Chapter 3 Confucianism

• Confucius


  Also known as Kong Qui or Kung Futzu
• Born in present day Qufu, Shandong Province China

  551 B.C.
• Some contemporary historians are sceptical as to the record’s accuracy, regarding it as myth, not fact
• Some say he was born into a royal family of the Chou Dynasty
• Some say he was born into poverty
• Existed during a time of ideological crisis in China
• Chou empire


  • Competing Chinese states undermined its authority
  • Held supreme rule for over 500 years
• Traditional Chinese principal began to deteriorate, resulting in a period of moral decline
• Ren/Yen


  Principle of loving others while exercising self-discipline
• Golden Rule


  Could be put into action using the Golden Rule
• Leader's qualities


  • Exercise self-discipline
  • Remain humble
  • Treat followers with compassion
• Leaders' methods


  • Motivate subjects by teaching virtue
  • Teach the unifying force of ritual propriety
• Six Arts

  • Archery
  • Calligraphy
  • Computation
  • Music
  • Chariot-driving
  • Ritual
• Main objective of being an educator was to teach people to live with integrity
• He strove to resurrect the traditional values of benevolence, propriety and ritual in Chinese society
• Major Works


  • Rearrangement of the Book of Odes
  • Revision of the historical book of Documents
  • Compiled a historical account of the 12 dukes of Lu
  • Lunyu
• Lunyu sets forth Confucius’ philosophical and political beliefs, thought to be compiled by his disciples
• Lunyu was later translated into English under the title The Analects of Confucius
• Death of Confucius in Qufu, China

  November 21, 479 B.C.
• He lost his son, Tzu-lu, in Battle a year before his death
• Was regarded as a sage who deserved greater recognition in his time
• His ideas became the foundation of the state ideology
• Qing Ming


  Tomb Sweeping Day
• Qing Ming takes place 106 days after the winter solstice
• People go to the grave of their ancestors, praying for them, presenting them with gifts and offerings like paper money and paper cloths
• Chrysanthemums are the most common flower at these ceremonies
• Birthday of Confucius celebrated

  28th of September
• Celebration starts on the 28th September and ends on the 10th of October
• Song of Peace is performed by singers and dancers during the celebration
• Piles of money are burned along with written prayers during the celebration
• Core Concepts of Confucianism


  • Jen/Yen
  • Li
  • Yi
  • Hsiao
  • Chih
  • Chun-tzu
  • Te
• Jen/Yen

  Human heartedness, what makes a man distinctively human
• Jen has a sense of the dignity of human life, a feeling of humanity towards others and self-esteem for yourself
• Jen is the foundation of all human relationships
• Li is a principle or gain, benefit, order, propriety; concrete guide to human action
• Basic meanings of Li

  • Concrete guide to human relationships
  • General principle of social order
• First sense of Li is a concrete guide to human relationships
• Proper action is the way between the extremes
• The five relationships

  • Father and son
  • Elder brother and younger brother
  • Husband and wife
  • Older friend and younger friend
  • Ruler and subject
• Second sense of Li is conforming to the norms of jen