CONFUCIANISM

CONFUCIANISM

 KUNG FUZI FOUNDED CONFUCIANISM BECAUSE

HE MERELY WANTED TO INTEPRET & REVIVE THE
ANCIENT RELIGIONOF ZHOU DYNASTY BUT HE
NEVER MEANT TO ESTABLISH A NEW RELIGION.

 CONFUCIANISM HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEBATE

WHETHER IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS A
RELIGION OR PHILOSOPHY.
 IT EMPHASIZES THE ETHICAL DIMENSION OF THE
WORLD, IT GIVES PRIMARY ATTENTION TO HUMAN
RELATIONSHIP, THUS ADVOCATING SOCIAL VALUES
& IDEALS THAT SHOULD SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION
OF CHINESE SOCIETY
 IT IS CONSIDERED A RELIGION BECAUSE ITS DEALS
WERE INSPIRATIONAL, NOT IN THE SUPERNATURAL
SENSE BUT IN THE SENSE OF AIMING FOR
EXCELLENCE IN ONE’S RELATIONSHIPS WITH
OTHERS.
 WHAT HAPPENS IN EVERYDAY LIFE SHOULD NOT BE
TRIVIALIZED BUT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED.
(CONFUCIUS)
 CONFUCIUS STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF
RITUALS WHICH WOULD LEAD THEM BACK TO THE
IDEAL SOCIETY OF THEIR ANCESTOR WHEN THERE
WAS HARMONY BETWEEN HEAVEN & EARTH.
 CONFUCIANISM HAS OFTEN BEEN CATEGORIZED
TOGETHER WITH BUDDHISM, CHRISTIANITY,
HINDUISM, ISLAM, JUDAISM & DAOISM AS ONE OF
THE WORLD’S MAJOR RELIGIONS, & HAS GREATLY
INFLUENCED .
 ITS CORE TEACHING IS HOW TO BE A “GENTLEMAN”.
 CONFUCIANISM: TO BE A GENTLEMAN, A PERSON
SHOULD FOLLOW THE MORAL WAY, CONSISTING
OF THE VIRTUES OF LOVE, RIGHTEOUSNESS,
WISDOM, PROPRIETY & LOYALTY. BECOMING A
GENTLEMAN PROMOTES HARMONY IN SOCIETY.

 CONFUCIUS WAS A CHINESE TEACHER, EDITOR,

POLITICIAN, & PHILOSOPHER OF THE SPRING AND
AUTUMN PERIOD OF CHINESE HISTORY.
 CONFUCIANISM MAY BE VIEWED BOTH AS A
PHILOSOPHY & AS A RELIGION. IT HAS BECOME A
PRACTICAL WAY OF LIFE FOR SO MANY CHINESE
FOR A LONG TIME & SO HAS BEEN INTENSELY
ENBEDDED IN THE STRUCTURE OF THEcHINESE
SOCIETIES & POLITICS.
 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA ESTIMATES THE
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS OF CONFUCIANISM AT
MORE THAN 6 MILLION.
 CONFUCIAN/CONFUCIANISTS = ADHERENTS OF
CONFUCIANISM
 RELIGIONS IN EAST ASIA ARE NOT MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE, HENCE ONE CAN STILL BE A
CONFUCIAN/CONFUCIANISTWHILE AT THE SAME
TIME BEING A TAOIST, BUDDHIST, CHRISTIAN OR
MUSLIM.
 IT IS CHARACTERIZED AS HAVING A LOT OF RITUAL
PRACTICE BUT WITH LITTLE FORMAL WORSHIP OR
MEDITATION.
 ONE CAN BLEND BELIEF IN THE RELIGIOUS
ELEMENTS OF BUDDHISM, TAOISM, SHINTO &
OTHER RELIGIONS WITH THE ETHICAL
ELEMENTSOF CONFUCIANISM.
SYMBOLS
 SYMBOLS OF SCHOLAR & WATER
 SCHOLAR (THE RU)
- IT CONTAINS THE SYMBOL OF A PERSON, AS
WELL AS THE CHARACTER FOR NEED
- THE FOREMOST NEED OF PEOPLE IS
NOURISHMENT, THEN EDUCATION.
- WHEN COMBINED, IT MEANS “ THE NEED OF A
HUMAN BEING”.
 WATER
- IT IS ONE OF THE 5 IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY, ALONGSIDE WOOD, FIRE,
EARTH & METAL.
- IT IS CONSIDERED AS THE SOURCE OF LIFE,
VALUED FOR ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE NATURAL
WORLD & FOR SUSTAINING LIFE.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

