people’s wealth, while good instructions get their hearts’’ (Legge,
1970 : 455–456).
Shaping the character of followers.When Zilu, one of Confucius’
disciples, asked what constituted the superior person (which to us
stands for a leader), ‘‘the Master said: ‘The cultivation of himself in
reverential carefulness.’ ‘And is this all?’ said Zilu. ‘He cultivates
himself so as to give rest to others,’ was the reply. ‘And is this all?’
again asked Zilu. The Master said: ‘He cultivates himself so as to give
rest to all the people’’’ (Yang, 1958 : 166). The phrase ‘‘to give rest to
others’’ is translated from the Chinese phrasean ren. The verbanhas
different meanings depending on the object to which it is applied.
It could mean, for example, ‘‘to help settle down,’’ ‘‘to find a place/
home for,’’ ‘‘to appease,’’ or ‘‘to bring peace and happiness to.’’ When
used in the context of self-cultivation and with the object being a person
or people, it has the connotation of all of the above, which includes
serving, helping, managing, governing, and leading. We use the term
here to highlight the shaping of the character of followers as individuals
and collectivities as well as to refer to general leadership functions.
InThe great learning, the above ideas were summarized as cultivat-
ing the person (xiu ji), regulating the family (qi jia), governing the state
(zhi guo), and making the empire peaceful and happy (ping tian xia).
That is to say,
The ancient kings who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the
kingdom first ordered well their own States. Wishing to order well their
States, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families,
they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they
first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to
be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they
first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge
lay in the investigation of things (Legge, 1971 : 357–359).
Accordingly,when things are investigated, our knowledge becomes complete. When our
knowledge is complete, our thoughts are sincere. Our thoughts being
sincere, our hearts may be then rectified. When our hearts are rectified, we
may be cultivated. If we are cultivated, our families are regulated. If our
families are regulated, our States are rightly governed. When our States
are rightly governed, the whole kingdom or nation may be made tranquil
and happy (Legge, 1971 : 359).
Confucian and Mencian philosophy 43