The main ideas of Confucianism briefly. Confucius teaching

Biography

Judging by the possession of aristocratic arts, Confucius was a descendant of a noble family. He was the son of a 63-year-old official Shu Lianghe (叔梁纥 Shū Liáng-hé) and a seventeen-year-old concubine named Yan Zhengzai (颜征在 Yán Zhēng-zài). The official soon died, and, fearing the wrath of his lawful wife, Confucius's mother, along with her son, left the house in which he was born. From early childhood, Confucius worked hard and lived in poverty. Later, the consciousness came that it was necessary to be a cultured person, so he began to engage in self-education. In his youth, he served as a minor official in the kingdom of Lu (Eastern China, modern Shandong province). It was the time of the decline of the Zhou empire, when the power of the emperor became nominal, the patriarchal society collapsed, and the rulers of individual kingdoms, surrounded by ignorant officials, took the place of the tribal nobility.

The collapse of the ancient foundations of family and clan life, internecine strife, the venality and greed of officials, the disasters and sufferings of the common people - all this caused sharp criticism of the zealots of antiquity.

Realizing the impossibility of influencing the policy of the state, Confucius resigned and went, accompanied by his students, on a trip to China, during which he tried to convey his ideas to the rulers of various regions. At the age of about 60, Confucius returned home and spent the last years of his life teaching new students, as well as systematizing the literary heritage of the past. Shih ching(Book of Songs), i ching(Book of Changes), etc.

The students of Confucius, based on the materials of the statements and conversations of the teacher, compiled the book “Lun Yu” (“Conversations and Judgments”), which became a particularly revered book of Confucianism (among many details from the life of Confucius, Bo Yu 伯魚 is recalled there, his son is also called Li 鯉; the rest of the details of the biography are concentrated for the most part in Sima Qian's Historical Notes).

Of the classical books, only Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn, annals of the Lu domain from 722 to 481 BC) can undoubtedly be considered a work of Confucius; then it is highly probable that he edited the Shi-ching ("Book of Poems"). Although the number of students of Confucius is determined by Chinese scholars to 3000, including about 70 closest ones, in reality we can count only 26 undoubted disciples known by name; the favorite of them was Yan-yuan. Other close students of his were Zengzi and Yu Ruo (see en: Disciples of Confucius).

Doctrine

Although Confucianism is often referred to as a religion, it does not have the institution of a church, and issues of theology are not important to it. Confucian ethics is not religious. The ideal of Confucianism is the creation of a harmonious society according to the ancient model, in which every person has his own function. A harmonious society is built on the idea of ​​devotion ( zhong, 忠) - loyalty between a superior and a subordinate, aimed at maintaining harmony and this society itself. Confucius formulated the golden rule of ethics: "Do not do to a person what you do not wish for yourself."

The Five Constancy of a Righteous Man

Moral duties, insofar as they are materialized in ritual, become a matter of upbringing, education, and culture. These concepts were not separated by Confucius. They are all included in the category. "wen"(originally, this word meant a person with a painted torso, a tattoo). "Wen" can be interpreted as the cultural meaning of human existence, as education. This is not a secondary artificial formation in a person and not his primary natural layer, not bookishness and not naturalness, but their organic fusion.

Spread of Confucianism in Western Europe

In the middle of the 17th century, a fashion arose in Western Europe for everything Chinese, and in general for oriental exoticism. This fashion was accompanied by attempts to master the Chinese philosophy, which was often spoken about sometimes in lofty and admiring tones. For example, Robert Boyle compared the Chinese and Indians with the Greeks and Romans.

The popularity of Confucius is confirmed in din. Han: In literature, Confucius is sometimes referred to as "the uncrowned wang". In 1 AD e. he becomes an object of state veneration (title 褒成宣尼公); from 59 a.d. e. it is followed by regular offerings at the local level; in 241 (Three Kingdoms) the title of van was fixed in the aristocratic pantheon, and in 739 (Din. Tang) the title of van was also fixed. In 1530 (Ding. Ming), Confucius receives the nickname 至聖先師, "the supreme sage [among] the teachers of the past."

