Confucianism, the way of life propagated by Confucius in the 6th century BCE and followed by the Chinese people for more than two millennia. Although transformed over time, it is still the substance of learning, the source of values, and the social code of the Chinese. Its influence has also extended to other countries, particularly Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Kong Fuzi, or as western philosophers named him – Confucius, belonged to the following generation of Laozi. Confucianism refocused its ideologies from moral to political and argued that these structures must be based upon virtue and benevolence. He reiterated that contrary to common belief, moral goodness was not god-given or inherent, nor was it restricted to a certain social class. He argued that it was the ruling class or junzi ‘superior man’ that could manifest their virtue and inspire others. He further extended that this could be achieved by a hierarchical society where a ruler is benevolent and the followers are loyal – he also thought this notion to be relevant outside of the political domain and in personal relationships.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