 THE PROLIFERATION OF CHINESE CLASSICAL

THOUGHT HAPPENED WITHIN THE REIGN OF THE
ZHOU DYNASTY, 2ND HISTORICAL DYNASTY IN
CHINA. IT WAS THE RESULT OF SEVERAL FACTORS
SUCH AS TECHNOLOGICAL & ECONOMIC
ADVANCEMENT, STRONGER POLITICAL UNITS,
POLITICAL & SOCIAL IMPROVEMENT, & EVEN
MILITARY DEVELOPMENT.
 ADVANCES IN THE SAID REALMS LED TO THE
EMERGENCE OF COMPETING DYNASTIES WHO
WANTED TO ESTABLISH SUPREMACY OVER OTHER
DYNASTIES, HENCE THE PERIOD WAS MARKED BY
SOCIAL UPHEAVAL & CHAOS. THIS LED TO THE
SEARCH FOR POLITICAL & SOCIAL STABILITY
THROUGH THE BIRTH OF PHILOSOPHIES &
RELIGIOUS WHICH ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE
SOCIAL HARMONY IN CHINA.
 THE ZHOU PERIOD DIVIDED INTO WESTERN ZHOU
(1122-770 BCE) & EASTERN ZHOU (770-221 BCE).
 EASTERN ZHOU WAS FURTHER SUBDIVIDED INTO
THE SPRING & AUTUMN PERIOD (722-481 BCE) &
WARRING STATES PERIOD (403-222 BCE). A PERIOD
OF GREAT ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOCIAL CHANGE &
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT THAT PHILOSOPHIES
WOULD EMERGE &THE CLASSICS WOULD BE
WRITTEN.
 DURING ZHOU PERIOD, TECHNOLOGICAL GROWTH
LED TO TRADING DEVELOPMENT & IRON BECAME
COMMON IN CHINA WHICH WAS REPLACED BY
BRONZE FOR WEAPONS & AGRICULTURAL TOOLS IN
5TH CENTURY BCE THAT AFFECTS THEIR ECONOMY.
 A THEORY THAT SOCIETY IS COMPOSE OF 4
CLASSES IN ORDER: WARRIOR-ADMINISTRATOR;
PEASANTS; ARTISANS; & MERCHANTS.
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY &
ECONOMY ALSO AFFECTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF
POLITICS SUCH AS EMERGENCE OF 4 VASSAL
STATES THAT COMPETED AGAINST EACH OTHER
FOR POLITICAL SUPREMACY THAT
CHARACTERIZED THE WARRING STATES PERIOD
IN CHINESE HISTORY.
 4 VASSAL STATES: QIN IN THE WEST; JIN IN THE
NORTH; YAN IN THE NORTHEAST; & QI IN THE EAST.
 THEIR POLITICAL STABILITY WAS ENHANCED BY
MILITARY DEVELOPMENT.

 CHINA WAS FACED WITH A DILEMA THAT IS THE

FAILURE OF OLD AUTHORITY MADE IT NECESSARY
FOR NEW GUIDING VALUES TO RESTORE SOCIAL
ORDER.
 DURING THIS VERY CRUCIAL TIME, THE
PHILOSOPHERS WOULD TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS
TO THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS BEING FACED BY
SOCIETY SUCH AS INTEREST. AND BECAUSE OF
THIS, THE PHILOSOPHERS HAVE OFTEN BEEN
CLASSIFIED AS PRACTICAL POLITICIANS BECAUSE
OF THEM AS PRODUCTS OF PROLIFERATION OF
LITERACY & PART OF THE NEW BUREAUCRACY&
ONE OF THEM IS CONFUCIUS.
 AMONG THE 4 RIVAL STATES, THE QIN DYNASTY
WOULD EMERGE AS THE VICTOR & WOULD
ESTABLISH THE 1ST EMPIRE OF CHINA IN 3RD CENT.
BCE
 THE NAME CHINA WOULD COME FROM THE CH’IN,
THE FIRST TO CREATE AN IMPERIAL CHINESE
IDENTITY.
THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS

 CONFUCIUS – IS THE LATINIZED VERSION OF

KONGZI & HONORLIFE KONG FUZI
BOTH MEANING “MASTER KONG”
- WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 28 ON
551 B.C.E.IN A SMALL FEUDAL
STATE OF LU (NOW SHANTUNG
PROVINCE) IN QUFU AND IT WAS
CONSIDERED A DAY OF
CELEBRATION IN EAST ASIA – AN
OFFICIAL HOLIDAY IN TAIWAN
(TEACHER’S DAY) AND A DAY OF CULTURAL
CELEBRATION IN MAINLAND CHINA, HONGKONG,AND
SINGAPORE.
-HIS PERSONAL NAME WAS QIU AND HIS FAMILY NAME
WAS KONG. THAT WAS NOBLE FAMILY BUT WHEN HE
WAS GIVEN BIRTH THEY HAD ALREADY LOST MUCH OF
THERE WEALTH.
-HIS FIRST TEACH WAS HIS MOTHER AND AT HIS 15
YEARS OLD HE SET HIS HEART UPON LEARNING THAT’S
WHY LOVE OF LEARNING BECAME ONE OF THE
HIGHEST VIRTUES IN CONFUCIAN ETHICS.
-HE MARRIED AT 19 YEARS OLD AND HAD A SON AT 20
YEARS OLD AND HE HAD ALREADY SERVED IN MINOR
GOVERNMENT POSTS AND HAD ALREADY GAINED
REPUTATION AS AN ALL AROUND SCHOLAR.
-IN HIS 30’S HE HAD ALREADY STARTED A BRILLIANT
TEACHING CAREER BECAUSE OF HIS MASTERY OF
THE ARTS OF
RITUAL,MUSIC,ARCHERY,CHARIOTEERING,CALLIGRAP
HY, AND ARITHMETIC.
-HE WAS ALSO FAMILIAR WITH CLASSICAL TRADITION
PARTICULARLY IN POETRY AND HISTORY.
 -HE IS OFTEN CONSIDERED AS THE FIRST PERSON TO
DEVOTE HIS WHOLE LIFE TO LEARNING AND
TEACHING FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOCIAL
TRANSFORMATION AND IMPROVEMENT

