Philosophy Confucius and Mencius Terms to know

Ren 仁

"true goodness"

Junzi 君子

"superior person", noble son, person who is successful in their relationships

Xiao ren 小人

"petty person, commoner"

Xiao 孝

Filial Piety, filial respect, loyalty, patriotism, and the relationship between the young and the old

De/Te 德

virtue, inner power, inner strength

Li 理

ultimate principle, coherence of all truths 理

Li 禮

rites, ritual, propriety, harmony not conformity to custom and tradition

Li 利

profit, grain

Tian 天

heaven

Ming 命

decree, word, fate

Tian ming 天命

decree of heaven, ultimate truth

Yì 義

righteousness

Legalism/realism/Yangzi

Power to get whatever I want

Mohism, Mozi

Dao 道

path, road, way, "The Way" (of a good life), the good person's life as a whole from birth to death, comes from self cultivation of characters

Zhi 智

Wisdom

Xing 性

human nature” or "inborn”

大

(the character for large)

Shù 恕= - 性 for Confucius)

Empathy, Sympathetic Understanding (is also Human nature [xing]

Ru 儒

ritual masters, cultural specialists in Zhou practices (Confucians are called "Ruists")

Wu wei 無爲

effortless action

Wei 爲

deliberate action

Xin 心

heart, mind, true self

Qi (chi) 氣

energy, life force

Neighbor-Neighbor aka Subject-Ruler relationship

5th most important relationship

Parent-Child relationship

First most important relationship

Spouse- Spouse Relationship

Second most important relationship

Sibling-Sibling Relationship

3rd most important relationship

Friend-Friend relationship

4th most important relationship

3 kinds of experts to become junzi

Expert in ancient texts, virtue and something good for society