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Confucianism
By peace | June 1, 2008
Founders of China’s three belief systems: Confucius(Confucianism), Shakyamuni Buddha(Buddhism) and Lao Zi(Taoism) — The Vinegar Tasters painting is the most popular painting related to taoism. It was made even more famous when the book “Tao of Pooh” mentioned this piece of art.
Confucius(551-479 BC) was a teacher and political reformer who lived in China at a time when the power of the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1027-256BC) was in decline. Confucius’s surname was Kong and his personal name Qiu. In later life, he came to be known as Kong Fuzi (Master Kong). This was latinized in the sixteenth century by Jesuit missionaries as Confucius. Though Confucius thought of himself as a transmitter rather than an innovator, he was nonetheless the originator of many of the basic ideas that have sustained Chinese civilization for well over 2000 years.
Confucianism is a philosophy that promotes the fundamental moral principals for conduct, like benevolence, filial piety, brotherly love, moral cultivation and tradition. Some people do not consider Confucianism a religion. Actually, Confucius did not seek to create a new religion. He had merely expressed his beliefs on living a quality and useful life based on a set of values. However, this does not dispute the fact that Confucianism became at various times the state ideology of China. Today, there are more than two million Confucianists in the world.
Confucius deplored what he regarded as a decline in moral standards in the states of the Zhou domains. His study of ancient books led him to believe that this decline had come about through a failure by the rulers of his time to maintain the standards of a supposed golden age of antiquity. In a bid to halt this decline, he developed a system of moral philosophy for the guidance of his contemporaries.
Very little is known about Confucius’ life. Confucius enjoyed holding make-believe temple rituals and arranging various sacrificial receptacles for play. At the age of 15, he devoted himself to learning and gained a reputation for being fair and polite. In 497BC, he was appointed Minister of Justice in Lu, where he hoped to put his ideas into practice, but he soon fell out of favour and spent the next 13 years travelling from state to state attempting to find a ruler willing to accept his advice. In this endeavour he was unsuccessful and he finally returned to Lu, where he spent his remaining days teaching.
After a period of grieving for his mother when she passed away in 527 BCE, Confucius embarked on his teaching career, travelling extensively. Living in a period of turmoil and decadence, he sought to restore order, believing that this could be achieved by converting people to the principles and values of the sages of antiquity.
After he died in 479BCE, temples were built in every city in China in his honour. Confucius had tremendous influence on China. His teachings formed the basis of China’s education system. Emperors of various dynasties have given him posthumous titles and organized activities to worship him.
Topics: Religion, View All Post |
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