L? ritual (禮) is one of the most distinctive features of Confucianism (r? ji?, 儒家), but interpreters have yet to agree on the extent of its functions and whether the Confucians provide any justification of its use. Contemporary attempts to derive such justification have typically relied upon explaining l?'s relationship with r?n humaneness (仁), another core concept for Confucianism that is frequently given great prominence in Confucian ethics. Drawing upon such approaches, I propose that at least one aspect of l?'s function is best understood as being bound-up with that of r?n and that this function arguably justifies Confucian appeals to l? as a guide to conduct. My approach is distinct from previous interpretations, however, in that I argue that l? serves metaphorically as the language by which attitudes conducive to r?n are managed and expressed, and that the successful application of l?, including its use in symbolizing ethically significant normative statuses, contributes to the Confucian ideal of harmony (h?, 和) on both interpersonal and intrapersonal levels. The upshot of this interpretation is that, despite criticisms both modern and ancient, we can clearly see how the Confucians justifiably imbue a particular aspect of traditional mores with normative ethical force. / published_or_final_version / Philosophy / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (M.A.)--Fu ren da xue. / Reproduced from typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [59-60]).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Beijing da xue, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 242-252).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hua dong shi fan da xue, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references. 880-07

Thesis (M.A.)--Fu ren da xue. / Reproduced from typescript. Bibliography: leaves [59]-[60]

Thesis (M.A.)--Zhongguo wen hua xue yuan. / Reproduced from typescript. Bibliography: p. 175-178.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong Baptist University, 2002. / Thesis submitted to the Dept. of Chinese Language and Literature. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-199).

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-137).