□ Also known variously as 五教, 五典, 五品, 五達道, and 五常, the 五教 are the five relationships 孟子 taught that are necessary for society to operate in an orderly fashion.

The five relationships were written down by the disciples of 孟子 in 滕文公上. In Japanese, the relationships are generally given as:

君臣の義・父子の親・夫婦の別・長幼の序・朋友の信

These can be translated as:

1. Justice of sovereign and subject
2. Friendship of father and child
3. Separation of husband and wife
4. Order of older and younger
5. Belief of friend and friend

The Chinese version seems to be different. According to Mournir Farah, the relationships are between ruler and ruled, father and son, older brother and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. (Quoted from China Research.) In the Chinese tradition, it seems the first in each pair is to be benevolent to the second, and the second is to be loyal to the first. In Confucianism, these are described as:

1. Ruler/Subject (loyalty, obedience)
2. Father/son (obedience)
3. Husband/Wife (Submission, obedience to husband's wishes; women also had to submit as daughter to father and widow to eldest son)
4. Older brother/younger brother (brotherly respect)
5. Friend/Friend (Equality, sincerity)

Differences in interpretation are no doubt due to tradition, transmission (to Korea and Japan) and movements such as Neo-Confucianism.

See the following pages for further descriptions:

http://www.kecl.ntt.co.jp/icl/mtg/members/bond/kendo.html

http://www.easc.indiana.edu/pages/easc/curriculum/korea/1995/general/lesson10.htm

http://www.edp.eng.tamagawa.ac.jp/~sumioka/ssi/ssi03.html

THE GREEK, INDIAN, & CHINESE ELEMENTS

Confucius, K'ung-fu-tzu

This entry was created by Benjamin Barrett.

Created 2001-06-08.