Confucianism: Brief History, Core Teachings, Fundamental beliefs, Practices, and Related Issues
Confucianism pertains to the religion, philosophy, or way of life propagated by Confucius in the 6th–5th century BCE. (Who is Confucius? Read: Confucius: The Golden Rule)
Confucianism has become so influential that it has served as the social code, the substance of learning, and the source of values of the Chinese, and some people in other countries like Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
Confucianism aims to promote harmony in society. For this objective, it teaches following the moral way consisting of the virtues of love, righteousness, wisdom, propriety, and loyalty in order.
Confucianism encompasses ancestor reverence and a shrewd anthropocentric religiousness. This religion differs from other major faiths for not being an organized religion.
Sacred texts of Confucianism
Concerning the sacred texts of Confucianism, Confucius is said to have either written or edited the Five Classics (Confucian Classics): the Book of Odes, Book of Documents, Book of Changes, Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals.
For detailed discussion on this, read: Five Confucian Classics: A Simplified Summary
The core teaching of Confucianism
Confucianism’s core teaching is to be a “gentleman.” It is done by following the moral way consisting of the virtues of love, righteousness, wisdom, propriety, and loyalty. It is held that these help in promoting harmony in society.
Why did being a gentleman become the core teaching of Confucianism? It is because Confucius lived in a period of warring states where violence and injustice is rampant. Thus, one of his goals was the improvement and reformation of society and of man himself.
As Confucius believed that the problem within his society was the lack of virtue, he presented the concept of a ‘chun-tzu’ (also ‘Jūnzǐ’), the idea of the true ‘gentleman.’
So how can one become a gentleman or ‘chun-tzu’? Read here: The 6 Virtues in Confucius’ Concept of a Chun-Tzu
Doctrines or Teachings of Confucianism
The primary doctrines of Confucianism declare the following:
| 1. The authority to rule and govern people must come from ‘above.’ |
| 2. The political ruler needs not to be of noble or royal birth, he only has to be fit to rule. |
| 3. Occurrences in the world are sanctioned and sponsored by the mandate of heaven. |
| 4. There is the need to form laws and order in order to produce ‘good’ people. |
| 5. With a person’s social name and standing come responsibilities and duties. |
The main teachings of Confucianism include Ru (humaneness), righteousness, propriety/etiquette, loyalty, and filial piety, together with firm adherence to social roles.
But for detailed discussions on Confucianism doctrines, read: Confuciunism: Confucius’ Philosophy and Teachings
For the Cardinal Virtues (or Confucian Virtues), one of the major doctrines in Confucianism, read: The 6 Virtues in Confucius’ Concept of a Chun-Tzu
The related issues of Confucianism
The common issues involved in Confucianism are: (a) gender inequality and (b) authoritarianism.
The rigid insistence on rites and customs by Confucianism is seen by some as perpetuating the patriarchal system. This, in turn, is said to give rise to gender issues such as repression of women.
In Confucian culture, women are supposed to develop tender and gentle characters. They are taught to be submissive and obedient.
In the Confucian hierarchy, women are seen as being at the bottom:
“Men had multiple wives and concubines, but women were not allowed to see men other than their close relatives, husbands, or masters, or the palace eunuchs … As children, girls were required to obey their fathers; as wives, women were required to obey their husbands; and as widows, women were required to obey their grown-up sons. At no point in her life was a woman, according to the traditional Confucian view, expected to function as an autonomous being free of male control … (“Gender and Sexuality,” n.d.)
As a counter argument however, those promoting Confucianism emphasizes Confucian historical reality which portrays women as enjoying a relatively greater degree of freedom. In fact, some women even played prominent roles as Confucian thinkers.
Confucians avow that husbands in classical Confucianism are taught to instill in themselves a spirit of faith and discretion. It is taught, too, that it is morally evil for men to quarrel with, let alone abuse, women.
On another issue, Confucianism is also accused of advocating authoritarianism—the supposed lack of freedom and the anti-democratic form of government in China. Remember that Confucian rituals are used to assign everybody a place in society, a kind of relationship to others, and a specified form of behavior towards others.
In Confucianism, juniors ought to owe certain duties of reverence and service to their seniors. This is seen as leading to a firm hierarchy in society, which is seen as opposed to equal rights.
By extension, this is seen as leading to political inequality and elitism as filial piety is extended to political loyalty of the subjects of a state. Considered as leaning towards authoritarianism is the priority of the state and the community over the individual.
However, Confucianism advocates explicate that the original teachings of Confucius mandate the subjects to obey only as long as the rulers show moral uprightness and responsibility for the well-being of the people. Thus, only when the rulers properly assume their duties, strict obedience is required.
It is taught that when rulers fail to do their obligations as it should be, the people can rebel. There is no absolute power in Confucianism, as “might is right” is not upheld. It is further explained that later rulers, for their own selfish advantage, merely interpreted Confucianism in an authoritarian way.
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Copyright © by Jens Micah De Guzman
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