Confucianism

Confucianism
What is Confucianism?
Confucianism
• is humanism, a philosophy or attitude that is concerned with human
beings, their achievements and interests, rather than with the
abstract beings and problems of theology. In Confucianism man is
the center of the universe: man cannot live alone, but with other
human beings. For human beings, the ultimate goal is individual
happiness. The necessary condition to achieve happiness is
through peace. To obtain peace, Confucius discovered human
relations consisting of the five relationships which are based on love
and duties. War has to be abolished; and the Great Unity of the
world should be developed.
• The Human beings are supposed to love one another in the name of
God, but they are killing one another in the name of God.
History
• Confucianism means "The School of the
Scholars"; or, less accurately, "The
Religion of Confucius") is an East Asian
ethical and philosophical system originally
developed from the teachings of the early
Chinese sage Confucius. It is a complex
system of moral, social, political and
religious which had tremendous influence
on the history of Chinese civilization down
to the 20th century.
History (con’t)
• Some have considered it to have been the "state
religion" of imperial China. Debated during the
Warring States Period and forbidden during the
short-lived Qin Dynasty, Confucianism was
chosen by Han Wudi for use as a political
system to govern the Chinese state
• Despite its loss of influence during the Tang
Dynasty, Confucianist doctrine remained a
mainstream Chinese orthodoxy for two millennia
until the beginning of the 20th century, when it
was vigorously repressed by Chinese
Communism.
Who was…..
• Confucius (551- 479 BCE) was a famous

sage and social philosopher of China
whose teachings deeply influenced East
Asia for twenty centuries. The relationship
between Confucianism and Confucius
himself, however, is tenuous. Confucius'
ideas were not accepted during his lifetime
and he frequently bemoaned the fact that
he remained unemployed by any of the
feudal lords.
Historiography
• we do not have direct access to Confucius'
ideas. Instead, we have recollections by his
disciples and their students
• the "Burning of the Books and Burying of the
Scholars", a massive suppression of dissenting
thought during the Qin Dynasty, more than two
centuries after Confucius' death. What we now
know of Confucius' writings and thoughts is
therefore somewhat unreliable.
The Analects
• The Analects of Confucius, the closest we have
to a primary source for his thoughts, relates the
discussions with his disciples in short sayings
• This book contains a compilation of questions
and answers, excerpts from conversations, and
anecdotes from Confucius' life
– “Lead the people with administrative injunctions and
put them in their place with penal law, and they will
avoid punishments but will be without a sense of
shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in
their place through roles and ritual practices, and in
addition to developing a sense of shame, they will
order themselves harmoniously.” (Analects II, 3)
• His writings deal primarily with individual morality
and ethics, and the proper exercise of political
power by the rulers.
• Confucius argues that under law, external
authorities administer punishments after illegal
actions, so people generally behave well without
understanding reasons why they should;
whereas with ritual, patterns of behavior are
internalized and exert their influence before
actions are taken, so people behave properly
because they fear shame and want to avoid
losing face.
Beliefs:
• Confucian ethical teachings include the following

values:
– Li: includes ritual, propriety, etiquette, etc.
– Hsiao: love within the family: love of parents for their
children and of children for their parents
– Yi: righteousness
– Xin: honesty and trustworthiness
– Jen: benevolence, humaneness towards others; the
highest Confucian virtue
– Chung: loyalty to the state, etc.

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Confucianism

• Confucius (551- 479 BCE) was a famous

• Confucian ethical teachings include the following

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