That Confucius admitted students of different classes as disciples is a clear demonstration that he fought against the feudal structures that defined pre-imperial Chinese society. What will you consider the first thing to be done?" [84] Confucius amended and recodified the classical books inherited from the Xia-Shang-Zhou dynasties, and composed the Spring and Autumn Annals. The State of Religion in China 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. [11] Confucianism focuses on the practical order that is given by a this-worldly awareness of the Tin. Since the surviving line of the Zhou kings continued to be recognized in name, they still managed to exercise some measure of symbolic control. Such duties are also extended to the dead, where the living stand as sons to their deceased family. Referred to variously as the Confucian hypothesis and as a debated component of the more all-encompassing Asian Development Model, there exists among political scientists and economists a theory that Confucianism plays a large latent role in the ostensibly non-Confucian cultures of modern-day East Asia, in the form of the rigorous work ethic it endowed those cultures with. Rn (Chinese: ) is the Confucian virtue denoting the good feeling a virtuous human experiences when being altruistic. In Seiji Naya and Akira Takayama, eds. Examples of such xiaoren individuals may range from those who continually indulge in sensual and emotional pleasures all day to the politician who is interested merely in power and fame; neither sincerely aims for the long-term benefit of others. Become a member. [120], Another key question is whether Confucian political thought is compatible with liberalism. Some argue therefore that despite Confucius's disdain with martial culture, his teachings became of much relevance to it. [48] Analects 10.11 tells that Confucius always took a small part of his food and placed it on the sacrificial bowls as an offering to his ancestors. 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. [citation needed] The emperors of China were considered agents of Heaven, endowed with the Mandate of Heaven. [129][131], Confucianism influenced the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who was attracted to the philosophy because of its perceived similarity to his own. 11th century bce), who was said to have helped consolidate, expand, and refine the feudal ritual system. Confucius replied, "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son.". [147][148] Finally, scholars have discussed the attitudes toward women in Confucian texts such as Analects. Meanwhile, Islam promotes the unity of Muslims regardless of ethnicity or familial ties, creating an environment of extremely extroverted people. [30] Individuals may realise their humanity and become one with Heaven through the contemplation of such order. It remains the social code of the Chinese and continues to influence other countries particularly Korea Japan and Vietnam. A global perspective is needed to universalize its concerns. Confucius conceived these qualities as the foundation needed to restore socio-political harmony. [15][16] Most Confucianist movements have had significant differences from the original Zhou-era teachings.[17]. In the late twentieth century, the Confucian work ethic has been credited with the rise of the East Asian economy. [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. In a much-discussed passage, women are grouped together with xiaoren (, literally "small people", meaning people of low status or low moral) and described as being difficult to cultivate or deal with. The founder of Confucianism, named Confucius, lived from 551 to 479 B.C.E. Since social harmony is of utmost importance, without the proper rectification of names, society would essentially crumble and "undertakings [would] not [be] completed. Confucianism is the way of life propagated by Confucius in the 6th5th century BCE and followed by the Chinese people for more than two millennia. Against defenders of political meritocracy, Tseng claims that the fusion of Confucian and democratic institutions can conserve the best of both worlds, producing a more communal democracy which draws on a rich ethical tradition, addresses abuses of power, and combines popular accountability with a clear attention to the cultivation of virtue in elites. 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. Using stricter definitions of religion, Confucianism has been described as a moral science or philosophy. [101], But to its critics the government-run body - which offers language and cultural programmes. He had faith in the cumulative power of culture. 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). Some critics view Confucianism as definitely pantheistic and nontheistic, in that it is not based on the belief in the supernatural or in a personal god existing separate from the temporal plane. Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics In Japan, Confucianism stands, along with Buddhism, as a major religio-philosophical teaching introduced from the larger Asian cultural arena at the dawn of civilization in Japanese history, roughly the mid-sixth century. Competition is often used as a means to advance the status of the clan. The junzi disciplines himself. [138] Leftists during the Cultural Revolution described Confucius as the representative of the class of slave owners. NAS counts a total of 13 Confucius Institutes in the United States. It remains the social code of the Chinese and continues to influence other countries, particularly Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. ), and one of representatives elected by the people. "Explaining the Success of the Four Little Dragons: A Survey." [29][30] The principle of Heaven (L or Do ), is the order of the creation and the source of divine authority, monistic in its structure. Bell