Confucianism “stands corrected” in Singapore

否极泰来 means when misfortune reaches the limit, good fortune is at hand.

Selected old postings for GE 2015 旧论新报 2015大选 3

http://2011upandcoming.blogspot.sg/2011/03/confucianism-stands-corrected-in.html

Many posts in the internet seem to misunderstand Confucianism, especially the type of Confucianism practicing in Singapore.  They have thought that Confucianism is conservative, old fashion, obedient behavior, following the rulers with no objection, not to offend the law even the rules and laws are wrong, etc.

Hence, there is a need to “stand corrected” this misconception.  Even Confucius was against 100% obeying the tradition, practice, rules and behavior.  Confucius taught his students based on their ability, strengthens and weaknesses.  Those students who are humble, he wants them to be aggressive, vice versa for aggressive students to be less active. 

In the eyes of Mencius, the so-called Confucianism practicing in Singapore is far “far” away from the true picture of Confucianism.  Mencius is the next great master of Confucianism after Confucius.  He further developed and interpreted the practices and principles of Confucianism to a higher and comprehensive level.  

Due to his aggressive and forward thinking, his book “Mengzi” (same name as his name) was once banned by the first (founding) Emperor of Ming Dynasty (朱元璋).  The Emperor was afraid that his people, after reading “Mengzi” would set a revolution if the people were not happy with the government.   Politically, Mencius is rebellion, so do his economic thinking. Mencius is anti-monopoly and is against imposing excessive taxation on people as well paying excessive high salary to the rulers.      

Mencius promotes the spirit of democracy more than 2000 years ago. Unfortunately, there is no democratic system in place in China.  His “People First” idealism is even more democratic than the ancient Greek philosophy as it extends to even slaves, the lowest class of the society.   However, in ancient Greek, only elite, rich and educated are given the right to exercise democratic power.  Anyhow, they have the system even it is limited to a selected few.  This may explain why western democracy is years advanced in Europe than in Asia and China.

In today’s Singapore due to the British heritage, we have the democratic system, even though it may not be a perfect one. However, there is certainly a lack of spirit of democracy likes what Mencius is promoting.

We now quote some Mencius sayings in the political and economic aspects to check the so-called Confucianism practices in Singapore.   Note: All translations are taken from www.ctext.org.  

Politics and people

People are number one in term of importance,   Ruler or government is least importance. 

Mencius said, 'The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest. (1)

Junior can take over the ruler if he refuses to accept advice and keep on repeating the same mistakes. 

Mencius answered, 'If the prince have (has) great faults, they ought to remonstrate with him, and if he do (does) not listen to them after they have done so again and again, they ought to dethrone him.' (2)

Economics and taxation

To protect the livelihood of the people and to make sure people have sufficient income and supply to support the family.

Therefore an intelligent ruler will regulate the livelihood of the people, so as to make sure that, for those above them, they shall have sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, for those below them, sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children; that in good years they shall always be abundantly satisfied, and that in bad years they shall escape the danger of perishing. After this he may urge them, and they will proceed to what is good, for in this case the people will follow after it with ease. (3)

Over regulation will lead to insufficient supply and income for the people:

Now, the livelihood of the people is so regulated, that, above, they have not sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, below, they have not sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children. (3)

Government takes one ninth as taxation and has duty to protect trading activity and not to tax goods traded.

The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: (4)

Ideal salary structure and moral responsibility

'In a great State, where the territory was a hundred li square, the ruler had ten times as much income as his Chief ministers; a Chief minister four times as much as a Great officer; a Great officer twice as much as a scholar of the first class; a scholar of the first class twice as much as one of the middle; a scholar of the middle class twice as much as one of the lowest; the scholars of the lowest class, and such of the common people as were employed about the government offices, had for their emolument as much as was equal to what they would have made by tilling the fields.  (5)

This is the most interesting part and is very relevant to Singapore.  It can also serve as a reminder to practical Singapore“Confucianism”.  In the beginning of Zhou Dynasty, in order to stabilize the society, they had to set a salary structure to prevent unhappiness from the people.   

