How Can We Define Confucianism?

How can we define Confucianism? Is it just a moral philosophy that has persisted through time? Is it inconsequentially part of the numerous thought systems originating in Eastern Asia? It is visibly clear that Confucius' teachings are more than just a philosophy, more than just a thought system; they are a way of conducting oneself throughout life. Confucius' teachings emerged during a transitional phase in ancient China when corruption was rampant and a breakdown of the traditional rights started occurring. In response, Kǒng Qiū, better known as Confucius, decided to start teaching his moral lessons to students all across China in hopes that his ideas would eventually spread to influence government officials and rulers. Accordingly, the basis of Confucianism rests on a foundation of moral and ethical behavior; specifically, the ultimate aim in Confucianism is to be a Gentleman- someone that is an embodiment of Confucius' teachings. However, the path to becoming a Gentleman starts with the li and the ren. These two concepts reference very different virtues, yet are intertwined to form the core of Confucian philosophy.

The people of ancient China in the Golden Age followed a set of rites and rituals. However, as time progressed, the rituals and rites gradually took the form of dogmatic tradition. But, as stated before, these traditions slowly started diminishing. Confucius emphasized li as a solution to this collapse. In Confucianism, li is the following and adherence to the sacred rites. It involves participation in appropriate social etiquette and ceremonies. It infiltrates multiple aspects of life in Confucius' time, an example of which is filial piety. In its shortest sense, filial piety is "the honor, respect, love, and service owed between parent and child" (Oldstone-Moore 14). Confucius believed the relationship between a parent and a child to be the most important, to an extent that to us, it may seem like a sacred bond. In fact, when one of his disciples questioned Confucius about the nature of being filial, he replied, "Never fail to comply. When your parents are alive, comply with the rites in serving them; when they die, comply with the rites in burying them; comply with the rites in sacrificing to them" (63). Confucius held this concept in such a high light because he related being filial to the greater concept of everyone playing his/her role in society. He believed that being filial led to more structure, which results in a better society. Thus, Confucius emphasized this idea in the Five Relationships: those between parent and child, elder brother and younger brother, husband and wife, friend and friend, and ruler and subject. An elder brother is responsible for the younger brother, while the younger brother is expected to show obedience and respect. A husband protects and provides for his wife and children, while the wife shows deference and upholds the household. A friend and