Confucianism, Confucianism or Ruism is a religious and philosophical doctrine with ritual expressions promoted by the thinker Confucius in the 5th century BC. Confucianism proposes the return to a primordial order –which would have deteriorated throughout history– through two systems: the practice of study and the practice of virtues.
The purpose of Confucianism is not individual salvation, but the participation of the subjects in the transformation and restoration of society, aimed at recovering harmony with the law of Heaven or Tian . Therefore, it is a doctrine with ethical-political implications.
According to the beliefs of Confucianism, filial piety ( xiao ) and respect for superiors ( di ) are the fundamental basis of the social order, which expresses the importance of hierarchies in the private and in the public (the family and the State respectively). Therefore, everything “old” deserves the highest respect. Along with these virtues, the following also stand out:
- ren: kindness, benevolence or altruism;
- shu: mutual respect;
- zhong: loyalty;
- xin: sincerity;
- yi: justice;
- li: property;
- zhi: wisdom;
Characteristics of Confucianism
Confucianism has a set of characteristics that distinguish it from other religious doctrines. Let’s see the most important ones.
- It is a cult more civil than religious.
- His respect and sacralization of the past makes him tend to conservatism.
- He is observant of a marked ritualism, also visible in the courtesy formulas.
- Although he recognizes the divinity called Tian(Heaven), he does not delve into metaphysics.
- Thus, it does not rival the pantheons of other religious doctrines.
- He conceives of study as the contemplation of literary-philosophical texts that provide exemplary models of behavior.
- The Confucianism ethic is a political ethic.
- Therefore, Confucianism is contrary to the search for individual benefit.
- It does not admit individual salvation, but the search for the restoration of the primordial order.
- There is no concept of progress.
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Who Was Confucius?
The thinker Confucius, whose real name was Kong Kio, was born in China to a noble family. He lived between 551 and 479 BC. Upon reaching middle age, Confucius conquered some important positions with the intention of putting into practice his theories. Among them, Minister of Justice of the Federal State of Lu.
Upon leaving office, he wandered the country in search of authorities sensitive to his teachings. Back on his land, he founded a private school to train royal councilors. Since then he was called Kong-fuzi , which means ‘master Kong’. The expression Kong-fuzi became Latin as Confucius , from where it derived its current form.
Confucianism holy books
Among the sacred books of Confucianism, most compiled by Confucius, we can cite the so-called Five Classics ( wu jing ):
- Shujing(History Book);
- Shijing(Book of Songs);
- Yijing, (Book of Mutations or Changes);
- Li Ching, (Book of Rites).
- Ch’un Ch’iu(Annals of Spring and Summer), written by Confucius himself.
To this are added the so-called Four books ( si shu ), namely:
- Analects of Confucius, complication of dialogues, phrases and anecdotes collected by his disciples after his death;
- Great Knowledge, compiled by Zhu Xi;
- Doctrine of mediocrity, attributed to Zisi, grandson of Confucius;
- Mencio, which collects the teachings of the teacher Meng, called Mencio.
Origin and history of Confucianism
Confucianism arises in a period of crisis in Ancient China. Its promoter, Confucius, did not consider himself a founder, but a preacher of the message he had received from his ancestors.
After the foundation of the first school, Confucian thought began to spread widely, not without resistance. In fact, it was persecuted in times of the first empire and was contested by the Taoist school.
When the Han dynasty ascended in the 3rd century BC, Confucianism was vindicated. By then the currents of the teachers Mencius and Xunzi already existed.
During the Han dynasty, other streams appeared. One of them would be Dong Zhong-Shu, based on the cosmology-politics relationship and the theory of the five elements ( wu-xing ). The current of Han fu Wang Chong also emerged, returning to rationalism and condemning superstition.
Confucianism tolerated other beliefs like Buddhism. Over time, however, some practices of foreign religions, such as celibacy, were seen as undermining state values.
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- Taoism.
- Buddhism.
Despite this, Confucianism must have given space to metaphysical thought. This determined the appearance of a new current during the Sung dynasty (X-XIII AD): neo-Confucianism represented by the masters Zhu Xi and Wang Yang-Ming.
During the Qing dynasty (XVII-beginning of the XX), neo-Confucianism was contested by the defenders of primitive Confucianism, of a more rationalist nature. With the arrival of modernization and, later, with the People’s Republic of China, Confucianism has gone through phases of persecution and phases of tolerance by the government.
