Philosophy for
the Ancient Chinese as demonstrated by Confucius is the immediate understanding
of things in one’s life. This is seen in
the way that Confucius perceives the philosophical problem in the absence of
social harmony and in the incorrect use of names. But before we shall proceed onto proving this
premise, let us first make clear what is the “philosophical” problem being
talked about, and as to how do the Chinese “perceive” this problem.
The
“philosophical” problem that Confucius is pointing out is the “problem”
concerning the inability of promoting harmony in one’s daily life and in all
the relationships he has with others and in his community. What makes it “philosophical” is that it is
not separate from one’s life. It is
something experienced.
Having the
“philosophical” problem identified, we now move on as to how do the Chinese
“perceive” this problem. The Chinese
people “perceive” such problem by realistically looking at the situation. This means that they look at the situation for
what it is, as to how they see it or feel it with their senses at the present
time, not beyond it.
What led to this
method of perceiving things is the historical background of Ancient China. This
is their background of being dependent in agriculture as a means for economic
prosperity and survival, which gives the idea that the majority of the populace
is composed of farmers. And being the
majority, it is not surprising that their way of thinking is adapted by the
community. In Fung Yu-Lan’s book
entitled A Short History of Chinese
Philosophy, he explains the following:
“What the
farmers have to deal with, such as the farm and crops, are all things which
they immediately apprehend. And in their
primitivity and innocence, they value what they thus immediately
apprehend. It is no wonder then, that
their philosophers likewise take the immediate apprehension of things as the
starting point of their philosophy.” 1
The explanation
given by Yu-Lan points out the realistic approach of the Chinese people towards
all that they experienced in their lives.
Being realistic meant taking
things in life as they are. It is the
immediate understanding in one’s life. This
means that the Chinese concern themselves of what do they see, hear, or feel in
real-time, not beyond it. In taking things as they are, understanding it
is quicker because of its simple nature.
These simple things became valuable in the lives of the Chinese people
because it was relatable to their daily living.
It is in this
sense that Philosophy, for the Ancient Chinese, is the immediate understanding
of things in one’s life. This is seen in
how Confucius perceives the philosophical problem, which is the lack of unity
and harmony in the issues of the absence of social harmony and the incorrect
use of names.
The
philosophical problem, which is the lack of unity and harmony, is not something
complex or incomprehensible. It is as
simple as how you see it, and it is not difficult to understand. This is how Confucius perceives the
philosophical problem. This is seen in
the issue of the absence of social harmony in the identification of its root
cause, which is said to be the lack of action on the part of the individual. The
lack of unity and harmony is observed in the lack of action to do what is good
or right, which is manifested by the individual. In the issue of the incorrect use of names,
the root cause is not acting out what one is “named” of or not acting out his
functions or duties in his family and his state. The lack of action is manifested in not
acting what one is “named”. In identifying these, one does not need to
overanalyze to grasp the problem at hand.
In simply seeing things as they
are at the moment, one can easily understand the situation or the problem. This is
what Confucius had shown in identifying the common problem of the issues. By thinking things in an uncomplicated way,
one can seek simple solutions for it.
It is in this uncomplicated way of thinking that one can have an
immediate understanding of things. In
this case, Confucius gives a clue as to what is the possible solution. That is to change one’s life by putting more
action into one’s involvement in the society and in his principles. This in turn is valuable for it involves the
one’s life in his family, friends and society, which explains the reasons why
it is given such importance to understand these problems. It is in this practical way of thinking, of
pointing out the common problem of lack of action to the issues of social
disorder and incorrect use of names, is the justification of the Philosophy of
the Ancient Chinese as an immediate understanding of things.
Confucius, by
his teachings shows that Philosophy for the ancient Chinese is the immediate
understanding of things. This is
observed in how he perceives the philosophical problem in the issues of the absence
of social harmony and the incorrect use of names. This simplistic perception is seen in the
identification of the root causes of social disorder and incorrect use of
names, which both points out the lack of action which breeds disorder in the
individual and the State. This
perception is simplistic, for it is relatable with one’s life, that it is
immediate understanding can be done. Immediate
understanding is only possible when one relates it with his life. It is
also for this reason that the primacy in understanding the problem at hand
represented by the issues of social disorder and incorrect use of names. It is
in this involvement of one in his life which makes such understanding
philosophical.
Now what makes
the sense of “immediate understanding” important? What marks the importance of
such understanding is that it gives the starting point of where to look
at. It gives that first clue as to how
one can approach the problem and solve it, not worsen the case at hand. Confucius showed this in his proposal of
following the Way and changing one’s way of living to something inclined to the
moral law, since he saw that because of human errors such as greed and pride
make things chaotic in all aspects of society.
It is in this
sense that the realization of Philosophy as an immediate understanding of
things must not be taken for granted. It
must be practiced into one’s life. It
can be seen that most of the conflicts in our daily living are rooted from
“overanalyzing” things out. Simple quarrels
in families are escalated into court trials because a member thought that their
brother or sister stole something out of rage.
Simple jokes in friends became reasons for vengeance and murder because
one thought the joke meant something. Panic
buying and extravagance makes one’s wallet empty because one assumed that he
will lose every supply or thing he wishes to possess. All of these happen because one
“overanalyzed” the situation at hand.
