and the general population during times of peace and times of war. [74] While the Shang identified Shangdi as their ancestor-god to assert their claim to power by divine right, the Zhou transformed this claim into a legitimacy based on moral power, the Mandate of Heaven. Confucianism - National Geographic Society The Master said: "In teaching, there should be no distinction of classes.". They hold the power to define the hierarchy of divinities, by bestowing titles upon mountains, rivers and dead people, acknowledging them as powerful and therefore establishing their cults. Rites and sacrifices to the gods have an ethical importance: they generate good life, because taking part in them leads to the overcoming of the self. According to China, its Confucius Institute is "a bridge reinforcing friendship" between it and the world. Confucian ethics is characterised by the promotion of virtues, encompassed by the Five Constants, Wchng () in Chinese, elaborated by Confucian scholars out of the inherited tradition during the Han dynasty. This elaborate system of mutual dependence was based on blood ties, marriage alliances, and old covenants as well as on newly negotiated contracts. Like many contemporaries, Confucius saw ritual practices as efficacious ways to access Tian, but he thought that the crucial knot was the state of meditation that participants enter prior to engage in the ritual acts. [132] He praised Confucian ethics and politics, portraying the sociopolitical hierarchy of China as a model for Europe.[132]. [79] The supreme godhead was also identified with the dragon, symbol of unlimited power (qi),[74] of the "protean" primordial power which embodies both yin and yang in unity, associated to the constellation Draco which winds around the north ecliptic pole,[72] and slithers between the Little and Big Dipper. It is concerned with inner virtue, morality, and respect for the community and its values. 1990. Confucianism, the way of life propagated by Confucius in the 6th-5th century bce and followed by the Chinese people for more than two millennia. Among all things of creation, humans themselves are "central" because they have the ability to cultivate and centre natural forces.[58]. [73] Both the dynasties worshipped the supreme godhead, called Shangdi ( "Highest Deity") or D () by the Shang and Tian ( "Heaven") by the Zhou. Chinese folk religious temples and kinship ancestral shrines may, on peculiar occasions, choose Confucian liturgy (called r or zhngtng, "orthopraxy") led by Confucian ritual masters ( lshng) to worship the gods, instead of Taoist or popular ritual. They also fought wars to enforce the belief system on others and enforce specific versions of it,[98][99] possibly some of the first in religious history done by factions who believed only a single divine being was the primary force driving the world. Spotlight on Other Religions The "other religions" category is diverse and comprises all groups not classified elsewhere. [124] These thinkers accuse the meritocrats of overestimating the flaws of democracy, mistaking temporary flaws for permanent and inherent features, and underestimating the challenges that the construction of a true political meritocracy poses in practiceincluding those faced by contemporary China and Singapore. At the cultural level, for instance, Confucianism, its institutions, and its rituals offer bulwarks against atomization and individualism. One of the most famous collections of such stories is "The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars". [30] This transformation of the self may be extended to the family and society to create a harmonious fiduciary community. Some argue therefore that despite Confucius's disdain with martial culture, his teachings became of much relevance to it. Divine right no longer was an exclusive privilege of the Zhou royal house, but might be bought by anyone able to afford the elaborate ceremonies and the old and new rites required to access the authority of Tian.[80]. Confucianism advocates love with distinctionsone always loves one's family first and then moves outward. [86] In 2003, the Confucian intellectual Kang Xiaoguang published a manifesto in which he made four suggestions: Confucian education should enter official education at any level, from elementary to high school; the state should establish Confucianism as the state religion by law; Confucian religion should enter the daily life of ordinary people through standardisation and development of doctrines, rituals, organisations, churches and activity sites; the Confucian religion should be spread through non-governmental organisations. Li is variously translated as "rite" or "reason", "ratio" in the pure sense of Vedic ta ("right", "order") when referring to the cosmic law, but when referring to its realisation in the context of human social behaviour it has also been translated as "customs", "measures" and "rules", among other terms. What percentage of people follow Confucianism? - Sage-Answer Referred to variously as the Confucian hypothesis and as a debated component of the more all-encompassing Asian Development Model, there exists among political scientists and economists a theory that Confucianism plays a large latent role in the ostensibly non-Confucian cultures of modern-day East Asia, in the form of the rigorous work ethic it endowed those cultures with. Another meaning of rn is "not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself. As Confucius stated "a prince should employ his minister according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness (loyalty)."