The Confucian case against government by law, and the reason the tradition set li, ritual propriety, above legal penalty. It is the direct answer to the Legalist position that later won the argument politically under the Qin. Book and chapter numbering follows Legge's printed division; the e-text carries no numerals.
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Passage
TextThe Master said, "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good." 1 ReferenceAnalects 2:3 (Legge numbering) 1 Reference SchemeCollection, Book, Section 1 Translation
TranslationThe Chinese Classics, vol. 1: Confucian Analects 1 Connections
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Source The Chinese Classics, vol. 1: Confucian AnalectsJames Legge
Sources
1. The Chinese Classics, vol. 1: Confucian Analects
James Legge, Trubner / Internet Sacred Text Archive, 1861Analects 2:3 (Legge numbering)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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