For what was recorded in the Analects, when Confucius was traveling and teaching from state to state,

some of the rulers would come to him for advice as to how to govern. The answers he gave had more or less revolved around the following themes. The ruler must first rectify himself and govern virtuously in accordance with propriety and righteousness. If he elevates the upright and punishes the crooked, the state will become stable. But it is only when he enriches, educates, and gains the confidence of the people would the state come to enjoy peace and prosperity. The idea of government for the people was already there for all to see. Confucius on The Essentials of Government !n e"cerpt from The Six Patriarchs of Chinese Humanism !uthor# $eter %.&. Chan
!ll rights reserved

============================================= The first thing to note, said Confucius, is that to govern is to rectify. [ Analects 12:17] When the ruler rectifies himself, he can move the people without commands. Otherwise, none will o ey even if he orders them to do so. [ ! id. 13:6] For what is also known, when those who govern relish propriety and righteousness, no one will dare to diso ey or show disrespect. [ ! id. 13:4] 'hat that shows is that if those who govern relish propriety, it will e easy for them to direct the people. [ ! id. 14:41] (ikewise, if the ruler is solemn when he presides over the people, they will respect him. !f he is filial and affectionate, the people will e loyal to him. [
! ! id. 2:20]

Comment# For those who are not already in the know, let me also point out that this Confucian logic of self)rectification was further crystalli*ed in the Great Learning as follows. When the mind is rectified, personal

life will e cultivated" when personal life is cultivated, family affairs will e regulated" when family affairs are regulated, the state will e in order" and when the state is in order, there will e peace throughout the world. "#$$#%&%&#'('
(#)*+ #reat $earning Te!t: "#

That is also to say, if those who hold official titles are not rectified, instructions will have no effect and the tas% of governing will not e carried to completion. !f the usiness of government is not carried to completion, &.. punishments will miss their mar%. !f punishments miss their mar%, the people would not %now what to do. [,-.-. /0/0 $ 12345678 'nalects 13:3] The cru" of the matter is therefore this# if the ruler does not rectify himself, how can he correct others( [ 9:;<= ! id. 13:13] It is therefore not to be assumed that those who do not rectify themselves with humaneness and righteousness would have what it takes to govern a state, let alone pacify the world. !nother thing to note, said Confucius, is that when those who are upright are elevated and those who are croo%ed punished, people will ecome compliant. Otherwise, they will ? ? > not su mit. [ > ! id . 2:1%] Besides, elevating the upright and punish the croo%ed will also influence the croo%ed to ecome upright. [@>AB? 9 ? > Ibid. 12:22] !s he was also reported to have said in the Doctrine of the Mean: The tas% of governing is contingent upon the right %ind of men. !t is only when personal character is cultivated in accordance with the Way, and the Way in accordance with humaneness, could the right %ind of men e o tained. (CDE;F;$G$GH Doctrine of the
Mean, Section 20)

In the view of Confucius therefore, he who governs y virtuous deeds could e compared to the )orth Star, which is NO surrounded y all the other stars. [IJ:KLM5 Ibid. 2:1] +r what amounts to the same, the virtue of a %ingly

person *or one who is %ing+ is li%e wind, and the people are li%e grass. They end with the wind. [PQIRS;ITT R U V Ibid. 12:19] That is to say, it is only when the ruler ehaves li%e a *virtuous+ ruler would ministers, fathers and sons also ehave in the proper way. [ P P W W X X Q Q ! id. 12:11] It also means that only those who govern without action *i.e., y way of virtuous deeds rather than force+ are in the company of ,ao *one of the ancient sage-%ings+. [4D(
YZ[ Ibid. 15:5]

