Confucianism

ConfucianismConfucianism

Sana, Ben, Mackenzie, Nicole, TiffanySana, Ben, Mackenzie, Nicole, Tiffany

Place of Place of OriginOrigin//TimeframeTimeframe

K'ung Fu Tzu K'ung Fu Tzu (Confucius) 551 – 479 (Confucius) 551 – 479 BCE BCE

Born in province of Lu Born in province of Lu during the Chou dynasty during the Chou dynasty

Mother taught him to Mother taught him to master the six arts master the six arts (ritual, music, archery, (ritual, music, archery, chariteering, calligraphy, chariteering, calligraphy, arithmetic)arithmetic)

Father was a Father was a commander that died commander that died when he was three. when he was three.

Founders and Key Figures - ConfuciusFounders and Key Figures - Confucius

Place of Place of OriginOrigin//TimeframeTimeframe

Opened a school at 22Opened a school at 22 Success led to Success led to

appointment as appointment as magistrate of town of magistrate of town of Chung-tu then minister Chung-tu then minister of justice of Lu of justice of Lu

After a conflict with the After a conflict with the Marquis of Lu in 496 Marquis of Lu in 496 BCE, he left the state BCE, he left the state and travelled and taught and travelled and taught for 11 years throughout for 11 years throughout China. China.

Founders and Key Figures - ConfuciusFounders and Key Figures - Confucius

Place of Place of OriginOrigin//TimeframeTimeframe

He returned home at He returned home at the age of 67 and the age of 67 and taught and studied taught and studied until his deathuntil his death

At the time of his At the time of his death, he had 72 death, he had 72 disciples whom all disciples whom all mastered the 6 arts mastered the 6 arts and 3000 followersand 3000 followers

Founders and Key Figures - ConfuciusFounders and Key Figures - Confucius

Place of Place of OriginOrigin//TimeframeTimeframe

A year after his death, the Confucius A year after his death, the Confucius temple was constructed in Qufu, Chinatemple was constructed in Qufu, China

Founders and Key Figures - ConfuciusFounders and Key Figures - Confucius

Place of Place of OriginOrigin//TimeframeTimeframe

390 – 305 BCE390 – 305 BCE Claimed people Claimed people

needed to remain needed to remain grounded avoid the grounded avoid the trap of dwelling on trap of dwelling on GodGod

Believed people are Believed people are naturally good and naturally good and evil is learnedevil is learned

Founders and Key Figures - MenciusFounders and Key Figures - Mencius

Place of Place of OriginOrigin//TimeframeTimeframe

298 – 238 BCE298 – 238 BCE Challenged the Challenged the

teachings of Mencius teachings of Mencius and Confuciusand Confucius

Warned that human Warned that human nature was inherently nature was inherently evil and easily corrupted evil and easily corrupted unless taught otherwiseunless taught otherwise

Wrote 32 essays that Wrote 32 essays that clarified the belief clarified the belief systemsystem

Founders and Key Figures – Hsun TzuFounders and Key Figures – Hsun Tzu

Key BeliefsKey BeliefsConfucian ethical teachings include:Confucian ethical teachings include: Li: Ritual, propriety, etiquetteLi: Ritual, propriety, etiquette Hsiao: Love within the family: love of Hsiao: Love within the family: love of

parents for their children and of children parents for their children and of children for their parentsfor their parents

Yi: righteousnessYi: righteousness Xin: honesty and trustworthinessXin: honesty and trustworthiness Ren: benevolence, humaneness towards Ren: benevolence, humaneness towards

others; the highest Confucian virtueothers; the highest Confucian virtue Chung: loyalty to the state, etc.Chung: loyalty to the state, etc.

Key BeliefsKey Beliefs

The Five Relationship Bonds:The Five Relationship Bonds:From most important to least From most important to least

(however, all stand very equally)(however, all stand very equally) Ruler to SubjectRuler to Subject Father to Son Father to Son Husband to WifeHusband to Wife Elder Brother to Younger BrotherElder Brother to Younger Brother Friend to Friend.Friend to Friend.

Key BeliefsKey Beliefs

never indicated doing anything for a never indicated doing anything for a "God" in his teachings"God" in his teachings

main prerogative was to promote a main prerogative was to promote a social system based on "good conduct" social system based on "good conduct" and virtue instead of the pervading class and virtue instead of the pervading class system of his time. system of his time.

beliefs helped shape the intense beliefs helped shape the intense meritocracies and filial loyalties of East meritocracies and filial loyalties of East Asian countries todayAsian countries today

God?God?

