History Of Confucianism Essay Research Paper

History Of Confucianism Essay, Research Paper

“Confucianism is, and has been for over 25 centuries, the dominantphilosophical system in China and the guiding light in almost every aspect ofChinese life.” Confucius and his disciples traveled all throughout China in anattempt to convert rulers to the Confucian belief system. (author unknown,Confucianism). Originally one of several rival teachings during the Choudynasty (1027 256 BC ), it wasn’t widely accepted at first but, by the 2nd centuryBC, had become the official creed of China (Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia,Edition 3, p208AA) . K’ung Fu-tzu, the father of Confucianism, was born in 551 B. C. of a noblefamily who had lost their wealth and position. His father, who died when K’ungFu-tzu was two, is said to have been a celebrated soldier of tremendous size andmight who was seventy years old when K’ung Fu-tzu was conceived. K’ung Fu-tzu was the youngest of eleven children. He was raised in poverty but received agood education. After accepting a minor government position, he married andfathered a son but eventually divorced. (Sprunger). He was unsuccessful as aguest official, so he opened a school. He taught using books that would come tobe known as the Confucian Classics. These books were I Ching (Book ofChanges), Rites of Chou, Book of Poetry, Book of Documents, Spring andAutumn Annals, and Classic of Music. (class notes, Sept. 23, 1998) . Before the Third Century BC, Confucianism was essentially a system ofmoral laws that society should follow in order to reach the Confucian ideal.Confucianism advocated education, jen (benevolence), rituals or Li, whichinvolved knowing your proper position (i.e.. “king behaves like king, father likefather, son like son”). (class notes, Sept. 23, 1998). “Jen is expressed through thefive relations sovereign and subject, parent and child, elder and youngerbrother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Of these, the filial relation isusually stressed.” (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Edition 5, p8867). Each of theserelationships involves someone inferior and superior. A subordinate personmust treat his or her inferiors with respect. The ruler must set the moralstandard.(The Columbia Encyclopedia, Edition 5, p8867). Kung Fu-tzu insisted that education was key to gain virtue or jen. (classnotes, Sept. 23, 1998). Confucianism stressed struggling for education andadhered to the idea that man should try to improve upon himself. Confuciusbelieved that it was possible for a man, most importantly a ruler to become anideal being by practicing Li and Jen and by obtaining a proper education. (classnotes, Oct 9, 1998). Early Confucianism took no interest in the idea of Tao or some greaterpower and, before it was altered during the Han dynasty, had no concept ofcosmic forces. It dealt solely with life on earth (class notes Oct. 9, 1998). Confucius declined to deal with all things spiritual. He once said about heavenand the concept of an “after-life”, “If we don’t know everything about this life,why bother with another.” (class notes Sept. 23, 1998). Mencius (371-289 BC), regarded as the Second Chinese Sage, developedand added to Confucianism. He believed in the basic decency of human nature,but he was skeptical of government. It was his belief that rulers exist to providefor the good of the people, in both material goods and moral guidance. He statedhis thesis as: “The people are the most important element in a nation; the spiritsof the land and grain come next; the sovereign counts for the least.” Hepromoted low taxes, free trade, conservation of natural resources, and welfarelegislation for the old and disadvantaged. (Compton’s Encyclopedia Online,”Mencius”) Mencius was born in about 371 BC in the state of Tsou, China. He was astudent a pupil of Confucius’ grandson. Much of his career was spent travelingfrom state to state and advocating change, though he became a teacher when hegrew older. He lived during the period of the Warring States (481-221 BC), so hefound little support among princes and nobility for his ideas on the merits of thecommon man and of democracy. The book ‘Mencius’ is a collection of his sayingsand a record of his life put down in writing by his pupils. For more than 1,000years he has been regarded as the cofounder of Confucianism.(Compton’sEncyclopedia Online, “Mencius”). Confucius did not speak directly about the nature of human beings, therights of the people against corrupt rulers, and the supernatural. Two of hisdisciples, Mencius and Xunzi (Hs n-tzu), did much to clarify these issues.Mencius asserted that human nature was basically good and that it could bedeveloped not only by study, as Confucius taught, but also by inner self-cultivation. Like Confucius, Mencius accepted the hierarchically ordered feudalsociety in which he lived, but he placed far greater stress on the responsibilitiesof the ruler for the welfare of the people. The Zhou rulers held their positionunder a doctrine known as the Mandate of Heaven. Mencius held that theMandate of Heaven was expressed by the acceptance of a ruler by the people. Ifthe people rose up and overthrew a tyrant, it was proof that Heaven hadwithdrawn its favor. Therefore, Mencius claimed the common people had theright to revolt. Xunzi took an exactly opposite view of human nature; heasserted that rebellion was fundamentally evil. Xunzi, however, was optimisticenough to believe in people’s unlimited capacity for improvement. He taughtthat through educa