relational morality

  • The Analects – Chapter 13.18

    Duke Ye said to Confucius, “In my region, there is a man known for his uprightness: when his father stole a sheep, the son testified against him.”Confucius replied, “The kind of uprightness we value is different. A father conceals for his son, and a son conceals for his father—uprightness lies precisely within this mutual…

  • Mencius – Chapter 8.7 Moral responsibility: Virtue in action

    Mencius said: “Those who are morally balanced (keep the golden mean) should nurture those who are not; those who are talented should cultivate those who lack talent.That’s why people are glad to have virtuous fathers and elder brothers.”