Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And PsychicGulick, Sidney Lewis
History
Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic
Gulick, Sidney Lewis
Japan -- Civilization; Japan -- Social life and customs; National characteristics, Japanese
"The West knows not the 'Ri'[BG] of the virtues of the heart which
are in all men unchangeably the same. Nor does it know that the
body is the organ of the virtues, however careful its analysis of
the body may be. The adherents of the Western Philosophy indeed
study carefully the outward appearances, but they have no right to
steal the honored name of natural philosophy. As when 'Ki' is
destroyed, 'Ri' too disappears, so, with their analysis of 'Ki,'
they destroy 'Ri,' and thus this learning brings benevolence and
righteousness and loyalty and truth to naught. Among the
Westerners who from of old have studied details minutely, I have
not heard of one who was zealous for the Great Way, for
benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and truth, and who opposed the
absurdities of the Lord of Heaven [God].'[BH] 'Let then the child
make its parent, Heaven; the retainer, his lord; the wife, her
husband; and let each give up life for righteousness. Thus will
each serve Heaven. But if we exalt Heaven above parent or lord, we
shall come to think that we can serve it though they be disobeyed,
and like wolf or tiger shall rejoice to kill them. To such fearful
end does the Western learning lead."[BI]
The foregoing quotations reveal the exalted nature of the ideals held
by at least some of the leaders of ethical thought in Japan. Taken as
a whole, the moral ideals characterizing the Japanese during their
entire historical period have been conspicuously communal. The feudal
structure of society has determined the peculiar character of the
moral ideal. Loyalty took first rank in the moral scale; the
subordination of the inferior to the superior has come next, including
unquestioning obedience of children to parents, and of wife to
husband. The virtues of a military people have been praised and often
gloriously exemplified. The possession of these various ideals and
their attainment in such high degree have given the nation its
cohesiveness. They make the people a unit. The feudal training under
local daimyos was fitting the people for the larger life among the
nations of the world on which they are now entering. Especially is
their sense of loyalty, as exhibited toward the Emperor, serving them
well in this period of transition from Oriental to Occidental social
ideals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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