 HE HELD SEVERAL GOVERNMENT POSITIONS

INCLUDING AS ARTBITER,ASSISTANT MINISTER OF
PUBLIC WORKS, AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE IN THE
STATE OF LU.
 HE SOON LEFT LU BECAUSE OF HIS SUPERIORS
WERE A BRUSHED OF HIS IDEALS AND POLICIES.
 HE WONDERED FROM STATE TO STATE, TRYING TO
PUT HIS THEORIES TO PRACTIES FOR 13 YEARS.
 HE RETURNED HOME TO TEACH (WHERE GAINED
MORE DISCIPLES) AND TO PRESERVED HIS
CLASSICAL TRADITIONS BY WRITING AND EDITING
AT 67 YEARS OLD
 HE DIED IN 479 BCE AT 73 YEARS OLD AND HE LEFT
AROUND 3,000 FOLLWERS WHO PRESERVED AND
PUT HIS OTHER TEACHINGS TO WRITING.
 SACRED SCRIPTURES:THE CONFUCIAN
CLASSICS.
5 CLASSICS ARE A GROUP OF BOOKS WHICH
WAS REGARDED AS EARLY CONFUCIANISM ‘S
BASIC TEXTS:BOOKS OF CHANGES ,BOOK OF
HISTORY,BOOK OF POETRY, CLASSIC OF
RITES AND THE SPRING AND AUTUMN
ANNALS.
 ANALECTS IS ALSO CONSIDERED AN
IMPORTANT SOURCE OF CONFUCIAN
TEACHINGS SINCE IT CONTAINS A RECORD
OF HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS DISCIPLE.
 CONFUCIUS HAS OFTEN BEEN CONSIDERED
AS THE AUTHOR OR EDITOR OF THE
CLASSICS,BUT CONTEMPORARY
SCHOLARSHIP HAS SHOWN THAT EVEN
THOUGH MANY OF THIS TEXTS CAN BE
TRACE BACK TO CONFUCIUS THEY HAVE
UNDERGONE A LONG PERIOD OF
DEVELOPMENT.
 THIS CLASSICS BURNED DURING THE REIGN
OF THE QIN DYNASTY AND WAS RESTORED
ONLY DURING THE TIAN DYNASTY
 IT WAS CONFUCIUS FOLLOW WHO EXERTED
EFFORT IN WRITING AND COLLATING
HIS TEACHINGS AND PHILOSOPHIES.

BOOK OF CHANGES
 IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE I-CHING
 IT IS BELIEVE TO HAVE EXISTED AT THE TIME OF
CONFUCIUS AND IS THE OLDEST OF THE
CLASSICS.IT FOCUSES ON SHORT PREDICTIONS
FOLLOWING A TYPE OF DIVINATION CALLED
CLEROMANAY WHERE IN 6 RANDOM NUMBER ARE
PLACED AND ARRANGED UNDER 64 HEXAGRAMS
 A HEXAGRAM IS ANY OF A SET OF 64 FIGURES
MADE UP OF 6 PARALLEL OR BROKEN LINES.
 LATER ON,COMMENTARIES WEREADDED TO
THE PREDICTIONS,THE LONGEST OF WHICH
WAS THE HSITZ’U OR APPENDED
REMARKS,WHICH DISCUSSES EARLY
COMOLOGICAL AND METAPHYSICAL
ASSUMPTIONS IN AN OF OBSCURE
LANGUAGE.
 BOOK OF POETRY
ALSO KNOWN AS THE BOOK OF
SONGS/ODES/SHIJING,IS A COLLECTION
OF 305 SUNGS COMPLIED AROUND 600
B.C.E. WHICH INCLUDE 4 SECTIONS
VARIOUS SUCH AS LOVE,COURTSHIP
ABONDOMENT AND DANCES.
 IT ALSO INCLUDE FEAST SONGS OR
STATES CHANTS.
 IT WAS SUPPOSED COMPILED BY
CONFUCIUS FROM AN ANCIENT
REPERATORY OF 3,000 AND IS
CONSIDERED AS THE OLDEST EXISTING
COMPILATION OF CHINESE POETRY.

CLASSIC OF RITES
 ORIGINALLY THE THREE LI/THREE
RITES/SAN LI
 IT IS A COMPILATION OF CEREMONIAL
RITUALS,ADMINISTRATION,AND SOCIAL
FORMS OF THE ZHOU DYNASTY.
 IT IS CONSIDERED AS A COMPLETE BODY
OF WORK WHICH INCLUDES THE
CEREMONIALS(I-LI/YILI),AN EARLY MANUAL
OF PROTOCOL FOR THE NOBILITY, DESCRIBING
SUCH AS MARRIAGE AND FUNERALS,SACRIFICES
AND OVER ARCHERY COMPETITIONS.
 IT ALSO INCLUDEDS THE BOOK OF
RITES(LI/CHI/LIJI) WHICH IS COMPOSED OF 49
SECTIONS OF RITUAL AND GOVERNMENT
GUIDELINES,AS WELL AS ESSAYS ON
EDUCATION,THE RITES,MUSIC AND
PHILOSOPHY.
 IT ALSO INCLUDED THE INSTITUTE OF
CHOU(CHOU-LI/ZHOU LI) WHICH IS SUPPOSED
AN ULTIMATE DEPICTION OF GOVERNMENT
OFFICES IN EARLY ZHOU TIMER.
 THIS TEXTS WERE SUPPOSEDLY
COMPILED IN THE EARLY 1ST CENTURY
B.C.E. BASE ON EARLIER MATERIALS.

