World Religion and Thoughts

HUM 2633: Confucianism Overview • Confucianism originated in China during the Qin Period (2300-200

B.C.). • Confucianism is named for (and is most closely associated with) its

founder, Confucius, or Kongzi (551-479 B.C.). • There are at least 6 million practitioners of Confucianism, but millions,

indeed billions, are influenced by Confucian ideology and adhere to Confucian principles.

• It is most influential in China. • The primary text is the Analects (circa 500 B.C). • Confucianism is one of the most influential religious ideologies in China.

It is revered as one of the Three Teachings (sanjiao), namely, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

METAPHYSICS: Confucianism metaphysics assume connection between different hierarchical elements in the universe. The most prominent concept in Confucian cosmology is the concept of Heaven. Heaven stands in the place of a deity. Heaven represents the first cause within the cosmos as well as its sustaining principle. Earth is subordinate to Heaven. Humans reside between Heaven and Earth. We have the capacity to know the rule of Heaven and enact it on Earth. This capacity is central to other Confucian ideals, including its ethical code, particularly:

• ren (goodness) • li, or rites (rules, social norms, and ritual practices designed to foster ren) • jungzi, or noble person (who enacts li and embodies ren)

Confucian metaphysics assumes that most relations are hierarchical. Like the universe, society is understood to have levels, and not be egalitarian. Confucian metaphysics assumes that order at all levels in the system is maintained by preserving hierarchies. ETHICS: Confucian ethics prescribe conduct that reinforces order by reinforcing what are understood to be heavenly determined hierarchies. Individuals have different duties to one another dependent on their role. Filial piety is the term used to describe the demand to honor existing hierarchies. Superiors have an obligation to guide and provide. Subordinates are obliged to obedience and loyalty. It is understood that adherence to Confucian principles will maintain the social order and create content individuals and well-functioning societies. Central to Confucian ethics are ren and li. Ren, or goodness, is the goal sought, and li is understood to be the means through which ren is attained. SOTERIOLOGY: Confucianism does not understand salvation as an otherworldly state attainable only through the transcendence of the material realm (Earth) and the associated transport of the individual soul to another realm of existence. Confucianism instead understands salvation primarily as the state of peacefulness or contentedness (equanimity) that the individual, family, and community can achieve by following the codified rules and principles that preserve natural order. ESCHATOLOGY: With Heaven understood as a circle, Confucianism bears similarity to other traditions that do not endorse belief in a cosmic end time or end of days. It exhibits faith in the eternality of larger metaphysical structures (e.g., Heaven, Earth). However, the tradition does endorse more “ends” to be sought by individuals and communities, ends achieved through alignment with the natural order of things, which in turn produces peace and harmony.

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