Confucianism

Lore & Background

Confucianism was founded by Confucius during the Hundred Schools of Thought era (c. 500 BCE). Confucius regarded himself as a transmitter of cultural values from the preceding Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou dynasties. Suppressed during the Legalist Qin dynasty (c. 200 BCE), it flourished under the Han dynasty (c. The Tang dynasty (c. 600 CE) saw the development of Neo-Confucianism in response to Buddhism and Taoism, which became central to the imperial examination system and the scholar-official class of the Song dynasty (c.

Reader's Guide

Confucianism's significance lies in its enduring influence on East Asian societies. In the early 20th century, Chinese reformers associated it with China's 'Century of Humiliation' and embraced alternative ideologies such as Sun Yat-sen's 'Three Principles of the People' and later Maoism. Nevertheless, Confucianism endured as a cultural force, influencing East Asian economic and social structures into the modern era; its work ethic was credited with the rise of the East Asian economy in the late twentieth century. A modern Confucian revival has gained momentum, culminating in the establishment of a national Confucian Church in China in 2015, reflecting renewed interest in Confucian ideals as a foundation for social and moral values. American philosopher Herbert Fingarette describes Confucianism as a philosophical system which regards 'the secular as sacred'.

Did You Know?

• There is no term in Chinese which directly corresponds to 'Confucianism'; the closest catch-all term is rú (儒), meaning 'scholar', 'learned', or 'refined man'.
• Confucianism revolves around the pursuit of the unity of the individual self and tian ('heaven'), or the relationship between humanity and heaven.
• The Five Classics, traditionally attributed to Confucius, were edited into their received versions around 500 years later by Imperial Librarian Liu Xin.
• The Classic of Music, a sixth classic similar to the Classic of Poetry, was lost during the Han dynasty.