Further, note should also be taken that people could only e made to act *according to principles+, ut cannot e forced to understand them. [ \]\^ 'nalects &:%] That is to say, to govern with law and punishment may prevent people from crime, ut that would not instill in them a sense of shame. !t is only y guiding them with virtuous deeds and rought in line y way of propriety will they ecome shameful enough to set themselves right. [G&1_4` GI&a`bc Ibid.. 2:3] Thus, as to what should e done to ordinary fol%s, Confucius, reply was# .nrich& and educate them. [defg<hi=jkl ... mIbid. 13:9] In light of the above, said Confucius# 'nyone who runs a state of a thousand chariots ought to govern conscientiously and in good faith. Curtail expenditures, love the people, and employ them at the proper seasons. [Gnop /q r; Ibid. 1:5] /o whatever is eneficial to the people& as% them to toil only on what is feasi le and worthwhile. [ s 5 t t u \ v v Ibid. 20:2] $ead 4x Ibid. them to wor% hard& and do so tirelessly. [wv 13:1] When there is enough to eat and soldiers to deploy, the people will have confidence in their government&. without which, no state is a le to stand. [8y8zqf 4q { Ibid. 12:7] !s a matter of fact, it is only when resources are e0uita ly distri uted with poverty and helplessness eliminated could peace and sta ility e attained. [ |}4~4
4 Ibid. 16:1]

The social dynamics of it all -as it was further spelled out in the Great Leaning. is basically this# when the ruler cares a out old fol%s, people will e enthusiastic a out filial piety. When the ruler is good at fostering adults, people will e %ind to the young. 'nd when the ruler is compassionate to the orphaned, people are ound do li%ewise. This is why a %ingly person *or one who is %ing+ must gauge and measure his own conduct. ( P Q a G Great Learning, Commentary 10) 1y li%ing what the people li%e as well as disli%ing what they do not li%e is what is meant y eing 2father and mother3 to the people. (
55X Ibid.).

Comment# !s readers can see, the most basic of what is referred to nowadays as /government for the people0 was already there for all to see. 'ith regard to these principles, the Great Learning is also more than eager to elaborate. When all wealth is accumulated *for the ruler+, people will scatter away" ut when wealth is distri uted among the people, they will gather around him. (CIbid. Commentary 10) 'hat that means is that a state should consider righteousness, rather than material enefits, as its real profit. ( 'tDtDt Ibid.) There has never een a ruler who loves humaneness, and the people do not love righteousness. ( a H * Ibid.) There has never een a ruler who loves righteousness, and the affairs of state are not carried to completion. )either has there een a case where the treasury of such a a state is not in the possession of its ruler. (a/ Ibid.) It should thus be seen that virtue is fundamental, and wealth is its conse0uential effect. (I Ibid.) 'hat this means is that those who control their states should never e careless. !f they deviate from the correct path, the whole world would ecome misguided. ( a ' \ D ) * f Ibid.) +n the other hand, if they guide the people with virtue, they will %eep their states. To lose *the support of+ the people is to lose their states. ( G I ' ' Ibid.) This is why a %ingly person *or one who is %ing+ must rule y way of conscientiousness and faithfulness" pride and arrogance could only lead him to lose what he has got. (CPQ
a GU!q Ibid.)

But it is not to say that Confucius was blind to the real politics of his day. For he also said that when the Way *of humane and righteous government+ prevails in the world, it is the usiness of the Son of Heaven *emperor+ to institute rules of propriety and music as well as initiating military campaigns. However, when the Way does not prevail in the world, such decisions will come from the feudal lords. When that happens, the ruling house would usually lose control within ten generations. 4urther, if such important decisions were left for high officials to ma%e, the ruling house would usually lose power in five generations. 'nd if these were left to the decision of lower officials, the ruling house would usually lose power in three generations. !n short, it is only when the Way prevails in the world that officials will not need to worry a out governance, and the people will not have to argue amongst themselves.
[)*aG )Q)*4GBB| f -fW'f)* aGE )*aGe; Analects 16:2] It was also