ANALECTS
 LUNYU (“CONVERSATIONS”OR “SAYINGS”)
 IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE ANALECTS OF
CONFUCIUS.
 IT IS A COLLECTION OF SAYINGS AND
IDEAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE CHINESE
PHILOSOPHER CONFUCIUS AND HIS
CONTEMPORARIES, TRADITIONALLY BELIEVED TO
HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY CONFUCIUS FOLLOWERS.
 IT IS BELIEVE TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN DURING
THE WARRING STATES PERIOD(475 B.C.E.-221
B.C.E) AND FINALIZED DURING THE MIDDLE OF
THE HAN DYNASTY.
 AT FIRST IT WAS CONSIDERED AS MERELY A
COMMENTARY ON THE 5 CLASSICS,BUT LATER
ON ACQUIRED TREMENDOUS SIGNIFICANCE
THAT IT HAS BEEN CLASSIFY AS ONE OF THE 4
BOOKS ALONG WITH GREAT LEARNING,
DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN, AND BOOK OF
MENCIUS.
 IT HAS BECOME INFLUENTIAL CANONICAL
RESOURCE IN CHINESE AND EAST ASIAN
PHILOSOPHY
CONFUCIAN DOCTRINES/BELIEFS
 HIS GOLDEN RULE: DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS
WHAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THEM DO UNTO
YOU.
 IT IS FOUND IN THE ANALECTS WHICH TEACHES
THE ETHICS OF MUTUALITY AND RECIPROCITY.
 IT REQUIRES PEOPLE TO TREAT OTHERS EQUAL
TO THEMSELVES AND IN EQUALLY THE SAME
MANNER AS THEY WOULD HAVE WANTED TO BE
TREATED.
 SAME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONFUCIAN
DOCTRINES INCLUDE THE IDEA OF TIAN OR
HEAVEN’HUMAN NATURE,RECTIFICATION OF
NAMES,5CONSTANTS,FITIAL PIETY AND ANCESTOR
WORSHIP.

BELIEF IN TIAN
 WHEN YOU HAVE OFFENDED AGAINST
HEAVEN,THERE IS NOWHERE YOU CAN TURN TO IN
YOUR PRAYERS (ANALECTS 3.13).
 ONE OF THE PASSAGES THE ANALECTS WHICH
SHOWS KUNG FUZ IDEA OF “TIAN” OR HEAVEN.
 CONFUCIUS IS WELL-KNOWN TO BE A PRACTICAL
PHILOSOPHER WHO WAS NOT MUCH INTERESTED
IN THE SUPERHUMAN REALM BUTHE BELIEVED HE
BELIEVED IN TIAN OR “HEAVEN”,AN ALL-
ENCOMPASSING GOD.
 TIAN MAY ALSO REFER TO THAT WHICH IS
BEYOND HUMAN CONTROL.
 HE BELIEVED THAT TIAN ANALOGOUS WITH
MORAL ORDER BUT DEPENDENT UPON HUMAN
INTERVENTION TO BRING ITS INTO ACTION.
 FOR HIM,THE LI OR RITUAL PROPRIETY IS THE
WAY THROUGH WHICH THE FAMILY,THE STAR
AND THE WORLD MAY BECOME PARALLEL WITH
TIAN’S MORAL ORDER.
 HE BELIEVED THAT ONLY BY PERFORMING THE
ANCIENT RITUAL, WHICH WAS DONE BY
EARLIER KINGS,COULD HARMONY BETWEEN
HEAVEN AND EARTH BE REVIVED.

RECTIFICATION OF NAMES
 CONFUCIUS BELIEVED THAT TO RETURN TO
THE ANCIENT DA,PEOPLE MUST PLAY THEIR
ASSIGNED ROLES IN SOCIETY.
 THIS WAS LATER CALLED THE RECTIFICATION
OF N AMES OR ZHENGMING.
 5 RELATION SHIP INCLUDE:
1.RULER-SUBJECT
2.FATHER-SON
3.HUSBAND-WIFE
4.ELDER AND YOUNGER BROTHER
5.FRIEND AND FRIEND
 THE RESPONSIBILITIES ORIGINATING FROM
THESE RELATIONSHIP ARE SHARED AND
RECIPROCAL,
 THE 5 RELATIONSHIP EMPHASIZE THE UPRIGHT
SENSE OF HIERARCHY.
 ZHENGMING HELPS BRING SOCIAL ORDER FOR
IT ADVOCATES THE IDEA THAT EVERY PERSON
HAS A PARTICULAR ROLE AT A PARTICULAR
TIME IN LIFE,AND THAT BY ADDING T9O THIS
PARTICULAR ROLE,ONE IS ABLE TO FULFILL
ONE’S SOCIAL DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES,THUS CREATING SOCIAL
HARMONY.
HUMAN NATURE AS ORIGINALLY GOD OR
EVIL
 CONFUCIAS WAS SILENT ON THE CONCEPT
OF HUMAN NAQTURE,BUT THERE WHERE 2
PHILOSOPHERS WHO HAD DIFFERENT
INTERPRETATIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF
HUMAN NATURE BASED ON THE ANALECTS-MENGZI
AND XUNZI(HSUN TZU).
 THEIR VIEWS ON HUMAN NATURE WERE OPPOSED
TO ONE ANOTHER.
 FOR MENCIUS-RENXING OR HUMAN NATURE IS
NATURALLY DISPOSE TOWARD REN,OR VIRTURE OF
THE SUPERIOR MAN.HE BELIEVED THAT ALL HUMAN
BEINGS ARE BORN WITH INMATE GOODNESS
WHICH,ON ONE HAND,CAN BE CULTIVATED THROUGH
PROPER EDUCATION AND SELF-DISCIPLINE (LI),OR
BE THROWN AWAY THROUGH NEGLECT AND BAD
INFLUENCE,ON THE OTHER.HOWEVER,IT NEED
CULTIVATION THROUGH(RITWAL PROPRIETY) AS
WELL AS OBEDIENCE TO ONE’S QI(VITAL
ENERGY).HUMAN NATURE MAY BE IMPENDED
THROUGH NEGTIGENCE OR AN UNFAVOURABLE
ENVIRONMENT NATURALLY ORGANIZED TOWARD
REN.
 XUNZI BELIEVED THAT HUMAN NATURE IS
BASICALLY EVIL B UT CAN BE IMPROVED
THROUGH SELF-CULTIVATION.LIKE MENCIUS,
XUNZI CONSIDERS THE LI AS THE KEY TO THE
CULTIVATION OF HUMAN NATURE.

