Confucianism
Big idea
Confucianism teaches that society works best when people treat each other with respect and kindness, especially in important relationships like family, friends, and leaders. By trying to improve themselves and lead by good example, people help create a fair, peaceful, and harmonious community.
Key words
Ancestor worship - showing a deep respect and reverence for your ancestors.
Divination - a way of gaining insight into a situation or making a decision.
Doctrine of the Mean - the principle that we should live a balanced life.
Ethics - a theory of how to live a good life.
Junzi - a noble person who acts as an example for others.
Moral behaviour - the good ways we ought to act.
Qingming Festival - a special time when families go to clean the graves of their ancestors.
Ren - being kind and showing love to others.
Silver Rule - do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.
Key facts
Founder
Confucianism was founded by Confucius (known in Chinese as Kong Qiu), a thinker and teacher who lived from 551 to 479 BCE.
Confucius lived during a time of social and political change in China, known as the Spring and Autumn period. Concerned with the disorder and decreasing standards of behaviour in society, Confucius dedicated his life to teaching and developing ideas on how to create a harmonious and fair society.
Place of origin
Confucianism originated in ancient China, mainly in the northern and central regions along the Yellow River valley, around the 6th century BCE. This area was a center of early Chinese states, where people were thinking about how to create a stable and fair society.
The social and political challenges of the time inspired Confucius to focus on ethics, family, and proper behavior to maintain harmony. Over time, Confucianism spread across China, influencing governments, schools, and communities, and its teachings were adapted by different regions while remaining focused on respect, responsibility, and moral living.
Sacred texts
The Four Books - these include the Analects (a collection of Confuciusâs sayings) and the Doctrine of the Mean (advice on balanced living).
The Five Classics - these include texts like the I Ching, which provides wisdom and guidance for making decisions.
Number of followers
Around 6â9 million people formally identify as followers of Confucianism. However, Confucianism has also strongly influenced the values and ethics of China and many other East Asian cultures.
Key story
Zengzi's story of the good son
There was a young boy who always tried to be helpful and respectful to his parents. He woke early to help with jobs around the house, listened carefully to advice, and spoke politely even when he disagreed with his parents.
The lesson of the story
Zengzi, a student of Confucius, used the boy as an example of a moral person - someone who displayed moral behaviour. By showing love, respect, and care for his family, the boy developed the values that would help him act well in school, the community, and society later on.
The key messages are:
Respect your parents and elders.
Small everyday actions matter - kindness, honesty, and politeness build a strong character.
Harmony starts at home - families are where we first learn how to treat others.
Moral behaviour shapes society - by practising respect and responsibility, we help create a fair and caring community.
The divine
Confucianism is not a religion in the traditional sense because it does not focus on gods (some followers of Confucianism do believe in gods, others do not).
Instead, at the heart of its teachings are human relationships, ethics, and moral behaviour.Â
Living the faith
Ethics is at the heart of Confucianism, which teaches that moral behaviour starts with the individual and influences family, community, and society.
The Five Relationships
Moral behaviour is organised around the Five Relationships:
ruler and subject
parent and child
husband and wife
elder sibling and younger sibling
friend and friend.
Each relationship has specific duties and responsibilities, and maintaining harmony in these relationships is essential for a stable society.
Self-improvement
Confucius also emphasised self-improvement, believing that personal growth and developing values are crucial for a good life. This involves continuous learning and reflection.
Confucius discussed how to live a good life and behave morally in his book the Analects. The central message is that we should be kind, respectful, and responsible. Confucius taught that personal growth comes though trying to improve ourselves and fulfilling our special responsibilities (according to the Five Relationships). He emphasised the importance of learning, practising good manners, and being fair and just. By following these principles, we can create a harmonious and happy community where everyone can flourish.
The Silver Rule
One of the most important principles contained in the Analects is known as the Silver Rule:
What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.
This means you should avoid treating people with a lack of kindness as you yourself would not want to be treated unkindly. For example, if you donât like being teased, you shouldnât tease others. This rule helps everyone get along better and creates a more caring and friendly society.
Ren
Within the Analects we also find the important idea of ren:
Fan Chi asked about ren. The Master said, âIt is to love all men.â
Ren is about treating others with respect and love, and it is the foundation for all positive human relationships and moral behaviour. Confucius explained that a person with ren wants to develop themselves while also helping others to grow, and they desire success for themselves while aiding others in achieving their success. He emphasised that ren is not too difficult to achieve; it is always within reach if one genuinely strives for it. By practising ren, we can contribute to a harmonious and fair society.
Junzi
The ideal person in Confucianism is the junzi, or noble person. A junzi embodies the characteristic of ren, and acts as a good moral example for others. Confucius believed that society would be better if more people aspired to be a junzi, as they would then inspire others to perform moral behaviour and contribute to a harmonious community.