and Wang favour a system in which officials at the local level are democratically elected and higher-level officials are promoted by peers. There are many characteristics of the junzi: he may live in poverty, he does more and speaks less, he is loyal, obedient and knowledgeable. Second, and most important, is serving the interests of the people (and the common good more broadly). [106] Faced with ever-increasing complexity at scale, modern societies must build hierarchies to coordinate collective action and tackle long-term problems such as climate change. One of the most famous collections of such stories is "The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars". [157], By the early 18th century, this initial portrayal was rejected by the Dominicans and Franciscans, creating a dispute among Catholics in East Asia that was known as the "Rites Controversy". [30] Rn, translated as "humaneness" or the essence proper of a human being, is the character of compassionate mind; it is the virtue endowed by Heaven and at the same time the means by which man may achieve oneness with Heaven comprehending his own origin in Heaven and therefore divine essence. The followers of the Buddhist religion accounts for 6% of the population. Zhougong was said to have helped consolidate, expand, and refine the feudal ritual system. At the political level, the non-democratic side of political meritocracy isfor Bell and Baimore efficient at addressing long-term questions such as climate change, in part because the meritocrats do not have to worry about the whims of public opinion. This may be true especially in times of social chaos, such as during the period of the Ming-Qing transition. [108] In Against Political Equality, Tongdong Bai complements this account by using a proto-Rawlsian "political difference principle". FOUNDED: c. 1050-256 b.c.e. Rn is close to man and never leaves him. [89], Other forms of revival are salvationist folk religious movements[90] groups with a specifically Confucian focus, or Confucian churches, for example the Yidan xuetang () of Beijing,[91] the Mengmutang () of Shanghai,[92] Confucian Shenism ( Rzng Shnjio) or the phoenix churches,[93] the Confucian Fellowship ( Rjio Dotn) in northern Fujian which has spread rapidly over the years after its foundation,[93] and ancestral temples of the Kong kin (the lineage of the descendants of Confucius himself) operating as Confucian-teaching churches.[92]. Flashcards - Confucianism Flashcards | Study.com Please select which sections you would like to print: Professor of Chinese History and Philosophy, Harvard University. [86] In 2003, the Confucian intellectual Kang Xiaoguang published a manifesto in which he made four suggestions: Confucian education should enter official education at any level, from elementary to high school; the state should establish Confucianism as the state religion by law; Confucian religion should enter the daily life of ordinary people through standardisation and development of doctrines, rituals, organisations, churches and activity sites; the Confucian religion should be spread through non-governmental organisations. In 17.19 Confucius says that tin spoke to him, though not in words. It is concerned with inner virtue, morality, and respect for the community and its values. Also, the Hong Kong Confucian Academy, one of the direct heirs of Kang Youwei's Confucian Church, has expanded its activities to the mainland, with the construction of statues of Confucius, Confucian hospitals, restoration of temples and other activities. The conflict created a need for new political models to solve the crisis. (Analects XIII, 3, tr. Projected Changes in the Populations of Adherents of Other Religions [45] Confucius himself was a ritual and sacrificial master. A virtuous commoner who cultivates his qualities may be a "gentleman", while a shameless son of the king is only a "petty person". In his book Confucian Perfectionism, he argues that Confucians can embrace both democracy and liberalism on instrumental grounds; that is, while liberal democracy may not be valuable for its own sake, its institutions remains valuableparticularly when combined with a broadly Confucian cultureto serve Confucian ends and inculcate Confucian virtues. Li embodies the entire web of interaction between humanity, human objects, and nature. Going beyond the Master, they theorised the oneness of production and reabsorption into the cosmic source, and the possibility to understand and therefore reattain it through meditation. A key Confucian concept is that in order to govern others one must first govern oneself according to the universal order. According to China, its Confucius Institute is "a bridge reinforcing friendship" between it and the world. An estimated 5 to 6 million people follow Confucianism worldwide. While the lower house does not have any legislative power per se, it acts as a popular accountability mechanism by championing the people and putting pressure on the upper house. The first spiritual leader of the church is the scholar Jiang Qing, the founder and manager of the Yangming Confucian Abode ( Yngmng jngsh), a Confucian academy in Guiyang, Guizhou. As a result, this period led to the development of many new philosophies. 