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.

Key Concepts

Though classified as a religion, Confucianism is not just a set of spiritual principles, but also a complex set of rules for behavior. It places great importance on propriety, morality and respect in relationships with others, ideas that influences Chinese culture on both a societal and personal level.

Doctrine of the Mean

While Confucius’ teachings formed the basis of Confucianism, the writings of his disciples have been equally influential in shaping the religion. One of these writings, the Doctrine of the Mean, is usually credited to Confucius’ grandson Zi Si, and is one of the religion’s most important documents. The principles of the Doctrine of the Mean helped establish Confucianism’s moral and ethical guidelines.

According to the Doctrine of the Mean, the Way of Heaven, which dominates throughout the universe, is also the basis of humankind’s moral nature. Because our nature was given to us by Heaven, if we develop it in ourselves and help others develop it, we can connect with Heaven and be a part of the transformation carried on by Heaven and Earth.

Filial Piety

For some religions, the focus is on achieving spiritual enlightenment, but in Confucianism, the primary concern is living an ideal moral life while on earth. Key to this ideal life is filial piety, or respect for parents and elders. This respect should also be applied to relationships outside the family circle, Confucius taught. Filial piety is a moral virtue that dominates every aspect of a person’s life, from how they treat their parents to how they spend their leisure time.

Confucius described the ideal moral life as the life of humaneness, or ren, which means exhibiting one’s innate goodness in personal relationships. The life of humaneness, Confucius taught, is built on filial piety. In Confucianism, the family is seen as a model for all social relationships, and so children who respect their parents will be good citizens, and leaders who are good parents will be fair rulers. Filial piety is so central to Chinese thought that being “unfilial” is considered one of the greatest crimes that can be committed. In traditional China, being unfilial could be punished by death.

Filial piety involves more than showing respect for elders on a day-to-day basis; it also includes continuing the family line by marrying and having children. But more importantly, it requires doing nothing to bring shame or danger to the family. Children should never engage in illegal or immoral behavior, because it would dishonor not only themselves, but their entire family. And, they should avoid anything dangerous, because if a child is injured or killed, the parents are deprived of offspring who would otherwise have children and continue the family line. Even injury is considered shaming the parents, because they have given the child’s body to him in a state of wholeness; by allowing himself to be injured, he is dishonoring his parents.

Propriety in Social Relationships

In Confucian thought, human nature is innately good, but can be corrupted when people step outside of their proper roles. When people in authority abuse their power, or when subjects disrespect their superiors or try to usurp other people’s roles, relationships, and society, break down. In the Confucian view, many of today’s social problems stem from this breakdown and the resulting confusion and chaos.

In order to live the ideal life, it is necessary to fulfill one’s role within family and the community, and propriety in social relationships is just as important as duty to family. All relationships are modeled on the concept of filial piety: everyone should be treated with respectful reverence. Confucius said that relationships should be based on reciprocity and loyalty. For instance, a child is obligated to obey the parents, but the parents are also obligated to show kindness to the child.

Confucianism sees all human interactions in terms of five basic relationships: father-son, husband-wife, elder brother-younger brother, ruler-subject, and older friend-younger friend. In each, both parties have an obligation, and by living up to this obligation, they help maintain balance and harmony in their relationships and in society.

Living According to One’s Place in Life

Above all, Confucianism emphasizes living a moral, ethical and fulfilling life. While spirituality is important, it is not a person’s only duty; involvement in political and economic processes is equally beneficial. Confucianism doesn’t favor withdrawing from society to seek spiritual enlightenment or a higher state of consciousness. Priority is placed on being an active, contributing member of society.

Confucianism also stresses the importance of addressing material and physical needs like food, shelter, clothing and the relationship with one’s spouse. These needs are important, Confucianism teaches, and should be fulfilled, with the welfare of the family and the community always the foremost concern. Even wealth and success aren’t necessarily evil, because they cannot corrupt someone with a strong sense of morals. The Doctrine of the Mean outlined what it meant to live according to one’s place in life, saying that people should do whatever is proper to their station, whether they are wealthy and privileged, poor or even in danger.

