Abstract

This paper analyzed the correlation of 'everyday life', 'human relationship (ren-lun)' and 'self-understanding' in Confucianism context. The thought of yin-yang wu-xing(陰陽五行) is based on the correlative thinking that understands things in connection with correlation the things have. The going and returning of moon and sun, the repetition of four season are the typical example of yin-yang wu-xing. And human's emotion, virtues, or physical organs are considered to share same pattern with natural order. Furthemore the rules of five human relation derive from the principle of universe. In other words, if we substitute haman relation for natural order, the rules of five human relationship are expression of the subject such as whom I came from, whom I live with and so on. The emphasis of human relationship is correspondent to natural order, in that it is a kind of applied form of natural order to life of oneself. Confucianist thought the principle of nature as correspondence(感應) like repetition of extention and contraction(屈伸). Correspondence consists of understanding the context and responding in the most appropriate way. In this point correspondence is not submission to rules but synthesized decision with considering context, relationship, or other's desire. The basic methods to practice filial piety were such correspondent activity as paying attention to parents' face, asking after comfort and so on. So we can say that practicing filial piety in correspondent way is to conform natural order and realize the universal order at personal level. I think the idea of everyday life in confucianism has tension not to fall into base daily life and not to transcend to aloof principle. And it gives a significant meaning to people who has distorted vision in modern society.