Confucianism

Confucianism is a system of thought, ethics and ritual practice originating in ancient China, founded on the teachings of Confucius (Kǒng Fūzǐ, c. 551–479 BCE) and developed by his disciples and followers. It presents itself as a philosophy of social life, though it also includes religious and ritual dimensions, and it centres on moral cultivation and the harmonious ordering of human relationships.

There is no exact Chinese term that corresponds to the word "Confucianism". Many scholars prefer alternatives such as "Ruism" (rújiào, the "teaching of the scholars"), since the Western name can carry associations foreign to the original tradition. Confucius saw himself as a transmitter of the values of the ancient sages, and his ideas were gathered into a canon of classical texts that took shape over the following centuries.

Classical authors understood virtue as the result of self-cultivation and communal practice. The principal virtues include ren (仁, benevolence or humaneness), yi (义, righteousness), li (礼, propriety and ritual) and filial piety (xiao). Mencius defended the innate goodness of human nature, while Xunzi argued that it had to be shaped through education and norms. Both positions show that Confucianism was an internal field of debate from its beginnings.

A simple example illustrates its logic: a ruler who behaves virtuously and respects the rites keeps the natural order, whereas a ruler who governs badly breaks harmony and loses legitimacy. This idea shaped for centuries the conception of political power and the selection of officials through examinations based on the classical texts.

Today Confucianism is discussed both as a cultural inheritance and as an ethical framework for political and social thought in East Asia, and its relationship with modernity, democracy and universal values remains a matter of debate.