On Confucius’ Pragmatic Views and ArtsFU Hua-chen

A large amount of utterances by Confucius are kept in Analects. Such materials directly deal with the use of language and have displayed his pragmatic views: words clear enough to express one’s thoughts, utterance on the basis of faithfulness, avoiding mechanic talk, aiming at correct subject, talking in correct context and in accordance with rite. His utterances show his high pragmatic art, and can be considered as the pragmatic models. His pragmatic art is mainly shown in the code switch at proper time, employment of vivid words and a variety of rhetorical devices.