Because one thought about what is beyond what he saw, things became
complicated, which made the situation worse.
It made seeking for the solution and solving the conflict harder. Bad things happen, for people these days do
not think of things in relation to their lives, rather they think of things
that cannot be grasped even by their own thinking. Chaos, disorder happens because of one’s
propensity to “overanalyze” things.
Thinking things
in a simpler way becomes important in such critical times. By thinking things in a simpler manner, one
can identify what is really the problem that needed solving. It can make one think of an effective
solution, since understanding the situation is easy because of not
“overanalyzing” things out.
The case of
“overanalyzing” is uncommon in student life.
Overanalyzing in quizzes, exams, and lessons are one of the mistakes a
student commits in his academic life. This
then make understanding and appreciation of the lesson difficult. Exaggerated thinking clouds the mind from
seeing the simple idea that each lesson wishes to convey. It
makes one miss the important message all the lessons that had been taught, thus
resulting to the student to simply treat the lesson as something to pass and
get over with, thus preventing understanding to develop into his mind.
This case is no
stranger to every Philosophy student. It
is a common tendency to overanalyze things in the academic life of a Philosophy
student. With all the readings that are
assigned to think about, it is inevitable that all the information drowns the
simple point that it tries to convey to the student. This results to misinterpretation of the
text, which then leads the student to the wrong path of understanding. This
is where the concept of immediate understanding by Confucius makes its
value. As a Philosophy student, reflective
and systematic thinking must be embodied in our being. This type of thinking, however, will not
happen if one does not sit back and look at the things as they should be, out
of the exaggerated influences of technology and modernity. For one to think reflectively and
systematically, one must first think simply.
This does not mean to discard everything that one knows. This means that one must go back as to how it
would relate to his life as a starting point for thinking. One must first think about putting himself
into that idea that he is currently reading, how it would affect him, how it
would be of use to him and to his daily life.
It is in this way that lessons and readings can be priced and be
utilized in one’s mind, which then can lead one to another way of looking at
things in his life.
As a Philosophy student, this must be embodied
in one’s daily life. This must be
embodied in one’s lesson and readings every day. All of
the readings in Chinese Philosophy about the Analects must not be overanalyzed
and be dismissed as aphorisms plainly for intellectual satisfaction or for
intelligible discussions with peers. One
must relate these to his daily life, to his relationships with his brother,
sister, mother, father, and even his community and his government. Understanding
the university rules and complying with the requirements one’s professor gives
him are some examples of such application. In this sense he is putting these ideas in
immediate understanding, which then makes him realize some problems that he had
always overlooked and failed to solve.
It makes one think of the simple yet right solution for the
understanding the complexity of the texts and the lessons. This is true in reading the Analects. Truly the metaphors will astound anyone due
to its suggestiveness, which poses a threat of misinterpretation, which is a
grave mistake for a student in Ancient Chinese Philosophy to make. The point is that, one does not need to think
of something too unfamiliar or overly imaginative to read the Analects. It all takes one’s life experience and the
text, which could give one such realization to the point that he can say, “Why
haven’t I thought of it like this?” or “I never thought this is so relatable in
my life!” Say about the texts relating
to social disorder and incorrect use of names, one does not need to go over
politics or Logic to have a grasp of the thought. In simply thinking about one’s apathetic
attitude towards university elections and to one’s failure to fulfill his role
as a good brother or student, one can already have a grasp about what is it
that he must do. In such thinking one
can have an idea of what he is about to do next as he continues understanding
these things. By relating it to one’s life,
the life of a Philosophy student, lessons and readings fulfill its
purpose. This purpose is the
understanding of things in life.
Each lesson or
reading corresponds to a certain reality about life. The Analects by Confucius corresponds to the
reality of a human being having inherent goodness within his nature. This
is not farfetched from the life of a Chinese Philosophy student. Each Chinese Philosophy student has inherent
goodness within them, no matter how lazy they are in their studies, or no
matter how bad their grades are in every paper submitted or in their
examinations in Chinese Philosophy. The
challenge for the Philosophy student is to keep this goodness in them, no
matter how the dire situations of failing attempts to twist his values just to
get a good mark or to pass the subject. Even
in the simple realizations such as behaving one’s self in class discussions to
give respect to the teacher, and doing one’s duties as a student by studying
well to give honor to one’s parents are enough to justify the notion of
immediate understanding in student life.
This realization does not require
“A” grades or high intelligence quotients. Having
a simplistic thinking, having immediate apprehension of things, is enough to make
such realization. Simple minds see
things more clearly, such as a child can grasp the meaning of lessons and act
it out in his activity. One can understand what do to, and how to go
about it when he goes back to the basics.
Just as reading any lesson whether it is philosophical or not, it is
important to know its simplest idea.
This simplest idea is our involvement, our own selves that we put into
that reading or lesson once we begin to learn it. It is only in this that a student can
appreciate and value the lessons that he had been storing in his mind for all
the years in his academic life. This is
the simple understanding that the Analects wishes to convey to every student, a
Philosophy major or not.
Source:
1. Fung Yu-Lan, “The Background of
Chinese Philosophy”, (New York: The Free Press, 1948), In A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, 24.
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