Confucianism

"It is the man that can make the Way great, not the Way that can make the man great."

Founded by:

--Analects

Confucius

"Confucius" is the Latin name for Kong Qiu-zi ("-zi" being a suffix meaning "master"), born in the Chinese state of Lu in 551 BC. He was born into a family which was on the poor end of the gentry class. Confucius spent his life trying to gain office at the court of a ruler who would be willing to rule according to the tenets of Confucianism. Ironically, Confucius died a failure--he never got anyone besides a handful of disciples to follow him--but after his death (in 479 BC) Confucianism became the most important influence on Chinese culture.

Summary of Philosophy

ru jia

Rites, righteousness, relationships and benevolence towards others. Also very important is keeping order in relationships and in the state.

ru: the Confucian school

jia: family, the term is used to mean "school"

Major Texts:

Lunyu (translated, The Analects)

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Analects is a collection of sayings of Confucius, recorded by his disciples. As a result, the Analects is not a comprehesive manifesto of Confucianism. Rather, it is a collection of quotations and anecdotes. Because of this, Confucianism according to Confucius is open to interpretation. Adding to the confusion is the fact that many scholars consider certain parts of the Analects to be inauthentic. However, the Analects are interesting in that we are given a direct window into the thoughts of Confucius himself. Also, even though the Analects are a bundle of quotes and anecdotes, they have been worked into a coherent, organized whole.

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The Five Classics:

Yi jing (I ching), Shu jing, Shi jing, Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals), Li ji

The Five Classics of Confucianism were works from the Zhou Dynasty which preceded the Warring States Period. They were collected and edited by members of the original Confucian school. These are the Classics which would be studied by centuries of Chinese scholars--after Confucianism became the official state philosophy, one had to know the Classics well to gain the coveted position of government official.

Yi jing

(I Ching) The Book of Changes

In the Zhou Dynasty, the Yi jing was used for foretelling the future. It was an oracle used to analyze situations and to decide the proper course of action. The Yi jing contained 64 hexagrams (see below) which each represented a certain stage in the cycle of the universe.

More importantly, the Yi jing contained the concept of the universe moving in cycles. There were only 64 hexagrams, 64 states of being for the universe, and it was constantly moving through the 64, starting again at the beginning when it reached the end. The name "Classic of Changes" also stems from this, since the universe is always in a state of change. These cycles would become a dominant theme in Chinese culture. The Chinese would apply the idea of cycles to their concepts of time, life, and people. The rule of dynasties moved in cycles, from the mythically good first ruler to the degenerate last ruler of each dynasty. Life was a cycle, moving upwards from birth to a peak and then declining into death. This also led to the awareness that everything in the universe is related. If there are only 64 states of being, then these states must be shared by each thing in the cosmos, and as a result, all things are related to each other. Here we start to see the holistic properties of "Eastern" thinking.

Hexagram 23: Po Splitting Apart Interpretation: It does not furthur one to go anywhere.

Shu jing

The Book of Documents, The Book of History

The Shu jing is a collection of documents which claim to go back to the Shang Dynasty, which was the first historical dynasty of China (c. 1500 B.C.) Whether this is true can be disputed, but the Shu jing is more important for the fact that it is the earliest work of history and political science in Chinese history. The Shu jing depicts history as a process of change, much like the Yi jing. History is also regarded as a way for humanity to reflect on past events and learn from them. The Shu jing also introduces the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, which would be important from then on in Chinese history. The Mandate of Heaven is the idea that Heaven chooses who is worthy to rule according to virtue. Even though it is usually unwise to upset the order of things, if a ruler is lacking in virtue it is acceptable for a more virtuous dynasty to rise and take over. The Mandate of Heaven could have been the Zhou Dynasty's way of justifying their taking power from the previous Shang Dynasty. A religious system is also set down in the Shu jing, placing Heaven above, the Earth below, and humans as the link in between. Omens from the past are recorded, as are pilgrimages and sacrifices.

Shi jing

Book of Songs, Book of Odes, Book of Poetry

The Shi jing, commonly known as the Book of Songs, is the earliest literary tradition of China. It is a collection of songs and poetry--both formal and informal, from imperial poets and farming peasants. The songs range from political protests to love poems to drinking songs, but in the Confucian tradition many are interpreted to be illustrations of the people's feelings towards the government.

"Big Rat" is a protest by peasant farmers against heavy taxation by the government.

Big rat, big rat Do not eat my millet! Three years I have served you, But you will not care for me. I am going to leave you And go to that happy land; Happy land, happy land, Where I will find my place.

(from Sources of Chinese Tradition, Vol. 1. trans. and ed. Wm. Theodore DeBary et al. Columbia University Press (USA: 1960) pg 13.)

Chunqiu

Spring and Autumn Annals

This is the classic most associated with Confucius. It consists of records of the events in Confucius' home state of Lu between the years of 782 BC and 481 BC. The authors were making use of "praise and blame" history, imposing their values on the events they recorded.

Li ji Book of Rites

The Book of Rites stems from Confucius' near-obsession with ritual. Ritual was central to Confucianism, and the Book of Rites is the etiquette guide for the proper gentleman (or woman), or shu. It contains guidelines for almost any imaginable activity, from grand state ceremonies to the proper way to lie in your bed when you sleep. The Book of Rites also regulates interpersonal relationships--civil behavior. Ritual was important because, according to Confucius, it was what separated humans from animals (and the Chinese from the foreign "barbarians"). Showing proper behavior in relationships with others was also important because it reinforced the concept of universal order, the social hierarchy, and therefore the order of the state.

Analysis

So, was Confucianism a success? At first, no. As stated above, Confucius during his lifetime only managed to collect a few followers. After his death, however, his followers passed on the Confucian tradition. It survived, with a few changes, to the Han dynasty (221 BC) and became established as China's official philosophy. From then it was firmly entrenched in Chinese culture, and its values can still be seen today.