[59]. Like filial piety, loyalty was often subverted by the autocratic regimes in China. Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. It remains the social code of the Chinese and continues to influence other countries, particularly Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. How many Confucianism followers are there worldwide? Confucius saw an opportunity to reinforce values of compassion and tradition into society. Religious Demographics Of China - WorldAtlas The Chinese imperial examination system started in the Sui dynasty. This represents 0.09% of the world's population, or slightly less than 1%. The use of the term "Confucianism" has been avoided by some modern scholars, who favor "Ruism" and "Ruists" instead. Projected Changes in the Populations of Adherents of Other Religions [6] They may be practiced by all the members of a society. Why must there be such rectification?" The intellectuals of the New Culture Movement of the early twentieth century blamed Confucianism for China's weaknesses. Zh () is the ability to see what is right and fair, or the converse, in the behaviors exhibited by others. [61] A good Confucian is also expected to remonstrate with his superiors when necessary. Many of these Confucians suffered and sometimes died because of their conviction and action. Should the ruler be surrounded by xiaoren as opposed to junzi, his governance and his people will suffer due to their small-mindness. Based primarily on the Master's sayings, preserved in both oral and written transmissions, it captures the Confucian spirit . As Confucianism was able to nourish the population and civilization, during the Han Dynasty, emperor Wu Di (reigned 141-87 BC) made Confucianism the official state ideology. Real power thereafter passed into the hands of feudal lords. Confucianism is the way of life propagated by Confucius in the 6th-5th century BCE and followed by the Chinese people for more than two millennia. Scholars recognise that classification ultimately depends on how one defines religion. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1963), 159. It is thought that his pure virtue would lead others to follow his example. The scholar Tu Weiming explains these classics as embodying "five visions" which underlie the development of Confucianism: Confucianism revolves around the pursuit of the unity of the individual self and the God of Heaven (Tin ), or, otherwise said, around the relationship between humanity and Heaven. Bell and Wang favour a system in which officials at the local level are democratically elected and higher-level officials are promoted by peers. [86] The most enthusiastic New Confucians proclaim the uniqueness and superiority of Confucian Chinese culture, and have generated some popular sentiment against Western cultural influences in China. Confucianism - Transformation since the 19th century Japanese Confucian Philosophy - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy [84] Confucius amended and recodified the classical books inherited from the Xia-Shang-Zhou dynasties, and composed the Spring and Autumn Annals. [108] As Bell puts it, he defends "democracy at the bottom, experimentation in the middle, and meritocracy at the top. He found order and understanding in his . "[112] Bell and Wang argue that this combination conserves the main advantages of democracyinvolving the people in public affairs at the local level, strengthening the legitimacy of the system, forcing some degree of direct accountability, etc.while preserving the broader meritocratic character of the regime. [12], Confucian liturgy (called r, or sometimes simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: zhngtng, meaning 'orthopraxy') led by Confucian priests or "sages of rites" (; ; lshng) to worship the gods in public and ancestral Chinese temples is preferred on certain occasions, by Confucian religious groups and for civil religious rites, over Taoist or popular ritual.[13]. [62] At the same time, a proper Confucian ruler should also accept his ministers' advice, as this will help him govern the realm better. In 7.23 Confucius says that he has no doubt left that the Tin gave him life, and from it he had developed right virtue ( d). [157] The Jesuits, including Matteo Ricci, saw Chinese rituals as "civil rituals" that could co-exist alongside the spiritual rituals of Catholicism. It is the virtue-form of Heaven. How many Confucianism followers are there worldwide? Reciprocity or responsibility (renqing) extends beyond filial piety and involves the entire network of social relations, even the respect for rulers. Confucius himself did not propose that "might makes right", but rather that a superior should be obeyed because of his moral rectitude. "So! Xi has expressed hope that China's "traditional cultures" of Confucianism, . Confucianismincluding the most pro-authoritarian scholars such as Xunzihas always recognised the Right of revolution against tyranny. In this set of flashcards, you will learn about the long and fascinating history of one Asia's most major religions: Confucianism. Confucianism was initiated by the disciples of Confucius, developed by Mencius (c. 372-289 BCE) and inherited by later generations, undergoing constant transformations and restructuring since its establishment, but preserving the principles of humaneness and righteousness at its core. [114] Jiang's aim is to construct a legitimacy that will go beyond what he sees as the atomistic, individualist, and utilitarian ethos of modern democracies and ground authority in something sacred and traditional. This system