- "Li (Chinese: 禮; pinyin: lǐ) is a classical Chinese word which is commonly used in Chinese philosophy, particularly within Confucianism."
The Confucian concept of propriety or social norms, which involves behaving in accordance with established customs and practices.
Confucius: The founder of Confucianism, who developed the idea of li as a fundamental concept for achieving harmony and order in society.
Meaning of li: The word "li" can be translated as "ritual" or "propriety," and it refers to the set of rules and guidelines that govern social behavior in Confucianism.
The Five Relationships: The core of Confucian social philosophy, which outlines the proper relationships between ruler and subject, parent and child, husband and wife, elder and younger brother, and friend and friend.
Filial Piety: The Confucian virtue of respecting and honoring one's parents and ancestors, which is considered to be the foundation of all other relationships.
Analects: The primary text of Confucianism, which contains the teachings and sayings of Confucius and his disciples.
The Four Books: A collection of Confucian texts that includes The Analects, The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, and The Book of Mencius.
The Role of Education: The idea that education is essential for developing moral character and cultivating a sense of responsibility and duty to society.
The Importance of Tradition: The belief that respect for tradition and authority is necessary for maintaining social order and stability.
The Mandate of Heaven: The Confucian belief that rulers gain their authority from Heaven and must govern according to the principles of morality and justice.
The Virtues: The qualities that Confucians aim to cultivate in themselves and others, including compassion, loyalty, honesty, and humility.
Ceremonial Li: Refers to the rites and rituals performed for important events, such as funerals, weddings, and holidays.
Social Li: Refers to the rules of behavior and etiquette observed in social interactions and relationships.
Political Li: Refers to the behavior and actions expected of rulers and officials in governing a state or society.
Moral Li: Refers to the ethical principles and values that guide human behavior, such as compassion, honesty, and respect.
Family Li: Refers to the customs and traditions observed within families, including ancestor worship and filial piety.
Personal Li: Refers to the self-cultivation and self-discipline necessary to become a virtuous person, such as proper dress, posture, and speech.
- "Li does not encompass a definitive object but rather a somewhat abstract idea and, as such, is translated in a number of different ways." - "Wing-tsit Chan explains that li originally meant 'a religious sacrifice, but has come to mean ceremony, ritual, decorum, rules of propriety, good form, good custom, etc., and has even been equated with natural law.'"
- "In Chinese cosmology, human agency participates in the ordering of the universe by means of Li ('rites')." - "Performing the correct ritual focuses, links, orders, and moves the social, which is the human realm, in correspondence with the terrestrial and celestial realms to keep all three in harmony."
- "One of the most common definitions [of a rite] is that it transforms the invisible to visible." - "Through the performance of rites at appropriate occasions, humans make visible the underlying order."
- "This procedure has been described as centering, which used to be the duty of the Son of Tian, the emperor." - "But it was also done by all those who conducted state, ancestral, and life-cycle rites."
- "Those who conducted state, ancestral, and life-cycle rites." - "Daoists who conducted the rites of local gods."
- "[Li] join[ed] textual learning to bodily practices for harmonization of exodgonous and endogenous origins of energy (qi) for a longer healthier life."
- "Li was thought of as the abstract force that made government possible—along with the mandate of heaven it metaphysically combined with—and it ensured 'worldly authority' would bestow itself onto competent rulers."
- "Ceremony, ritual, decorum, rules of propriety, good form, good custom, etc."
- "Li originally meant 'a religious sacrifice.'"
- "Performing the correct ritual focuses, links, orders, and moves the social, which is the human realm, in correspondence with the terrestrial and celestial realms to keep all three in harmony."
- "In Chinese cosmology, human agency participates in the ordering of the universe by means of Li."
- "Centering used to be the duty of the Son of Tian, the emperor."
- "All those who conducted state, ancestral, and life-cycle rites."
- "Correct conduct of human relations."
- "[Li] join[s] textual learning to bodily practices for harmonization of exodgonous and endogenous origins of energy (qi) for a longer healthier life."
- "Centering the forces of exemplary history."
- "Arts of divination such as the earliest of all Chinese classics—the Book of Changes (Yi Jing)—joining textual learning to bodily practices for harmonization."
- "Centering used to be the duty of the Son of Tian, the emperor."
- "Li metaphysically combined with the mandate of heaven and it ensured 'worldly authority' would bestow itself onto competent rulers."