This growing popularity should be compared with the historical processes that took place around the texts from which information about Confucius and attitudes towards him are drawn. Thus, the “uncrowned king” could serve to legitimize the restored Han dynasty after the crisis associated with the usurpation of the throne by Wang Mang (at the same time, the first Buddhist temple was founded in the new capital).

In the XX century in China there are several temples dedicated to Confucius: the Temple of Confucius in his homeland, in Qufu, in Shanghai, Beijing, Taichung.

Confucius in culture

• Confucius is a 2010 film starring Chow Yun-fat.

see also

• Family Tree of Confucius

Literature

	Confucius at Wikiquote
	Category:Confucius at Wikimedia Commons

• The book "Conversations and judgments" of Confucius, five translations into Russian "on one page"
• Confucius writings and related materials in 23 languages ​​(Confucius Publishing Co.Ltd.)
• Buranok S. O. The problem of interpretation and translation of the first judgment in "Lun Yu"
• A. A. Maslov. Confucius. // Maslov A. A. China: bells in the dust. The wanderings of the magician and the intellectual. - M.: Aleteyya, 2003, p. 100-115
• Vasiliev V. A. Confucius on virtue // Social and humanitarian knowledge. 2006. No. 6. P.132-146.
• Golovacheva L. I. Confucius on overcoming deviations during enlightenment (abstracts) // XXXII scientific. conf. "Society and State in China" / RAS. Institute of Oriental Studies. M., 2002. S.155-160
• Golovacheva L. I. Confucius on wholeness // XII All-Russian Conf. "Philosophy of the East Asian region and modern civilization". ... / RAN. Institute Dal. East. M., 2007. S.129-138. (Inform. materials. Ser. G; Issue 14)
• Golovacheva L. I. Confucious Is Not Plain, Indeed// The modern mission of Confucianism - a collection of reports of the international. scientific conf. in memory of the 2560th anniversary of Confucius - Beijing, 2009. In 4 vols. pp. 405-415
• Golovacheva L. I. Confucius is truly difficult / / XL scientific. conf. "Society and State in China" / RAS. Institute of Oriental Studies. M., 2010. S.323-332. (Scholar. zap. / Department of China; Issue 2)
• Gusarov VF Inconsistency of Confucius and the dualism of Zhu Xi's philosophy // Third Scientific Conference "Society and State in China". T.1. M., 1972.
• Kychanov E. I. Tangut apocrypha about the meeting of Confucius and Lao Tzu // XIX scientific conference on historiography and source study of the history of Asian and African countries. SPb., 1997. S.82-84.
• Ilyushechkin V. P. Confucius and Shang Yang on the Ways of China's Unification // XVI Scientific Conference "Society and State in China". Part I, M., 1985. S.36-42.
• Lukyanov A.E. Lao Tzu and Confucius: The Philosophy of Tao. M., 2001. 384 p.
• Perelomov L. S. Confucius. Lun Yu. Study; translation of ancient Chinese, commentary. Facsimile text of Lun Yu with comments by Zhu Xi". M. Nauka. 1998. 590s
• Popov PS Sayings of Confucius, his disciples and others. SPb., 1910.
• Roseman Henry On Knowledge (zhi): a discourse guide to action in Confucius's Analects // Comparative Philosophy: Knowledge and Faith in the Context of Dialogue of Cultures. M.: Eastern Literature., 2008. S.20-28. ISBN 978-5-02-036338-0
• Chepurkovsky E. M. Rival of Confucius (a bibliographic note on the philosopher Mo-tzu and on an objective study of China's popular beliefs). Harbin, 1928.
• Yang Hing-shun, A. D. Donobaev. Ethical concepts of Confucius and Yang Zhu. // Tenth Scientific Conference "Society and State in China" Part I. M., 1979. C. 195-206.
• Yu, Jiyuan "The Beginnings of Ethics: Confucius and Socrates." Asian Philosophy 15 (July 2005): 173-89.
• Jiyuan Yu, The Ethics of Confucius and Aristotle: Mirrors of Virtue, Routledge, 2007, 276pp., ISBN 978-0-415-95647-5 .
• Bonevac Daniel Introduction to world philosophy. - New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. - ISBN 978-0-19-515231-9
• Creel Herrlee Glessner Confucius: The man and the myth. - New York: John Day Company, 1949.
• Dubs, Homer H. (1946). "The political career of Confucius". 66 (4).
• Hobson John M. The Eastern origins of Western civilization. - Reprinted. - Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. - ISBN 0-521-54724-5
• Chin Ann-ping The authentic Confucius: A life of thought and politics. - New York: Scribner, 2007. - ISBN 978-0-7432-4618-7
• Kong Demao The house of Confucius. - translated. - London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1988. - ISBN 978-0-340-41279-4
• Parker John Windows into China: The Jesuits and their books, 1580-1730. - Boston: Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston, 1977. - ISBN 0-89073-050-4
• Phan Peter C. Catholicism and Confucianism: An intercultural and interreligious dialogue // Catholicism and interreligious dialogue. - New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. - ISBN 978-0-19-982787-9
• Rainey Lee Dian Confucius & Confucianism: The essentials. - Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. - ISBN 978-1-4051-8841-8
• Riegel, Jeffrey K. (1986). Poetry and the legend of Confucius's exile. Journal of the American Oriental Society 106 (1).
• Yao Xinzhong Confucianism and Christianity: A Comparative Study of Jen and Agape. - Brighton: Sussex Academic Press, 1997. - ISBN 1-898723-76-1
• Yao Xinzhong An Introduction to Confucianism. - Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. - ISBN 0-521-64430-5

