"To practice five things constitutes virtue; these are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness." - Confucius, on Confucianism
IntroductionTowards the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the “Warring States Period”, a time of great conflict between territories, had a profoundly negative effect on Chinese society. Confucianism originated during the decline of the dynasty (Beck 104). Its creator, Confucius, was born in 551 B.C. Confucius was a scholar and teacher interested in reviving the early traditions of the Zhao. He believed that putting relationship guidelines in place could restore social order and harmony, as well as fair government.
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Confucius' TeachingsConfucius taught that if everyone kept to his or her role, society would work smoothly. Main values were developed as a guide for what qualities people should have. Confucius also had relationship guidelines, including filial piety, the respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors (Beck 104). Many of Confucius’ teachings focused on honoring one’s parents while they were alive, and dead. Confucius, also had five basic relationships to keep social order. In all of the relationships, each person had a defined role (Berling 1).
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Confucianism's Role in GovermentAnother aspect of Confucianism was government reform (Beck 105). Teaching rulers to govern in better ways resulted in benefits for not only the ruler, but the people as well. The Duke of Lu chose Confucius as the Minister of Justice in his province. During Confucius’s tenure, crime in Lu became almost nonexistent. He sought in protecting the weak and inferior. Confucian values made education a large part of government. Those in civil service were educated and trained for their jobs. They had specific expectations of and obligations to the people. After working in Lu, Confucius went back to being a teacher. His students collected his ideas in a book called the “Analects” (Beck 105).
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ConclusionInwardly, Confucianism was more personal (Berling 1). Building and cultivating your character, and reflecting on your actions was as important as respecting your parents. By having good character, and fulfilling their obligations to society, people were supposed to have Ren, or humaneness. Essentially, the Confucian ideal was that people were selfless, and especially devoted to their role, acting as a cog in the large wheel of society. The video below talks about some of the important parts of Confucianism and how it impacts China.
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