While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. FOUNDED: c. 1050-256 b.c.e. This may be true especially in times of social chaos, such as during the period of the Ming-Qing transition. Confucianism was initiated by the disciples of Confucius, developed by Mencius (c. 372-289 BCE) and inherited by later generations, undergoing constant transformations and restructuring since its establishment, but preserving the principles of humaneness and righteousness at its core. Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. At the national level, Bai proposes two chambers: one of meritocrats (selected by examination, by examination and promotion, from leaders in certain professional fields, etc. These are accompanied by the classical Sz (), that singles out four virtues, one of which (Y) is included among the Five Constants: There are still many other elements, such as chng (; , honesty), sh (, kindness and forgiveness), lin (, honesty and cleanness), ch (; , shame, judge and sense of right and wrong), yng (, bravery), wn (; , kind and gentle), ling (, good, kindhearted), gng (, respectful, reverent), jin (; , frugal), rng (; , modestly, self-effacing). [121] In fact, both Daniel Bell and Tongdong Bai hold that Confucian political meritocracy can tackle challenges that liberalism wants to tackle, but cannot by itself. . Although often grouped with the major historical religions, Confucianism differs from them by not being an organized religion. It is concerned with inner virtue, morality, and respect for the community and its values. [citation needed] The emperors of China were considered agents of Heaven, endowed with the Mandate of Heaven. In the Dtng sh (; ) it is defined as "to form one body with all things" and "when the self and others are not separated compassion is aroused". Rn is close to man and never leaves him. [128] This synthesis, blending Confucians rituals and institutions with a broader liberal democratic frame, is distinct from both Western-style liberalismwhich, for Tseng, suffers from excessive individualism and a lack of moral visionand from traditional Confucianismwhich, for Tseng, has historically suffered from rigid hierarchies and sclerotic elites. The junzi disciplines himself. The individual stands simultaneously in several different relationships with different people: as a junior in relation to parents and elders, and as a senior in relation to younger siblings, students, and others. While juniors are considered in Confucianism to owe their seniors reverence, seniors also have duties of benevolence and concern toward juniors. Since the surviving line of the Zhou kings continued to be recognized in name, they still managed to exercise some measure of symbolic control. This idea is developed further in the Great Learning, and is tightly linked with the Taoist concept of wu wei (; ; w wi): the less the king does, the more gets done. This theme of mutuality still exists in East Asian cultures even to this day. [78] Cultures in other parts of the world have also conceived these stars or constellations as symbols of the origin of things, the supreme godhead, divinity and royal power. He, Baogang & Warren, Mark (2020). [158] The Dominicans and Franciscans argued that Chinese ancestral worship was a form of idolatry that was contradictory to the tenets of Christianity. [6] According to American philosopher Herbert Fingarette's conceptualisation of Confucianism as a philosophical system which regards "the secular as sacred",[7] Confucianism transcends the dichotomy between religion and humanism, considering the ordinary activities of human lifeand especially human relationshipsas a manifestation of the sacred,[8] because they are the expression of humanity's moral nature (xng ), which has a transcendent anchorage in Heaven (Tin ). Xunzi cites "songs and laughter, weeping and lamentation rice and millet, fish and meat the wearing of ceremonial caps, embroidered robes, and patterned silks, or of fasting clothes and mourning clothes spacious rooms and secluded halls, soft mats, couches and benches" as vital parts of the fabric of li. ", Volume I: The Ancient Eurasian World and the Celestial Pivot, Volume II: Representations and Identities of High Powers in Neolithic and Bronze China, Volume III: Terrestrial and Celestial Transformations in Zhou and Early-Imperial China, "The Religiousness of "Confucianism" and the Revival of Confucian Religion in China Today", "Kang Youwei: The Martin Luther of Confucianism and His Vision of Confucian Modernity and Nation", "To Inherit the Ancient Teachings of Confucius and Mencius and Establish Modern Confucianism", "The Civil Theology of Confucius' "Tian" Symbol", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Entry: Confucius, Oriental Philosophy, "Topic:Confucianism", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Confucianism&oldid=1152735062, This page was last edited on 2 May 2023, at 00:15. In modern times, waves of opposition and vilification showed that Confucianism, instead of taking credit for the glories of Chinese civilisation, now had to take blame for its failures. [46], Some Confucian movements worship Confucius,[49] although not as a supreme being or anything else approaching the power of tian or the dao, and/or gods from Chinese folk religion. [103], Another new idea, that of meritocracy, led to the introduction of the imperial examination system in China. This system allowed anyone who passed an examination to become a government officer, a position which would bring wealth and honour to the whole family. He proposed revitalizing the meaning of the past by advocating a ritualized life. In 17.19 Confucius says that tin spoke to him, though not in words. [53], As explained by Stephan Feuchtwang, the order coming from Heaven preserves the world, and has to be followed by humanity finding a "middle way" between yin and yang forces in each new configuration of reality. [129], Translations of Confucian texts influenced European thinkers of the period,[130] particularly among the Deists and other philosophical groups of the Enlightenment who were interested by the integration of the system of morality of Confucius into Western civilization. [30] Jol Thoraval studied Confucianism as a diffused civil religion in contemporary China, finding that it expresses itself in the widespread worship of five cosmological