Yi (philosophy)

Concept in Confucianism

In Chinese philosophy, yi (simplified Chinese: 义; traditional Chinese: 義; pinyin: yì) refers to righteousness, justice, morality, and meaning.

Confucianism

In Confucianism, yi involves a moral disposition to do good, and also the intuition and sensibility to do so competently.^[1][2] Yi represents moral acumen which goes beyond simple rule following, involving a balanced understanding of a situation, and the "creative insight" and decision-generating ability necessary to apply virtues properly and appropriately in a situation with no loss of sight of the total good.^[2]

Yi resonates with Confucian philosophy's orientation towards the cultivation of benevolence (ren) and ritual propriety (li).

In application, yi is a "complex principle" which includes:^[2]

1. skill in crafting actions which have moral fitness according to a given concrete situation
2. the wise recognition of such fitness
3. the intrinsic satisfaction that comes from that recognition

Daoism

The Zhuangzi discusses the relationship between yi (righteousness) and de (virtue).^[3]

See also

• De (Chinese)
• Moral character
• Phronesis

References

1. Archie (2000).
2. Cheng (1972), p. 271.
3. Watson (1968), pp. 105–6.

Bibliography

• Archie, Lee C. (30 October 2000). "The Main Concepts of Confucianism". philosophy.lander.edu. Lander University. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
• Cheng, Chung-ying (July 1972), "On yi as a universal principle of specific application in Confucian morality", Philosophy East and West, 22 (3): 269–280, doi:10.2307/1397676, JSTOR 1397676
• Watson, Burton (1968). The complete works of Chuang Tzu. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231031479.