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Ethics-Politics 87

In the following part, we will look at the core position of “virtue” in the five
components of the “thought on the legitimacy of ethics-politics.”

4.1 The Ideal of “Ethics-Politics”: Inwardly Being a Sage and
Outwardly Being a King”

If we take “inwardly being a sage and outwardly being a king (内圣外王)” as the
ideal of “ethics-politics” then “inwardly being a sage” is the ethical part while
2
“outwardly being a king” is the political part. “Inwardly being a sage” means to
acquire the virtues of sages through self-cultivation while “outwardly being a
king” is to inspire the mass with one’s talents and virtues and to practice “the
kingly way or the benevolent governance” (王道).
“What the Great Learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to make
new people (Zhu, 1983, p. 3); and to rest in the highest goodness.” This is the
opening sentence of “Great Learning” in The Book of Rites (《礼记 · 大学》). The
academic circle generally regard this sentence as a Confucian interpretation of
“inwardly being a sage and outwardly being a king”. These are the same process.
The “inner sage” is the premise of “outer king” and “outer king” is the result of the
“inner sage”, which must be expressed through “outer king”. Morality determines
political capabilities, which must in turn reflect it.
It is difficult to achieve the ideal of “inwardly being a sage and outwardly
being a king,” because the talents and virtues of a sage are far out of reach. 3
However, being unattainable, one is impelled to keep trying. “Inwardly being a
sage” sets both the direction and goal, and starts a process of continuous efforts,
leading to the highest talents and the best model of governance. Since it is a
process, it entails different degrees of efforts to achieve this goal. The higher one’s
morality is, the stronger one’s ability of leadership is. These are the Confucian
requirements for rulers.

2 The word wang (王, king) means at Mencius and Xunzi, ruler of the world and the word “world”
in Chinese at that time is tianxia (天, all under Heaven).
3 Confucius depicted a “sage” and “sagely” talents and virtues like this: “A sage must have
morality that is in accordance with the natural laws between heaven and Earth. He is flexible under
all conditions, and knows the origin of the universe and end of all things. He makes all things
conform to the natural law, developing them to their fullest natural potentials. His morality is
bright like the sun and the moon, and he educates people like the gods. The people below him did
not know his virtues, but those who saw him did not know that he was near them. Such one is a
sage.” (The chapter of “Wuyijie” in Family Analects of Confucius, 《孔子家语 · 五仪解》).