SOURCE: “Chu Hsi's Ethics: Jen and Ch’eng,” in Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol. 14, No. 2, June, 1987, pp. 161-178.

In the following essay, Borthrong contends that although Chu Hsi's views on ethics have been criticized as unoriginal and derivative, they display an ingenious approach based on the concept of humanity. Borthrong goes on to explore how Chu Hsi's conception of jen and ch’eng contribute to his views on the development of one's full humanity.

Introduction

For over a decade Chu Hsi's thought has fascinated me—in a positive sense. I further think that Master Chu deserves to be considered second only to Master K’ung in the entire history of Chinese thought. Yet Chu remains remarkably unknown and understudied in the West—and even until recently relatively unstudied in modern China. That trend is now reversing itself slowly. It would, in itself, be a fascinating study to examine...