Confucius’ Theory of Junzi and its Contemporary Significance

Abstract

Junzi (君子 gentleman) is the ideal personality for Confucius. To perform benevolence ( ren 仁) and righteousness ( yi 義) is the responsibility of a junzi . A junzi also esteems bravery, which takes benevolence and righteousness and the justification of the enterprise as its prerequisites. A junzi must do things properly and act in accordance with the mean ( zhongyong 中庸). How does one achieve the mean? The person concerned needs to be flexible with the principles and the circumstances of the situation. A person is not born a junzi , but to become one. And to become a junzi , one needs to cultivate one’s character, which includes the cultivation of the inner spirit and the literature and arts. Confucius’ theory of junzi is still relevant in modern times, and modern society needs a new type of junzi .