Religions Of The World

Front 1

Rectification of Names

Back 1

"Cheng-ming"

“If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, then what must be done remains undone; if this remains undone, morals and art will deteriorate; if justice goes astray, the people will stand about in helpless confusion. Hence there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. This matters above everything.”

From The Analects of Confucius, Book 13, Verse 3 (James R. Ware, translated in 1980.)

Confucian doctrine that to know and use the proper designations of things in the web of relationships that creates meaning, a community, and then behaving accordingly so as to ensure social harmony is The Good.[1] Since social harmony is of utmost importance, without the proper rectification of names, society would essentially crumble and "undertakings [would] not [be] completed." [2]

Front 2

Jen/Ren

Back 2

human heartedness; goodness; benevolence, man-to-man-ness; what makes man distinctively human (that which gives human beings their humanity).

the confucian value of humanness.

virtue of virtues.

Front 3

Chung-Shu

Back 3

find

Front 4

T'ien-Ming

Back 4

The long-held Chinese belief in Tien Ming, the Mandate from Heaven for their rulers.

"T'ien" - heaven

Front 5

Yi

Back 5

justice, righteousness; meaning

It is the moral disposition to do good.[1]

Front 6

Covenant

Back 6

180, para 6

Front 7

Torah

Back 7

181, para 3