Confucians
Followers of Kong
Followers of the teachings of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 BCE.
Confucians emphasize moral cultivation, social harmony, filial piety, and proper relationships between ruler and subject, parent and child.
The tradition shaped Chinese government, education, and family life for over two millennia: Confucians dominated the imperial bureaucracy for centuries.
Classical Chinese wisdom text
- MenciusClassical Confucian thinker
- LiBattery metal symbol
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
- commentariesExplanatory notes on texts
treatises · discourse · interpretation · sages · scholasticism
Disposition toward doing good
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- humanenessBenevolent, merciful disposition
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
integrity · wisdom · rectitude · duty · morality · self-cultivation · sincerity · loyalty
Formal ceremonial acts
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- offeringsThings presented or given
- venerationProfound admiring respect
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
altar · etiquette · propriety · sacrifice · purification · feast · observance · mourning
Experts in a field
- literatiEducated, cultured class
- classicsWorks of lasting value
- academyInstitution of learning
- pedagogyArt of instruction
learning · erudition · curriculum · texts · calligraphy · poetry · history · memorization
Advancement through demonstrated ability
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- bureaucracyRigid administrative system
- rectificationAct of setting straight
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
statecraft · legitimacy · tribute · court · imperial · remonstrance · advisors · edicts
Those from whom one descends
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- patriarchyMale-dominated social order
- clanRelated group sharing ancestry
- kinshipState of being related
descendants · genealogy · heritage · bloodline · dynasty · seniority · obedience · respect
Methodical arrangement or request
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- unityWholeness through cohesion
- accordHarmony between parties
equilibrium · cooperation · consensus · complementarity · interdependence · cohesion · stability · peace
Analects
Classical Chinese wisdom text
commentaries · treatises · discourse · interpretation · sages · scholasticism
benevolence
Disposition toward doing good
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- humanenessBenevolent, merciful disposition
propriety · integrity · wisdom · rectitude · duty · morality · self-cultivation · sincerity · loyalty · reciprocity
rites
Formal ceremonial acts
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- offeringsThings presented or given
- venerationProfound admiring respect
incense · altar · etiquette · propriety · sacrifice · purification · feast · observance · mourning · kowtow
scholars
Experts in a field
pedagogy · learning · erudition · curriculum · texts · calligraphy · poetry · history · memorization · recitation
meritocracy
Advancement through demonstrated ability
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- bureaucracyRigid administrative system
- rectificationAct of setting straight
hierarchy · statecraft · legitimacy · tribute · court · imperial · remonstrance · advisors · edicts · administration
ancestors
Those from whom one descends
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- patriarchyMale-dominated social order
- clanRelated group sharing ancestry
kinship · descendants · genealogy · heritage · bloodline · dynasty · seniority · obedience · respect · progeny
order
Methodical arrangement or request
accord · equilibrium · cooperation · consensus · complementarity · interdependence · cohesion · stability · peace · moderation
Confuciansanarchists
Opponents of state authority
Taoists · libertines · nihilists · iconoclasts · individualists
ConfuciansMaoists
Followers of Chinese communist ideology
May Fourth Movement · Red Guards · modernizers · iconoclasts
- Confucian academiesSchools teaching ancient Chinese philosophy
- Confucian valuesPhilosophy emphasizing respect, hierarchy