Confucianism Confucius Founder Confucius Kung Fu Tzu Also

Confucianism

Confucius ● Founder: Confucius (K’ung Fu Tzu) ● Also known as Kongzi ● Through of during the Warring States period ● He believed in Tian- an unpredictable power of morality ● 551 -479 B. C. E

Beliefs ● Most of the beliefs were organized in the eastern part of China ● Warring States-if everyone fixes their relationships the country will repair itself ● Your well being is affected by the well being of others ● Natural disasters happen because of moral behavior and punishment ● Believe in afterlife, but wasn’t seen as their main focus

5 Basic Principles ● ● Ruler to subject (loyalty) Father to son (filial piety) Husband to wife (love and obedience) Older brother to younger brother (brotherliness) ● Friend to friend (faithfulness)

Worship ● The Analects- Showed thoughts and conversations with Confucius ● Prayed and meditated to the Yijing ○ yin and yang ● Ancestral worship

Turning Points 1. Qin Dynasty 2. Han Dynasty 3. May Fourth Movement 4. Mao Zedong coming to power

Qin Dynasty ● The dynasty right after the Warring States Period ● Legalism-reaction to Confucianism ● Confucianism books were destroyed ● Scholars were punished for their beliefs

Han Dynasty ● Starting in 140 BCE China encouraged Confucianism o other societies did not approve of this ● Education was available for boys and some girls ● This gained state support

Worship ● Kept genealogical records (new form of ancestor worship) ● Made ancestral temples o part of everyday life ● Metaphysics-branch of philosophy that deals with understanding abstract ideas ● Had to deal with Christian missionaries trying to convert them

May Fourth Movement ● In 1919 China’s colonial possessions were given to Japan in the Treaty of Versailles o Including Kongzi’s birthplace ● This movement included protests that won Shandong back ● Many leaders argued for the wholesale abandonment of Confucianism

Communism in China ● Persecuted by Mao Zedong for ancestor worship o o burned altars and ancestral tablets could no longer bury dead-cremation ● Ancestor worship still censored today

Modern Confucianism ● Aka New Confucianism ● Blammed for China’s inability to compete with the West ● Praised as the key to China’s unique cultural heritage and strong social order

Changes in Beliefs and Worship ● Worship at home altars, family temples, and public places of worship ● Some modern Christians, apply the Confucianism philosophy to their religion ● Confucianism has now spread from mainland China to the West o ex: the United States

Continuities in Belief and Worship ● ● Still use genealogical records today Metaphysical traditions continued Still believe in Tian Confucians still emphasize the need of the Five Basic Principles/Relationships that Confucius came up with

Followers Difficult to determine how many followers o ranges from 10 to 350 million

Bibliography http: //www. patheos. com/Library/Confucianism. html http: //www. travelchinaguide. com/intro/religion/confucianism/ http: //www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/132104/Confucianism http: //worldreligions. weebly. com/confucianism. html