The Development of Altruism in Confucianism

Abstract

cept is often more enlightening than its original nature. Even geniuses are not infallible and may need correction. Occasionally an important concept receives centuries of discussion and emerges changed in its nature. Such a development will be recounted for Confucius' fundamental concept, that of ren [rinl.' This term has been variously translated, as benevolence (Legge, etc.), perfect virtue (Legge), the Good (Waley), or humanity (popular today). Confucius himself, however, defined it by the ordinary Chinese word for love, ai,2 saying that it meant to others.3 I shall accordingly translate it as benevolent love. Before his time, the word ren had never been used frequently, even in literature. The few cases of its use indicate that it denoted the bountiful kindness of an ideal ruler to his inferiors. Evidently Confucius did not wish to use the ordinary word for love, because of certain undesirable connotations, just as the writers of the Greek New Testament did not use the common Greek words epow or 4tAos, but chose a less common term, acya Cq. Confucius' choice of an unusual word has misled many modern translators. In one case, moreover, Confucius made a pun with the word for man,4 which is also pronounced ren, although written quite differently. He said, If one is ren (human), but does not possess ren (benevolent love), can he conduct himself properly . . . or appreciate good music and poetry?' Confucius intended to imply merely that love or sympathy for others is a quite human quality and is a prerequisite for moral conduct and even for artistic appreciation. This pun was repeated by Mencius' and has misled some translators to interpret ren as humaneness or humanity. But ren denotes far more than mere humanity, a fact easily shown by a study of