In a previous post on August 9th, the Five Constants of Confucianism were mentioned as being universally applicable and enduring moral principles, essential for both individual cultivation and social harmony in Confucian society. Some would see them as pointing to what is meant by Natural Law in the West.
One of the five is what we call ritual, etiquette, or Propriety (Doing what is proper). The Chinese Character would be 禮.
In oracle bone script, it depicts two pieces of jade (玉) placed atop a vessel (豆)[originally signifying ritual vessels used in sacrifices. The radical 示(meaning altar) was added to 禮. Altar, ceremony, and sacrifice are related to religious rituals or divine revelation. The historical radical has been simplified to the four-stroke 礻 shape, a variant form of our five-stroke radical 示. The 礻variant has lost its pictorial meaning.
The five Constants in Confucianism can be described as Humanity: the virtue of loving. Rightness: judgement on what is befitting by the heart and mind. Propriety: originally 'ceremonial form' as in etiquette. Wisdom: knowing the principle of what is right and recognizing the conditions of the time. Faithfulness: trustworthiness, integrity. These virtues are fundamental to Confucian ethics and influence human interpersonal relationships and moral conduct.
The one our modern society has the most difficulty with may be Propriety, and the one that is the most difficult to understand.
As we can see from the evolution of the Chinese Character over time, a secularization has taken place, which is not difficult to understand.
Happy Harvest Festival Day!
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