Influence of Confucianism on the transformation of the hero image in Chinese culture

Fen Tszin PhD in Cultural Studies Postgraduate student, Department of Cultural Studies and Socio-Cultural Activities, B. N. Yeltsin Ural Federal University named after the First President of Russia. 620083, Russia, Sverdlovsk region, Yekaterinburg, Lenin str., 51, office 416 1144168496@qq.com

Introduction

Confucianism has occupied a leading place in Chinese culture for more than 2 thousand years, its ideology and culture have a profound impact on Chinese politics, education, economy, etc. It played a key role in nurturing the character and spirit of the Chinese nation, shaping the image of a hero and becoming heroic. "Heroes are a concentrated expression of humanity's realization of its own values and ideals, inevitable representatives of the organization of social behavior and the promotion of social development ^{[1, p. 18]}." Under the influence of Confucianism, the image of heroes is created on the basis of identification and respect for the social system and social norms dominated by Confucianism. The image of the hero acquires the features of an ideal personality, takes "Ren" as the basis of its ideology (humanity is the most important ethical and philosophical category of Confucianism ^{[2, p. 2]}). The hero is called a "great man" or "noble man", he cares about all people in the world, does not pursue selfish interests, striving in all his endeavors for the well-being of all people, and this is a concentrated embodiment of the spirit of Confucianism.

The focus of our research is to study the influence of Confucian culture on the formation of the image of the hero. Based on the spiritual connotation of Confucian culture and the peculiarities of the hero's image under its influence, it is proved that after the emergence of Confucian culture, the hero's image acquired the standard of an ideal personality, which serves as a target behavioral model for people. Before Confucianism, heroes, as a rule, had a mythological coloring, and since Confucius, the image of heroic images has acquired a secular character. At the same time, the idea of the Confucian culture of the golden mean was completely extended to the images of heroes who are neither adventurers nor conservatives, and their code of conduct was only moderation. However, it should be noted that the rigid hierarchical system promoted by Confucian culture hinders the individual development of the characters.

To date, the topic of the influence of Confucian culture on the images of heroes has not been sufficiently studied, it can only be noted that Chinese researchers Cui Zixiu and Ding Sihai, who studied the Confucian idea of heroism in sufficient detail, based on the analysis of deep ideological foundations, basic features, fine traditions and special requirements of Confucian heroism, they noted that modern society should accept reasonable elements of historical heroism and correlate it with the information age in order to achieve the goal of raising the national spirit and accelerating social progress ^[1]. Jin Rongquan describes the process of creating "saints" in Confucianism and Buddhism from the point of view of the external image, the formation of political giants and the etization of myths ^[3]. Research on Confucianism mainly concerns its modern meaning and interpretation of the ideal personality, for example, Li Xiangjun believes that early Confucianism contains two types of ideal personality, a self-created protagonist and a subjective self-identified one ^[4]. Zhang Jintao believes that the Confucian idea of moral character education has modern significance for improving moral education, good social customs and building an honest government ^[5]. Researchers such as Zhang Desheng and Jin Yaoji argue that the concept of the golden mean has instrumental, value and communicative rationality ^[6]. Liu Yating believes that in the context of modern society, Confucianism needs to be transformed and modernized so that it can be revived and energized in modern society ^[7]. In addition, Dong Zhengbo ^[8] and He Zhe ^[9] also conducted relevant studies. Therefore, our research is designed to fill this gap in the topic, and this is its novelty.

Research methods

The work uses the method of comparative analysis to compare and analyze heroic images in Chinese mythology and in ancient societies, a descriptive method is used to describe the new qualities possessed by heroic images under the influence of Confucianism, as well as the method of semiotic analysis to study new symbolic meanings Confucianism bestows on heroic images, and on their basis a culturological method is implemented For the analysis of heroic images in Confucianism in the context of Chinese culture, it provides convincing and clear evidence for the study of the topic.