entities: Heaven and Earth (Di ), the sovereign or the government (jn ), ancestors (qn ) and masters (sh ). Confucianism Though not formally recognized as a religion by the Chinese government, Confucianism has had an undeniable impact on Chinese history and culture since its conception by the Chinese philosopher Confucius around 479 BC. Spotlight on Other Religions The "other religions" category is diverse and comprises all groups not classified elsewhere. [25], Traditionally, Confucius was thought to be the author or editor of the Five Classics which were the basic texts of Confucianism. These movements are not a part of mainstream Confucianism, although the boundary between Chinese folk religion and Confucianism can be blurred. Although Confucius claimed that he never invented anything but was only transmitting ancient knowledge (Analects 7.1), he did produce a number of new ideas. According to China, its Confucius Institute is "a bridge reinforcing friendship" between it and the world. Strictly speaking, there is no term in Chinese which directly corresponds to "Confucianism". "[143] Chaste widows were revered and memorialised during the Ming and Qing periods. In the 16th and the 17th centuries, the earliest European arrivals in China, the Christian Jesuits, considered Confucianism to be an ethical system, not a religion, and one that was compatible with Christianity. [40] There are such a number of uses in Chinese thought that it is not possible to give one translation into English. In later ages, however, emphasis was often placed more on the obligations of the ruled to the ruler, and less on the ruler's obligations to the ruled. [141], For years, many modern scholars have regarded Confucianism as a sexist, patriarchal ideology that was historically damaging to Chinese women. Rites and sacrifices to the gods have an ethical importance: they generate good life, because taking part in them leads to the overcoming of the self. Professor Yao says that perhaps most scholars today hold the "pragmatic" view that Confucius and his followers, although they did not intend to create a system of classics, "contributed to their formation".[26]. [42], Zigong, a disciple of Confucius, said that Tin had set the master on the path to become a wise man (9.6). Confucius considered himself a transmitter of cultural values inherited from the Xia (c.20701600BCE), Shang (c.16001046BCE) and Western Zhou dynasties (c.1046771BCE). Confucius has no interest in falsehood; he did not pretend to be prophet; he claimed no inspiration; he taught no new religion; he used no delusions; flattered not the emperor under whom he lived From the late 17th century onwards a whole body of literature known as the Han Kitab developed amongst the Hui Muslims of China who infused Islamic thought with Confucianism. They call this approach "progressive conservatism", a term that reflects the ambiguous place of the Confucian tradition within the Left-Right dichotomy. But to its critics the government-run body - which offers language and cultural programmes. Although transformed over time, it is still the substance of learning, the source of values, and the social code of the Chinese. [142] Starting from the Han period, Confucians began to teach that a virtuous woman was supposed to follow the males in her family: the father before her marriage, the husband after she marries, and her sons in widowhood. [104], Confucian political meritocracy is not merely a historical phenomenon. His journey into the past was a search for roots, which he perceived as grounded in humanitys deepest needs for belonging and communicating. Grades 5 - 8 Subjects Religion, Social Studies, Ancient Civilizations Image Confucian Philosopher Mencius [79] The supreme godhead was also identified with the dragon, symbol of unlimited power (qi),[74] of the "protean" primordial power which embodies both yin and yang in unity, associated to the constellation Draco which winds around the north ecliptic pole,[72] and slithers between the Little and Big Dipper. [115] At the local level, as with Bell, Bai advocates Deweyan participatory democracy. Confucianism is a philosophy developed in 6th-century BCE China, which is considered by some a secular-humanist belief system, by some a religion, and by others a social code. Some South Koreans believe Confucianism has not contributed to the modernisation of South Korea. According to Stephan Feuchtwang, rites are conceived as "what makes the invisible visible", making possible for humans to cultivate the underlying order of nature. [109], Bell, Wang, and Bai all criticize liberal democracy to argue that government by the people may not be government for the people in any meaningful sense of the term. Submission to authority (tsun wang) was only taken within the context of the moral obligations that rulers had toward their subjects, in particular benevolence (jen). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Today, it has been credited for shaping East Asian societies and overseas Chinese communities, and to some extent, other parts of Asia. [30] This transformation of the self may be extended to the family and society to create a harmonious fiduciary community. This practice is defined as "centring" ( yng or zhng). Li also means religious rites which establish relations between humanity and the gods. When actual, the king's personal virtue (de) spreads beneficent influence throughout the kingdom. [107], Bell and Wang propose two justifications for political hierarchies that do not depend on a "one person, one vote" system. For example, the impact of the Vietnam War on Vietnam was devastating, but over the last few decades Vietnam has been re-developing in a very fast pace. Defenders of Confucian political meritocracy all champion a system in which rulers are selected on the basis of intellect, social skills, and virtue. Roy Tseng, drawing on the New Confucians of the twentieth century, argues that Confucianism and liberal democracy can enter into a dialectical process, in which liberal rights and voting rights are rethought into resolutely modern, but nonetheless Confucian ways of life. The population had lost faith in the official tradition, which was no longer perceived as an effective way to communicate with Heaven. What is the Difference Between Daoism and Confucianism?
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