BRIA 24 2 c The Development of Confucianism in Ancient China



A series of dynasties, or ruling families, governed China for centuries. The first great dynasty was the Shang, which ruled much of China for about 400 years. The next dynasty was the Zhou. The Zhou Dynasty clung to power for about 800 years—from 1027 to 256 B.C. But it ruled in name only for the last 500 years. Barbarian tribes attacked, and the Zhou Dynasty eventually had to move its capital. Dropping their loyalty to the Zhou Dynasty, nobles battled one another for control of parts of China.To get more news about https://www.shine.cn/feature/a....rt-culture/220316316 ancient china women, you can visit shine news official website.

During this disorderly and dangerous time, Chinese society was falling apart. As the decline of the Zhou Dynasty continued, wars increased. To provide for the wars, rulers imposed high taxes, impressed men into military service, and left women and older men tending the fields. Food was often scarce, and people sometimes starved. It was a time of great insecurity.

It was also a time of great intellectual ferment. Many thinkers came up with ideas for building a better society. So many ideas were in the air that the so-called Hundred Schools of Thought arose, each trying to influence rulers and change society. It was the golden age of Chinese philosophy. The four most important schools of thought were Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, and Confucianism.

Confucianism was the first, and ultimately most influential, of all the schools. It recommended healing Chinese society by returning to the traditions of the early Zhou Dynasty.

Another school was Daoism. Daoists advised returning to a simpler time, more in tune with nature. According to legend, the founder of Daoism grew so disenchanted that he left China, leaving behind the school’s basic text, the Dao De Jing (The Book of the Way and Its Power). This poetic work urges rulers to be fair and gentle and not pass too many laws: "When the government is relaxed, the people are relaxed."

A third school was Mohism, named after its founder Mo Zi (470–c. 391 B.C.). It rejected Confucian and Daoist calls to return to the past. Mohists believed in loving all people equally and helping the common people. They thought people should live simply. A ruler should promote the economy and avoid offensive wars. They viewed music, tradition, and luxuries as wasteful or frivolous.

A final school was Legalism. The Legalists believed all the other schools were impractical. The way to get order was to create a code of strict laws, make the code public, and reward those who obeyed the laws and harshly punish those who broke them.

The founder of Confucianism was a man named Kong Qi. He later was known as Kong Fuzi, or Master Kong. In the West, he is called Confucius. He was born in 551 B.C. in northeastern China in the state of Lu. (Lu is today part of China’s Shandong Province.)

Confucius lived a simple life, spending most of his time as a teacher. Only a few facts are known about his life. But because he is considered one of the greatest Chinese thinkers, many stories have arisen about him.

His family was poor, and his father died when he was 3. His mother taught him, and he studied hard. By 15, he decided to spend his life learning. He read and studied classic Chinese works.

When he started teaching, Confucius quickly attracted a band of loyal students. He said he taught anyone who came to him "from the very poorest upward . . . no one has ever come to me without receiving instruction."

He is called the "First Teacher" in China. Before Confucius, rich people had hired tutors to teach their children. Confucius did not think learning should just be for the rich. He believed every man in China should learn. He saw teaching as a way to improve people’s lives and change society.

When he was about 50, he was appointed to work in the government of Lu. He wanted to apply his ideas to make society better. He was soon made the minister of justice, but Confucius saw that those above him did not like his ideas. So he left.

He spent the next 12 years traveling around China looking for a ruler who would listen to his ideas. He never found one. His students, however, continued to follow him. When he was 67, he returned to Lu and continued teaching and studying five Chinese books, known as the Five Classics.