Online publications

• Ahmad, Mirza Tahir Confucianism. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (???). Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
• Baxter-Sagart Old Chinese reconstruction (February 20, 2011). Archived
• Confucius descendents say DNA testing plan lacks wisdom . Bandao (August 21, 2007). (unavailable link - story)
• Confucius family tree to record female kin. China Daily (February 2, 2007). Archived
• Confucius" Family Tree Recorded biggest . China Daily (24 September 2009). Archived from the original on 16 October 2012.
• Confucius family tree revision ends with 2 mln descendants . China Economic Net (January 4, 2009). Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
• DNA Testing Adopted to Identify Confucius Descendants. China Internet Information Center (June 19, 2006). Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
• DNA test to clear up Confucius confusion . Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (June 18, 2006). Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
• Riegel, Jeffrey Confucius. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University (2012). Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
• Qiu, Jane Inheriting Confucius. Seed Magazine (August 13, 2008).

Modern China spreads its influence on the planet through the so-called Confucian centers. After decades of neglect, Kung Tzu returned to the Middle State once again to rally the nation for great things. His postulates entered the flesh and blood of the Chinese people, were accepted and processed in Korea and Japan and became the basis of the Far Eastern mentality. He was one of many, but time weeded out the unnecessary and uninteresting, leaving Confucius in eternity. Any educated Chinese will understand when you talk about "Master" because that's the name of only one person. He did not rule any kingdom, but in the annals he is called a king. Confucius is ranked among the saints, to whom prayers are offered.

Terrible time of change

He was born into the family of a noble but impoverished nobleman Shuliang He of the Kun clan around 551 BC. The philosopher's mother was a very young girl, and her father was 68 years old. Historians are still unsure whether Yan Zhengzai was Shuliang He's concubine or lawful wife. Their union is denoted by a hieroglyph, which can be translated as "wild" or "criminal". Did the age difference cause such a strange name or the intrigue that arose around the birth of a boy? The two older wives never fulfilled their main duty - they had no sons. Offended, they “squeeze out” the young concubine from the family. Together with her little son, she returns to her homeland, where she instills in him reverence for glorious ancestors.

