The Connotation of "Joy" in the Analects

Abstract

The connotation of "joy" in the Analects is rich and multifaceted. Its ideology of "joy" manifests, on the level of moral cultivation, as the "joy" of learning, the "joy" of returning to ritual, and the "joy" of contentment in poverty. On the level of external conduct in the world, it appears as the "joy" of friendship, the "joy" of filial piety, and the "joy" of serving in office. On the level of personality and spiritual attainment, it embodies the sage-like demeanor of "the benevolent are free from anxiety; the wise are free from perplexity; the courageous are free from fear." This profound ideological connotation of "joy" corresponds to the essential meaning of the Confucian learning of "inner sageliness and outer kingliness", laying a crucial foundation for the development and interpretation of later thought.