CONFUCIANISM

ORIGINS OF CONFUCIANISM

• Confucius, scholar in China
• Kong Fuzi, Kongzi

ORIGINS OF CONFUCIANISM

• Confucius lived 551-479 b.c.
• Born in Lu state
• Shi class

ORIGINS OF CONFUCIANISM

• Confucius tried to spread ideas to nobles as a counselor, became minister of crime
• Traveled with his disciples but returned to Lu as a teacher at the end of his life
• Confucianism did not become popular until after his death

BELIEFS OF CONFUCIANISM

• Confucianism is a philosophy
• Rules on how to live a noble life

BELIEFS OF CONFUCIANISM

• Five main principles
• Teach how to be a gentleman

REN

YI

LI

ZHI

XIN

BELIEFS OF CONFUCIANISM: 5 RELATIONSHIPS

• Ruler-Subject
• Father-Son
• Husband-Wife
• Elder Brother-Younger
• Friend-Friend

BELIEFS OF CONFUCIANISM: TEXTS

• 5 Classics
• 4 Books
• Most thought to have been edited or influenced by Confucius

FOUR BOOKS

• Great Learning- philosophy
• Doctrine of the Mean- how to be virtuous
• Mencius- conversations of scholar Mencius
• Analects- speeches of Confucius and his disciples

FIVE CLASSICS

• Classic of Poetry
• Book of Changes
• Book of Rites
• Book of Documents
• Spring and Autumn Annals

ORGANIZATION OF CONFUCIANISM

• No real structure or hierarchy
• Practiced in own home or as a way of life

ORGANIZATION OF CONFUCIANISM: TEMPLES

• Temples devoted to Confucius and his followers
• Called Kong Miao in China
• Confucius' birth city of Qufu is considered a holy city

ORGANIZATION OF CONFUCIANISM: TEMPLES

• In Qufu, there is a cemetery, temple, and family mansion
• Confucius Temples in Shanghai
• Confucian Temples in Nanjing
• Temples of Confucius in Beijing

ORGANIZATION OF CONFUCIANISM: FOLLOWERS

• Confucianism not exclusively followed
• Often combined with Buddhism or Taoism
• 6,300,000 followers
• Mainly in China, Korea, and Vietnam
• Similar to Taoism, both believe in a balance of self

ORGANIZATION OF CONFUCIANISM: DIVISIONS

• Mencius believed people were good, lived 372-289
• Xun Ze stressed morality, lived 312-280
• Two sects emerged a century after Confucius' death

ORGANIZATION OF CONFUCIANISM: DIVISIONS

• Neo Confucianism focuses on reality
• More structured, independant of Buddhism and Taoism
• Zhu Xi started neo confucianism lived 1130-1200 AD
• Encouraged meditation to maintain balance, yin yang type principles
• Wang Yangming introduced idea that people are born with intuitive knowledge of right vs. wrong.

SPREAD OF CONFUCIANISM

• Confucianism is ethnic
• Concentrated mainly in China
• Does not attempt to diffuse

SPREAD OF CONFUCIANISM

• Because it is a philosophy, Confucianism is integrated in other religions
• With Buddhism and Taoism, becomes Chinese Traditional Religion
• Confucianism does not clash with governments even though it isn't the official religion
• Also does not clash with other religions because it has no conflicting view of afterlife
• Has similar principles to virtues in other religions ( Ten Commandments, Koran)

CONFUCIANISM'S PAST

• Qin Shi Huang was emperor of Qin Province
• Took over surrounding areas and destroyed histories of fallen provinces
• Burned books from the 5 classics, a sixth is thought to be lost
• Also killed scholars who he believed were plotting against him
• Suppressed confucianism beliefs and ideals

CONFUCIANISM'S FUTURE

• The philosophies of Confucianism are universal
• Due to its ability to coexist with other religions, Confucianism will last
• The number of people exposed to Confucianism may increase with time via internet

WHICH IS NOT A PRINCIPAL OF CONFUCIANISM?

• Ren
• Yi
• Zhi
• Qin
• LI

QIN!

WHAT CITY DOESN'T CONTAIN A CONFUCIAN TEMPLE?

• Qufu
• Beijing
• Shanghai
• Osaka
• Nanjing

OSAKA!

WHAT WAS CONFUCIUS' PROFESSION?

• Soldier
• Politician
• Scholar
• Baker

SCHOLAR!

WHICH IS ONE OF THE FIVE CLASSICS?

• Book of changes
• Classic of art
• Classic of sport
• Book of philosophy
• Classic of Confucius

BOOK OF CHANGES!

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE?

REN!

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