The boy was named Kong Qiu, where Qiu is a personal name and translates as hill or mound. His head was bumpy, which, according to Chinese canons, meant an extraordinary mind. The family lived in poverty, exacerbated by internal problems in the Zhou empire. Very early, the young man realized the connection between prosperity and learning. He diligently studies the arts that a person of his origin should master:

• reading and calligraphy;
• ritual practice;
• musical canon;
• archery;
• driving a chariot;
• fundamentals of accounting.

At the age of 20-25, Confucius was hired as an accountant responsible for receiving and issuing grain in the kingdom of Lu. He is already married and quite an independent person. Soon he was appointed manager of the herds, but the cows were not his flock. The glory of the righteous and the sage attracts disciples to him. So the official turns into a teacher. People from different classes are drawn to him in search of the meaning of life and solid ground under their feet, which is already being shaken by princely civil strife. Confucius lived during the worst civil war in Chinese history. It is no coincidence that all the pathos of his sermons is aimed at strengthening the state. The philosopher knew only too well what a time of change was.

What's the point of sitting in one place when the hearth is destroyed, shrines are defiled and trampled on, and people have forgotten their duty, turning into monkeys. Having collected his belongings, Confucius sets off on a journey around the country, moving from one warring state to another. Everything he said was recorded by his students, many of whom he taught to read and write for free. Such a notebook, consisting of the sayings of Kung Tzu and remarkable events from his life, fell out one day from a hiding place in the house where the Teacher ended his days. Through the efforts of his beloved disciples and the son of Confucius, the book "Lun Yu" (Conversations and Sayings) was compiled, which became the desktop for Chinese officials for more than two millennia.

Another legend says that Confucius was acquainted with the founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu. They really lived at about the same time, and the latter could be the teacher of the former. It is difficult to overcome the temptation to "introduce" the two greatest teachers of the Chinese people, but they talk about different things. Taoism grows out of shamanic practices and primitive magic, while the teachings of Confucius appeal to reason, secular education and statehood.

The legacy of ancestors

This is the main "trick" of the Teacher. Wandering among the scorched fields and rotting corpses of people and animals, he realized that the cause of misfortunes was the moral fall of man. The ethics of Kung Tzu is based on the exact execution of rituals that are passed down by predecessors. China is a country of learning and historical authenticity. Its history is reflected in the chronicles that tell about the darkness of ignorance and the legendary emperor, who gave people the light of knowledge, state order and ritual. The latest achievement is a bonding solution that allows you to preserve the well-being of the state and pass it on to descendants.

Occupying various positions at the courts of local rulers, the Teacher performed the ritual with enviable zeal. There is a case when he fell ill and could not get out of bed. But the prince came to him himself to consult on a very important issue. Confucius ordered to put on ritual clothes and so talked to the ruler. On another occasion, he severely scolded a student for simply squatting down. It is said that Confucius ordered the execution of a man who got too close to the throne of one of the kings.

His ethical system can be summarized in three phrases: honor the emperor, respect the memory of your ancestors, and always do your duty, no matter how insignificant it may be. Confucius was the first educator to put the teaching of reading and writing at the forefront. An illiterate person cannot follow the tradition written in the treatises. Contemporaries considered him initiated into the secrets of magic and witchcraft, because Kung Tzu was engaged in healing. But he did not call on occult forces for help, but the power of the mind, seeing in the disease a violation of natural harmony. Confucius is the founder of a rational attitude to reality.

The Teacher did not write down his thoughts and ideas, preferring to systematize the legacy of the past - the Book of Songs and the Book of Changes. The chronicle of the ancient Chinese state of Lu "Spring and Autumn" is the most reliable work of Confucius. It should be said that Confucianism arose three hundred years after the death of Kung Tzu and only in general terms resembles the teachings of the sage. Appealing to his authority, the scribes of subsequent times developed the most complex system of examinations for government officials and achieved a high level of literacy among the population. Medieval Europe is no match for the sophisticated and civilized Chinese empire.

