The Analects – Chapter 109 (5.19). Confucian benevolence is positive virtue

5.19

Zizhang asked saying, “The Grand Minister Ziwen was appointed to this office on three separate occasions, but did not on any of these three occasions display the least sign of elation. Three times he was deposed; but never showed the least sign of disappointment. Each time, he duly informed his successor concerning the administration of State affairs during his tenure of office. What should you say of him?”

The Master said, “He was certainly faithful to his prince’s interests.”

Zizhang said, “Would you not call him benevolent?”

The Master said, “I am not sure. I see nothing in that to merit the title benevolent.”

(Zizhang said) “When Cui assassinated the sovereign of Qi, Chen Wen who held a fief of ten war chariots gave it up and went away. On arriving in another State, he said, ‘I can see they are no better here than our minister Cui’; and he went away. On arriving in the next country, he said, ‘I can see they are no better here than our minister Cui’; and went away. What should you say of him?”

The Master said, “He was certainly scrupulous.”

Zizhang said, “Would you not call him Good?”

The Master said, “I am not sure. I see nothing in that to merit the title Good.”

子張問曰：「令尹子文三仕為令尹，無喜色；三已之，無慍色。舊令尹之政，必以告新令尹。何如？」子曰：「忠矣。」曰：「仁矣乎？」曰：「未知，焉得仁？」「崔子弒齊君，陳文子有馬十乘，棄而違之。至於他邦，則曰：『猶吾大夫崔子也。』違之。之一邦，則又曰：『猶吾大夫崔子也。』違之。何如？」子曰：「清矣。」曰：「仁矣乎？」曰：「未知。焉得仁？」

Notes

Minister Ziwen, a renowned statesman of Chu, served three terms as chancellor and was dismissed three times — yet remained steadfast and dutiful. Confucius praised his “loyalty”, signifying unwavering devotion to duty and state, unaffected by personal gain or loss.

Chen Wenzi, an aristocrat of Qi, faced corrupt governance when Cui Zhu assassinated his ruler. Refusing complicity, he relinquished wealth and status to flee the state, embodying uncompromising integrity.

Yet Confucius declared in this passage from the Analects neither had attained “humaneness/benevolence”. In Confucian thought, benevolence represents the highest moral ideal — transcending mere non-evil (as Chen Wenzi exemplified) or diligence (as Ziwen demonstrated). True humaneness requires proactive virtue: transforming society through benevolent influence. Both men achieved self-purification — but fell short of uplifting the world.

“To extensively confer benefits on the people and bring relief to the multitudes – this may be called benevolence; it may even be called sagehood.”(Analects 6.30)

It binds benevolence to “benefiting the multitudes” – the highest form of benevolence lies in bringing benefits to the people. Ziwen’s “loyalty” did not manifest in effects that benefited the people, and Chen Wenzi’s “incorruptibility” did not achieve the merit of stabilizing the people. Therefore, Confucius denied that either of them had attained benevolence.

“When in adversity, one cultivates one’s own virtue in solitude; when in prosperity, one makes the whole world virtuous together with others.”(Mencius 13.9)

It defines two levels of “virtue” – Chen Wenzi’s act of “abandoning his horses and fleeing from turmoil” was an example of “cultivating his own virtue in solitude”, which conformed to the moral standard of incorruptibility. Yet he failed to live up to the ideal of “making the whole world virtuous together with others when in prosperity”. The requirement of benevolence, however, is that one must aim at benefiting the world regardless of adversity or prosperity – and this was precisely what Chen Wenzi lacked.