THE FIVE CONSTANTS

 A.K.THE 5 CLASSICAL VIRTUES OR WUCHANG
 THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT CONFUCIAN ETHICS
MENTIONED IN THE ANALECTS AND THEB BOOK
OF MENCIUS.
 THESE INCLUDE THE FF:REN OR
BENEVOLENCE;Y,OR RIGHTEOUSNESS;H OR
PROPRIETY;ZHI OR KNOWLEDGE/WISDOM;AND
XIN OR FEDILITY.
 REN/BENEVOLENCE CAN BE ACHIEVED BY
EXTENDING ONE’S FITIAL LOVE FOR PARENTS AND
SIBLINGS TO FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.IT CAN ALSO
BE ACHIEVED BY AVOIDING ENVY OR HARM.
 YI/RIGHTEOUSNESS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY HAVING
THE MORAL DISPO SITIA TO GOOD,WHICH CAN
ONLY BE POSSIBLE AFFER RECOGNIZING WHAT IS
RIGHT AN D GOOD.IT CAN ALSO BE ACHIEVED
THROUGH THE ABILITY TO FEEL WHAT IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO.
 LI/PROPRIETY IS CONSIDERED AS THE CONCRETE
GUIDE TO HUMAN ACTION AND SOCIAL ORDER,CAN
BE ACHIEVED BY FOLLOWING THE GUIDE TO
HUMAN.RELATIONSHIPS(RECTIFICATIONOF NAMES
AND DOCTRINEOF THE MEAN,THE FIVE
RELATIONSHIPS);IT CAN ALSO BE ACHIEVED BY
FOLLOWING THE NORMS OF REN OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS
 ZHIOR KNOWLEDGE WISDOM CAN BE ACHIEVED
BY KNOWING WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS RIGHT
AND WHAT IS WRONG WHICH IS INNATE IN
PEOPLE WHO ARE BASICALLY GOOD ACCORDING
TO MENCIUS.
 XIN OR FIDELITY CAN BE ACHIEVED BY KEEPING
ONE’S WORD AND BEING FAITHFUL CAN BE
TRUSTED WITH IMPORTANT TASKS.IT IS ALSO
BEEN SEEN AS THE KEY TO NATION-BUILDING.

