P. C. Chang's Concept of Human Dignity for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Author: Pinghua Sun
• Position: Professor at China University of Political Science and Law. MA (Warwick), Ph.D. (CUPL). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1470-9542. Much gratitude is extended to John Nicholson, a senior copy editor with CHINA DAILY, for his careful revision, insightful comments and warm-hearted assistance in the proofreading. The author may be contacted at:...
• Pages: 91-106

Pinghua Sun

∗∗

In the early days of the UN, human rights was one of the most pressing issues. After

the UN Commission on Human Rights was established, the international community

 

process, Pengchun Chang (P. C. Chang), the Chinese representative, drew heavily

on his view that human dignity was the raison d’être of human rights, and as a

consequence recognition of the importance of human dignity was a key element in the

UDHR eventually adopted. I conclude that Chang was skilled in his advocacy of the

recognition of human dignity as he persuaded people to reach a consensus on human

rights standards, providing a common standard for all peoples and all nations. This

paper will mainly ask: What was the role of human dignity in P. C. Chang’s idea on

human rights? What role can we say human dignity played? How did the UDHR treat

the issue of human dignity?

Keywords

Human Dignity, Human Rights, P. C. Chang, UDHR, Traditional Chinese

Culture

P. C. Chang

’

s Concept

of Human Dignity for the

Universal Declaration

of Human Rights

∗

∗ The earlier version of this article was presented at Christ Church College, Oxford on August 3, 2018.

** Professor at China University of Political Science and Law. MA (Warwick), Ph.D. (CUPL). ORCID: https://orcid.

org/0000-0002-1470-9542. Much gratitude is extended to John Nicholson, a senior copy editor with CHINA DAILY, for

his careful revision, insightful comments and warm-hearted assistance in the proofreading. The author may be contacted

at: fadaphsun@aliyun.com/Address: China University of Political Science and Law, 25, Xitucheng Road, Haidian

District, Beijing 100088 P. R. China.

J. EAST ASIA & INT’L L. Vol. 12/No.1 (2019); 91-106

Publication type : Research Article

Section : Notes & Comments

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.14330/jeail.2019.12.1.05

92 Pinghua Sun

1. Introduction

For the past eight years I have devoted much time to human rights studies. The

following four books are main publications of my research: 1) THE STUD Y OF THE

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS [<󱉽󰑴󲜱>󱕅󱞧] (Peking University

Press 2012); 2) HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION SYSTEM IN CHINA (Springer 2014); 3) PENGCHUN

CHANG: A CRUCIAL ARCHITECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM [󰍖: 

󱉽󰑴󱨬󱎵󲻾󲚲󲣯 󲣒] (Social Sciences Academic Press 2017); and 4) HISTORI C

ACHIEVEMENT OF A COMMON STANDARD: PENGCHUN CHANG AND THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION

OF HUMAN RIGHTS (Springer 2018). These works have attracted scholars’ attention in

 



foundations and the uses of human dignity. At the conference I delivered a keynote

speech titled “    ’s thought about human

rights.”

1

       

aforementioned works a question occurred to me: What was the role of human

 ’s idea on human rights? This research will try to answer this

fundamental question. It will be further subdivided into the following questions:

         

        

of human rights?; and 4) How did the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

(“UDHR”) treat the issue of human dignity?

2. Who is Pengchun Chang?

   󲴡

   

   

UDHR.

2

1 See Human Dignity for Everyone Everywhere: Founding Figures, Foundations, and the Uses of Human Dignity,

available at https://www.iclrs.org/content/blurb/files/Oxford%20HD%20Conference.Schedule.2018.07.31.pdf (last

visited on Apr. 26, 2019).

2 Pinghua Sun, Peng-Chun Chang: A world-renowned human rights activist. 6 HUM. RTS. 40-5 (2011).