Page 65 - 2022(1) International Confusion Studies

58 C. Li

The comment of “the benevolent embracing all in their love” further implies
inclusion of not only people, but all creatures and living things. This is reflected in
the thinking of Mencius: “He is affectionate to his family, and lovingly disposed to
people in general. He is lovingly disposed to people in general, and kind to all
creatures and living things” (“Jin Xin I” in Mencius). Being affectionate to one’s
family is the starting point of benevolence, which is extended to being lovingly
disposed to people in general, and kind to all creatures and living things, a uni-
versal moral proposition. Mencius further urges:

Treat elders in your own family with reverence, due to their age, so that the elders in the
families of others shall be similarly treated; treat the young in your own family with kindness,
due to their youth, so that the young in the families of others shall be similarly treated. …
Therefore, a prince who acts out of heartfelt kindness will provide sufficient protection of all
within the four seas; and if he does not enact it, he will not be able to protect his wife and
children. (“King Hui of Liang I” in Mencius, 《孟子 · 梁惠王上》
)
Such teachings of benevolence to one’s own family is extended to others.
Mencius thus urges the ruler to “carry out his heartfelt kindness to all, for the
protection of all within the four seas,” or else “he will not be able to protect his
own wife and children.” He emphasizes theimportanceof “extending kind-
ness” to all, not just one’s own family, for one’s own protection. Thus, the
Confucian notion of Ren (benevolence) is not merely kinship-centred but ex-
tends from one’s own elders and offspring to those of others, embracing all
under Heaven. True benevolence in the Confucian tradition is a universal vir-
tue, “being lovingly disposed to people in general, and kind to all creatures and
living things.”
“The Western Inscription” (《西铭》penned by the Neo-Confucian Zhang Zai
)
(张载 1020–1077) in the Song Dynasty (960–1279) was highly praised by Cheng Yi
and Cheng Hao (程颢 1032–1085) and cited by them as a “thorough elaboration of
Ren and its manifestations,”“capturing the essence of benevolence and filial
piety.” (The Extant Works of the Cheng Brothers, Part I, Vol. II). Its opening sentence
reads, “Heaven is my father and Earth my mother.” This apparently is derived from
the two lines of Commentary on The Book of Changes: “Qian is Heaven, hence the
appellation of father. Kun is Earth, hence the appellation of mother.” On this
premise, Zhang Zai stated, “Therefore that which extends throughout the universe
I regard as my body, and that which drives the universe I consider as my nature.”
He further proposes a heightened ethical realm of “all people being my brothers
and sisters, and all creatures and living things my companions.” Zhu Xi, in his
“Explanation of the Western Inscription” (《西铭解》), noted that the notion of “all
people being my brothers and sisters” is akin to regarding “all humanity under
Heaven as one’s kin,” and “all creatures and living things being one’s