Knowra Confucianism Confucianism Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical tradition centered on moral cultivation, social harmony, proper relationships, ritual, and teachings attributed to Confucius.
Ren : A Confucian virtue of humaneness, benevolence, and concern for others. Ren names the humane character that Confucian moral cultivation seeks to develop.
Confucian education : A tradition of learning classical texts and cultivating judgment, character, and conduct. Study is a principal means of developing the virtues Confucianism prescribes.
Confucius : A Chinese teacher and thinker of the sixth to fifth centuries BCE whose teachings became central to Confucian traditions. Confucianism takes its name and much of its foundational authority from his teachings.
Imperial examination : A system of examinations used in imperial China to select officials, especially through mastery of classical texts. Confucian learning became a major qualification for state service through this system.
Daoism : A Chinese philosophical and religious tradition centered on the Dao, naturalness, and non-forcing action. Daoist ideals often question the Confucian emphasis on social roles and cultivated norms.
Li : A Confucian concept encompassing ritual propriety, social norms, and appropriate conduct. Li gives humane intentions forms suited to relationships and circumstances.
Confucian ritual : Ritual practices that express and cultivate respect, social roles, and moral feeling in Confucian traditions. Ritual trains conduct and gives social relationships visible, repeatable forms.
Analects : A collection of sayings and conversations associated with Confucius and his disciples. This text preserves influential accounts of Confucius’s ethical and political ideas.
Han dynasty : A Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 206 BCE to 220 CE and institutionalized Confucian learning in government. Han patronage helped establish Confucian scholarship as an official political tradition.
Mohism : An early Chinese philosophical school that advocated impartial care, meritocratic government, and opposition to costly ritual. Mohist critiques challenged Confucian partiality and expenditure on ritual.
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