A Comparative Study of the Concepts of “Obligation" and “Righteousness" in Chinese and Japanese Cultures

This paper takes Benedict’s The Chrysanthemum and the Sword as the starting point and employs a comprehensive analytical framework integrating comparative cultural studies, semiotics, and ethical typology to systematically investigate the historical evolution, cultural connotations, and translational mechanisms of the concepts of “obligation” and “righteousness” in Chinese and Japanese cultures. By constructing a three - level analytical dimension of “semantic field - pragmatic domain - cultural context,” this study reveals the similarities and differences between Chinese and Japanese views on “obligation” and “righteousness” and explores their transformation trends in the process of modernization, providing a new perspective and methodological paradigm for the comparative study of ethics in East Asia.