FITIAL PIETY AS AN IMPORTANT VIRTUE

 FILIAL PIETY IS SAID TO HAVE PROVIDED CHINA
WITH A STRONG SENSE OF SOLIDARITY NOT ONLY
IN THE CHINESE FAMILY,BUT ALSO IN CONFUCIAN
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND EVEN AMONG
CHINESE COMMUNITIES IN DEFFERENT PARTS OF
THE WORLD
 ANCESTOR WORSHIP-IS A MANIFESTATION OF
FILIAL PIETY OR RESPECT FOR ONE’S
PARENTS,WHICH IS DIRECTED TOWARD OLDER
RELATIVES AND ANCESTORS.
-IS BASED ON THE KEY CONFUCIAN IDEA THAT IS
EXPECTED OF CHILDREN TO RESPECT AND OBEY
THEIR PARENTS IN LIFE,AND TO CONTINUE
REMEMBERING THEM AFTER THEY HAVE DIED
THROUGH THE PROPER OBSERVANCE OF
RITUALS.ONE WAY TO REMEMBER THEM IS BY
WORSHIPPING ANCESTRAL TABLETS WHICH CAN
BE KEPT AT HOME AND CONTAIN INFORMATION
REGARDING THE PLACE WHERE THE FAMILY
ORIGINATED THEIR GRAVE AND THE NAMES OF THE
ANCESTORS ANOTHER IS TO WORSHIP THEM IN
THEIR GRAVES BY VISITING THEM
OCCASIONALLY,CLEAN THE GRAVES AND AFTER
FOOD AND WINE.
- IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF ACHION BETWEEN THE
LIVING AND THE LOVED ONE,CLEARLY A
MANIFESTATION OF FINAL PIETY.
 CONCEPT OF HUN-PO/SOUL-IS IMPORTANT IN
CHINESE COSMOLOGY AND EARLY CONCEPT OF
DUALISM WHERE HUMAN BEING IS MADE UP OF 2
SOULS.AN UPPER/INTELLECTUAL
SOUL(HUA)WHICH BECOME THE SPIRIT
(SHEN)AND CLIMBS TO THE WORLD ABOVE AND A
LOWER SOUL (PO) WHICH BECOMES THE GHOST
AND GOES DOWN WITH THE BODY INTO THE GRAVE.
 THE CONCEPT OF HUN-PO/SOUL MAKES THE
ANCESTOR WORSHIP TO BE IMPORTANT
 BASED FROM ZHUN XI A CONFUCIAN SCHOLAR:
 ARE CONSCIOUSNESS AND MOVEMENT ARE DUE
TO “YANC”
 PHYSICAL FORM AND BODY ARE DUE TO “YIN”
 CLEAR BREATH (QI) BELONGS TO THE HEAVENLY
ASPECT OF THE SOUL (HUN)AND THE BODY IS
GOVERNED BY THE EARHTY ASPECT OF THE SOUL
(PO)
 A PERSON IS BORN ASIA RESULT OF
INTEGRATION OF ESENCE AND
MATERIAL FORCE.
 WHEN PHYSICIAN SAY THAT YIN OR
YANG NO LONGER RISES OR PALLE,ONE
POSSESES THIS MATERIAL FORCE ONLY
IN A CERTAIN AMOUNHT WHEN THE
NECESSARILY BECOMES EXHAUSTED.
 WHEN EXHAUSTION TAKES PLACE THE
HEAVENLY ASPECT OF THE SOUL (PO)
AND THE BODY RETURN TOB THE EARTH
AND THE PERSON DIES.
 WHEN A PERSON IS ABOUT TO DIE,THE WARM
MATERIAL FORCE LEAVES THE BODY AND
RISES.THIS IS CALLED “HUN RISING”
 THE LOWER PART OF THE BODY GRADUALLY
BECOMES COLD.THIS IS CALLED THE “PO
FALLING”.
 THERE IS LIFE,THERE IS NECESSARILY DEATH,
AND AS THERE IS BEGINNING THERE MUST BE
AN END.
WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES
 BOOK OF RITES- WHERE THE RITUALS
PRACTICED BY THE CHINESE FOR MANY
CENTURIES ARE RECORDED.
 FAMILY/RITUALS/FOUR RITES-RITUALS AND
SACRIFICIAL RITUALS
 COMING ACE RITES-CEREMONIES HELD TO
SIGNIFY THAT A YOUNG PERSON HAS
REACHED THE MARRAIGEABLE AGE AND
COULD JOIN THE DEFFERENT ACTIVITIES OF
HIS/HER CLAN AS AN ADULT
2 IMPORTANT COMING OF AGE RITES
1. CAPPING-REFERS TO DOING THE MALE
TEENAGER’S HAIR IN A BUN/COIL AND WEARING A
CAP,UNDERGOES AT 15 AND 20 YEARS OLD A MALE
CHINESE RECEIVES HIS FORMAL HAT AND
CEREMONIAL GOWN, AS WELL AS HIS FORMAL
NAME. A WINE LIBATION(A DRINK POURED OUT AS
AN OFFERING TO THE DEITY) IS MADE AND THE
YOUNG MAN IS FORMALLY INTRODUCED TO HIS
ANCESTORS.
2.HAIR PINNING-REFERS TO THE GATHERING OF
A GIRL’S HAIR INTO A KNOT AND SECURING IT
USING A HAIRPIN OR A HAIRCLIP,OFTEN DONE
BY 26 YEARS OLD WOMEN OFTEN
ENGAGEMENT AND BEFORE THEIR WEDDING
DAY.
 MOURNING RITES-OFTEN INVOLVE INTRICATE
PRACTICES THAT GOES BEYOND
FUNERAL;OFFERING TO THE DEAD, ETC.
 MARRIAGE CEREMONIES-ARE AN IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF CHINESE CULTURE SINCE
MARRIAGE IS CONSIDERED AS A CENTRAL
FEATURE OF SOCIETY;THROUGH
MARRIAGE,PATIENCE AND LOVE ARE CULTIVATED
TO PROMOTE THE RIGHT VIRTUE.
 MONOGAMY IS PREFFERED WHICH MEANS
MARRIED COUPLES SHOULD BE LOYAL TO THEIR
PARTNERS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
 SACRIFICIAL RITUALS-PERFORMED REGULARLY
BY THE DESCENDANTS OF THE DECEASED
ANCESTORS ARE OFTEN GIVEN AT FESTIVALS.
-EX: QINGMING FESTIVAL CELEBRATED ANNUALY BY
CHINESE ALL OVER THE WORLD TO HONOR THEIR
DEAD. QINGMING MEANS “CLEAN AND BRIGHT”
WHICH DESCRIBES THE WEATHER ON THAT
PARTICULAR DAY OF THE YEAR.
DEVELOPMENT OF CONFUCIANISM
 MOZI’S MOHISM
 MOZI’S SCHOOL WAS CONSIDERED AS
CONFUCIANISM PRIMARY EARLY COMPETITOR.
 MOZI HAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BORN AROUND OR
SOON AFTER THE DEATH OF CONFUCIUS.
 HIS TEACHING CAN BE FOUNDED IN A WORK
ENTITLED MOZI THAT CONTAINS ESSAYS AND
DIALOGUES COMPILED BY HIS STUDENTS.
 HIS ATTACKS ON CONFUCIANISM CAN BE SEEN
IN A MORE EXTREME STAND ON MATTERS DISCUSS BY
CONFUCIUS.
 HIS BELIEF IN UTILIZARIAN HAS REFLECTED IN HIS
ADVOCACY TO ENRICH THE COUNTRY, INCREASE
THE POPULATION, BRING ORDER TO THE STATE AND
IT MADE HIM ATTACK ANYTHING THAT DIDN’T
CONTRIBUTERS TO THESE GOALS.
 HE ADVOCATED THAT PEOPLE SHOULD ONLY BE
GIVEN BARE NECESSITIES AND DIDN’T CONCERN
HIMSELF WITH ANY ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND
EDUCATED THAT ALL EMOTIONS BE STIFLED.
 HE DID FAVOR SACRIFICES TO THE SPIRIT WHICH
WOULD BRING WORLDLY BLESSINGS.
