Is Mencius' doctrine of 'extending affection' tenable?

Author: Liu Q.

Source: Asian Philosophy, Volume 14, Number 1, March 2004 , pp. 79-90(12)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

In his doctrine of 'extending affection' (tui en), Mencius holds that one can transform particular consanguineous affection into universal humane love by the way of 'taking this heart here and applying it to what is over there'. Through a critical analysis of the text of the Mencius, it is attempted to argue that although this doctrine can combine the two mainstays of Confucian thought, i.e., filiality and humaneness, into an integrated unity, it is not tenable within the Confucian framework in the light of the fundamental spirit of Confucianism, especially in the light of the principle of 'love with distinctions' advocated by Mencius himself, which definitely gives consanguineous affection the supreme position in human life.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/0955236042000190491

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