: The center of human cognition and emotion. Cultivation requires aligning the mind-heart with the principle of "Humaneness" ( Ren ).
: 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. Confucian Thought: Selfhood as Creative Transfo...
: 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. : The center of human cognition and emotion