Executive Briefing: The Meritocracy of Character
Confucius subverted the feudal term Junzi (originally meaning “son of a lord”), redefining nobility not as hereditary bloodline, but as moral virtue, self-cultivation, and civic duty.
1. Junzi vs. Xiaoren (The Petty Person)
The Analects contrast the two: *”The noble person harmonizes without being conformist; the petty person conforms without harmonizing.”*
2. References
- Tu, W. (1985). Confucian Thought: Selfhood as Creative Transformation. SUNY Press.