On Confucian Thoughts on Mortality Anxiety Management

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science

© 2020 by SSRG - IJHSS Journal

Volume 7 Issue 4

Year of Publication : 2020

Authors : Li Bing-quan, Du Hai-xin

10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V7I4P115

How to Cite?

Li Bing-quan, Du Hai-xin, "On Confucian Thoughts on Mortality Anxiety Management," SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 7,  no. 4, pp. 97-102, 2020. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V7I4P115

Abstract:

Because human beings can be aware of their own mortality, they have mortality anxiety by the effect of the instinct for seeking life and avoiding death. In order to alleviate and even eliminate the pain caused by mortality anxiety, various cultures in the world have constructed the mechanism of mortality anxiety management. Among them, the Confucian mortality anxiety management is a unique and effective thought with Chinese cultural characteristics, which psychological mechanism is mainly sublimation. It can sublimate mortality anxiety or terror into the internal motivation of actively striving and continuous self-improvement. The ways of sublimation are bloodline heritage, Li-de(立德, achieving and strengthening virtue), Li-gong(立功, rendering meritorious service) and Li-yan(立言, writing and propounding ideas), which has great stimulation or incentive function on people’s making great contributions and accomplishing great tasks, creating and inventing, and enhancing their own spiritual realm improvement. Therefore, it is to say that the Confucian thought of mortality anxiety management has positive value for education, especially life education value.

Keywords:

Mortality anxiety management(MAM), Confucianism, Mortality, Bloodline heritage, Li-de(立德, achieving and strengthening virtue), Li-gong( 立功, rendering meritorious service), Li-yan(立言, writing and propounding ideas)

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