Journal of Shanghai University (Social Science Edition)

• Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

LifePoliticizedandPoliticsasLife:
AnInvestigationCenteredontheBookofRites

  

  • Online:2013-11-15 Published:2013-11-15

Abstract: IntheConfuciantradition,politicalidealsarenotmerelyabstractconcepts;rather,theyare
embodiedintheconcreterealitiesofdailylife.InBookofRites,theidealConfucianpoliticalorderisactual
izedinthenormsofeverydaylife.Thenormsforbothcommonpeopleandofficialsgivefullexpressiontothe
Confucianhierarchiesandpoliticalorder.This"lifepolitics"paradigmreflectsthedualfeatureofConfucian
politicalphilosophy:lifeispoliticizedwhileatthesametimepoliticsisexperiencedasdailylife.This
paradigmhasbothpositiveandnegativeeffects.Sincethepoliticalidealsoftherulingclasscanbeeffectively
embodiedinthepolity'sdailylife,itiseasytoachieveorder,institutionalizationandstandardizationinthe
society.Indoingso,however,rulesandnormsmightalsodegenerateintorigiddogmas,whichwouldinhibit
socialvitalityandprogressandreducethediversity,richness,andeventhefreedomoflife.
  

Key words: normsofdailylife, politicalorder, lifepolitics

CLC Number: