The Concept of Confucianism

...he teachings, rather than worshipping a specific God. Confucianism teaches that all people are good and it emphasizes the importance of every individual to be good to one another. Buddhism is teaching the importance of reaching a certain level of enlightenment, meaning a moment in their lives where they do not do anything morally wrong and have a high level of understanding in their life (pbs.org). Confucianism encourages their young to obey their elders. The idea expects the inferiors of the house hold or social class obey their superiors and show respect. There is great admiration for the elders in Confucianism. Buddhism highlights the four noble truths, which state they we as humans are born into suffering, “we cause our own suffering, we should stop doing things that make us suffer and follow an enlightened path to end our suffering” (people.opposingviews.com).

In contrast to Western philosophy, Chinese thought views man as but a single, though vital part of the complexity of nature. The Chinese have aspired to attain harmony with nature as a source of spiritual satisfaction. Life is not a transitory phenomenon, but real, viewed and appreciated for its beauty and order. They, i.e. beauty and order, are esthetic entities and are to be cherished and savored in life. Man and nature are in a reciprocal relationship, thus affecting each other. Just as the forces of nature can bring bliss but also disaster, so can man upset the delicate balance by his misdeeds. Heaven (the supernatural world), Earth and man constitute a single and indivisible unity. No boundaries between the three exist. Man must do his part, by conforming to natural law. When he does so, society enjoys peace and tranquility. When he transgresses, Heaven and nature are disturbed, the intricate relationships break down, and consequently calamities follow. The preceding is characteristic of an attitude in which Confucian ethics is embedded. The source of desire for harmony lies in prehistoric times, and gave rise to cosmology and philosophy.

Confucianism is a time enduring philosophy that has stood up to invading clans, war, resentment, enforcement and infringement of new philosophies, and eventually, revival. For almost 80 years, up until the late 1970’s, Confucianism and its ideas and values have been all but wiped away from China. Though effort was made to remove Confucianism for good from China by the Communist leader Mao Zedong in 1949, the ideas and values were so deeply embedded into peoples mind and the culture that even suppression could not keep it out of the culture and practices. The main factor that has brought Confucianism back into the limelight in China and other East Asian countries is the recent development of economic growth and the possibilities behind why that has occurred. This is a topic that has brought about much dispute among scholars, that is, whether or not Confucianism has played any role in the progress of these countries, especially that of China. It is through the adaptation and re-institution of Confucian ideas and philosophies to that of the modern era that will develop China and create a better society, government, and economy allowing it to grow and prosper.

Confucianism, one of the most renowned Chinese ideologies, was begun by Confucius, a Chinese scholar born in 551 B.C. At the time of his birth, there was crisis and violence occurring in China. In order to combat this problem, Confucius came up with the five relationships. Following these “relationships” (ex. Ruler and subject, older brother and younger brother) would help to establish harmony between all. The majority of these relationships pertained to family matters, which went hand in hand with Confucius’s stressing of filial piety, or respect shown by children for their parents and elders. This single value led to many changes in people’s daily life and attitudes.

A philosopher named Confucius founded Confucianism in China 2,500 years ago. Confucianism is a system of ethical behavior and social responsibility that became the great traditions of the East.1 It played an important role in the evolution in Chinese culture over the centuries. It has influenced near-by countries and had made a mark in the history of religion. There are today over six million people who call themselves Confucianists. Most Confucianists live in East Asia where Confucianism is thought to be born. For over two thousand years, Confucianism has been the dominant philosophical system of Chinese government, which has still a great hold on their people. Because Chinese culture has spread to the counties of Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, the values of Confucianism can be found there too.

Confucianism is a moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient writings, including that of Mencius. Confucius was born a mandarin under the name Kongzi. It was developed around 550 B.C. In its earliest form Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical concepts for the control of society. It saw man as a social creature that is bound to his fellow men by jen, or “humanity.” Jen is expressed through the five relationships—sovereign and subject, parent and child, elder and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Of these, the filial relation is most important.

Confucius was born in 551 BC, in what was then the fudal state of Lu, now included in the modern providence of Shang-tsung. His parents were not wealthy but still belonged to the “superior” class because his father was a warrior. Confucius was still a boy when his father died. From childhood the showed a great aptitude for study. In order to support himself and his mother, he had to labor in his early years as a hired servant for a noble family. His ability and faithful service earned him a promotion to the office of minister of justice. Under his administration the state attained to a degree of prosperity and moral order the people haven’t seen before. After he resigned he was accompanied by faithful disciples and went about from one state to another seeking a ruler who would agree to put his political doctrine into practice.

...ts influence is still strong. For example, “the Chinese state is allocating a $10 billion fund to sponsor a worldwide network of schools to promote Chinese culture and language” in the Chinese Bridge Program, which is viewed as he first step to a wider global acceptance of Confucian philosophy (Zhu). Speaking in a historical sense, in times of major social change, such as when the Communist party came into political power, Confucianism was derided and dismissed. Although political agendas and events try to mask the traditional ideologies of the Chinese people, recent political changes have said to create a new structure (Jacobs 30). Just as any other philosophy that has been imbued with a culture, Confucianism is not easy thing to dissolve; the basic principals form the basis of much of China′s culture on a business, familial, socio-political, and individual levels.

Confucianism is a philosophical life style of the people in ancient China. It is a tradition, a way of life, as well as an expression of a moral nature. Confucianism expresses the behaviors of life to the corresponding laws of heaven, which resolves around the pursuit of unity and heaven, to become one with the heaven. Confucianism is followed by many people in ancient China as well as modern day China. People such as farmers, merchants, or even everyday people can follow Confucianism, it teaches the followers to worship the Gods and ancestors and teaches the good life styles, so the followers can become one with the heaven.

As previously mentioned, Confucianism was developed within East Asia, which is comprised of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, mainland China, North Korea and Vietnam . The best way to describe Confucianism is written by Tu Wei-ming, who states, “Confucianism is a worldview, a social ethic, a political ideology, a scholarly tradition, and a way of life” . An important person during this time is known as Confucius. Popular belief is that he was the founder of Confucianism, but essentially he was more of the reason this particular religion drastically became so popular within East Asia. Confucius, also known as K’ung Fu-Tzu or Master K’ung, is best recognized as the honored teacher and sage of Confucianism. It was common for him to refer to himself as more of a “transmitter” than a “creator .

Confucianism is currently known as being one of the most famous practices of religion, dating all the way back to 551 B.C.E. Confucius was the founder who followed the Chinese people for more than two millennia. Confucius also had political views about education, and how they reflected his teachings during present modern day. These religious aspects of culture showed value and meaning to Asia and around the world. Due to modern Chinese society, Confucianism had a strong and positive impact during the past and present, due to the substances of learning and education, the source of values and political powers, and the social code of the Chinese that relates with other forms of religion.

Confucius is the founder of Confucianism. The name "Confucius" is the Latin name for Kong Qiu-zi. Confucius was born in the village of Zou in the country of Lu in 551 BC. He was a poor descendant of a disposed noble family. As a child, he held fake temple rituals; as a young adult, quickly earned a reputation for fairness, politeness, and love of learning, and he was reputed to be quite tall. When he was 35 years old, Duke Zhao of Lu led his country to war, this was routed and fled to Qi. While he was there, Duke Zhao would frequently go to him for advice, but after the counsel of one of his minister, Zhao was unable to give Confucius land and eventually stopped seeking advice. He eventually went back to Lu.

Confucianism was a philosophy derived from the teachings and thoughts of Confucius. Confucius was a Chinese scholar, politician, and philosopher during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. Born into a poor family, Confucius had a deep desire to restore order and moral living of earlier years to his Chinese society, and as a teacher, that was the subjects of his teachings. His followers successfully spread the ideas of Confucianism during the Era of the Hundred Schools of Thought, the era of rapid intellectual expansion in China, until the rise of the Qin Dynasty and the resulting suppression of ideas other than Legalism. After the fall of the Qin Dynasty and the abandonment of Legalism, Confucianism became the official state ideology of the Han Dynasty. The subsequent period after the Han witnessed most Emperors applying a mix of Confucianism and Legalism to their society, using positive Confucian values to cover up the rough Legalist ideas of Imperialism, leading to spiritual and divine religions such as Daoism and Buddhism being allowed to influence intellectual life (including Confucianism) in a major way. The Tang Dynasty was marked by a revitalization in Confucian thought, absorbing some elements of both Daoism and Buddhism, and was revised as Neo-Confucianism. This new form became the basis for imperial exams in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and throughout the centuries thereafter became a major, changed, philosophical system, often infused with Buddhist and Daoist values in popular thought. But Confucianism was, and still remains to be about humanism, ethics, and moral values of the people. As a major philosophical system, Confucianism emphasized the practical, especially familial relationships, and not a belief in divine ...

Master Kung, also known as Kung Fu-tzu is known to be the Confucius of the west. He is one of the most well known philosophers in Chinese history. Confucianism has evolved so much over the years that no one knows the original thoughts of the master. Master Kung established a tradition of cultural values. Confucius wanted to attain a position in government so he could influence the ruler, thus helping him make wiser decisions. He was appointed to a governmental position in Lu but it was brief. So he traveled the neighboring states hoping to attain another position, and he did but he often spoke his mind when he shouldn’t have and was forced to leave again. When he returned home he realized that through his teaching he would be able to affect the people more. Confucius taught that all human affairs were structured by five relationships: father and son, husband and wife, elder and younger brother, ruler and official, and friend and friend. He had a major emphasis on the family because three of these relationships focus on the family. Confucius was more of a summarizer and rephraser of truths than an original thinker. He focused on the relation of human being to human being and the relation of governor to governed.