The word "人倫 (jinrin)" has been used in China since ancient times, and is generally understood to refer to the fi ve Confucian virtues described in the Book of Mencius, namely, the love between father and child, the obligation between ruler and subject, the distinction between husband and wife, the order between elders and younger people, and the trust between friends.
This paper differs from conventional research methods that focus on literature, philosophy, and ideology regarding "human ethics" in that it is part of an eff ort to clarify the original usage of the term in ancient China.
In this paper, examines the conceptual explanation of "人倫 (jinrin)" in Chinese dictionaries and traces the sources of examples of its usage.
It then surveys the distribution of its use in Chinese literature up to the Song Dynasty. Additionally, the paper explores how "人倫 (jinrin)", when contrasted with categories such as "birds and beasts" and "plants" in pre-Song texts, is applied in relation to its surrounding context and its connection with other terms.departmental bulletin pape
