Rereading Analects 2.3: Law, Rites, and Dignity in Confucius

Abstract

Abstract: Analects 2.3 is a key passage in the construal of Confucius' political and legal thought, but readings of it diverge. Many scholars view it as a broader evaluation of the rule of law relative to that of rites, while some read it more specifically as pertaining to the coercive enforcement of morality. Some read the quotation as an instrumental, conformist tenet, whereas some perceive its humanistic and ethical nature. Textual and contextual findings show that the latter categories in both cases are the more plausible. This clarification illuminates differences between Confucius' notion of virtue-rites guidance and later variations that may lack respect for moral autonomy.