However, this structure was broken as the rulers were greedy and were fighting each others for more and more resources.   This is why the time period at the end of Zhou Dynasty is called spring-autumn warring states in Chinese history. All states are attacking each just to gain more wealth.

According to Professor Fu Pei Rong (傅佩荣), a Taiwan professor in philosophy, the salary structure in the beginning of Zhou Dynasty is 1 to 320. For example, the ruler receives $3.20 million of salary to $10,000 for lowest ranking official.  Not to forget, they are rulers they even set the limit of their own salary.  This salary ranges seem quite similar to Singapore ministers’ pay.  

But as we all know and as recorded in history, the salary ranges become wider and wider towards the end of Zhou Dynasty and accordingly, there is also no more “People First” any more. So, the end result is the rulers are killing themselves.

The pay structure of Singapore government is now the highest in the industrial world, don’t they worry after seeing the history of Zhou Dynasty! 

Notes:

(1)

盡心下:

孟子曰：“民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕。是故得乎丘民而為天子，得乎天子為諸侯，得乎諸侯為大夫。諸侯危社稷，則變置。犧牲既成，粢盛既潔，祭祀以時，然而旱乾水溢，則變置社稷。

Jin Xin II:

Mencius said, 'The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest. Therefore to gain the peasantry is the way to become sovereign; to gain the sovereign is the way to become a prince of a State; to gain the prince of a State is the way to become a great officer. When a prince endangers the altars of the spirits of the land and grain, he is changed, and another appointed in his place. When the sacrificial victims have been perfect, the millet in its vessels all pure, and the sacrifices offered at their proper seasons, if yet there ensue drought, or the waters overflow, the spirits of the land and grain are changed, and others appointed in their place.'

(2)

萬章下:

齊宣王問卿。孟子曰：“王何卿之問也？”

Wan Zhang II:

The king Xuan of Qi asked about the office of high ministers. Mencius said, 'Which high ministers is your Majesty asking about?'

王曰：“卿不同乎？”

'Are there differences among them?' inquired the king.

曰：“不同。有貴戚之卿，有異姓之卿。”

'There are' was the reply. 'There are the high ministers who are noble and relatives of the prince, and there are those who are of a different surname.'

王曰：“請問貴戚之卿。”

The king said, 'I beg to ask about the high ministers who are noble and relatives of the prince.'

曰：“君有大過則諫，反覆之而不聽，則易位。”

Mencius answered, 'If the prince have great faults, they ought to remonstrate with him, and if he do not listen to them after they have done so again and again, they ought to dethrone him.'

王勃然變乎色。曰：“王勿異也。王問臣，臣不敢不以正對。”

The king on this looked moved, and changed countenance. Mencius said, 'Let not your Majesty be offended. You asked me, and I dare not answer but according to truth.'

王色定，然後請問異姓之卿。曰：“君有過則諫，反覆之而不聽，則去。”

The king's countenance became composed, and he then begged to ask about high ministers who were of a different surname from the prince. Mencius said, 'When the prince has faults, they ought to remonstrate with him; and if he do not listen to them after they have done this again and again, they ought to leave the State.' The king's countenance became composed, and he then begged to ask about high ministers who were of a different surname from the prince. Mencius said, 'When the prince has faults, they ought to remonstrate with him; and if he do not listen to them after they have done this again and again, they ought to leave the State.'

(3)

梁惠王上:

Liang Hui Wang I:

曰：“無恆產而有恆心者，惟士為能。若民，則無恆產，因無恆心。苟無恆心，放辟，邪侈，無不為已。及陷於罪，然後從而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位，罔民而可為也？是故明君制民之產，必使仰足以事父母，俯足以畜妻子，樂歲終身飽，凶年免於死亡。然後驅而之善，故民之從之也輕。今也制民之產，仰不足以事父母，俯不足以畜妻子，樂歲終身苦，凶年不免於死亡。此惟救死而恐不贍，奚暇治禮義哉？王欲行之，則盍反其本矣。五畝之宅，樹之以桑，五十者可以衣帛矣；雞豚狗彘之畜，無失其時，七十者可以食肉矣；百畝之田，勿奪其時，八口之家可以無飢矣；謹庠序之教，申之以孝悌之義，頒白者不負戴於道路矣。老者衣帛食肉，黎民不飢不寒，然而不王者，未之有也。”

