Lĭ li: an interpretation

Abstract

L? ritual (禮) is one of the most distinctive features of Confucianism (r? ji?, 儒家),

but interpreters have yet to agree on the extent of its functions and whether the

Confucians provide any justification of its use. Contemporary attempts to derive

such justification have typically relied upon explaining l?'s relationship with r?n

humaneness (仁), another core concept for Confucianism that is frequently given great

prominence in Confucian ethics. Drawing upon such approaches, I propose that at

least one aspect of l?'s function is best understood as being bound-up with that of

r?n and that this function arguably justifies Confucian appeals to l? as a guide to

conduct. My approach is distinct from previous interpretations, however, in that I

argue that l? serves metaphorically as the language by which attitudes conducive to

r?n are managed and expressed, and that the successful application of l?, including

its use in symbolizing ethically significant normative statuses, contributes to the

Confucian ideal of harmony (h?, 和) on both interpersonal and intrapersonal

levels. The upshot of this interpretation is that, despite criticisms both modern and

ancient, we can clearly see how the Confucians justifiably imbue a particular

aspect of traditional mores with normative ethical force.