Confucian ren has been used in many ways. Ren is the ideal moral character to achieve that is grounded in human nature. Karyn Lai calls ren a dynamic concept as it “denotes both specific relational attachment (renkinship) and compassion for others (rencompassion)” (Lai 2008:62). How can this be so since one is a form of partial love and the other impartial love? Which takes precedence and what is their relationship? In this essay, I will first lay out Confucius’ view on ren and explain how it is dynamic, followed by how this dynamic nature is possible.
Ren’s multiple aspects
I think for a concept to be dynamic, it must fulfil two conditions. First, it mustn’t be just a single universal principle but encompasses different aspects. It is not a rigid ‘one size fits all’ answer. Second, it must be able to adapt or change …show more content…
The first is filial piety (xiao) which is highlighted in the current literature. For example Li Chenyang says that “ren is an all-encompassing quality that includes various virtuous qualities, filial love (xiao) being one of them” (Li 2008: 137). The second is a general love for all (rencompassion). This is one very clear example of how ren varies across different social relationships between two people. A ren person is not to treat everyone with the same kind of love, but to treat one’s parents differently from the rest of the community. “Parents and elder siblings have obligations to nurture the younger members of the family, yet the younger members must be devoted and obedient in turn” (Sarkissian 2010: 726). So how one acts depends on one’s relationship with the other party. Being “interrelated persons living” “a multiplicity of roles that constitute who we are” (Henry and Ames 2008: 15), the social roles define ren and ren is realized in these roles (Li 1997: 225-227). Hence this fulfils the second condition of being dynamic as ren is adaptive and changes according to social
Ren’s multiple aspects
I think for a concept to be dynamic, it must fulfil two conditions. First, it mustn’t be just a single universal principle but encompasses different aspects. It is not a rigid ‘one size fits all’ answer. Second, it must be able to adapt or change …show more content…
The first is filial piety (xiao) which is highlighted in the current literature. For example Li Chenyang says that “ren is an all-encompassing quality that includes various virtuous qualities, filial love (xiao) being one of them” (Li 2008: 137). The second is a general love for all (rencompassion). This is one very clear example of how ren varies across different social relationships between two people. A ren person is not to treat everyone with the same kind of love, but to treat one’s parents differently from the rest of the community. “Parents and elder siblings have obligations to nurture the younger members of the family, yet the younger members must be devoted and obedient in turn” (Sarkissian 2010: 726). So how one acts depends on one’s relationship with the other party. Being “interrelated persons living” “a multiplicity of roles that constitute who we are” (Henry and Ames 2008: 15), the social roles define ren and ren is realized in these roles (Li 1997: 225-227). Hence this fulfils the second condition of being dynamic as ren is adaptive and changes according to social