Confucianism

Confucianism is usually described as a social philosophy that is highly reliant upon ethics and moral teachings; however, that definition is too restrictive. Confucianism encompasses all elements of Chinese society – it is a philosophy, a religion, and a way of life. The tapestry of Chinese thought both past and present has been tightly woven by the thread of Confucianism that is a concept that is much more complex than is implied by messages within fortune cookies which begin with, “Confucius says...” “What has become known as Confucianism began with a man who began life in 551B.C. as K'ung Fu-tzu. It was much later when Jesuit missionaries bestowed the name of Confucius upon the man who was entrusted with the responsibility of reviving the Zhou (Chou) dynasty, with no thought of creating one of his own. Confucius is Latin meaning “Grand Master Kung (or Kong)” (Yang, 33). Little is known about the personal life of Confucius, which was probably his intention. The o...