Confucianism: what it is, characteristics and sacred books - Meanings

Confucianism

What is Confucianism?

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 regaining 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 social order, which expresses the importance of hierarchies in the private and public spheres (family and the state respectively). Therefore, everything "old" deserves the greatest 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 brings together a set of characteristics that distinguish it from other religious doctrines. Let's see the most important.

• It is a cult more civil than religious.
• His respect and sacralization of the past make him tend towards conservatism.
• It is observant of marked ritualism, also visible in the formulas of courtesy.
• 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.
• It conceives the study as the contemplation of the philosophical-literary texts that provide exemplary models of conduct.
• The ethics of Confucianism is political ethics.
• Therefore, Confucianism is contrary to the pursuit of individual benefit.
• It does not admit individual salvation, but rather the search for the restoration of the primordial order.
• There is no concept of progress.

 

Who was Confucius?

The thinker Confucius, whose real name was Kong Kio, was born in China into a noble family. He lived between 551 and 479 BC Upon reaching middle age, Confucius conquered some important positions with the intention of putting his theories into practice. Among them, the minister of justice of the federal state of Lu.

Upon leaving office, he traveled the country in search of authorities sensitive to his teachings. Back in his land, he founded a private school to train royal counselors. From then on he was called Kong-fuzi , which means 'master Kong'. The expression Kong-fuzi passed into Latin as Confucius, from which it derived its current form.

Holy books of Confucianism

Among the sacred books of Confucianism, the majority compiled by Confucius, we can cite the so-called Five Classics ( wu jing ):

• Shujing(Book of history);
• 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.

Added to this are the so-called Four Books ( si shu ), namely:

• Analects of Confucius, a complication of dialogues, phrases, and anecdotes collected by his disciples after his death;
• Great Saber, collected by Zhu Xi;
• The doctrine of mediocrity, attributed to Zisi, grandson of Confucius;
• Mencius, which collects the teachings of Master Meng, is called Mencius.

Origin and history of Confucianism

Confucianism arises in a period of crisis in Ancient China. Its promoter, Confucius, did not consider himself as a founder, but as a preacher of the message that he had received from his ancestors.

After the founding of the first school, Confucian thought began to spread widely, not without resistance. In fact, it was persecuted at the time of the first empire and was refuted by the Taoist school.

With the rise of the Han dynasty in the 3rd century BC, Confucianism was vindicated. By then the currents of masters Mencio and Xunzi already existed.

During the Han dynasty, other currents appeared. One of them would be that of 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, which returned to rationalism and condemned superstition.

Confucianism tolerated other beliefs such as Buddhism. Over time, however, it was considered that some practices of foreign religions, such as celibacy, violated the values ​​of the State.

 

Despite this, Confucianism had to give space to metaphysical thought. This determined the appearance of a new current during the Sung dynasty (X-XIII AD): Neo- Confucianism represented by masters Zhu Xi and Wang Yang-Ming.

During the Qing dynasty (XVII-beginning of the XX), neo-Confucianism was refuted by the defenders of primitive Confucianism, of a more rationalist nature. With the advent of modernization and then the People's Republic of China, Confucianism has gone through phases of persecution and phases of tolerance by the government.

 

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