Axial time

Confucius lived and taught at about the same time as Buddha, Socrates, and the Hebrew prophets. Karl Jaspers called this era in the history of mankind "axial time". The rethinking of myths and an attempt to rationally substantiate life was undertaken in all the then centers of civilization. Man is the measure of all things, said Socrates. Confucius developed five virtues of a righteous person:

• Ren. We can justifiably translate this word as "humanity", because this dignity implies mercy and philanthropy. The words of Confucius “Do not do to a man what you do not wish for yourself” sound like a biblical commandment.
• I. Justice is a broad concept and includes not only upholding one's own interests, but also taking care of one's parents. The duty of a noble person is to be able to firmly follow the principles of justice, neglecting personal gain.
• Lee. This is not only a ritual or observance of customs, but any right deeds that lead to good in the family and stability in the state.
• Zhi. Virtuous deeds must be in accordance with prudence and prudence. The ability to see the consequences of their actions and calculate their impact in the future.
• Xin. Sincere and good intentions, ease in relations with family members and neighbors. This quality is opposed to hypocrisy.

The five virtues of a virtuous person correspond to the philosophical doctrine of the five elements. Complementing each other, flowing and shading, these qualities together make up the concept of "wen", which denotes a civilized person. Here it is necessary to clarify that only a Chinese can be civilized. Even in the most difficult years of humiliation and shame, the Chinese did not doubt for a second their superiority over other races and nationalities. What did Confucius do? He advised to treat the barbarians condescendingly and calmly.

Confucianism in history and culture

He became a grain of sand around which the pearl of the great Chinese civilization was formed. Each new dynasty extolled him higher and higher, finding in him a justification for their power. The most complex hieroglyphic writing did not prevent China at all times from being the most educated country in the world. People have always liked to study here and have always honored the power of the ruler. Whatever the political system, the principles of Confucianism have always been present in the management system. Wild experiments on the country could not shake the traditions and sense of their own greatness.

The mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Beijing does not overshadow the majestic tomb of Kung Tzu in the city of Qufu, where Master was born. The new relations of production find their justification in Confucianism, whose principles have entered the flesh and blood of every Chinese. They firmly believe in the rightness of their own way of life and spread the flavor of their culture around the world. The state, which has managed to maintain its identity for several millennia, delights and frightens at the same time. One day the whole world may become Chinese and we won't even notice it.

The famous thinker of the era of the Zhou Dynasty Kung-tzu (which means "teacher Kung") is known in Europe under the name Confucius.

Confucius was born into a noble but impoverished family in 551 BC. e., when the state was already shaken by unrest and internal strife. For a long time he served as a minor official with the rulers of various principalities, traveling throughout the country. Confucius never reached significant ranks, but he learned a lot about the life of his people and formed his own idea of ​​​​the principles of justice in the state. He considered the first years of the Zhou dynasty to be the golden age of social order and harmony, and he considered the time in which Confucius himself lived to be the kingdom of growing chaos. In his opinion, all the troubles occurred due to the fact that the princes forgot all those great principles that guided the former rulers. Therefore, he developed a special system of moral and ethical dogmas and norms of human behavior based on respect for ancestors, obedience to parents, respect for elders, and philanthropy.

Confucius taught that a wise ruler should set an example of fair treatment of his subjects, and those, in turn, are obliged to honor the ruler and obey him. The same, in his opinion, should be the relationship in every family. Confucius believed that the fate of every person is determined by heaven, and therefore he must occupy a proper position in society: the ruler must be the ruler, the official - the official, and the commoner - the commoner, the father - the father, the son - the son. In his opinion, if the order is violated, then the society loses its harmony. To preserve it, the ruler of the ruler must skillfully manage with the help of officials and laws. The destiny of the “insignificant man” is to obey, and the appointment of the “noble man” is to command.

The sermons of Confucius were very popular among aristocrats, and especially among officials. At the turn of the old and new eras, Confucius himself was deified, and his teachings remained official in China until the fall of the monarchy in 1911.

