: Self-cultivation is a proactive, creative act. It is the process of "learning to be human" ( xue ) by refining one's internal virtues to harmonize with external social roles.
: Tu Weiming emphasizes that the self eventually reaches a state where it is "at one" with the universe. This "anthropocosmic" view suggests that by fulfilling our human nature, we also participate in the creative work of Heaven and Earth. The Dimensions of Cultivation Confucian Thought: Selfhood as Creative Transfo...
Tu Weiming argues that this Confucian model offers a vital alternative to modern "instrumental rationality" and extreme individualism. It proposes that true freedom is found not in independence from others, but in the that allows for both personal growth and social harmony. : Self-cultivation is a proactive, creative act
: Unlike the Western "isolated individual," the Confucian self is defined by its relationships. It is an open system that expands through a "fiduciary community," starting from the core of the person and radiating outward. This "anthropocosmic" view suggests that by fulfilling our
: The self is realized through five key relationships (ruler-subject, parent-child, husband-wife, elder-younger sibling, and friend-friend). These are the "fields" where creative transformation occurs.