depended on blood ties, marriage alliances, and old covenants as well as on newly negotiated contracts. [100], Confucianism, despite supporting the importance of obeying national authority, places this obedience under absolute moral principles that curbed the willful exercise of power, rather than being unconditional. This may be true especially in times of social chaos, such as during the period of the Ming-Qing transition. They call this approach "progressive conservatism", a term that reflects the ambiguous place of the Confucian tradition within the Left-Right dichotomy. Rn (Chinese: ) is the Confucian virtue denoting the good feeling a virtuous human experiences when being altruistic. The search process identified 833 publications matching the search criteria, and after the review . [112] In his account, the exams select for intellect and other virtuesfor instance, the ability to argue three different viewpoints on a contentious issue may indicate a certain degree of openness. [105], In Just Hierarchy, Daniel Bell and Wang Pei argue that hierarchies are inevitable. Women in the Teaching of Chinese Religions", "Women Existing for Men: Confucianism and Social Injustice against Women in China", http://yj.nuist.edu.cn/ch/reader/create_pdf.aspx?file_no=20130621&year_id=2013&quarter_id=6&falg=1, "Carrying the Confucian Torch to the Masses: The Challenge of Structuring the Confucian Revival in the People's Republic of China", "Confucius and the Mediums: Is There a "Popular Confucianism"? [135][136], Other studies, for example Cristobal Kay's Why East Asia Overtook Latin America: Agrarian Reform, Industrialization, and Development, have attributed the Asian growth to other factors, for example the character of agrarian reforms, "state-craft" (state capacity), and interaction between agriculture and industry. Although the earliest dynasty confirmed by archaeology is the Shang dynasty (18th12th century bce), the historical period that Confucius claimed as relevant was much earlier. Since social harmony is of utmost importance, without the proper rectification of names, society would essentially crumble and "undertakings [would] not [be] completed. Professor Yao says that perhaps most scholars today hold the "pragmatic" view that Confucius and his followers, although they did not intend to create a system of classics, "contributed to their formation".[26]. In later centuries, Confucianism heavily influenced many educated martial artists of great influence, such as Sun Lutang,[citation needed] especially from the 19th century onwards, when bare-handed martial arts in China became more widespread and had begun to more readily absorb philosophical influences from Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism. At first the Chinese people embraced Confucianism more readily than the ruling class did, but Confucianism was revived and popularized by the Han dynasty, from 206 BCE to 220 CE. Confucianism. Confucius conceived these qualities as the foundation needed to restore socio-political harmony. Defenders of Confucian political meritocracy all champion a system in which rulers are selected on the basis of intellect, social skills, and virtue. Some South Koreans believe Confucianism has not contributed to the modernisation of South Korea. [29][30] The principle of Heaven (L or Do ), is the order of the creation and the source of divine authority, monistic in its structure. For example, South Korean writer Kim Kyong-il wrote an essay[when?] Why is Confucianism often more respected than Islam? The worldly concern of Confucianism rests upon the belief that human beings are fundamentally good, and teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor, especially self-cultivation and self-creation. [116] Tongdong Bai's approach incorporates different ways to select members of the meritocratic house, from exams to performance in various fieldsbusiness, science, administration, and so on. [139][140], Confucianism "largely defined the mainstream discourse on gender in China from the Han dynasty onward. Confucianism. [3] Confucianism was suppressed during the Legalist and autocratic Qin dynasty (221206BCE), but survived. [138] Leftists during the Cultural Revolution described Confucius as the representative of the class of slave owners. Traditionally, cultures and countries in the East Asian cultural sphere are strongly influenced by Confucianism, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, as well as various territories settled predominantly by Han Chinese people, such as Singapore and Myanmar's Kokang. In 771 bce, however, they were forced to move their capital eastward to present-day Luoyang to avoid barbarian attacks from Central Asia. Updates? US Religion Census Maps Changing Churches, Declining Denominations Rn is close to man and never leaves him. It focuses on innate human goodness and the importance of interpersonal human relationships. Li embodies the entire web of interaction between humanity, human objects, and nature. