day, or the careerist politician who is interested merely in power and fame; neither sincerely aims for the long-term benefit of others.
The junzi enforces rule in his subjects by acting virtuously himself. It is thought that his pure virtue will lead others to follow his example. The ultimate goal is that government behaves much like family. Thus at all levels filial piety promotes harmony and the junzi acts as a beacon for this piety.
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
(and the Duke of Wen
King Wen of Zhou
King Wen of Zhou family name : Ji , Clan name : Zhou Personal name: Chang, known as Zhou Chang or Xibo Chang was the founder of the Zhou Dynasty and the first epic hero of Chinese history....
in the main Yi Jing
Yi Jing
I Ching is one of Chinese classic texts.I Ching may also refer to:* I Ching , a Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk* I Ching , fictional, blind martial artist published by DC Comics...
), to describe his ideal human. To Confucius, the functions of government and social stratification were facts of life to be sustained by ethical values; thus his ideal human was the junzi. Often translated as "gentleman" or "superior person" and sometimes "exemplary person", the junzi literally means "lord's son
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
". As the potential leader of a nation, a son of the ruler is raised to have a superior ethical and moral position while gaining inner peace through being virtuous. Despite its literal meaning, any righteous man willing to improve himself can become a junzi. Paul Goldin's translation of junzi as "noble man" is a clever attempt to suggest both the earlier political meaning as well as the later moral meaning.
On the contrary, the petty person or xiaoren ' onMouseout='HidePop("92449")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: xiăo rén, lit. "small person") does not grasp the value of the Confucian virtues and seeks only immediate gains. The petty person is egotistic and does not consider the consequences of his action to the overall scheme of things. Should the ruler be surrounded by xiaoren as opposed to junzi, his governance and his people will suffer due to their small-mindness. Examples of such "xiaoren" individuals can range from those who continually indulge in sensual and emotional pleasures all day, or the careerist politician who is interested merely in power and fame; neither sincerely aims for the long-term benefit of others.
The junzi enforces rule in his subjects by acting virtuously himself. It is thought that his pure virtue will lead others to follow his example. The ultimate goal is that government behaves much like family. Thus at all levels filial piety promotes harmony and the junzi acts as a beacon for this piety.