Mencius replied, 'They are only men of education, who, without a certain livelihood, are able to maintain a fixed heart. As to the people, if they have not a certain livelihood, it follows that they will not have a fixed heart. And if they have not a fixed heart, there is nothing which they will not do, in the way of self-abandonment, of moral deflection, of depravity, and of wild license. When they thus have been involved in crime, to follow them up and punish them - this is to entrap the people. How can such a thing as entrapping the people be done under the rule of a benevolent man? Therefore an intelligent ruler will regulate the livelihood of the people, so as to make sure that, for those above them, they shall have sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, for those below them, sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children; that in good years they shall always be abundantly satisfied, and that in bad years they shall escape the danger of perishing. After this he may urge them, and they will proceed to what is good, for in this case the people will follow after it with ease. Now, the livelihood of the people is so regulated, that, above, they have not sufficient wherewith to serve their parents, and, below, they have not sufficient wherewith to support their wives and children. Notwithstanding good years, their lives are continually embittered, and, in bad years, they do not escape perishing. In such circumstances they only try to save themselves from death, and are afraid they will not succeed. What leisure have they to cultivate propriety and righteousness? If your Majesty wishes to effect this regulation of the livelihood of the people, why not turn to that which is the essential step to it? Let mulberry-trees be planted about the homesteads with their five mu, and persons of fifty years may be clothed with silk. In keeping fowls, pigs, dogs, and swine, let not their times of breeding be neglected, and persons of seventy years may eat flesh. Let there not be taken away the time that is proper for the cultivation of the farm with its hundred mu, and the family of eight mouths that is supported by it shall not suffer from hunger. Let careful attention be paid to education in schools, the inculcation in it especially of the filial and fraternal duties, and grey-haired men will not be seen upon the roads, carrying burdens on their backs or on their heads. It never has been that the ruler of a State where such results were seen, the old wearing silk and eating flesh, and the black-haired people suffering neither from hunger nor cold, did not attain to the royal dignity.'

(4)

梁惠王下:

齊宣王問曰：“人皆謂我毀明堂。毀諸？已乎？”

Liang Hui Wang II:

The king Xuan of Qi said, 'People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?' The king Xuan of Qi said, 'People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?'

孟子對曰：“夫明堂者，王者之堂也。王欲行王政，則勿毀之矣。”

Mencius replied, 'The Hall of Distinction is a Hall appropriate to the sovereigns. If your Majesty wishes to practise the true royal government, then do not pull it down.'

王曰：“王政可得聞與？”

The king said, 'May I hear from you what the true royal government is?'

對曰：“昔者文王之治岐也，耕者九一，仕者世祿，關市譏而不征，澤梁無禁，罪人不孥。老而無妻曰鰥。老而無夫曰寡。老而無子曰獨。幼而無父曰孤。此四者，天下之窮民而無告者。文王發政施仁，必先斯四者。《詩》云：‘哿矣富人，哀此煢獨。’”

'Formerly,' was the reply, 'king Wen's government of Qi was as follows: The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: there were no prohibitions respecting the ponds and weirs; the wives and children of criminals were not involved in their guilt. There were the old and wifeless, or widowers; the old and husbandless, or widows; the old and childless, or solitaries; the young and fatherless, or orphans - these four classes are the most destitute of the people, and have none to whom they can tell their wants, and king Wen, in the institution of his government with its benevolent action, made them the first objects of his regard, as it is said in the Book of Poetry, "The rich may get through life well; But alas! for the miserable and solitary!"'

(5)

萬章下:

北宮錡問曰：“周室班爵祿也，如之何？”

Wan Zhang II:

Bei Gong Qi asked Mencius, saying, 'What was the arrangement of dignities and emoluments determined by the House of Zhou?'

