Although East Asian ideologies often blend religious and philosophical concepts, Confucianism fits better within the definition of a philosophy than a religion. The preeminence of China’s rituals were mentioned frequently in the Analects, but they were not simply prescribed for their own sake. Rather than condone the rites as a way to appease the Lord, or to ensure a sanguine afterlife, they were sanctioned as a way to put rightness into practice.1 A person whose actions are restrained by the rites can be relied upon to maintain one’s discipline.2 The discipline attained through these rituals could thereby avail itself to pursue Goodness3, as only the true gentleman can attain Goodness from within.4 It is through the discipline offered by these rites that Yan Hui can even lament, “The Maser is skilled at gradually leading me on, step by step. He broadens me with culture and restrains me with the rites, so that even if I wanted to give up, I could not. Having exhausted all of my strength, it seems as if there is still something left, looming up ahead of me. Though I desire to follow it, there seems to be no way through.”5 Even when virtue is attained through the rites, the gentleman is expected to preserve the major virtues6, even when faced with hardship.7 However, Kongzi’s purposes for ritual went beyond that of perseverance. They were also used to moderate the other qualities associated with Virtue, “ If you are respectful but lack ritual, you will become exasperating; if you are careful but lack ritual you will become timid; if you are courageous but lack ritual you will become unruly; and if you are upright but lack ritual you will become unflexible.“8 When even one of these qualities is not tempered by the discipline offered by ritual, the result is someone who has fallen short of true self-cultivation.9 Zigong was decidedly inflexible in his use.10 Ran Qui was timid while Zilu was unruly.11 In their extremes, none of these people can be truly evaluated as truly virtuous.11 As for respect, or rather modesty, it is this virtue by which rightness can be appropriately expressed.1 The only ritual that was adequately mentioned is the sacrifice. Although there are gifts of higher market value, only the sacrificial meat is received with a solemn bow.12 Even when the sacrifice is made, it is only if the procedure is done with emotional commitment that the sacrifice would even be respectful.13 The practitioner of this sacrifice must remain sensitive throughout the ritual.14 This is because when they sacrifice for the spirits, the practitioners, by extension, pay their respects to the ancestors of those involved.15 Therefore, the people would return to virtue as a result of the rites15, and would honor their obligations as a result of sympathetic understanding.16 Because a gentleman is not a ‘vessel’17, such a person would know how emphatically the rites would be implemented.18 Henceforth, when the gentleman truly attains virtue through the help of rites, it shall be through their sanguine empathy that the world finally falls in step with benediction.3