Editor’s note:

    In celebration of the international debut of Shenzhen-created symphony “Ode to Humanity” in Paris on Sept. 21, for the International Day of Peace, Shenzhen Daily is running a column to introduce the five movements of the symphony.

    Taken from the core concepts of Confucianism, which are ren, yi, li, zhi and xin — benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, wisdom, and integrity — the symphony, consisting of a prelude, five movements and a coda, uses each movement to explore and interpret the spirit of ren, yi, li, zhi and xin through music.

    Wang Yuanyuan

    cheekywang@hotmail.com

    LI (etiquette) is a classic Chinese concept found extensively in Confucianism and post-Confucian Chinese philosophy.

    Li is a companion virtue to “ren” (benevolence) in many respects. It is translated as “ritual,” “propriety” or “etiquette.”

    According to Confucius, li is defined as proper actions or good manners. The concept of li determines how you act in a given relationship. In other words, li can be viewed as a person’s morality. A person’s morality is responsible for how they act or react to certain situations and how they view the world.

    Confucius advocates the necessity of li as a stepping stone to social harmony. It is interpreted quite differently throughout Confucian philosophy. Confucius himself puts virtue as the foundation of li. Mencius’ foundation of li lies within the “four buds,” or four basic principles inherent to a virtuous nature, whereas Xunzi described li as branching from human desire.

    Although the three philosophers have different beliefs regarding li, they each have legitimate and convincing arguments for their views.

    The founder of Confucian philosophy believed that before li can be achieved, a person must have a sense of sincerity and be true to oneself. This belief — that virtue is the backbone of morality — spreads to social interactions and society as a whole.

    The rites of li are not rites in the Western conception of religious customs. Rather, li embodies the entire spectrum of interaction with humans, nature and even material objects. Confucius included in his discussions of li such diverse topics as learning, tea-drinking, titles, mourning and governance.

    In modern society, li has been transformed into good manners in social interactions, suggesting that people in a harmonious society treat each other with universal respect. Li is also a form of law and justice, suggesting management of state affairs according to law.

    The symphony, “Ode to Humanity,” uses the beautiful sounds of violins and flutes to demonstrate a harmonious atmosphere and honor the graceful manners of our ancestors.