Confucianism

A Confucianism is an East Asian ethical moral philosophy that emphasizes social harmony, hierarchical relationships, and moral cultivation through education and ritual practice.

• AKA: Confucian Philosophy, Ruism, Rujia, Confucian Thought, Confucianism Philosophy.
• Context:
  • It can typically promote Confucian Social Order through confucian hierarchical relationships and confucian reciprocal obligations.
  • It can typically emphasize Confucian Education via confucian moral learning and confucian self-cultivation.
  • It can typically value Confucian Meritocracy through confucian examination systems and confucian virtue-based selection.
  • It can typically maintain Confucian Ritual Practice including confucian ancestor veneration and confucian social ceremony.
  • It can typically cultivate Confucian Virtues such as confucian benevolence (ren), confucian righteousness (yi), and confucian propriety (li).
  • ...
  • It can often influence Confucian Governance through confucian moral leadership and confucian benevolent rule.
  • It can often shape Confucian Family Structure via confucian filial piety and confucian generational respect.
  • It can often inform Confucian Business Practice through confucian trust networks and confucian long-term relationships.
  • It can often guide Confucian Social Behavior via confucian face concept and confucian group harmony.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Classical Confucianism to being a Neo-Confucianism, depending on its confucian historical period.
  • It can range from being a Religious Confucianism to being a Secular Confucianism, depending on its confucian metaphysical element.
  • It can range from being a Political Confucianism to being a Personal Confucianism, depending on its confucian application domain.
  • It can range from being a Traditional Confucianism to being a Modern Confucianism, depending on its confucian contemporary adaptation.
  • It can range from being a Chinese Confucianism to being a Korean/Japanese Confucianism, depending on its confucian regional variant.
  • ...
  • It can interact with Modern Democracy through confucian meritocratic elements and confucian collective values.
  • It can influence East Asian Development via confucian work ethic and confucian education emphasis.
  • It can shape Corporate Culture through confucian hierarchy respect and confucian consensus building.
  • It can affect International Relations via confucian harmony principles and confucian face diplomacy.
  • It can inform Economic Behavior through confucian saving culture and confucian investment patience.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Confucian Historical Periods, such as:
    • Original Confucianism (551-479 BCE), founded by Confucius emphasizing ethical conduct.
    • Han Confucianism (206 BCE-220 CE), becoming state ideology with examination system.
    • Song Neo-Confucianism (960-1279), incorporating metaphysical elements from Buddhism and Taoism.
    • Contemporary Confucianism (1980s-present), revival in China and East Asia.
  • Confucian Core Concepts, such as:
    • Ren (Benevolence), representing human compassion and moral goodness.
    • Li (Ritual Propriety), governing social interactions and ceremonial behavior.
    • Xiao (Filial Piety), requiring parental respect and family obligation.
    • Junzi (Exemplary Person), embodying moral excellence and social responsibility.
  • Confucian Regional Variants, such as:
    • Chinese Confucianism, integrated with communist ideology and market economy.
    • Korean Confucianism, emphasizing social hierarchy and educational achievement.
    • Japanese Confucianism, adapted to bushido code and corporate loyalty.
    • Singapore Confucianism, supporting authoritarian democracy and meritocratic governance.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Legalism Philosophy, which emphasizes strict laws rather than moral cultivation.
  • Taoism Philosophy, which values natural spontaneity over social ritual.
  • Western Individualism, which prioritizes individual rights over collective harmony.
  • Buddhism Philosophy, which seeks liberation from suffering rather than social order.
• See: East Asian Philosophy, Chinese Philosophy, Meritocracy System, Social Harmony, Moral Philosophy, Educational Philosophy, Political Philosophy, Virtue Ethics.

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