The Ren of Confucius (ES)

     Book 10 of Confucius largely seems to examine the character and behavior of Confucius and 

particularly the ritual behavior of Confucius. The examples book 10 presents provides many moments of

Confucius not only practicing ritual, but actively practicing ren i.e. humanness. The book shows several 

times how respectful, and conscious of his surroundings and his fellow man Confucius is. For example 

right away in analect 10. 1 we are told that, "In his village community, Confucius was respectful and 

circumspect, seeming to be at a loss for words. When in ancestral temples or at court, however, he spoke

eloquently, through always with caution and restraint". 

    Ren is the word often translated as Good, but means something more like humanness and it is often 

tempered by shu (Understanding), Therefore Confucius knowing and showing when one ought to be kind 

and respectful and cautious and hold onto restraint is a perfect example I feel of having and practicing 

ren. And Book 10 shows us numerous  examples of just how ingrained ren was in Confucius's nature 

or character. Another example would can be seen in analect 10.11. Here we are told that Confucius, 

"Even though a meal was only a course grain or vegetable broth, he invariably gave some as a sacrificial 

offering, and would do so in a grave and respectful manner". Yes this passage clearly has to do with ritual, 

but at the same time I think its showing that intrinsically, separating something such as ritual from ren, 

humanness may just be impossible. Thus, the respect he is showing here is in fact ren. The last example 

of Confucius actively showing his ren appears in analect 10.17. Here we are told that, "One day the

stables burned. When the Master returned home from court, he asked, "Was any one hurt?" He did not ask

about the horses". This is a great example that shows just how much care and respect Confucius had for

human life. Even though workers could be replaced and the horses and stables might have been arguably 

much more valuable than the human labors, his first thought is not oh my stable has been burned, oh my

horses are they hurt, no its were any humans injured. Therefore, through these few example we can see

just how poignant and powerful ren is and how ingrained in was in Confucius and his life. 

Comments

  1. Krishnan VenkateshApril 5, 2022 at 9:56 AM

    This is thoughtful. Remember Middlemarch? -- especially Farebrother and Garth. The narrator says in ch.61, "There is no general doctrine which is not capable of eating out our morality if unchecked by the deep-seated habit of direct fellow-feeling with individual fellow-men." The last phrase might be a perfect translation of Ren.

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