Interpretation On Ren Yi Of Mencius' Theory

This dissertation mainly discuss Mencius' theory by RenYi, thought the theory of RenYi is not firstly put forward by Mencius, Mencius' paying attention on RenYi surpasses predecessors and influents later. Mohist school pay attention to the RenYi's implement and Taoist school pay attention to nature, which influent Mencius during praising the theory of RenYi. In Confucianism, there is a great change from Confucius' RenZhi to Mencius' ReYi, which is Mencius' stressing on deontology, which is about to stress on the inner value of moral and stress on the dignity of moral and stress on criticizing of moral on reality. The stressing on deontology and criticizing on Mohist school's "YiJili"(moral is utility) is profoundly reasonable.On structure, Mencius praises the "Siduan"(four character on human nature), but the four character is not equal in position, RenYi is surpass Lizhi, or RenYi represents the human nature. On character, Mencius distinguish the Tian(heaven) and Ming(fate), Xing(nature) and fate, learn to the Mohist distinguishing the heaven and fate, praising heaven and negating fate, reform the theory of heaven and fate of Confucius', lay the basis of Xin(heart) and nature on heaven, which founds a tidy and delicate system of apriorism on moral.On the meaning of RenYi, RenYi is essentially moral rationalism. Mencius defines the RenYi in theory point and reality point. In theory point, RenYi is CeYinZhiXin and Xiu'EZhiXin, while in reality, RenYi is about family and country. RenYi is equal in former while is different in later, and the later one relate many facts, such as nature and society, emotion and rational, different and equal, individual and whole, family and country, reality and theory. Mencius tries to connect them, but gives priority to the former in the end. There are many reasons influent Mencius to say so, such as Confucianism, SiMeng school, Mencius' structure and patriarchal clan system. Mencius' ideal is comprehensible in his point, while its' position deviates the position of wholism of Confucianism which is founded by Confucius. Mencius' position is adjusted not only by outer Confucianism, but also by Confucianism itself.In order to deal with the important relation family and country in reality, RenYi in theory turns into Ren and Yi in contrast in reality, which becomes the moral rule dealing the family and country in part. Or we can say that in order to deal with the family and country, Mencius concludes the Ren and Yi, ascends them as one RenYi in theory. There are consistent or inconsistent between family and country. When family and country is in consistent, Mencius tries to govern the country by filial piety in front, while in reverse, Mencius treats Mozi and Yangzhu as his great opponent in debate, for them threaten the Ren and Yi. When the family and country is in inconsistent, the idea of "RenXianYiHou"(Ren before Yi), "RenBenYiMo"(Ren is essential while Yi is superficial) of Mencius' inevitably comes up "JiaXianGuoHou"(family is former while country is later) or "JiaDaGuoXiao"(family is big while country is small). The fact that Mencius(Dashun) taking family into account while not taking country into account is essentially in logic, and some other words or behavior in similar come up for many times. Mencius' treating family and country is reasonable independently, while isn't so from the whole position of Confucianism. Confucius' idea "JunJunChenChenFuFuZiZi" reflects that Confucius putting more importance on whole and society, while Mencius' idea "WuFuWuJunShiQinShou"(become animals if no father and king) reflects that Mencius putting more importance on individual and nature. It is right to pay attention to nature and connect society, but it will come to its' reverse if negate society for nature. It is right to pay attention to emotion in family, but it will come to its reverse if negate rational for emotion. It is right to pay attention to father-son membership, but it will come to its' reverse if negate king-official membership. Though Mencius treats his system perfect, it is one point, one stage of the history of Confucianism. We can say that Mencius is supplement to Confucianism, or is deviating from Confucianism. The later SanGang(three moral rules) putting king-official membership before father-son membership shows that later Confucianism accepting Confucius' position of stressing on whole, while Mencius' stressing on family and nature becomes secondary."YanBiChengYaoShun" is "ZuShuYaoShun" in fact, adds "XianZhangWenWu", which reflects Mencius' perfect personality. For the "TangWuGeMing"(revolutionary of TangWu) is adjustment of tyranny and safeguard of Renyi(ruling by moral), Mencius differentiates the "Dufu"(autocrat) and "Minzei"(traitor to the people), "Zeiren"(harm Ren) and "ZeiYi"(harm Yi), "Daguo"(crime) and "Xiaoguo"(mistake) perfects the main aspects of revolutionary. Mencius' perfect personality is Dashun, isn't Confucius or Dayu. On theoretical point of Renyi, Dashun is representative in "YouRenYiXing"(doing under RenYi). When family and country is consistent, Dashun is dutiful son. When family and country is not consistent, Dashun is representative putting family before country. Dashun is representative not only in equal aspect of human nature, but also indiscrimination in reality. In essential, Dashun and Mencius seems two but one in fact. Dashun is representative of Mencius' theory, which decides that the position of Dashun must follow that of Mencius' in the book of Mencius. On the other hand, Mencius proofs, defends the doing of Dashun, which is not only defending for Dashun, but also for Mencius himself. Mencius' defending is comprehensible, but not right, for every person in reality, every system in history of philosophy is limiting. Mencius' exertion on RenYi melts into history of philosophy.