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The impact of confucianism on society
The impact of confucianism on society
The impact of confucianism on society
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Over the last 3000 years, China has had many inspirational leaders who have greatly influenced China's economy, literature, and philosophy. Not only have each one of China's historical and contemporary leaders had an impact on China as a nation, but many of their ideas have flourished throughout literature which has allowed other countries around the world to attain those ideas and learn from them. One of China’s great leaders whose ideas, theories and philosophical ponderings have had a great impact on China's ancient and modern day societies is Master Confucius. Confucius has inspired the literature of modern and ancient China through important books which are still being read by Chinese authors today. Moreover, Confucius has had many achievements which have revolutionized philosophy in contemporary China through his philosophy of “The Five Relationships” which teach us truth to being human. Lastly, Confucius has had a major influence over religion throughout China's ancient age, as his religion known as Confucianism, is still being pursued today by many people in China. Confucius is evidently one of the most significant and important people ever to exist in ancient China.
Throughout his prosperous life, Confucius has had a substantial effect on modern and historical Chinese literature. His books and unique writing style have inspired countless numbers of people across China to become writers and adopt the same writing style as himself. His biggest impact on Chinese literature was when he wrote his 4 books; The Great Learning, The classic Of History, Analects of Confucius and The Mencius. These books written by Confucius have had such great influences on CHinese literature because they inspired humans mental...
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Confucius was a philosopher, political intellect and an educator whose philosophies have significantly prejudiced not only the Chinese principles but the entire world evolution. He lived through the “Spring” and “Autumn” epoch of Chinese history, when east central China was separated over a dozen fighting states. The inordinate ailment and grief he saw swayed his political thoughts, which highlighted command, grading and the rule of a compassionate self-governing state.
Confucius’ impact on Chinese culture has withstood numerous generations and continues to be one of the most prominent philosophies found in Chinese culture. Firmly rooted in years of education, Confucius spent considerable time developing his set of values and principles. In his article entitled “Confucius and the Effortless Life of Virtue”, author Hagop Sarkissian adds to this by saying, “Confucius set his mind on a course of study or cultivation at the age of fifteen, and pursued such studies for a span of fifty-five years, and was thereby able to cultivate a state of being such that he could follow his immediate inclinations in all of life’s predicaments without transgressing social norms” (Sarkissian 1). Confucius’ extensive studies only added to the philosophy represented in the Analects. This includes the pas...
After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the Han dynasty drew from the teachings of Confucius to create the Han Synthesis. This formed the traditional belief in China that history repeats itself and directly contributed to the Dynastic Cycle. This is demonstrated by the use of Confucius teachings, the Dynastic Cycle and the Han Synthesis when addressing the Good Life, Good Society and Good State respectively. Each of these philosophies highlight that Chinese history repeats itself by casting light on this theme of repetition through the three different areas. This makes the state accountable for its actions to its people. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher whose ideas greatly affect China in every aspect of its culture. In The Analects, he preached how to be a good man through living a life of filial piety, being a gentleman, and the way a ruler should govern his empire. The Han Synthesis used many of Confucius’ ideas to be the guiding force in China’s political ideology which contributed to the Dynastic Cycle of an empire, which stated that empires go through periods of success and decline. All of these highlight the cyclical nature of history in China, and its importance in the development of the state.
After the Chinese revolution of 1911, Confucian scholars failed to maintain Confucianism as a state religion in China’s new constitution. However, the new leader, Sun Zhongshan, when speaking of his plans for the Republic, quoted Confucian phrases and values. Overall, the Nationalist Party and the New Life movement incorporated Confucius virtues and colorings throughout their belief systems. With the rise of Communism Confucian once again went under revision, this time with Confucius teachings of ren being attack as primitive and unprogressive. The Confucius philosophy of today is uncertain and there has been talk of developing a more “modern Confucianism”. Nonetheless, in certain areas Confucian is still popular and its virtues are still promoted. (Noss and Grangaard 285-287)
Confucianism became popular during the Han Dynasty as it was the state religion and had a great impact on East Asia (Confucianism 1, pg. 7). Born in 551 BCE in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Confucius himself absorbed the teachings of Mahavira and the Buddha (Confucianism 1, pg. 2) He had a set of virtues that he believed a functioning society should stand by such as benevolence, love and rites. Confucius wanted China to return to the old days when people were loyal to their rulers and rulers were polite and caring towards their people. He believed rulers s...
Riegel, Jeffrey. "Confucius." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . Ed. Edward N. Zalta. Stanford, 3 July 2002. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. .
Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...
There were several myths of China mentioned in “Primal Myths.” The first myth described how the universe was created out of chaos. The second myth explained the four versions of the myth of P’an Ku. The third myth Lao Tzu: From the Tao Te Ching emphasized that the creation of the universe is nameless because it has “no form itself but also because it is the source of all other forms,” (Sproul, 202). Although there were a couple more myths mentioned after, the first three
Confucius was one of the first men to have different ideas on how rulers should go about their ruling of people during the Zhou Dynasty. “Its career as a prominent tradition in China began with its adoption by the Han dynasty, and virtually every East Asian regime of the past thousand years or more has endorsed Confucianism as its official ideology.” Confucius believed that rulers should rule in a manner that is beneficial to the people being governed and in a way that is morally right and traditionally acceptable (for the time). Confucius spent most of his time with a group of followers, in search of a ruler who would follow his teaching and take his advice. (web.cn.edu)(patheos.org 1)
Confucius, , and Arthur Waley. The Analects of Confucius. New York: Random House, 1938. Print.
Confucianism is a moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient writings, including that of Mencius. Confucius was born a mandarin under the name Kongzi. It was developed around 550 B.C. In its earliest form Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical concepts for the control of society. It saw man as a social creature that is bound to his fellow men by jen, or “humanity.” Jen is expressed through the five relationships—sovereign and subject, parent and child, elder and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Of these, the filial relation is most important.
Confucius played a major role during the time of the Zhou dynasty. “Confucius was a thinker, a political figure, an educator” (“Confucius”). The Analects of Confucius contain information on how one should interact with others and conduct their daily lives, and how deeply people should participate in society and government. These ideas then spread to his students, and eventually to many regions of Asia. This
Confucian culture, also known as Confucianism, was founded by Confucius during the Spring and Autumn Period, which was developed gradually after the Han Dynasty with benevolence as the core. Since the Han Dynasty, Confucianism was the official ideology and the basis of mainstream ideology in the vast majority of historical periods of China, and it also influenced many southeast Asian countries in history. After a variety of shocks, Confucianism was still the core values of China's social public, and represented the Chinese culture and national tradition in the world (Littlejohn, 2010). In the contemporary society, the Confucian culture in China increasingly spread, at the same time, its modern value is excavated by many countries in the world, and its international influence is also growing with the rise of China.
Confucius (551–479 B.C.) was a Chinese philosopher and founder of the Confucian school of thought, which greatly influenced political and social life in China. His teachings are known primarily through the Analects of Confucius, a collection of "brief aphoristic fragments", which was compiled many years after his death. Although he didn’t write any books, his students did the writing based on his teachings and millions of people still rely on Confucius's philosophy as a guide to live. Until the twentieth century, Confucianism was the state religion of China. Confucius (Master K'ung Ch'iu), His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism or Daoism. Legalism was a third Chinese philosophy, a Classical Chinese philosophy that emphasizes the need for order above all other human concerns. At the other extreme was the philosophy known as Legalism. Proponents of Legalism did not concern themselves with Confucian values of ethical and mor...
Jones, David, ed. Confucius Now: Contemporary Encounters with the Analects. Chicago: Open Court, 2008. 49. Print.