Confucianism: Morality and Ethics
Emma Prime
Junzi
- Child of the Lord
- Confucian ideal person
- By cultivating himself morally, practicing altruism and benevolence towards other living things, and by being the perfect example of loyalty and piety
http://www.religionfacts.com/confucianism
http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/ethics-morals-confucianism-2651.html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confucianism
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/religion/confucianism/
http://asiasociety.org/education/confucianism
http://www.religioustolerance.org/confuciu.htm
http://www.patheos.com/Library/Confucianism
Religions of the World by Lewis Hopfe
- Father to son
- Elder brother to younger brother
- Husband to wife
- Elder to junior
- Ruler to subject
- Book of Mencius
- Teaches natural good -ness of humans
- Given proper environment, humans can be good
- Opposed war, supported revolution (government abusing power)
- Acknowledged Gods exist, but praying to spirits should not interfere with social duties
- Principle of Li-"the course of life as it is intended to go"
- All should seek to develop Ren
- Li+Ren=superior being
- Good government= requirement for people to achieve goodness: bad government results in evil
Religion?
- Not ordinary religion
- No priesthood
- No afterlife
- No revealed scriptures
- No ascetic/monetary traditions
What is Confucianism?
- Philosophy or Religion?
- Humanist belief that human nature can be improved or even perfected through a systematic approach to self-cultivation using key virtues
- Highly optimistic view of human nature
- Humans are teachable, improvable, and perfectible
Confucius
Key Virtues
- Founder Confucianism
- Born into aristocratic family that lost its wealth
- Father died, family became poor with single mother
- Studied with village tutor: interested in what makes a good government
- Became teacher: students lived in his home and followed him on his journey's
- Taught history, principles of good government, and divination
Confucius
- Ren-humanity
- Li-social norms and proprietary behaviors that allow community to function in harmony
- Zhong-loyalty to ones character
- Shu-reciprocity
- Xiao-filial piety
- Yi-system of righteous behaviors