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies

The T’ai-shen (spirit of the fetus) is said to The T’ai-shen (spirit of the fetus) is said to protect the motherprotect the mother

A special procedure is used to dispose the A special procedure is used to dispose the placentaplacenta

BirthBirth

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies BirthBirth

• Mother is given a special Mother is given a special diet and allowed to rest diet and allowed to rest for a month after deliveryfor a month after delivery

• Mother’s family of origin Mother’s family of origin supplies all the items supplies all the items needed by the baby on the needed by the baby on the first, fourth, and twelfth first, fourth, and twelfth monthly anniversary of the monthly anniversary of the birthbirth

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies MarriageMarriage

There are six stages:There are six stages:1.1. Proposal: couple exchange the eight Proposal: couple exchange the eight

characters (year, month, day, and hour of characters (year, month, day, and hour of each of their births)each of their births)

2.2. Engagement: bride announces the wedding Engagement: bride announces the wedding with invitations and a gift of cookies made in with invitations and a gift of cookies made in the shape of the moonthe shape of the moon

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies MarriageMarriage

3. Dowry: Bride-price is 3. Dowry: Bride-price is sent to the bride by the sent to the bride by the groom’s parents. Gifts groom’s parents. Gifts by the groom to the by the groom to the bride, equal in value to bride, equal in value to the dowry are sentthe dowry are sent

4. Procession: Groom 4. Procession: Groom visits bride’s home and visits bride’s home and brings her back to his brings her back to his place.place.

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies MarriageMarriage

5. Marriage and Reception: Couple recite their 5. Marriage and Reception: Couple recite their vows and toast each other with winevows and toast each other with wine

6. Morning after: The bride serves breakfast to 6. Morning after: The bride serves breakfast to the groom’s parentsthe groom’s parents

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies DeathDeath

• Family puts on clothes made of course Family puts on clothes made of course material while they mournmaterial while they mourn

• Corpse is washed and placed in a coffinCorpse is washed and placed in a coffin• Mourners bring incense and money to offset Mourners bring incense and money to offset

funeral costfuneral cost• Food and significant objects of the deceased Food and significant objects of the deceased

are placed into the coffinare placed into the coffin

Key Practices, Key Practices, Rituals and CeremoniesRituals and Ceremonies DeathDeath

• A Buddhist/Taoist A Buddhist/Taoist priest or Christian priest or Christian minister performs the minister performs the burial ritualburial ritual

• Friends and family Friends and family follow coffin to follow coffin to cemetery along with a cemetery along with a willow branch which willow branch which symbolizes the soul of symbolizes the soul of the personthe person

• Rituals are performed Rituals are performed on 7on 7thth, 9, 9thth, 49, 49thth day after day after burial and 1burial and 1stst and 3 and 3rdrd anniversaries of the anniversaries of the deathdeath

Symbols/ ImagesSymbols/ Images

Although it is the primary Although it is the primary symbol of Taoism, it is also symbol of Taoism, it is also used in Confucianism. used in Confucianism.

Means that that everything in Means that that everything in the universe is made of two the universe is made of two conflicting forces: the yin and conflicting forces: the yin and the yang. the yang.

Yin is the negative, depicted Yin is the negative, depicted in black. in black.

Yang is the positive, depicted Yang is the positive, depicted in white.in white.

Harmony can only be Harmony can only be achieved when the two are achieved when the two are perfectly balanced like in the perfectly balanced like in the circle.circle.

Yin and YangYin and Yang

Symbols/ ImagesSymbols/ Images

human human heartedness; heartedness; goodness; goodness; benevolence.benevolence.

JenJen

Influence in the 21Influence in the 21stst CenturyCentury

Cultures and countries strongly influenced: China Cultures and countries strongly influenced: China (mainland), Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore.(mainland), Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore.

basic teachings stress the importance of moral development basic teachings stress the importance of moral development of the individual, so that the state can be governed by moral of the individual, so that the state can be governed by moral virtue, rather than by the use of coercive laws.virtue, rather than by the use of coercive laws.

Influence in the 21Influence in the 21stst CenturyCentury

In 88 countries, there In 88 countries, there are 282 Confucius are 282 Confucius Institute around the Institute around the world. world.

They are a non-profit They are a non-profit organization that aims organization that aims to promote the Chinese to promote the Chinese language and culture.language and culture.

Its headquarters is in Its headquarters is in Beijing and is under the Beijing and is under the Office of Chinese Office of Chinese Language Council Language Council International.International.   

Influence in the 21Influence in the 21stst CenturyCentury

In the family tree (regarded as the world’s longest, recording more In the family tree (regarded as the world’s longest, recording more than 80 generations) two million people are now recognised as than 80 generations) two million people are now recognised as being descendants of the Chinese philosopher Confuciusbeing descendants of the Chinese philosopher Confucius    

• Confucianism has traditionally given women a lower status than men in its strict hierarchy, so female descendants were not counted, but genealogists announced in 2006 that they had decided to "move with the times".

Religious SignificanceReligious Significance

Confucianism becomes the Confucianism becomes the State ideology by the Han State ideology by the Han Dynasty in 136 B.C.Dynasty in 136 B.C.

960- 1127 era of Confucianism 960- 1127 era of Confucianism dominance even after other dominance even after other religions have entered China religions have entered China such as Buddhism such as Buddhism

1127 the growth of Neo-1127 the growth of Neo-Confucianism begins and is Confucianism begins and is dominant till 1911 in Chinadominant till 1911 in China

Over time now, Confucianism Over time now, Confucianism has become a commonly has become a commonly practiced religion in many other practiced religion in many other East Asian countries such as East Asian countries such as Vietnam, and KoreaVietnam, and Korea