Confucianism is especially concerned with the behavior of people in authority, because it is they who set the tone for all of society. If a ruler is corrupt or evil, he will undermine his subjects’ innate goodness, and anarchy and chaos will result. If a ruler is kind and just, however, he will nurture his subjects’ innate goodness, creating a morally healthy society. Confucius felt that strict laws and harsh punishment were actually detrimental to society, creating a populace that obeyed the laws, but only out of fear and self-preservation, rather than out of honor or virtue.

Education as a Path to Transformation

Confucianism is sometimes seen as more of a philosophy than a religion, more a system for improvement of self and society than for spiritual enlightenment. While Confucius disapproved of practices like asking for intervention from the gods, he did address concepts such as Heaven in his teachings. However, his principles focused more on transformation during life than on achieving salvation or enlightenment after death. According to Confucianism, Heaven does have a plan for human life, one that emphasizes harmony, happiness and peace. It is through study, ritual and moral behavior that we discover this plan and achieve transformation.

The path to self-transformation is an important concept in Confucianism, one that benefits not only the person, but all of society. According to Confucianism, human nature is inherently good, but can be corrupted if it is not nourished. Human nature suffers because of oppressive laws, impropriety in personal and social relationships and the abuse of power by leaders. However, by studying our own nature and the nature of the universe as dictated by Heaven, we can realize our goodness and nobility. We will then be living in accordance with the Will of Heaven.

The education of an individual was believed to be good for all of society, because as their quest for knowledge transformed them, it would also transform everyone around them. Confucian teachings state that as the person gains knowledge, their will becomes more sincere. As their will becomes more sincere, their mind is strengthened. As the mind is strengthened, so is the personal life. As the personal life is strengthened, family relationships are improved. When family relationships are improved, the state becomes more orderly. And when the state becomes more orderly, there is peace in the world. Thus, knowledge and education are inherently beneficial.

Confucius’ teaching background is evident in his emphasis on the power of education to bring about self-transformation. Confucius believed education helped people open their minds and realize their potential to become noble people in tune with the will of Heaven and in tune with other people. Education is so important to Confucianism that it is one of the primary methods used to reach a higher state of being. Confucius believed studying the liberal arts could create a better-rounded person, with each field of study helping to strengthen a specific aspect of personality. Education included study of six areas: poetry, to refine thought and expression; history, for understanding tradition and developing moral judgment; ritual, for understanding propriety; music, for inner transformation; politics, for social transformation; and cosmology, for achieving harmony with the sacred forces.

Confucius believed that a thorough and well-rounded education would create good and noble people, who could then help others develop humanity and goodness. This path required a long-term commitment, however. Such profound transformation could not be obtained quickly or easily; the road to transformation required dedication and patience. This intensive education was not simply for knowledge’s sake; the process of learning was just as important, and could, gradually, help the individual grow and cultivate their inner goodness, eventually becoming attuned to the Will of Heaven.

Confucian Ritual and Worship

Confucianism places great importance on ceremony and ritual, even stating that ritual can help keep the universe together, unify humankind and create a connection with the ancestors. There are two types of Confucian ritual and worship: within family life and within the community and government.

Ritual in Family Life

Respect for elders and ancestors is imperative in Confucianism, and this respect helps maintain family relationships. A traditional Chinese home has an altar, on which ancestral tablets and images of gods are kept. Incense is burned on the table every day as an offering, and on special occasions, families may offer ancestors food, spirit money, prayers or acts of reverence such as bowing.

Ritual in Community and Government

The Confucian emphasis on ritual extends to every area of life, even within the community and the government. Local officials often perform rituals for the welfare of their community, and until recent years, the emperor and other high-level officials looked to Heaven and their royal ancestors to look after the people. In traditional China, the state government assigned responsibility for certain areas to local officials, who were expected to worship the gods for the welfare of the people. At the temple, officials also performed sacrifices in spring and fall, making offerings to the spirits who watched over the community.

The Future of Confucianism

Confucianism was a powerful force in China for several centuries, but recent upheavals have weakened its influence. As both foreign and modern philosophies have made their way to China, Confucianism has been unable to adapt to the changing society, and has lost followers. Communism was especially damaging--when it became the dominant system in China in 1949, Confucian traditions were abandoned in favor of the new ideology. However, Confucianism’s principles are so deeply ingrained in society that they still, although subtly, influence China’s culture.