 “EVERYONE WOULD LOVE EVERY OTHER PERSON
AS MUCH AS HE LOVES HIMSELF”.
 HIS GOAL WAS TO REMOVE THE BAD
ELEMENTS/FACTORS IN SOCIETY IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE PIECE AND HARMONY.
MENGZI
 MENGZI (MENCIUS) WAS MOREB SUCCESSFUL
THAN MOZI IN PASSING ON HIS TEACHINGS TO
LATER GENERATIONS.
 MENCIUS LIVED AROUND 370-290 B.C.E. IN AN AREA
NEAR LU.
 A SELF PROCLAIMED CONFUCIAM, HE ADDED
OTHER IMPORTANT TEACHINGS TO CONFUCIANISM
AS SEEN IN HIS BOOK.ONE WAS HIS CLAIM THAT
HUMAN NATURE IS BASICALLY GOOD, AND THIS
INNATE GOODNESS CAN BE FURTHER DEVELOPED
THROUGH SELF-CULTIVATION AND EDUCATION.
 HE BELIEVES THAT PEOPLE SHOULD EXTEND
THEIR LOVE TO THOSE BEYOND THE FAMILY
CIRCLE.
 FOR, HIM THE RIGHT WAY TO RULE WAS WHEN A
RULER SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE A FULLY MORAL
MAN, FOR ALL HIS SUBJECT WOULD MOVE
TOWARDS HIM. A TRUE KING PROVIDES FOR THE
WELL BEING OF HIS PEOPLE , THUS HIS CONCEPT
OF “MANDATE OF HEAVEN” ASSERTS THAT THE
BASIC JUSTIFICATION OF A RULER’S POWER IS
WHEN HE IS ACCEPTED BY HIS PEOPLE.
XUNZI
 XUNZI WAS A CHINESE PHILOSOPHER WHO LIVED
AROUND 300-237 B.C.E. AND, LIKE MENGZI, LEFT A
PROFOUND LEGACY ON CHINESE CIVILIZATION.
 HE BECAME SUCCESSFUL AS A POLITICIAN AND
TEACHER, AND HAD AN ANTHOLY OF ESSAYS
ENTITLED XUNZI.
 CENTRAL TO XUNZI’S TEACHINGS WAS THE BELIEFS
THAT HUMAN NATURE IS INHERENTLY EVIL
BECAUSE IT IS DERIVED FROM A DISTANT,
UNETHICAL HEAVEN
 FOR HIM, LEARNING “BEGINS WITH RECITING THE
CLASSICS & ENDS IN LEARNING THE LI,” WHICH HE
VIEWED AS REPOSITORY OF ALL VITAL WISDOM.
 HE EMPHASIZED ON EDUCATION, RITUALS,
HIERARCHY, & STRICT RULE CONTRIBUTED TO THE
AUTHORITARIAN PATTERN IN GOVERNMENT.
 THIS TYPE OF PHILOSOPHY WAS CLOSELY
ASSOCIATED WITH THE STATE OF QIN & WAS LATER
ADAPTED BY QIN SHI HUANG AS THE STATE
PHILOSOPHY.
 THIS DOCTRINE IS CALLED ZHENGMI/
RECTIFICATION OF NAMES WHICH ALSO
ARTICULATED BY XUNZI.
 THE DOCTRINE OF ZHENGMI EMPHASIZED ROLE-
TERMS, WHICH ADVOCATES THE IDEA THAT
BEARING OF PARTICULAR NAMES IN SOCIETY
COMPELS A PERSON BASED FROM THE NORMS
ASSOCIATED WITH HIS/HER NAME.
NEO-CONFUCIANISM
 REFERS TO THE REVIVAL OF THE DIFFERENT
FEATURES OF CONFUCIAN PHILOSOPHY &
POLITICAL CUSTOMS WHICH BEGAN IN THE MIDDLE
OF 9TH CENTURY.
 WAS ABLE TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS OF
INTELLECTUAL & SOCIAL RESOURCEFULNESS IN
THE 11TH CENTURY DURING THE SONG DYNASTY.
 INITIATED BY GREAT PHILOSOPHER ZHU XI &
BECAME THE POINT OF REFERENCE FOR ALL
FUTURE CONFUCIAN INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE &
SOCIAL THEORY.
 ITS MOVEMENT INCLUDED SPECULATIVE
PHILISOPHERS, AS WELL AS PAINTERS, POETS,
DOCTORS, SOCIAL & POLITICAL THEORISTS,
HISTORIANS, LOCAL REFORMERS, & CIVIL
SERVANTS.
 IT SOUGHT TO PROMOTE A UNIFIED VISION OF
SELF-CULTIVATION THAT WILL END UP WITH A
PERSON BECOMING A SAGE, OR A WISE PERSON.
 THE VINEGAR TASTERS = REPRESENT HOW
BUDDHIST & DAOIST IDEOLOGIES WERE
INCORPORATED IN NEO-CONFUCIANISM
 THE PAINTING DEPICTS THE FOUNDER OF 3
RELIGIONS--- KUNG FUZI FOR CONFUCIANISM,
LAOZIFOR TAOISM, & BUDDHA FOR BUDDHISM ---
WHO TASTED THE VINEGAR & HAD DIFFERENT
REACTIONS TO IT. IT SHOWS HOW THE 3 RELIGIONS,
DESPITE THEIR DIFFERENCES & DISTINCTIONS, CAN
ALL BE CONSIDERED AS ONE.
 NEO CONFUCIANISM SHOW THE INFLUENCE OF
THESE TEACHINGS, FOR IT IS CONSIDERED AS THE
SYNTHESIS OF DAOIST COSMOLOGY,
BUDDHISTSPIRITUALITY, & CONFUCIAN ETHICS IN
RELATION TO GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY.
 THEREFORE THE PAINTING MAY INTERPRETED TO
SHOW THAT “THE 3 TEACHINGS ARE ONE.”
 THE TERM NEO-CONFUCIANISM IS A WESTERN
COINAGE, WHILE IN CHINA THIS WAS AS THE
“METAPHYSICAL THOUGHT”, FOR ADVOCATESOF
THIS PHILOSOPHY LOOKED FOR THE SPIRITUAL
LEGACY OF CONFUCIAN ITSELF, WHICH
EMPHASIZES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
UNIVERSE & HUMAN REASON; OF BEING HUMANE
WHILE BEING RATIONAL.
 IT ALSO EMPHASIZES ON THE “LI” OR PROPIETY,
WHICH REFERS TO THE RATIONAL PRINCIPLE OR
LAW GOVERNING THE NATURAL ORDER OF
THINGS.
 NEO-CONFUCIANISM BELIEVES IN THE BASIC
PATTERN OF THE UNIVERSE, SIMILAR TO THE DAO
IN DAOISM & THE DHARMA IN HINDUISM.
 HEO-CONFUCIANISM BECAME AN INTERNATIONAL
MOVEMENT & SPREAD TO KOREA, JAPAN &
VIETNAM. IT HAS BECOME OFFICIAL PHILOSOPHY
FOR CHINA.
SELECTED ISSUES
 CERTAIN ISSSUES ARISE WHEN WE TRY TO
CONSIDER THE RELEVANCE OF CONFUCIANISM AND
NEO-CONFUCIANISM.ONE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE
CONFUCIAN SOCIAL ORDER IS THE FIXED AND STRIET
HIERARCHY, WITH THE HIGHER PARTNERS BEING
COMPOSED OF MEN, FATHER, HUSBANDS, AND
RULERS EXERCISING MORE RIGHT AND PREVELEDGE
OVER WOMEN WHO ARE PLACED IN A SUBORDINATE
POSITION ANOTHER ISSUE RELATED TO HIERARCHY
WOULD BE AUTHORITARIANISM, WHICH WAS AN
INFLUENCE OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF LEGALISM AND
WHICH BECAME THE GUIDING PRINCIPLEOF THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT DURING THE QIN
DYNASTY.INCOMPACTIBILITY WITH
ENVIRONMENTALISM IS ANOTHER ASPECT BEING
ANALYZED BY SCHOLARS.

