truth, it is correct. All idealism contains some partial truth, and such was the case
also with Confucius. This point should be mentioned in the article, lest the readers
think that even if "names are not correct, and language is not in accordance with
the truth of things," yet "affairs" can nevertheless be carried to "success." Not only
Confucius, but we too, are engaged in "rectifying names." Confucius was rectifying the names of the feudal order; we are rectifying the names of the revolutionary
order. Confucius gave primacy to the names, while we give primacy to reality. The
difference lies here. Idealist philosophy has another strong point, which is its emphasis on conscious activity. Confucius was like this, too, so he could arouse people's
attention and support. One of the important reasons why mechanistic materialism
cannot overcome idealism is that it underestimates conscious activity. We should
mention Confucius's strong point in this respect.6
2. "The relationship between father and son in a family reflects that of a ruler
and his minister in a society" should preferably be stated in reverse: "The relationship between ruler and minister in a society (it would probably be more appropriate to say in a state) reflects that of father and son in a family."" In fact, before the
state appeared in slave society and feudal society, families already existed. The
patriarchal system in the clan society of the later period of primitive communist
society was the precursor of the formation of the state. Therefore, "filial piety
became loyalty," and not the other way around. All states (polities) manifest economic centralization. Whereas in a feudal state, the family is the basic unit of the
small-producers' economy of the time, or, as Boda says, "the basic cell," the feudal
state emerged in conformity with the centralization (the feudal centralization) of
these units.
3. The Problem of the Doctrine of the Mean
Boda's explanation is correct, but inadequate. "Excess is just like falling short"
is a method of struggling on two fronts; it is one of the important methods of
thought. All philosophies, all thought, and all everyday life must have a struggle
on two fronts, in order to confirm the relative stability [of the relationship] between things and concepts. "A given quality contains a given quantity" (it would
be better to say, "A given quality is inherent in a given quantity") is correct, but
the important thing is to find out and ascertain that given quality from the quantity
of a thing, and set boundaries for it so that it can be distinguished from other different qualities. This is the purpose of fighting on two fronts. In the article it is
best to quote from the Doctrine of the Mean, "There was Shun-he indeed was
greatly wise! Shun loved to question others, and to study their words.... He took
hold of their two extremes, determined the Mean, and employed it in his government of the people," as well as "This was the manner of Hui-he made choice of
the Mean, and whenever he got hold of what was good, he clasped it firmly, as if
wearing it on his breast, and did not lose it,"10 which further illustrates the meaning of the doctrine of the mean. Zhu Xi commented on the phrase "There was
Shun-he was indeed greatly wise," saying, "The two extremes refer to the extremes of public opinion. For all things have two extremes, such as big and small,
and thick and thin. Within the realm of good, one again examines the two extremes
and chooses the mean and uses it. Then the choice is very carefully made, and the
use optimal. But if it does not depend on whether my capacity for discernment is
not inadequate, how can I achieve this? This is through knowing what is neither
excessive nor falling short, and thus practicing the Way."11 This annotation is
basically correct, but "the two extremes" should not be explained simply as "the
extremes of public opinion" but, rather, should be explained clearly to refer to
"excess" and "falling short." "Excess" is a "leftist" thing, and "falling short" is a
"rightist" thing. According to our present point of view, excess and falling short
refer to the movements of a certain object in time and space. When it develops to
a certain state, quantitative relationships should determine a certain quality. This
is "mean" or "the invariable mean," or "the right time." If we say that this thing is
not in that state, but has entered into another state, then it has a different quality,
and has become "excessive" or gone "to the left." If we say that this thing still
lingers in the same state without new development, then it is an old thing, a stagnant concept, conservative and stubborn; it is rightist and "has fallen short."
Confucius's concept of the doctrine of the mean has no such idea of development.
For the most part, it rejected ideas which differed from those it had already established. There is no doubt, however, that it did look for and ascertain quality from
quantity, and oppose "left" and right deviations. This thought was indeed, as Boda
says, a great discovery and a great achievement of Confucius. It is an important
field of philosophy, and merits an explanation.
4. When we talk about Confucius being "anxious about personal gains and
losses," we need not give the example of his "expressing joy" when he was serving
as prime minister of the state of Lu, because you cannot point out what other more proper attitudes there are besides "expressing joy" when one becomes an official. 12 The problem lies, rather, in whether he should be in that office, but not
whether he should have expressed joy.
5. As far as Confucius's ethical theories are concerned, they should be examined on the basis of materialism and be subjected to more criticism, so as to make
it easier to bring out the differences of principle with the ethical views of the
Guomindang (the Guomindang takes the greatest pleasure in quoting Confucius in
this respect). For example, take "wisdom, benevolence, and courage." Since
Confucius's wisdom (in theory) was not based on objective facts, it was arbitrary
and idealist. Consequently, benevolence and courage, as seen by them (in practice), were benevolent only toward the ruling class but not toward the masses. The
courage was the courage to oppress people and to defend feudalism, but not to
serve the people. Wisdom, benevolence, and courage, called "the three virtues,"
have always been muddled concepts. Wisdom is a theory, a thought, a plan, a
program, a policy. Benevolence and courage are attitudes which should be adopted
when theories, policies, and so on are being carried out. Benevolence is like what
we now call "to love and unite with," and courage is like what we now call "overcoming hardships." (At present, when we say love and unite with, and overcome
hardships, these are all materialist, while Confucius's wisdom, benevolence, and
courage were all subjective.) And yet there are even more important attitudes, such
as "loyalty." If you are not loyal, then "wisdom" is merely empty talk without
credibility, benevolence is only hypocritical, and courage is an empty shell. Moreover, benevolence and righteousness must be considered together. "Righteousness is that which is appropriate to the circumstances."13 It can be said that
righteousness is in the realm of "wisdom," while benevolence is only one of the
attitudes adopted in practice. And yet it was put above righteousness, giving rise
to the confused thought of idealism. This thing called "benevolence" has been
taken advantage of by idealist thinkers for thousands of years since Confucius,
and they have made a great mess out of it. Indeed, it has done great harm to people.
I think such ethical categories of Confucius should be criticized on the basis of
historical materialism and put in their proper place. Comrade Boda has made some
criticisms, but I still feel they are not severe enough.
6. Apart from the failure to point out clearly the fundamentally metaphysical
character of Confucius's epistemological and sociological theories, there are explanations of many aspects of his dialectics, such as the relationship between name
and reality, writing and substance, and words and action.
7. In addition, this article does not have an overall theme, so when a beginner
reads it, he will feel it is not very systematic. If a brief explanation summing up the
philosophy of Confucius could be placed at the beginning or the end of the article,
pointing out its basic nature, that would be better. All of Boda's articles that I have
read so far seem to have the same defect.
I have just casually jotted down the points above, without thinking deeply about
them.