In many Chinese cities, temples were erected in honor of Confucius, where applicants for academic degrees and positions of officials performed obligatory worship and sacrifices. At the end of the 19th century, there were 1,560 such temples in the country, where animals and silk for sacrifices were delivered (about 62,600 pigs, rabbits, sheep, deer and 27 thousand pieces of silk per year) and then distributed to those who pray.

So there was a religious direction - Confucianism, the essence of which is the veneration of ancestors. In their family ancestral temple, the Chinese place tablets - zhu - in front of which rituals are performed and sacrifices are made.

Confucius was educated, but at the same time an ordinary person. The desire of people to worship something or someone led to the emergence of a new religion, which still has a significant impact on millions of people.

Confucius is an ancient sage and philosopher of China. Born around 551 B.C. e. his mother Yan Zhengzai was a concubine who was 17 years old. Shuliang He's father was 63 years old at that time, he was a descendant of Wei-tzu, the commander of the emperor. The boy was given the name Kong Qiu at birth. When the child was one and a half years old, the father died.

Confucius had a difficult childhood, from a young age he had to work. Yan Zhengzai's mother talked about his ancestors and their great activities. This was a huge incentive for the return of the great title that had been lost. Therefore, he began to engage in self-education. As a teenager, Confucius loses his mother.

At the age of 20, he receives recognition and creates a whole doctrine - Confucianism, which was of great importance in the development of China. Became the founder of the first university and wrote the rules for all classes. He taught literature, language, politics and morality in his own private school, which accepted everyone who wanted independence from class and material wealth.

When Confucius was 44 years old, he took over as the seat of the principality of Lu. He was very active in his post, was an experienced and skillful politician. After some time, he resigned, after which he began to preach philosophical doctrine together with his followers. His idea was to preach knowledge to the poor, the plowmen, the old and the young.

At the age of 60, he returns to his homeland, which he does not leave until his death. The rest of his life he works on his creations of the "Book of Songs", "Book of Changes" and on many others.

Confucius died in the 73rd year, before that he predicted his imminent death, which he told his students about.

Very little is known about this outstanding man, but this does not prevent us from considering Confucius to be an influential figure in the development of China.

Biography of Confucius about the main thing

Around 551 BC, the future thinker and philosopher Confucius was born. At that time, his father was about 63 years old, and his mother was only 17. After the death of the father of little Confucius, unprecedented quarrels took place between the two wives and the young concubine, which forced them to leave their house. After moving to the city of Qufu, she began to live by herself with her son. He spent his childhood in poverty, so he had to work hard. Listening to the stories of his mother, about his father and his noble family, Confucius understood that in order to be worthy of his kind, it is necessary to engage in self-education.

First, he learned the basic education system of young aristocrats - the six arts he succeeded in this, and he was appointed to the position of an official in charge of barns, then - an official in charge of livestock. He started his successful career around the age of 20-25. At about 19, he married and had two children.

In addition, he was engaged in teaching, he opened the first private school, where all children were accepted, regardless of their origin or financial condition. There were taught 4 disciplines: politics, morality, language, literature.

Around 583 BC, his mother dies and, according to tradition, he must leave government work for 3 years. During this period, he completely immersed himself in reflections to create an ideal state.

In speed, great changes swept the country. The venality, greed of officials, internecine strife came to replace the stable rule of dynasties. Realizing his hopelessness, Confucius resigned and, together with his students, went to travel around China. At this time, he tried to convey his ideas to the governments of different provinces. At about 60, he ended his wanderings and settled in one place. He took a nominal fee for his education, lived on funds allocated by wealthy students. He was engaged in teaching new students and systematizing the ancient books of Shi jin and I jin. The students themselves compiled the book of Lun Yu. It became the fundamental book of Confucianism, which contains brief statements, notes, and actions of their teacher.

Interestingly, according to scientists, he had about 3,000 students, but according to it, there are about 26.

