This Han Feizi passage frames ritual as inner feeling’s outer form. It outlines the Dao-virtue-benevolence-righteousness-ritual order, stressing true ritual is spiritual self-cultivation.
by Han Fei Long ago, the Yellow Emperor assembled spirits and demons on Mount Tai.
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…
Confucius said, “I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as they love beauty.”
Yan Hui sighed deeply and said, “The more I look up to the Master’s Way, the higher it appears; the more I delve into it, the firmer it becomes. Just when I think I see it ahead of me, suddenly it seems to be behind. My teacher guides people skillfully and step by step:…