Confucianism
By Katrina Dalton

On September 28th, in Qufu (pronounced Choo-foo), Shandong Province (northeastern China), descendants of Confucius and fellow townspeople celebrated his 2,548th birthday.  However, in China today, Confucius's memory is tarnished.  The philosophy of Communism has given Confucianism a bad name.  Many young people think Confucian thought an anachronism that has no relevance in modern-day China.  Yet, Confucianism is still the basis of much that is essentially Chinese in modern Chinese society and culture.
Confucius is the "patron saint" of teachers, and the sage's birthday is celebrated throughout the Chinese world as "Teachers' Day," a national holiday.  (Illustrations: Confucius Temple, Temple Bells, Taiwan)
The master's name Confucius is an Anglicization of his name Kong Fuzi ("Master Kong").   Born in 551 BC in the feudal state of Lu in Shandong province.  His family name was Kong, his personal name was Qiu (?).
Confucian philosophy is really neither a religion nor a philosophy, but a system of social theory.  In his lifetime, Confucius's teachings were one of a "Hundred Schools" of thought.  But gradually over the centuries, his humanism began to become more attractive than the other doctrines.
Among the large body of literature, of varying degrees of authenticity, are the Analects, probably compiled by his disciples' disciples.  This work is in 20 chapters and 497 verses.  Profound influence over the peoples of East Asia, particularly Korea and Japan.  For the past 800 years, it has also served as a basic school text.

 

The Teachings of Confucius:

Love of Learning:
"When walking in a party of three, I always have teachers.  I can select the good qualities of the one for imitation, and the bad ones of the other and correct them in myself." (p. 25)

The Unitary Principle: Reciprocity or Humanity
"Perhaps the word reciprocity  [can serve as a principle for the conduct of life]: Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you." (p. 27)

Humanity (Ren):
Sometimes rendered "goodness, benevolence, love," it is the perfect virtue, and is central to Chinese thought.

"Riches and honor are what every man desires, but if they can be obtained only by transgressing the right way, they must not be held.  Poverty and lowliness are what every man detests, but if they can be avoided only by transgressing the right way, they must not be evaded.  If a gentleman departs from humanity, how can he bear the name?  Not even for the lapse of a single meal does a gentlman ignore humanity.  In moments of haste, he cleaves to it; in seasons of peril he cleaves to it." (p. 29)

"To be able to practice five virtues everywhere in the world constitutes humanity. . . . Courtesy, magnanimity, good faith, diligence, and kindness.  He who is courteous is not humiliated, he who is magnanimous wins the multiture, he who is of good faith is trusted by the people, he who is diligent attains his objective, and he who is kind can get service from the people." (p. 28)

Filial Piety
The Gentleman
Rites and Music
Government by Personal Virtue