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. [24], According to Zhou Youguang, r originally referred to shamanic methods of holding rites and existed before Confucius's times, but with Confucius it came to mean devotion to propagating such teachings to bring civilisation to the people. It is exemplified by a normal adult's protective feelings for children. This did not exclude martial arts culture. How many Confucianism followers are there worldwide? The traditions of the ("Nine Fields") and of the Yijing flourished. [135][136], Other studies, for example Cristobal Kay's Why East Asia Overtook Latin America: Agrarian Reform, Industrialization, and Development, have attributed the Asian growth to other factors, for example the character of agrarian reforms, "state-craft" (state capacity), and interaction between agriculture and industry. While juniors are considered in Confucianism to owe their seniors reverence, seniors also have duties of benevolence and concern toward juniors. [111] For Bell, the ideal according to which China should reform itself (and has reformed itself) follows a simple structure: Aspiring rulers first pass hyper-selective examinations, then have to rule well at the local level to be promoted to positions as the provincial level, then have to excel at the provincial level to access positions at the national level, and so on. Sometimes "exemplary person." Social harmony or morality is identified as patriarchy, which is expressed in the worship of ancestors and deified progenitors in the male line, at ancestral shrines. Social harmony results in part from every individual knowing his or her place in the natural order, and playing his or her part well. In 771 bce, however, they were forced to move their capital eastward to present-day Luoyang to avoid barbarian attacks from Central Asia. According to Stephan Feuchtwang, rites are conceived as "what makes the invisible visible", making possible for humans to cultivate the underlying order of nature. [citation needed], In South Korea, there has long been criticism. . Loyalty (, zhng) is particularly relevant for the social class to which most of Confucius's students belonged, because the most important way for an ambitious young scholar to become a prominent official was to enter a ruler's civil service. The Three Obediences and Four Virtues is one of the moral standards for feudal etiquette to bind women. [86] Another modern proponent of the institutionalisation of Confucianism in a state church is Jiang Qing. The Master said: "In teaching, there should be no distinction of classes.". As a conservative philosophy of life, Confucianism prioritized stability over productivity, forming tightly-knit clans with supportive norms to make intra-clan resource pooling and risk sharing credible. Although transformed over time, it is still the substance of learning, the source of values, and the social code of the Chinese. 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. [25] Five Classics (, Wjng) and the Confucian vision East Asians may profess themselves to be Shintists, Daoists, Buddhists, Muslims, or Christians, but, by announcing their religious affiliations, seldom do they cease to be Confucians. If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. See full answer below. [41], Regarding personal gods (shn, energies who emanate from and reproduce the Tin) enliving nature, in the Analects Confucius says that it is appropriate (; ; y) for people to worship ( jng) them,[45] though through proper rites (; ; l), implying respect of positions and discretion. Nonetheless, throughout the ages, many Confucians continued to fight against unrighteous superiors and rulers. Nor was Confucius the founder of Confucianism in the sense that the Buddha was the founder of Buddhism and Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity. . [44] This is shown in the story where Duke Jing of Qi asks Confucius about government, by which he meant proper administration so as to bring social harmony. Just as Rawls claims that economic inequality is justified so long as it benefits those at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, so Bai argues that political inequality is justified so long as it benefits those materially worse off. [158] The Dominicans and Franciscans argued that Chinese ancestral worship was a form of idolatry that was contradictory to the tenets of Christianity. Though closer to a philosophy than a true religion, Confucianism was a way of life for ancient Chinese people, and it continues to influence Chinese culture today. [97], Confucianists historically tried to proselytize to others,[98] although this is rarely done in modern times. The only relationship where respect for elders is not stressed was the friend to friend relationship, where mutual equal respect is emphasised instead. While China has always had a diversity of religious beliefs, filial piety has been common to almost all of them; historian Hugh D.R. Confucianism regards texts such as the Five Classics as examples that should be followed to increase the harmony of the family, social order as a whole, and the world. 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". Xi has expressed hope that China's "traditional cultures" of Confucianism, . [41], Confucius used the term in a mystical way. Confucianism advocates for the atomization of society through clans. Confucianism is concerned with finding "middle ways" between yin and yang at every new configuration of the world. His journey into the past was a search for roots, which he perceived as grounded in humanitys deepest needs for belonging and communicating. Confucianism and Daoism | Stanford History Education Group Partly because of the vitality of the feudal ritual system and partly because of the strength of the royal household itself, the Zhou kings were able to control their kingdom for several centuries. [114] Jiang's aim is to construct a legitimacy that will go beyond what he sees as the atomistic, individualist, and utilitarian ethos of modern democracies and ground authority in something sacred and traditional. If the ruler is evil, then the people have the right to overthrow him. There is no deity worshipped in Confucianism, though the worship of ancestors and of Confucius himself as a sage master and teacher are practiced. It is the virtue-form of Heaven. John C. Didier and David Pankenier relate the shapes of both the ancient Chinese characters for Di and Tian to the patterns of stars in the northern skies, either drawn, in Didier's theory by connecting the constellations bracketing the north celestial pole as a square,[77] or in Pankenier's theory by connecting some of the stars which form the constellations of the Big Dipper and broader Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor (Little Dipper). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Confucianism and Buddhism | Encyclopedia.com The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, Yu! Confucius (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) "[143] Chaste widows were revered and memorialised during the Ming and Qing periods. This practice is defined as "centring" ( yng or zhng). [44] The Confucian classic Xiaojing ("Book of Piety"), thought to be written around the Qin-Han period, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xio. Confucius Institutes: The growth of China's controversial cultural The Song dynasty Confucian Cheng Yi stated that: "To starve to death is a small matter, but to lose one's chastity is a great matter. [61] A good Confucian is also expected to remonstrate with his superiors when necessary. Although Confucius never realized his political dream, his conception of politics as moral persuasion became more and more influential. First published Tue May 20, 2008; substantive revision Mon Oct 3, 2022. Real power thereafter passed into the hands of feudal lords. Especially the works of Liu Zhi such as Tinfng Dinl () sought to harmonise Islam with not only Confucianism but also with Taoism and is considered to be one of the crowning achievements of the Chinese Islamic culture.[133]. as implying that even though Tian is not a "speaking person", it constantly "does" through the rhythms of nature, and communicates "how human beings ought to live and act", at least to those who have learnt to carefully listen to it. [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. [9] While Tin has some characteristics that overlap the category of godhead, it is primarily an impersonal absolute principle and not considered a true deity by most scholars[10] and practitioners, like the Do () or the Brahman,[further explanation needed] and gods worshiped by Confucians do not originate from orthodox Confucianism. The RLS, conducted in 2007 and 2014, surveys more than 35,000 Americans from all 50 states about their religious affiliations, beliefs and practices, and social and political views. Confuciuss love of antiquity was motivated by his strong desire to understand why certain life forms and institutions, such as reverence for ancestors, human-centred religious practices, and mourning ceremonies, had survived for centuries. [4], With particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony, rather than on an otherworldly source of spiritual values,[5] the core of Confucianism is humanistic. ", 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. The intellectuals of the New Culture Movement of the early twentieth century blamed Confucianism for China's weaknesses. Although only 2% are adherents of Christianity, it is becoming a popular alternative. In the past few decades, there have been talks of a "Confucian Revival" in the academic and the scholarly community,[18][19] and there has been a grassroots proliferation of various types of Confucian churches. [51][52], Kelly James Clark argued that Confucius himself saw Tin as an anthropomorphic god that Clark hypothetically refers to as "Heavenly Supreme Emperor", although most other scholars on Confucianism disagree with this view. [14] Y (; ) is the upholding of righteousness and the moral disposition to do good. [88] Kang modeled his ideal "Confucian Church" after European national Christian churches, as a hierarchic and centralised institution, closely bound to the state, with local church branches, devoted to the worship and the spread of the teachings of Confucius. Divine right no longer was an exclusive privilege of the Zhou royal house, but might be bought by anyone able to afford the elaborate ceremonies and the old and new rites required to access the authority of Tian.[80]. 551-479 BCE) has been portrayed as a teacher, advisor, editor, philosopher, reformer, and prophet. In addition, loyalty does not mean subservience to authority. The appeal to cultural values and social norms for the maintenance of interstate as well as domestic order was predicated on a shared political vision, namely, that authority lies in universal kingship, heavily invested with ethical and religious power by the mandate of heaven (tianming), and that social solidarity is achieved not by legal constraint but by ritual observance. Confucianism is one of the most influential religious philosophies in the history of China, and it has existed for over 2,500 years. Corrections? Chinese folk religious temples and kinship ancestral shrines may, on peculiar occasions, choose Confucian liturgy (called r or zhngtng, "orthopraxy") led by Confucian ritual masters ( lshng) to worship the gods, instead of Taoist or popular ritual. As a whole, this group is expected to grow from about 58 million in 2010 to more than 61 million in 2050. [144][145] It has also been argued by some Chinese and Western writers that the rise of neo-Confucianism during the Song dynasty had led to a decline of status of women. Li is variously translated as "rite" or "reason", "ratio" in the pure sense of Vedic ta ("right", "order") when referring to the cosmic law, but when referring to its realisation in the context of human social behaviour it has also been translated as "customs", "measures" and "rules", among other terms. [162][163] But using a broader definition, such as Frederick Streng's characterisation of religion as "a means of ultimate transformation",[164] Confucianism could be described as a "sociopolitical doctrine having religious qualities.

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