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [citation needed] The emperors of China were considered agents of Heaven, endowed with the Mandate of Heaven. Demographics & Geography - Confucianism Pd. 3 - Google Sites This reinvigorated form was adopted as the basis of the imperial exams and the core philosophy of the scholar-official class in the Song dynasty (9601297). What was happening in China when Confucius lived? [75] In Shang theology, the multiplicity of gods of nature and ancestors were viewed as parts of Di, and the four fng ("directions" or "sides") and their fng ("winds") as his cosmic will. Strictly speaking, there is no term in Chinese which directly corresponds to "Confucianism". [44] This is shown in the story where Duke Jing of Qi asks Confucius about government, by which he meant proper administration so as to bring social harmony. First published Tue Mar 31, 2020. The junzi disciplines himself. "[161] Attributes such as ancestor worship, ritual, and sacrifice were advocated by Confucius as necessary for social harmony; these attributes may be traced to the traditional Chinese folk religion. display courtesy; ensure male heirs, uphold fraternity among brothers; wisely advise one's parents, including dissuading them from moral unrighteousness, for blindly following the parents' wishes is not considered to be xiao; display sorrow for their sickness and death; and carry out sacrifices after their death. Meanwhile, Islam promotes the unity of Muslims regardless of ethnicity or familial ties, creating an environment of extremely extroverted people. [14], Tin (), a key concept in Chinese thought, refers to the God of Heaven, the northern culmen of the skies and its spinning stars,[36] earthly nature and its laws which come from Heaven, to "Heaven and Earth" (that is, "all things"), and to the awe-inspiring forces beyond human control. [162][163] But using a broader definition, such as Frederick Streng's characterisation of religion as "a means of ultimate transformation",[164] Confucianism could be described as a "sociopolitical doctrine having religious qualities. Zhou kings declared that their victory over the Shang was because they were virtuous and loved their people, while the Shang were tyrants and thus were deprived of power by Tian.[3]. [15][16] Most Confucianist movements have had significant differences from the original Zhou-era teachings.[17]. Going beyond the Master, they theorised the oneness of production and reabsorption into the cosmic source, and the possibility to understand and therefore reattain it through meditation. As the potential leader of a nation, a son of the ruler is raised to have a superior ethical and moral position while gaining inner peace through his virtue. Confucianism would also benefit from participation in such a dialogue; according to Tu, "If the well-being of humanity is its central concern, Confucian humanism in the third epoch cannot afford to be confined to East Asian culture. Li also means religious rites which establish relations between humanity and the gods. Confuciuss response was to address himself to the issue of learning to be human. Legge), Xun Zi chapter (22) "On the Rectification of Names" claims the ancient sage-kings chose names (; mng) that directly corresponded with actualities (; sh), but later generations confused terminology, coined new nomenclature, and thus could no longer distinguish right from wrong. [152][153], Further analysis suggests, however, that women's place in Confucian society may be more complex. The Zhou belief in the mandate of heaven (the functional equivalent of the will of the Lord on High) differed from the divine right of kings in that there was no guarantee that the descendants of the Zhou royal house would be entrusted with kingship, for, as written in the Shujing (Classic of History), heaven sees as the people see [and] hears as the people hear; thus, the virtues of the kings were essential for the maintenance of their power and authority. NAS counts a total of 108 Confucius Institutes that have closed or are in the process of closing, along with the stated reason for the closure. [25] Five Classics (, Wjng) and the Confucian vision How Many Confucius Institutes Are in the United States? [24], According to Zhou Youguang, r originally referred to shamanic methods of holding rites and existed before Confucius's times, but with Confucius it came to mean devotion to propagating such teachings to bring civilisation to the people. [104], Confucian political meritocracy is not merely a historical phenomenon. The name Confucius, a Latinized combination of the surname Kong with an honorific suffix "Master" ( fuzi ), has also come to be . [63] During the Ming-Qing era, prominent Confucians such as Wang Yangming promoted individuality and independent thinking as a counterweight to subservience to authority. [according to whom?]. The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, Yu! Social harmony results in part from every individual knowing his or her place in the natural order, and playing his or her part well. On spirituality, Confucius said to Chi Lu, one of his students: "You are not yet able to serve men, how can you serve spirits? The story of Confucianism does not begin with Confucius. While Jiang's model is closer to an ideal theory than Bell's proposals, it represents a more traditionalist alternative. [125] Franz Mang claims that, when decoupled from democracy, meritocracy tends to deteriorate into an oppressive regime under putatively "meritorious" but actually "authoritarian" rulers; Mang accuses Bell's China model of being self-defeating, asMang claimsthe CCP's authoritarian modes of engagement with the dissenting voices illustrate. At different times in Chinese history, Confucius (trad. [128] This synthesis, blending Confucians rituals and institutions with a broader liberal democratic frame, is distinct from both Western-style liberalismwhich, for Tseng, suffers from excessive individualism and a lack of moral visionand from traditional Confucianismwhich, for Tseng, has historically suffered from rigid hierarchies and sclerotic elites.
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