Confucius was an early teacher and philosopher who lived (551 BC to 479 BC) during the Zhou Dynasty. He was born in the state of Lu during an age of uninterrupted war, and this prompted him to develop a practical philosophy built around the principal of virtue (ren) in the hope that rulers would govern in a just manner. He found no audience among his native rulers, so he communicated his beliefs to a body of disciples. He died unrecognized. None of his writings survived, so his views come to us from a text produced after his death, known as the Analects (Lunyu). These contain short statements attributed to Confucius and dialogs between him and his sages. One of his more famous statements is that people are pretty much alike at birth, but become differentiated via learning. He placed a very high value on education, and you continue to see this emphasis on education in Chinese society today. It was this philosophy that formed the basis for the civil service examination system in China, and it still exists today.
Confucius's Core Ideas
Confucius emphasized the importance of three things: education, ritual, and relationships that are hierarchical yet provide benefits to both superior and inferior. Education was important because by studying the classics, people could learn to emulate the actions of the most virtuous figures of past ages. You should note that "the classics" do not refer to teachings from typical western sages, like Socrates or Aristotle, but from legendary Chinese sages, like Yao, Shun, and the Duke of Zhou.
Confucius believed that rulers should behave toward those they govern the way that fathers should behave toward their children. Thus he saw political relationships as familial relationships.
Confucius emphasized five familial relationships, and in each of these the first party is expected to protect the second party.
- Parent - child
- Ruler - subject
- Brother - brother
- Husband - wife
- Friend - friend
Confucius was not always venerated in China, and has had his ups and downs over the centuries. In some eras he was ignored, in some despised, and in other venerated. In the early 1900s many Chinese intellectuals believed that the country's decline was due to Confucian values. The Nationalists of the 1930, under Chiang Kai-shek were responsible for a major Confucian revival. In the late Maoist period (1949 -1976) he was blamed for many unjust and immoral practices. However, in today's China, his views are back in favor. One reason may be that Confucius placed much emphasis on social harmony, the same focus that Hu and other Chinese leaders have placed on stability.
Till the end of the Waring States period, Confucius's ideas were just one school of thought. Other schools such as Daoism (Taoism), Legalism, and others were also embraced by one or another ruler. As an example, the Daoists and Legalists thought that Confucius's emphasis on the study of classics was misguided. The first emperor, the founder of the Qin Dynasty favored the Legalists, not the Confucian ideas. It should be noted though that most subjects hated this emperor, and when he was overthrown, and replaced by the Han Dynasty, Legalism was never officially endorsed again.
Confucianism became popular during the Han Dynasty, but was often combined with concepts like Daoism, Chinese folk religious traditions, and even Buddhism.
Confucius was a philosopher, and not a religious figure. However, he is so revered that he is often elevated to the status of a saint or godlike figure, and there are even pilgrimages to his hometown.
Most of the material above was taken directly from my text book, China in the 21st Century - What everyone needs to know, by Jeffery Wasserstrom. He is due all the credit for the above.