Although Confucianism is considered a religion, it has nothing to do with theology. It reflects the principles of creating a harmonious society. The basic rule that Confucius formulated is: "Do not do to a person what you do not want to yourself."

He died around the year 479 at the age of 72, and there is an opinion that before that he just slept for 7 days. He was buried in a cemetery where his followers were supposed to be buried. Of course, around the biography of Confucius is partially covered with legends, but one should not underestimate the fact of the influence of his teachings on future generations.

On the site of the house after his death, a temple was built, which was rebuilt more than once, increasing its area. The Confucius House has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1994. In China, it is customary to give the Confucius Prize for achievement in the field of education.

Interesting facts and dates from life

is, first of all, a moral and ethical doctrine that tried to answer questions about the place that each person occupies in the world. Its essence can be conveyed using the aphorism of Confucius: "The sovereign must be the sovereign, the dignitary - the dignitary, the father - the father, the son - the son."

Confucianism and Confucius

The founder of Confucianism was a Chinese thinker kung fu tzu(551-479 BC), which translates as "wise teacher Kun". In European transcription, his name sounds like Confucius. His ideas had an exceptionally great influence on the way of life and consciousness of the Chinese ethnic group, on the formation of stereotypes of the behavior of the Chinese and their way. Creativity of Confucius, by his own admission, consisted in conveying to people in a language accessible to them a message that embodied the will of Heaven, which the ancient sages were able to comprehend.

Confucius borrowed: the cult of dead ancestors, the cult of the Earth and the veneration by the ancient Chinese of their supreme deity and the legendary first ancestor Shandi. Subsequently, Shandi became associated with Heaven as the highest divine power that determines the fate of all life on Earth. In Chinese tradition, Confucius is the guardian of the wisdom of the ancients. He sought to restore the lost prestige to the monarchs, improve the morals of the people and make them happy. At the same time, he proceeded from the idea that the ancient sages created a state to protect the interests of each individual. In general, the teachings of Confucius can be called not so much religious as ethical and philosophical. in the full sense, it becomes in the middle of the 1st millennium AD, when its founder himself was deified.

Confucianism was conservative trend that idealized the past.

Confucianism was based on two principles:

• all the misfortunes of life at that time were the result of the fact that people deviated from the traditions followed by their ancestors. And therefore, in order to restore harmony in the state, it was necessary to return to these traditions, to revive them;
• from the point of view of Confucius and his followers the ideal state should be arranged like a family, in which the roles among the members are strictly distributed.
• An important role in the philosophy of Confucius is played by the doctrine of Heaven as the embodiment of fate and power that ensures order on earth.

Central to Confucianism are:

• The concept of "ren" (or "zheng"), which can be translated as "humanity", "humanity", "philanthropy". This principle can be formulated as follows: "Do not do to others what you do not want yourself, and help them achieve what you would like to achieve yourself." Or in another translation: treat people the way you would like them to treat you. Confucius explained this concept to one of his students as follows: Humanity is “reverence, courtesy, truthfulness, sharpness, kindness. If a person is respectful, then he is not despised. If a person is courteous, then they support him. If a person is truthful, then they trust him. If a person is smart, he achieves success. If a person is kind, he can use others”;
• The "whether" principle observance of the ritual (ceremonies, order, traditions). It boiled down to the fact that a person must clearly follow the norms prescribed by society, follow all the rules that he must follow. Without this, from the point of view of Confucius, the normal functioning of society was impossible. It was this principle that later became the main principle of organizing the life of Chinese society. Confucius invested in this principle a meaning somewhat different from the simple observance of the rules of etiquette. However, after his death, when Confucianism became the dominant ideology in China, this principle began to be understood more formally as following etiquette, and the humanistic aspects of the teachings of Confucius faded into the background. According to Confucius, harmony in the state depends mainly on the will and behavior of the authorities. The ideal of Confucius is a noble statesman who serves as an example for all other people, because he observes rituals and obeys the traditional way of life. In other words, efforts should not be aimed at maintaining order or building a just society, but at maintaining the existing order of things, sanctified by tradition.

