The Conflictual World of the Sages
This chapter explores irresolvable value conflicts with regard to sages. It begins with portrayals of early sages such as Yao and Shun as compromised figures in a broad array of early Chinese texts. This serves as a context for understanding how early Confucians stressed the virtuous nature of sages on the one hand and accepted portions of the broader discourse of compromise on the other. To illustrate this the chapter looks more closely at the case of Wu Wang 武王 and shows that early Confucian texts were ambivalent about his violent overthrow of the Shang dynasty. This chapter also looks at Kongzi and builds off the notion of transgression discussed in chapter 4 to show that he was also understood as a conflicted figure.
2021 ◽
Vol 72
(2)
◽
pp. 590-602
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2017 ◽
Vol 47
(188)
◽
pp. 487-494
Keyword(s):