The results of the study

1 Demythologization of the hero's image

Before the advent of Confucianism, the heroes revered by people, as a rule, possessed mythological qualities, i.e., they had a semi-divine origin, combined human and animal traits, etc. This caused people to have a natural respect for the heroes and at the same time a sense of fear of them. The distance between mythological heroes and ordinary people is gradually increasing, and while the status of heroes becomes unattainable, their images and characteristics in people's minds are gradually blurred. In Confucian culture, the two leaders of ancient China – Yao and Shun – lose their mythological features and are considered as examples of saints or heroes, as representative figures of ideal personalities, and Confucian scientists have always sought to become such people. According to Meng-tzu, "^{[10, p. 235]}" ("Everyone can be Yao and Shun"). Zhu Xi said, "Don't talk about high saints, high ones, how can scientists achieve? The more you talk about the sage as low, the more interesting it is ^{[11, p. 1208]}." The fact that scientists have the hope of becoming saints is an idea derived from the teachings of Meng Tzu. In the Ming Dynasty, Wang Shouzhen suggested: "Even if you are an ordinary person, you can become a saint if you are willing to study hard and make your heart pure. ^{[12, p. 71]}", that is, anyone can become a saint. According to Confucian scientists, if everyone strives to acquire knowledge and talents, restrains their own aspirations, puts the interests of the collective and the country first, cultivates the three virtues – "ren", "zhi" and "yun", then each of us can become a hero. The Confucian notion that "everyone can become Yao and Shun" has led to the emergence of a large number of heroes in China from ancient times to the present. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing in the Han era grew up from slaves and became great heroes and generals; Guan Yu, famous for his loyalty and courage in the era of the Three Kingdoms, was a merchant; Zhang Juzheng, a reformer and statesman in the Ming era, was very poor as a child, and there are many other similar examples that are striking confirmation of this point of view. The demystification of the hero's divinity, the addition of personification and secularization in Confucianism brought the hero closer to man and made his features and image understandable. The perception and praise of new heroic characters in Confucianism has played a huge role in effectively contributing to the formation of public morality and the spirit of social unity and even the formation of social beliefs.

2 The emergence of new qualities of the heroic

Confucian culture is primarily aimed at developing an ideal personality, that is, self-improvement. In "LUN Yu – Hsien Wen" Confucius said: "君子道者三，我无能焉：仁者不忧，知者不惑，勇者不惧 ^{[13, p. 155]}" ("The noble man three moral principle, but I can't implement them. Possessing humanity, he does not grieve; being wise, he does not doubt; being brave, he is not afraid ^{[2, p. 115]}"). Confucian scholars consider "ren, zhi and yun" to be good virtues, revered as the "three excellent qualities", and believe that in the process of personal growth, only with the simultaneous possession of these three virtues will perfect moral practice and a lasting ideal personality be achieved. practice and a healthy ideal personality.

The main meaning of the word "ren" is "humanity", and only those who take care of their family, as well as take care of other people, have the virtue of humanity. Confucius said: "力行近乎仁" ("a reminder that if you train hard and persistently, you can get closer to "ren"") ^{[14, p. 96]}. According to the Confucian scholar of the Tang dynasty Han Yu, "博爱之谓仁 ^{[15, p. 673]}", if we act in accordance with the humanity within us, we will develop various virtues such as gentleness, respect and humility, and then we will experience less anxiety and anxiety, which is the meaning of "having humanity He is not sad." "Ren" is the highest standard of Confucian ethics, the root of all morality and the highest spiritual state of a person, and the most important quality of the hero's image under the influence of Confucianism.

The concept of "zhi" means wisdom, intelligence, knowledge. "^{[16, p. 372]}" ("The so–called sage is the one who clearly distinguishes and understands everything"), this requires, on the one hand, that people be able to distinguish between truth and falsehood, to recognize benefit and harm. Meng Tzu believed that a heart experiencing feelings of truth and falsehood is "zhi". The term "zhi" is interpreted by Xun-tzu as "a是 a，a，a，a [a [17, p. 15]", meaning that to assert the right and deny the wrong is a sign of intelligence, and vice versa is a sign of stupidity. On the other hand, it is also necessary to correctly judge and predict the benefits and harms, understand the principles of changing things, you need to be able to understand and correctly evaluate others and yourself, not to be either vain or flawed, "^{[13, p. 39]}" ("When you see a wise person, think about to be like him. When you see a person who does not possess wisdom, weigh your own actions" ^{[2, p. 27]}). Confucianism also teaches that "好学近乎知 ^{[14, p. 96]}" ("Diligence in their studies closer to "JI""), "学也者，是所以致明致知之道也 ^{[16, p. 372]}" ("Learning is a path to enlightenment and wisdom"). By studying a lot and diligently, gradually forming firm beliefs, a person will be able to calmly and intelligently analyze problems without getting confused, without being blinded, without doubting or being mistaken when confronted with things.

The concept of "Yun" is courage. According to Meng tzu, there is a difference between "大勇" ("great courage") and "小小" ("small courage"), Xun Tzu classified "courage" into higher, middle and lower, Neo-Confucianism divided the concept of "Yun" into "血气之勇" ("courage generated by impulsive feelings") and "义理之勇" ("courage to defend justice and truth"). Regardless of the division, Confucianism asserts that a person should cultivate "yun" based on "zhi" and "ren", use reason to prevail over emotions and do the right thing. "Not to be afraid" is only the basic requirement for "courage", but the most important thing is to have the right direction, to have the right ideas about good and evil, honor and shame. Only by knowing good and evil, honor and shame, one can safely resist difficulties and threats, and defend justice.