FEMALE SUBORDINATION
 IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT A WOMEN’S LIFE UNDER
CONFUCIANISM CAN BE SUMMED UP IN THREE
PERIODS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE “THREE
OBEDIENCES” TO HER FATHER WHILE AT HOME,
THEN OBEDIENCE TO HER HUSBAND WHEN
MARRIED ; AN OBIDIENCE TOHER SON WHEN
WINDOWED.
THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DEMONSTRATE OBEDIENCE
BEFORE ALL THE VIRTUES AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
ACT US INDEPENDENT BEINGS.
 WOMEN LIVE SEPERATELY FROM MEN BY CUSTOM.
WOMEN WERE ALSO ASSIGNED THE ROLE OF
PROVIDING HEIR TO ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF
THE TRADITION THAT MALE CHILDREN SHOULD
PERFORM THE ANCESTRAL RIGHTS. THIS ALSO
EXCUSES THE HUSBAND TO TAKE ON SECONDARY
WIVES IF THE FIRST WIFE FAILED TO PROVIDE HIM
WITH A SON, WHILE WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO
SEE OTHER MEN OTHER THAN THEIR HUSBANDS
AND CLOSE MALE RELATIVES.IN THE “FIVE
RELATIONSHIPS” IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE SHOULD
BE BASE ON MALE SUPREMACY.IN THE BOOK OF
CHANGES, THE MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIP IS
REPRESENTED IN TERMS OF THE SUPERIORITY OF
HEAVEN OVER INFERIOR EARTH.THIS ALSO PAVED THE
WAY FOR MORE CASES OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE AN
ABORTION EVERY YEAR (ALTHOUGH ABORTION IS
PROHIBITED IN CONFUCIANISM EXCEPT IN CASE WHEN
THE LIGHT OF THE MOTHER IS AT RISK.
AUTHORITARIANISM
IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT CONFUCIANISM STILL
FACES AT PRESENT.BECAUSE CONFUCIANISM
STRESSES THE HIERARCHY BETWEEN RELATIONSHIPS,
THIS HAS REINEFORCED TOP-DOWN VALUES AND
HIERARCHICAL SYSTEMS BY ENCOURAGING
DIFFERENCE TO ONE’S SUPERIORS RULER, FATHER,
TEACHER, OR ANYONE OLDER. WHEN CONFUCIAN
VALUES TO SUPPRESS OPPOSITION, THWART FRESH
IDEAS TO SURFACE, TO PROTECT APATHY, THE
CONFUCIANISM POSES A SERIOUS THRAIT TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY AND THE FLOURISHING OF
DEMOCRACY.
WHILE CONFUCIANISM HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AS
THE KEY TO SUCCESS OF EAST ASIAN SOCIETIES,IT
HAS ALSO BEEN SEEN AS THE SOURCE OF
MEDIOCRITY IN COMPANIES IN EVEN GOVERNMENT
OFFICE,CONFUCIAN EMPHASIS ON
AUTHORITARIANISM MIGHT DRAG EVERYONE
DOWN,SO TO SPEAK.CONFUCIANISM IS ALSO SEEN
AS BEING INCOMPATIBLE WITH LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
FOR EMPHASIZING THE VALUES OF
LOYALTY,UNITY,SOCIAL DUTIES,RESPONSIBLE
PATERNALISM,OVER THE VALUES OF INDIVIDUAL
FREEDOM,DIVERSITY,INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS,AND
INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY.