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

    XIN, or integrity, is one of the five key virtues of Confucianism. It refers to keeping one’s word and being faithful.

    Integrity, put forward by Confucius and his disciples, requires people to keep their word according to the rules of courtesy with the hope of mitigating conflicts in the ruling class and between opposing classes.

    Confucius held faithfulness as an indispensable virtue for a human being. Only a person of faithfulness should be appointed to key tasks, otherwise survival would be hardly possible, he taught. Confucius called someone without integrity a shallow person and kept an aloof distance from them.

    Integrity is regarded by Confucianism as the basis for building and administrating a country. Rulers and state administrators should, first of all, win the faith of the people before calling upon them; otherwise, calling upon them could be misunderstood as torturous demands. Only when rulers keep their words are governed people willing to be honest and faithful themselves.

    Confucianism teaches that integrity is of great significance in interpersonal communication and state administration. Confucius said that all people should “hold integrity and sincerity as first principles.”

    In modern society, xin is a human-oriented promise and a key factor in the construction of a harmonious society. It is a basic moral that should be passed on in all aspects.

    Furthermore, a faithful and honest government can help unite all citizens and promote the fast development of society. In business circles, xin can improve market confidence, aid interactions with international markets and boost economic growth.

    For citizens, xin is key to promoting understanding, building trust and improving relationships.

    In Chinese philosophy, xin is a basic human moral, like gold, which never vanishes and stays unchanged in weight. Therefore, the xin movement of the “Ode to Humanity” symphony begins with brass and percussion, giving the impression of strength and perseverance. Layered, structured melodies emphasize the expression of Confucian integrity.