Shu
Shu
“The benevolent exercise of the principle of human nature in relation to others;” “the extension of the principle of the self to other people and things;” “the application of the principle of true manhood (jen);” “the application of the principle of the central self (chung);” “putting oneself in the position of others;” “measuring others by oneself;” consideration; altruism; reciprocity; the Confucian “central thread” (i kuan) with respect to social relationship, as being true to the principles of one’s nature (chung) is with respect to the self. — W.T.C.
Shu
(a) Statecraft, craft, tact, or method for a ruler to keep the ministers and the people under control, “to award offices according to their responsibilities, to hold actualities in accordance with their names, to exercise the power of life and death, and to make use of the ability of the ministers.” See fa chia. (Legalists).
(b) Magic. See shu and shu shu. — W.T.C.
Fuente: The Dictionary of Philosophy
Shu
Number, which gives rise to form (hsiang) according to which things become. This philosophy was based on the I Ching (I. Book of Changes), developed in the medieval interpretation of it (chan wei), and culminated in Neo-Confucianism, especially in Shao K’ang-chieh (1011-1077). According to this philosophv, to Heaven belong the odd numbers which represent the active principle (yang) and are characterized by the tendency to increase, and to Earth the even numbers, which represent the passive principle (yin) and are characterized by the tendency to decrease, forming two series of five numbers. The numbers of Heaven add up to twenty-five and those of Earth to thirty, making a total of fifty-five. It is by these that the changes and transformations are effected and the heavenly and earthly spirits have their movements. The system of numbers begins with 1, which represent the Great Ultimate (‘ai Chi) and is completed with 5, which corresponds to the Five Elements (wu hsing) out of the interplay of which all things are what they are. Thus, in the final analysis, everything’s comes from number, by which it can be understood, evaluated, and adjusted to other things with a corresponding number. — W.T.C.