Abstract

In the book the Analects, what were mentioned most by Confucius were rites and benevolence. His political guideline was "self-restraint and restoration of the rites." The "benevolence" that he talked about was thought of as the highest moral principle and moral virtue. In the philosophy of the various classes, politics and morality are inseparable. The moral principles of various classes all serve [the interests of] their own class; class struggle is politics. Therefore, we can say that there is no morality that can be separated from politics, and there is absolutely no such thing as a moral principle that does not satisfy the needs of the politics of a particular class. The "rites" and "benevolence" which Confucius talked about were basically two sides of the same thing. His statement "Self-restraint and the restoration of rites is benevolence" explains this problem.