The Characteristics Of A Junzi (Gentleman)
Matt Stefon in Britannica explains that junzi literally means “ruler’s son” or “noble son”. In several Chinese classical texts, the philosophical and moral sense of junzi is primarily Confucian. Confucius invested the term with an ethical significance while maintaining its connotation of noble refinement where the junzi is cultured (wen) and knows how to act and speak appropriately in any situation. In other words, he is an exemplar whose virtuous influence promotes a flourishing human community. Thus, becoming a junzi is the goal of all who practice self-cultivation and who truly love learning.[1]
There were debates regarding the quality and understanding of Junzi but according to Chen, the concept of Junzi is the epitome of the Confucian ideal of human life which holds personal quality, character, behaviors, and minds in general senses (including the moral sense). Furthermore, Chen added the concept of Junzi is not merely the personality of a person but a person of accomplished virtue. This is the ideal of a person according to Confucius.
Junzi itself holds important aspects to define the ideal personality traits in Chinese culture, especially Confucianism. And so, what are the characteristics of a Junzi? According to the Analects of Confucius, the personality of Junzi is composed of five factors: a) wisdom, benevolence, and courage; b) respectfulness and propriety; c) conversancy with righteousness and cherished of benign rule; d) refraining from what should not be done; and e) self-cultivation rather than contentions with others.[2]
As it is recorded in the Analects of Confucius, the quality of Junzi is shown in three ways. The first is benevolence. It makes people free from anxieties because benevolent people are reasonable enough to overcome their selfish desires and they understand that others are not external to themselves. Wisdom makes people free from perplexities. Wisdom enlightens people with a bright understanding of the truth of life and the world. Lastly, courage makes people free from fear, especially to actualize morality and justice. All of these categories are summarized as “Three Virtues”.[3]
As it goes to respectfulness and propriety, I found that these two unity qualities are connected to honesty. It is connected because these aspects point to the character of being alert and cautious in interpersonal life, and honesty is an important part of the social norms in interpersonal interactions. Honesty is connected to the attitude that respects others without having hidden or malicious intentions. It represents Junzi’s way of getting along with secular ethics and social norms and described the traits of people who maintain respectful, humble, cautious, and honest attitudes toward social norms, social order, and social life.[4] Furthermore, I do believe that Junzi must never fail to be respectful to others and observant of propriety, and thus all within the world will be interconnected.
In the aspect of conversancy, righteousness, and cherishment of benign rule, Junzi’s character pursues more abstract moral principles beyond the worldly aspect. As it is looking for a transcendent way of life, Junzi holds the traits of a person who knows that he or she should act appropriately and maintain goodness. The modern study concludes that “conversancy with righteousness” and “cherishment of benign of rule” belonged to one factor. These characteristics not only respect the practical norms of etiquette and customs but also understands the more abstract principles of morality and righteousness.[5] The moral aspect could be abstract but, in the practice, one must internalize these qualities and make all of them part of his or her character. In this sense, I believe that a Junzi must live out, appropriate, and practice this value through consistency in their daily life.
The next characteristic is about the consciousness of the limit of doing something or behavior and not to do violate the principles of appropriating good behavior. In Junzi, this characteristic is called “refraining from what should not be done”. In the Analects of Confucius, this characteristic focus on keeping themselves from what is wrong. Even though this characteristic is not correlated with the Chinese Big-Five personality, it is connected positively with Chinese values of human-heartedness and significantly negatively correlated with excessive competitiveness and competitiveness via surpassing others.[6]
“Self-cultivation rather than contentions with others” refers to the quality of Junzi to direct and focus themselves when facing problems and adapting to the change when managing transactions, solving problems and encountering difficulties or setbacks. It also requires understanding that contentions with others do not help solve problems. Rather than focusing on the problem that comes from an external factor, this characteristic focuses on the intellectual epitome of interpersonal interactions. The Analects of Confucius says that no contentions with others are related to compromise.[7] The spirit of compromising is always pointed out to others rather than oneself. In this matter, I feel the contradiction. How come is self-cultivation thinking about others other than oneself? In further explanation, I found that this value expects the Junzi to reflect on oneself and avoid conflict. In other words, a Junzi must have the capability to look at himself because it is the way to free himself from contentions because of the true understanding of the contentions with others, not because of the obligation to apply moral discipline.
In the end, The characteristics of a Junzi are interesting, especially in seeking perfection. Even though it is Confucianism teaching, I can apply these values according to the spirit of the Christian faith. At a certain point, I can say that the good value of each religion, belief, or philosophy has the same goal. The spirit of universality and catholic in the teaching of the Catholic Church in Ad Gentes opens the possibility to dialogue with other religions. And for the openness toward realities, truth, and goodwill of God, this dialogue could be the way of what Nostra Aetate teaches us, to be open with universal revelation. In this sense, I believe that Catholicism and Confucianism could make good partners in dialogue.
[1] See. https://www.britannica.com/topic/junzi accessed on January 30, 2023, at 8.30 am.
[2] See. https://www.academia.edu/10977391/Junzi_or_the_Exemplary_Man_An_Introduction_to_the_Confucian_Gentleman#:~:text=To%20cultivate%20ourselves%20to%20become%20a%20junzi%2C%20we,and%20%285%29%20xin%20%28%E4%BF%A1%29%20%E2%80%93%20trust%20or%20trustworthiness. Accessed on January 31, 2023, at 9.30 am.
[3] Ge Xiaoyu, Li Xiaoming, and Hou Yubo, “Confucian Ideal Personality Traits (Junzi Personality) Exploration of Psychological Measurement,” Acta Psychologica Sinica vol. 53, No.12, 1321-1334 (2021), p.2-4, 10-11, https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1041.2021.01321. Accessed on February 1, 2023, at 9.30 am.
[4] Ge Xiaoyu, Acta, p. 11-12.
[5] Ge, Acta, 12.
[6] Ge, Acta, 12.
[7] Ge, Acta, 12-13.
Kontributor : Gregorius Purba Nagara
