The Virtuous Man

A virtuous man is all that is good. He is a man who is responsible, who stays away from anything wrong or improper. One who is always humble regardless of where he is in his life. A person who makes it a goal to continue to learn and one who is loving and kind to all that he meets. When it comes to dealing with his family, government, and religion those qualities do not change and are immediately put into place. The virtuous mans attitude and behavior towards these three entities, family, government, and religion are strong and unchanging in his values as the virtuous man. Confucius said that virtue (or the man of virtue) is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors. This is direct evidence on how the virtuous mans behavior will correlate with his family and with his government and religion. The virtuous man will never stand alone and will always have people surrounding him. This is great evidence showing that the virtuous mans behavior will be positive towards those three entities. Confucius also says that the virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit. Government and religion have much to do with responsibility again proving that the virtuous man has a positive relationship with his government and religion. The Virtuous man is in good standing with his religion. He treats it as a very important entity and gives his life for it. One who is not virtuous has no right to practice religion and should not worship. Confucius shows us this as he states “A man who is not virtuous, what has he to do with worship? A man who is not virtuous, what has he to do with the music of the temple?”(Confucius, 11). As stated faith is very important to Confucius and for the virtuous man. Confucius states “A man who is without good faith - I do not know how he is to manage! How can a waggon without its yoke-bar for the ox, or a carriage without its collar-bar for the horses, be made to move?”(Confucius, 8) A very strong analogy to use in regards to faith. Basically how is one to progress or move forward unless he is in good standing with his faith. Just as it would be impossible for an ox to move a wagon without a yoke-bar so would it be for a man to progress without his religion. Again Confucius stresses the importance of religion for the virtuous man when he states “He who does not know the divine law cannot become a noble man”(Confucius, 122). Concerning Government the virtuous man is no different then with his religion. He wants to strive to make everyone underneath him as virtuous as he is and by leading is capable of doing this in every way. Confucius was asked how one should run the government virtuously and he stated “If your aspirations are for good, Sir, the people will be good...When the grass has the breeze upon it, it assuredly bends.”(Confucius, 71) All the virtuous man has to do is lead by example and those around him will also follow which in turn will make the government a better place and more virtuous. Just as the virtuous man requires moral excellence so does the government according to Confucius as he states “He who governs by his moral excellence may be compared to the pole-star, which abides in its place, while all the stars bow towards it.”(Confucius, 5) Again Confucius is touching on the fact on how being an honest moral leader will encourage and influence everyone else to be the same and thus making the world a better place to abide in. When concerning the family and the virtuous man Confucius is specific in the facts that a virtuous man must respect his elders but also teach his children. In doing so he will gain respect and love from both and continue on his path of being virtuous. As a virtuous man you need to learn a lot from your elders and know how to mourn them. Confucius states “Though a man may never before have shown what was in him, surely he will do so when he mourns his parents.”(Confucius, 118) This shows how the virtuous man should act and how he can pay his respect to the deceased. By following their example and being like them he is able to mourn them properly. Confucius reiterates this when he says “While a man’s father lives, mark his tendencies; when his father is dead, mark his conduct.”(Confucius, 3) Confucius continues to focus on the elders and parents when he says “While parents live serve them rightfully; when they are dead bury them with filial rites, and sacrifice to them with proper ordinances.”(Confucius, 6) Again to be a virtuous man one most be involved with their family and always make sure to pay proper respect to them during and after their lives. A virtuous mans attitude towards religion, government, and family is unchanging just as his honesty, goodness and humbleness is. The virtuous man is all that is good and he we always carry that with him in whatever he does. Confucius teaches us that in whatever we do it is important to be virtuous and we can find virtue wherever we go. Just as he said “Virtue never dwells alone; it always has neighbours.”(Confucius, 20) The virtuous man will never be alone and as he continues to practice these principles with his family, religion, and government he will continue to uplift those around him and continue to make the world a better place. Never will the virtuous man rest on his morals and it is not specific just to his family, religion, and government. In whatever the virtuous man does he will always be held up to these standards and he always be able to heed to them.