Mao Zedong

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Notes

6. The published text of Chen Boda's article contains (p. 21) a brief paragraph referring
to positive elements in Confucius's thought, especially his emphasis on "conscious activity," but the point is not stressed.
7. Chen Boda did not follow Mao completely on this point; he treats the filial piety of
the son toward the father, and the loyalty of the minister to the ruler, as two closely linked
concepts, both equally oppressive of the individual. "Filial piety," he writes, "is the epitome
of loyalty; loyalty is filial piety writ large" (p. 21).
8. In this case, Chen Boda added Mao's formulation after his own as an alternative. See
the published article, p. 22.
9. Doctrine of the Mean, VI (Legge, Vol. I, p. 388).
10. The reference is to the Doctrine of the Mean, VIII (Legge, Vol. I, p. 389). This and
the previous quotation correspond to the same passages Mao cited in his letter of February
1, 1939, regarding Chen Boda's article on Mozi.
11. The quotation is from Zhu Xi, Sishu jizhu (Annotations on the Four Books).
12. This example does not appear in the published version of Chen's article. Apparently
he responded to Mao's criticism by deleting the whole passage.
13. This is a truncated version of a quotation from Zhu Xi's Sishu jizhu, the section
commenting on book I, chapter I of the Mencius, which is devoted to the relation between
benevolence and righteousness. Zhu Xi wrote: "Benevolence is the virtue of the heart, and
the principle of love. Righteousness is the structure of the heart, and what is appropriate to
the circumstances."