Loyalty – where it comes from
Loyalty in Chinese culture
One of the key virtues in Confucian-influenced cultures is loyalty. You find this in Chinese cultures, but it is particularly strong in Korean cultures!
It may not be immediately apparent, of course. No one may talk about loyalty very openly or list it among the values of their church. But if you show yourself to be disloyal, the reaction will quickly show how highly prized loyalty is…
It’s one of the worst things to be seen as disloyal. You may lie or be greedy – yet that behaviour may easily be excused. But if you are thought of as disloyal - you may find yourself cut out from the loop and labelled as a rebel. you may find that any future efforts on your part to fall back into line will be viewed with deep suspicion.
And I should make it upfront that, as a Chinese pastor, I find that I like loyalty myself. I like it a lot… I like it when church people come regularly to my training events. I find myself gratified when people choose our events over others when there is a clash. I like it when people are regular and dependable in coming to our church things. And what’s more I find myself feeling somewhat suspicious and distrustful of those who don’t!
And there is more to it than simply wanting for people to come to events that make them strong in their Christian lives. There is more to it than simply desiring that they be faithful and dependable in exercising the ministry entrusted to them! I fear that, for many of us, there is a strong leaning towards loyalty…
Where loyalty comes from
This high premium placed on loyalty or faithfulness (忠 zhong) comes from the Confucian background of Chinese culture. In Confucianism loyalty is one of the virtues to be cultivated in a virtuous man (仁 ren). In the following quote from The Analects, notice how prominent zhong is in the lists of virtues:
The philosopher Zeng said, “I daily examine myself on three points: whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful (zhong); whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere; whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher.”
Confucius, The Analects, 1.4
The Master said, “If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid. Hold faithfulness (zhong) and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.”
Confucius, The Analects, 1.8
There were four things which the Master taught: letters, ethics, devotion of soul (zhong), and truthfulness.
Confucius, The Analects, 7.25
Loyalty is particularly required of subjects and officials towards their ruler. Notice the assymeterical relationship between ruler and subject:
Ji Kang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful (zhong) to him, and to go on to nerve themselves to virtue. The Master said, “Let him preside over them with gravity; then they will reverence him. Let him be final and kind to all; then they will be faithful (zhong) to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent; then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous.”
Confucius, The Analects, 2.20
The duke Ding asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, “A prince should employ his minister according to according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness (zhong).”
Confucius, The Analects, 3.19
In Confucianism, loyalty does not take into account the inner desires of a person. The focus is merely on external obedience and dutiful consistency. Here, for instance, we see Confucius’ instruction to government officials:
Zi Zhang asked about government. The Master said, “The art of governing is to keep its affairs before the mind without weariness, and to practice them with undeviating consistency (zhong).”
Confucius, The Analects,12.14
And as with the other Confucian virtues, loyalty is a deeply ingrained virtue. Not only is loyalty expected of you, but you also feel terrible inside of yourself when you consider being disloyal. This is because Confucianism mainly depended, not on external laws and regulations that had to be enforced by others, but on internal sense of shame whereby you punished yourself.
Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they will avoid punishments but will be without a sense of shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously.
Confucius, The Analects, 2.3
The reason why disloyalty is seen as such a terrible thing is that loyalty is part of what is expected of a virtuous man (仁 ren). However when you are disloyal, you show yourself to be less than truly human. You are just like a dog or bird! Mengzi writes that,
The parrot can speak, and yet is nothing more than a bird; the ape can speak, and yet is nothing more than a beast. Here now is a man who observes no rules of propriety; is not his heart that of a beast? But if men were as beasts, and without the principle of propriety, father and son might have the same mate. Therefore, when the sages arose, they framed the rules of propriety in order to teach men, and cause them, by their possession of them, to make a distinction between themselves and brutes.
Mengzi, Qu Li I.9
Writers have seen a link between filial piety on the one hand, and loyalty on the other (although they may sometimes be in tension). As one is filial towards one’s parents in the realm of the home, so one is to be loyal towards wider social structures in the realm beyond the home. And from what we have previously seen about Confucianism (see previous posts) you can already see parallels between filial piety on the one hand, and loyalty on the other: both are what is required of the subordinate in a two-party relationship, both focus on external observance and find internal motivations irrelevant, both are deeply ingrained virtues, and the absence of either renders one less than human in the eyes of society…
[ PS: is there a place for loyalty in Christianity? how should we think of loyalty? ]
Ha, reading this brings good high school memories in Tw. 忠 is certainly a key virtue like you said. Mostly apply to a person\’s conduct towards a superior/higher hierarchy, and specifically to the emperor/government. When used in friendship, it is also usually understood as faithfulness. And in friendships, 忠 goes closely with 義, and therefore the phrase 義氣.I can think of a example in history and one in our times when 忠 is seen as essential. History: 關公(關雲長 or 關羽) is the epitome of 忠 and 義. He kept the pact made by the 3 of them. Always thinking the best for 蜀 even when he was detained in 曹營. Accepted the horse as a gift only because he can then fight better in the battles. What an inspiration for many young people, especially young men, particularly young gangster men. Deified and worshiped and sworn to by gang members and others to show loyalty. Which led to the example of our time: gansters (if i can trust how they are portrayed in HK film industry from late 80s to mid 90s). In their glorification of ganster life, undercover cops were the bad guys. They breach the trust and their job is to betray. They lack 忠 and 義氣. Working for the opposite side is one of the biggest crime. That is why Infernal Affairs became such a big hit (why didnt Martin Scorcsese cite his source in his acceptance speech?)Bringing it to the context of ministry in Chinese/Confucian-influenced church context? The pastor needs to be on the sheep\’s side. If you are working for the opposite side, you are in trouble. Sheep listen to your voice when they know and feel that you are for them and not against them. That is how you love them i guess. Another thing, not only sheep stealing is a very bad thing, jumping ships and work for the opposite side is a no-no. Therefore many charos are hated sometimes for betrayal before any theological/doctrinal assessment. One more, which you already mentioned, once the people are showing loyalty to their leaders, the leaders can take them quite far with their vision and mission and all that, so long as they are not betrayed.Thinking further, the opposite of 忠 is betrayal. That is why we all hate Judas, and Peter\’s denials would be seen as a very low point, and a Chinese Peter would be internally punishing himself (apparently a Jewish Peter too). Also, 忠 is a virtue that is essential in many relationships. A husband or a wife can also be 不忠 in their marriage. Guess Jesus can also be an example of 忠. To his Father and to his friends and to his church. One biblical idea close to 忠 of my choice would be \’faithfulness\’. (Chinese language holds 忠 and 信 close too) Loyalty to our Lord, that you do not betray him. Loyalty to your spouse and family and boss and king is also a good thing. One thing to ask: can you clarify why 忠 is internally irrelevant (as in your last paragraph) and at the same time an ingrained virtue which lays internal punishment within your self (as in your paragraph between 12.14 and 2.3)? Keep this coming!