The three Confucian principles – ren, zhi, and yun – are closely related and inseparable, they mutually restrain and strengthen each other, and together constitute new qualities of the heroic. First of all, "ren" is the core, if an intelligent or courageous person does not have a kind heart, then he will commit bad deeds and become dangerous to society, "he said^{[18, p. 29]}" ("A low person who uses wisdom, but turns away from humanity, will become a thief, and such a noble person will cause chaos in the country"), "不仁有有，，，利 [ [19, p. 325]" ("If a person does not have favor, but has courage and talent, then he will be arrogant and rebellious"). Secondly, "zhi" is the basis, "仁而不智，， ^{[19, p. 325]}", that is, if a person of philanthropy is not wise, then he cannot distinguish good from evil, and philanthropy has no meaning. A person who is only courageous, but not smart, will be very rash in the face of difficulties, which will not only not solve the problem, but will further complicate the situation. Finally, "yun" is protection, and "humanity" and "wisdom" rely on "courage" in their implementation. The Confucian sayings "to sacrifice one's life in the name of duty", "if I cannot, but who can", "to sacrifice oneself in the name of a great cause" – all this requires great courage.

During the period of the Fighting Kingdoms in China, the minister of the kingdom of Zhao, Lin Xiangzhu, forced the Qin king to abandon the "exchange of the city for jade" (i.e., exchange 15 cities of his kingdom for precious jade from a neighboring kingdom) with his death, which testifies to Lin's wisdom and courage, his tact in preserving the dignity of his country. And the story of "apologizing, admitting his mistake and asking for forgiveness" shows that he puts the general situation first, regardless of his personal integrity, which is a concrete manifestation of the "humanity" of Confucianism, and Lin Xiangzhu can be called a representative figure of the heroic image in Confucian culture. Historical characters, as well as literary images, always reflect the harmony and unity of the three virtues – "ren", "zhi" and "yun", embodying the Confucian ideal of a heroic personality.

Thus, it can be stated that the Confucian concept of the ideal personality "on the one hand, attaches great importance to the role of self-improvement in the growth and development of the individual, improves his own personality; on the other hand, attaches even greater importance to the improvement of the spiritual sphere of the individual through self-improvement, focuses on the close connection of the individual's morality with the state and society ^{[5, p. 324]}". According to Confucian scientists, people always live in sadness and danger, and the humane always face difficulties in an optimistic state and do not suffer from losses or gains, therefore they never worry; the wise are deeply reasonable and are not concerned about fame and wealth, therefore they are not embarrassed; the truly courageous administer justice and can accept an appointment after the most dangerous, that's why they are fearless. Therefore, the spiritual subtext of "ren, Zhi and yun" also had a profound impact on the formation of heroism and the formation of heroic images.

3 The concept of the Golden Mean of Confucianism does not allow the heroes to go to extremes and encourages them to strive for harmony

There is another very important idea in Confucian culture – the golden mean. According to Confucius, the golden mean is the comprehension of various opposites in conflict, finding the middle point of balance, moderation in actions, that is, "the state of everything is good in moderation or the direction of actions to achieve it ^{[6, p. 39]}". Zhu Xi interpreted it as "^{[11, p. 1559]}" ("The golden mean is impartial, without excesses and flaws"), which requires people to act without extremes and excessive hobbies. According to Zhang Desheng, "the golden mean includes the middle and harmony. The middle means to be fair, not to go to extremes, and harmony seeks to coordinate the system of actions with the whole ^{[6, p. 41]}." Heroes influenced by Confucianism are always distinguished by rationality, a kind of "moderation regime", when interacting with other people or when solving issues, they can always take into account themselves and others, take into account both emotions and reason, and analyze the situation very carefully. The balanced strategy of the "three worlds" as Zhuge Liang's ideal of public administration, the gradual promotion of the Han method by Xu Heng and the peaceful diplomacy of Zeng Guofan for self–improvement as a strategy of national development - in the proposals of these three heroes, the Confucian idea of the middle way manifested itself in the best way.

Conclusions

Exploring the spiritual subtext of Confucian culture and its influence on the image of the hero, we come to the following conclusions: first of all, the image of the hero under the influence of Confucian culture is formed on the basis of three virtues – "ren", "zhi" and "yun", these three virtues create the theoretical basis of the image of the hero and the choice of historical and literary representations of it. Secondly, the image of the hero under the influence of Confucian culture is characterized by four features: the harmonious unity of "ren", "zhi" and "yun", unwavering aspiration, knowledge and talent, respect and observance of Confucian social norms. Finally, Confucian culture had both a positive and a negative impact on the formation of the hero's image: she reinterpreted existing heroes, making them more appropriate to Confucian culture, which served as an example to follow; since the emergence of Confucian culture, the image of the hero has lost its original mythological colors and shifted towards secularization, which is more acceptable to people; the idea of Confucianism about the golden mean makes the image of the hero more rational and able to make the right decisions; however, the hierarchical The system in Confucian culture overly emphasizes collectivism and slows down the individual development of the hero.