Essence of the Four Books and Five Classics

Author: Wei Yu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: I believe that before the Confucian tradition emerged or even before the time of Confucius, these values already existed, creating the conditions for the Confucian tradition. If we look closely, take the Five Classics as an example—the Book of Songs highlights that humans are animals, while the Book of Documents emphasizes that humans have a tendency toward ultimate concern. This shows that Confucianism, from the very beginning, had a comprehensive understanding of human nature, rather than a prescriptive approach. At least four aspects were already grasped: the individual, the group, nature, and the Dao of Heaven. Therefore, I argue that the Confucian tradition is an inclusive humanism, not an exclusive one.