Better Leadership: Why Legalism Should Not be Applied in the Context of a College Fraternity

Legalism, “Fa Jia” or “school of law,” was the utilitarian political philosophy with Han Fei Zi as its major proponent.  The legalists argued that the best government is one based on authoritarian control, not ethical or moral persuasion.  They claimed that human nature was incurably selfish and that people normally do not know what to do.  Thus, the only way to preserve the social order (and society) was to impose strict discipline from above and enforce laws strictly.  For example, if your father or your husband disobeyed the government in a small infraction, such as lying, you were morally obligated to report him to the officials and let the officials punish him.

Culture: Importance of Confucian Virtues: the Natural Laws in Asian Societies

Dr. Yao, Author of Introduction to Confucianism, wrote in his book that the “Five Regulations” are “five Confucian virtues,” which are “ren” (humanness), “yi” (righteousness), “li” (ritual/propriety), “zhi” (wisdom), “xin” (faithfulness). He claims that these virtues are believed to be as constant and unchanging as natural laws, remaining the same for all time and guiding/ordering all other virtues” (Yao 34).  


Dr. Yao’s sentence here is very powerful and important because it was able to convey effectively the important Confucian virtues that are the glue in Asian societies.  They are the unspoken and accepted laws that guide East Asian societies, even if they are not obvious or invisible at times. 

What is Confucianism?

“About 2,500 years ago, a man was born to a once aristocratic family in a small state called Lu in East China. During his lifetime, the man endeavored to…carrying forward the old tradition in a chaotic environment and opening up a new horizon in a dark age. By the time he died at the age of seventy-three, his teachings had spread throughout the state and beyond…But there was one thing that neither [his students and disciples] knew: that Chinese culture, and to some extent, East Asian culture, would be forever linked with his name, that the tradition he loved…would rank with the greatest in the world” (Yao – Author of An Introduction to Confucianism). This tradition is Confucianism- the Western English word coined by the Jesuits from the 16^th century.  

An Introduction

This blog is a place to discuss Confucian ethics and Confucian "Dao" (Way) of life. The purpose of my blog is to explore the application of the Confucian principles in the each daily living, specifically in Stockton.

My interest in writing this blog is due to my passion for Confucius and his philosophy. I believe that the Confucian principles can have beneficial effects on a person in all aspects of his or her life.
As a person that comes from a traditional Asian family, I had grown up with the Confucian principles constantly being engrained into my mind, and these principles have been integrated into my identity as a person.   

About Me

I am a boring student who loves Confucianism and practices this in my daily life. I am a double major in engineering and mathematics who would like to explore how Confucian idealogy fits into my life, along with my other passion and interests.