his view that even if there were a real %ing, it would still ta%e a generation to esta lish a humane government" [:aU H Ibid. 13:12] and that cruelty and %illing could only e done away with when the state is governed y the virtuous for a hundred years. [;D\f Ibid. 13:11] 1is advice to his disciples was therefore this. Have confidence in what you have loved and learned, and uphold your virtuous Way to the end. /o not enter an endangered state, nor stay in a chaotic one. !f the Way prevails in the world, present yourself. Otherwise, hide. [qG ; M ) * a G 4 G Ibid. 8:13] That is to say, if the Way prevails in the state, e an official. 1ut if the Way is re5ected y the state, roll up your ideas and %eep them Ibid. 15:7] !n the in your chest. [aG4G\ former case, spea% and act oldly. !n the latter, act oldly ut spea% hum ly. [aG-4G- Ibid. 1 :3]

Comment# In the Doctrine of the Mean, Confucius was also reported to have said that if the Way prevails in the state, words are sufficient to stand out. Otherwise, it is good enough to maintain silence. 'aG -8'4G8 /octrine of the 6ean, 'ection 20# !nd as if to help make the point stick, he also said that this is what is meant y the saying in the 1oo% of Odes that to protect one3s person is oth intelligent and wise. jkdbZ ! id.# For what history has to tell, it was perhaps for the popularity of this saying among Chinese intellectuals that revolutions in traditional China were largely peasant)led, and in the name of other ideologies rather than Confucianism. +r, to look at the matter more sympathetically, it may indeed be wiser for all kingly persons to preserve their eggs of humaneness and righteousness perhaps for some later day, than to crush them immediately against any hard and stupid tyrannical stone.

Furthermore, said Confucius# /o not cooperate with those who su scri e to a different Way. [GDIbid. 15: 0] !t is shameful to e poor and destituted in a humane state as it is to e rich and no le in an inhumane one. [ aG~bi` 4 G l b i ` Ibid. 8:13] !t is also a shame to e provided for y a state regardless of whether or not the Way is eing upheld. [ aG4G` Ibid. 1 :1] Therefore, do not e impatient or ta%e notice of small advantages. To e impatient is not conducive to success, whereas paying attention to small advantages will never accomplish anything St /0 Ibid. 13:17] +r great. [44St what amounts to the same, accept emolument only if you have really served the ruler with reverence. [/P/y Ibid. 15:38] 2emember( a really determined and humane person would not ditch his humaneness 5ust for the sa%e of staying alive" he would rather die for its reali7ation. [H;4
Ha0H Ibid. 15:9]

(ast but not least, it should also be registered that the ultimate goal of Confucius -as he was reported to have envisioned in the Book of Propriety. is none other than

this# When the great Way *of Humanity+ prevails&. every one will find his8her place in the world. The virtuous and capa le as well as those who are trustworthy and peace loving will e appointed *to serve as officials+. 's a result, no one would care only for his own parents and children, ut would see% to provide refuge for the aged, employment for the a le odied, support for the orphaned, and care for the widowed, disa led and sic%. & 's no one would la or 5ust for himself, neither would anyone need to shut his doors for fear of theft or ro ery. Such a state of affairs is called #reat 9nity. ( Qj
G)*DZ9q$C;Q Qa5a5ra5a5 UDCC Book of Propriety, C!a"ter 9) This, if I may say so,

is also the goal of socialism as it has come to be known -i.e., from each according to his ability, to each according to his need..

$eter %.&. Chan is the author of The 6ystery of 6ind published 3445., and Soul, #od, and 6orality -published 3446.. 2ecently, he has also competed any work titled The Six Patriarchs of Chinese Humanism -copyrighted and available in ebooks, but not yet in print.. For details regarding the above, please visit htt):**sites.+oo+le.com*site*)m,chan*home htt):**sites.+oo+le.com*site*)atriarchsofchinese)hiloso)h-*home htt):**....lulu.com*s)otli+ht*)eterm,chan