Collection of Sayings of Confucius

AT " lunyue”, a collection of sayings of Confucius compiled by his students, recorded his conversations with them. In these conversations, the ideal of a perfect man is revealed ( jun zi), while the human personality is considered as self-valuable. Confucius created a program of improvement in order to achieve harmony with the Cosmos. A noble husband is the source of the ideal of morality for everything. He has a sense of harmony and a gift to live in a natural rhythm. The purpose of the sage is to transform society according to the laws of harmony reigning in the Cosmos, to streamline and protect all living things. Confucius attached great importance to the five "permanence, ritual, humanity, duty, justice, knowledge and trust." AT ritual he sees a means that acts as a basis and weft between Heaven and Earth, allowing each individual, society, state to be entered into the infinite hierarchy of a living cosmic community. At the same time, Confucius transferred the rules of family ethics to the state, he said that - this is a big family, and - this is a small state.

One of the important foundations of social order was strict obedience to elders: father, ruler, sovereign. Confucius developed the doctrine of xiao- filial piety. Xiao is the basis of humanity. The meaning of xiao is to serve the parents according to the ritual, to bury and offer sacrifices to them according to the ritual. Xiao norms contributed to the flourishing of the cult of the family and tribal clan in China.

Confucius put the principles of knowledge, perfection, and the degree of initiation into the basis of the hierarchy of society. The sense of proportion inherent in the ritual conveyed the values ​​of harmonious communication at an accessible level to everyone, introducing everyone to virtue. Appeal to the ritual helped society to survive in extreme conditions, to harmonize the needs of the population, including those with limited material and natural resources. The idea expressed in "Shu Jing" An ancient source edited by Confucius says: In order to achieve equality, you need inequality.” It has become central to Chinese culture.

The ideas of Confucius were not in demand during his lifetime. Bitterly, he called himself "the uneaten pumpkin." However, time put everything in its place and many years after his death, the authority of Confucius becomes indisputable.

A great contribution to the development of Confucianism was made by his student Mencius(372-289 BC). Mencius was also based on the experience of ancestors. He believed that the basis of the happiness and prosperity of the people lies in their teaching high moral standards. Following the example of the ancients, he called for the creation of a system of schools and care homes for the elderly. In an ideal state, a balance of funds is observed: the authorities receive everything they need, while the population does not suffer from unbearable extortions and crop failures. In the event of a violation of justice, Mencius insisted on the right of the people to revolt and transfer the “command of Heaven” to a new virtuous chosen one, the so-called principle ge min.

At the turn of a new era in Confucianism towards ritual as a means of managing subjects' efforts legalists, former opponents of Confucianism, the institution of law is added: the ritual should be applied in relation to the top of society, while the lower classes can be controlled, relying solely on law and punishment.

Starting from the II century BC. Confucianism becomes the official ideology of China. Each official had to prove his knowledge of the basic ideas of the teachings of Confucius by participating in exams. Confucian norms and values ​​become universally recognized and become a symbol of "true Chinese". This gradually led to the fact that every Chinese by birth and upbringing had to be, first of all, a Confucian. However, this did not prevent the development of other religions.

From the 4th century AD in China it is becoming widespread, under the influence of which Confucianism is modified by incorporating elements of Buddhism and into it. The philosophical direction of neo-Confucianism arose. Gradually happening deification of Confucius. The beginning of his cult dates back to the imperial decree of 555 on the erection in every city of a temple in honor of the ancient sage and on regular sacrifices in his memory. The cult of the founder of the doctrine led to an increasing deification of the emperor. The will of the emperor is elevated to an immutable law. Awe and superstitious fear were also inspired by the symbol of imperial power - the Dragon, a powerful and all-powerful mythical animal. Reformed Confucianism remained the official ideology of China until the 20th century, when it came under scathing criticism during the Cultural Revolution. Confucianism is currently regaining its influence in some countries.