Confucianism
Confucianism is more of a philosophy or belief than a religion. It was founded by Kong Fuzi or known as Confucius ( 551BC-- 479 BC) by the Westerners. Confucius, who lived about five hundred years before Christ in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, was also a great thinker, and educator. Confucianism was actually written down by a disciple named Mencius (孟子), who also believed that all men were basically good. Confucius also codified the status of the ruler in Chinese political thought: the Emperor was the Son of Heaven (while Heaven in a Western context is a place, Heaven in the Chinese context is a divine/natural force) and had the Mandate of Heaven to rule. Confucianism started to spread across China after Confucius unfortunately died. It started with the Han dynasty in 206 BC to AD 220, and became the main belief. The Han government attached great importance to Confucianism due to its advocation of loyalty and thus remained stable for a long time in history.
Basic Teachings and Beliefs
Five Constant Virtues (五常 Wu chang )
仁 (Ren):benevolence
义 (Yi): personal loyalty
礼 (Li): courtesy or politeness or propriety
智 (Zhi): wisdom
信 (Xin): faith
Five Cardinal Hierarchical (等级的）Relationships (五伦 Wu lun)
君臣 (Jun Cheng): the emperor over the subject
父子 (Fu zi): the father over the son
夫妇 (Fu fu): the husband over the wife
兄弟 (Xiong di): the elder brother over the younger one
朋友 (Peng you): friend and friend
Among the above relationships, the relationship between friends is the only equal relationship.
Three Obediences and Four Virtues for Women ( 三从四德 San Cong Si De ）
未嫁从父: obey her father as a daughter
既嫁从夫 : obey her husband as a wife
夫死从子: obey her sons in widowhood
妇德: morality
妇言: proper speech
妇容: modest manner
妇功: diligent work
The three obediences and four virtues were the spiritual fetters of wifely submission and virtues imposed on Chinese women.
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