The Doctrine of the Mean
The Doctrine of the Mean is a key teaching in Confucianism that encourages living a balanced life.
âWhen joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure have not yet arisen, it is called the Mean. When they arise to their appropriate levels, it is called harmony. This Mean and harmony are the root of the world.â (Confucius)
What this means is that the mean (i.e., the middle ground) is achieved when we avoid extreme emotions, and we live in harmony with others and ourselves when we feel emotions to the right level. For example, it is right to feel a mild sorrow if you lose your favourite pen. But it would not be appropriate to feel the same sadness as you would if a loved one died.
The Doctrine of the Mean encourages us to try to find the right balance in everything we do, avoiding extremes. Confucius taught that we should strive to be moderate in our actions, thoughts, and emotions. By not going to extremes, we can make better decisions and live peacefully with others.
For example, instead of being too strict or too lenient, we should find a middle ground that is fair and reasonable. This key teaching helps us stay calm and steady, leading to a more balanced and happy life.
Making decisions
The I Ching, also known as the Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese book that people use for divination (to help make decisions and understand situations). It was not originally written by Confucius, but he did add to the text, and helped to make the I Ching more accessible.
In the I Ching there are sixty four symbols called hexagrams, each made up of six lines that can be solid or broken. People use the I Ching by asking a question and then using coins or sticks to create one of the hexagrams. They then look up the hexagram in the I Ching to read what it means. Each hexagram gives insights and advice about the situation. Itâs a way for people to reflect on their lives and think about the best way to act.
Imagine you ask the I Ching for guidance on a difficult decision, such as choosing between two job offers. You generate a hexagram and form Hexagram 23, âSplitting Apart.â The I Ching explains that this hexagram signifies a period of separation or significant change. This could mean that one of the job offers may bring substantial changes or potential difficulties. By considering this advice, you can reflect more deeply on the nature of each job offer, understanding that one might involve initial challenges but also opportunities for growth and transformation.
This reflection helps you weigh the pros and cons more effectively, leading to a more informed and thoughtful decision about your future career path.
In summary, the I Ching provides symbolic advice through hexagrams and lines, aiding individuals in reflecting on their questions and life situations to make better decisions.
Worship & rituals
Ancestor Worship
Confucianism acknowledges the importance of ancestor worship and respect for the spirits of deceased family members. This practice involves rituals and ceremonies to honour ancestors, showing respect and gratitude for their contributions to the family and society. These rituals are seen as a way to maintain harmony between the living and the dead.
Home Shrines - Many families create shrines at home, often with plaques that list the names of their ancestors. These shrines are a place for daily respect, reflection, and prayer.
Offerings - At home shrines, people make offerings such as food, incense, and prayers to honour deceased family members. These acts show respect and help maintain harmony between the living and the dead.
Qingming Festival - This festival, sometimes called Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a time when families visit cemeteries to clean graves, repair tombstones, and pay respect. It is a way of remembering ancestors and teaching younger generations about their heritage.
During festivals, families may burn special paper offerings that represent money, clothes, or other items for the ancestors. This symbolic act shows care and gratitude toward those who have passed away.
Symbolism
All these rituals are more than traditions - they strengthen family bonds. Ancestor worship helps individuals reflect on their responsibilities, remember their heritage, and show respect for the wisdom of those who came before them.
Afterlife
Confucius didnât write much about the afterlife, because he believed it was more important to focus on living a good and moral life right now in this life. He thought that if people concentrated on being kind, respectful, and doing the right things, they wouldnât need to worry about what happens after they die. Confucius taught that we should honour our ancestors and take care of our families, because these actions help us live in harmony and create a better society.
By doing our best in this life, we show respect for both the living and the dead, and thatâs what Confucius thought was most important.
Influence on society
Confucianism has deeply influenced Chinese society and many other East Asian cultures, shaping various aspects of life such as government, education, family structure, and social interactions.
Government
Confucianism teaches that good leaders should be kind, fair, and set a good example for others to follow. Confucius believed rulers should care more about the well-being of their people than about their own power or wealth. Because of this idea, China developed a civil service system where government officials were chosen for their knowledge and skills, not because of their family background (this is called a meritocracy).
Education
Confucianism strongly values learning and self-improvement. Confucius believed that education helps people grow into better individuals and creates a stronger, fairer society. His ideas had a lasting influence on education, culture, and thinking across East Asia.
Family
Confucianism encourages strong family relationships, especially showing respect for elders, caring for parents, and continuing family traditions. Its ideas, such as the Five Relationships, ren (kindness), and ancestor worship, help people live in harmony and have influenced many East Asian cultures by strengthening family and community bonds.