For nearly 2,000 years, Confucianism has shaped China’s social, ethical and political outlook. While Confucianism is a religion, its influence extends far beyond the spiritual-its rules dictate how followers relate to their families, to their country and to society.

History of Confucianism

Confucianism is based on the teachings of Confucius, an educator born in the Chinese state of Lu in 551 B.C.E. The details of Confucius’ life are unclear: while tradition maintains he was of aristocratic heritage, he claimed to have humble beginnings and little to his name. However, he was well-educated, and knowledgeable about leisure activities like music and archery. This suggests he was from an upper-class background, but may have been one of the many members of formerly wealthy families unable to maintain their social standing. While he was not well known in life, he has since gained respect and recognition throughout his country and the world.

According to tradition, Confucius worked as a minister in the state government of Lu. His goal was to renew China’s culture and religion, restoring it to the more ideal conditions found during the reign of the Duke of Zhou. Feeling unrecognized in his political career, and unable to secure a position of responsibility, Confucius looked for other ways to influence China’s cultural climate. He turned to teaching, through which he guided several students into government positions in which they could shape the country’s social and cultural environment.

By the time Confucius was in his fifties, he had become disillusioned by what he saw as a lack of strong moral leadership in the state. He began traveling to other states, hoping to educate their rulers and gain more widespread acceptance for his principles. Confucius was respected and welcomed by many of the rulers, several of whom offered him employment. However, he felt they did not share his level of moral commitment, and so he returned home to Lu, where he spent the rest of his life educating his disciples. These students, several of whom held high-ranking government positions, helped shape Confucius’ teachings into the complex and structured religion that eventually dictated almost every aspect of Chinese life. When Confucius died, his disciples observed the three-year mourning period traditionally observed by family members.

It was the Emperor Wu-di (140-87 B.C.E.) who established Confucianism as China’s official religion. When Emperor Wu took power, he wanted well-educated citizens to fill official state positions, and so ordered scholars to appear for interviews. One of those scholars, Dong Zhong-shu, convinced the emperor that only the teachings of Confucius should be practiced in the country. Emperor Wu appointed Dong chief minister of the state, and with the establishment of doctoral chairs for the classics, Confucianism became the official state ideology. The religion dominated Chinese life until the beginning of the 20th century.