孟子曰：“其詳不可得聞也。諸侯惡其害己也，而皆去其籍。然而軻也，嘗聞其略也。天子一位，公一位，侯一位，伯一位，子、男同一位，凡五等也。君一位，卿一位，大夫一位，上士一位，中士一位，下士一位，凡六等。

Mencius replied, 'The particulars of that arrangement cannot be learned, for the princes, disliking them as injurious to themselves, have all made away with the records of them. Still I have learned the general outline of them. The Son of Heaven constituted one dignity; the Gong one; the Hou one; the Bai one; and the Zi and the Nan each one of equal rank - altogether making five degrees of rank. The Ruler again constituted one dignity; the Chief Minister one; the Great Officers one; the Scholars of the First Class one; those of the Middle Class one; and those of the Lowest Class one - altogether making six degrees of dignity.

“天子之制，地方千里，公侯皆方百里，伯七十里，子、男五十里，凡四等。不能五十里，不達於天子，附於諸侯，曰附庸。天子之卿受地視侯，大夫受地視伯，元士受地視子、男。

'To the Son of Heaven there was allotted a territory of a thousand li square. A Gong and a Hou had each a hundred li square. A Bai had seventy li, and a Zi and a Nan had each fifty li. The assignments altogether were of four amounts. Where the territory did not amount to fifty li, the chief could not have access himself to the Son of Heaven. His land was attached to some Hou-ship, and was called a Fu Yong. The Chief ministers of the Son of Heaven received an amount of territory equal to that of a Hou; a Great officer received as much as a Bai; and a scholar of the first class as much as a Zi or a Nan.

“大國地方百里，君十卿祿，卿祿四大夫，大夫倍上士，上士倍中士，中士倍下士，下士與庶人在官者同祿，祿足以代其耕也。次國地方七十里，君十卿祿，卿祿三大夫，大夫倍上士，上士倍中士，中士倍下士，下士與庶人在官者同祿，祿足以代其耕也。小國地方五十里，君十卿祿，卿祿二大夫，大夫倍上士，上士倍中士，中士倍下士，下士與庶人在官者同祿，祿足以代其耕也。耕者之所獲，一夫百畝。百畝之糞，上農夫食九人，上次食八人，中食七人，中次食六人，下食五人。庶人在官者，其祿以是為差。”

'In a great State, where the territory was a hundred li square, the ruler had ten times as much income as his Chief ministers; a Chief minister four times as much as a Great officer; a Great officer twice as much as a scholar of the first class; a scholar of the first class twice as much as one of the middle; a scholar of the middle class twice as much as one of the lowest; the scholars of the lowest class, and such of the common people as were employed about the government offices, had for their emolument as much as was equal to what they would have made by tilling the fields. In a State of the next order, where the territory was seventy li square, the ruler had ten times as much revenue as his Chief minister; a Chief minister three times as much as a Great officer; a Great officer twice as much as a scholar of the first class; a scholar of the first class twice as much as one of the middle; a scholar of the middle class twice as much as one of the lowest; the scholars of the lowest class, and such of the common people as were employed about the government offices, had for their emolument as much as was equal to what they would have made by tilling the fields. In a small State, where the territory was fifty li square, the ruler had ten times as much revenue as his Chief minister; a Chief minister had twice as much as a Great officer; a Great officer twice as much as a scholar of the highest class; a scholar of the highest class twice as much as one of the middle; a scholar of the middle class twice as much as one of the lowest; scholars of the lowest class, and such of the common people as were employed about the government offices, had the same emolument - as much, namely, as was equal to what they would have made by tilling the fields. As to those who tilled the fields, each husbandman received a hundred mu. When those mu were manured, the best husbandmen of the highest class supported nine individuals, and those ranking next to them supported eight. The best husbandmen of the second class supported seven individuals, and those ranking next to them supported six; while husbandmen of the lowest class only supported five. The salaries of the common people who were employed about the government offices were regulated according to these differences.'

Source: www.ctext.org