Written report

in business
ethics
(Confucianism)

Submitted by:

Cameros, Princess
Frani, Jan Mikaela
Go, Zcarlin
Halnin, Karla
Montenegro, Lovely
Seño, Paula Jane
Tolentino, John Paul

12 – Ortega
Who is Confucius?
Confucius was an influential Chinese philosopher, teacher and political figure
known for his popular aphorisms and for his models of social interaction.

Synopsis
Kong Qui, also knows as Confucius, was born in 551 B.C. in the Lu state of
China (near present-day Qufu). His teachings, preserved in the Analects, focused on
creating ethical models of family and public interaction, and setting educational
standards. He died in 479 B.C. Confucianism later became the official imperial
philosophy of China, and was extremely influential during the Han, Tang and Song
dynasties.

Early Life
Confucius, also known as Kong Qui or K’ung Fu-tzu, was born probably in 551
B.C. (lunar calendar) in present-day Qufu, Shandong Province, China. Little is known of
his childhood. Records of the Historian, written by Ssu-ma Chi’en (born 145 B.C.; died
86 B.C.) offers the most detailed account of Confucius’ life. However, some
contemporary historians are skeptical as to the record’s accuracy, regarding it as myth,
not fact. According to Records of the Historian, Confucius was born into a royal family
of the Chou Dynasty. Other accounts describe him as being born into poverty. What is
undisputed about Confucius’ life is that he existed during a time of ideological crisis in
China.

Philosophy and Teachings

During the sixth century B.C., competing Chinese states undermined the authority
of the Chou Empire, which had held supreme rule for over 500 years. Traditional Chinese
principles began to deteriorate, resulting in a period of moral decline. Confucius
recognized an opportunity—and an obligation—to reinforce the societal values of
compassion and tradition. His social philosophy was based primarily on the principle of
"ren" or "loving others" while exercising self-discipline. He believed that ren could be
put into action using the Golden Rule, "What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to
others." (Lunyu 12.2, 6.30).

Confucius’ political beliefs were likewise based on the concept of self-discipline.

He believed that a leader needed to exercise self-discipline in order to remain humble and
treat his followers with compassion. In doing so, he would lead by positive example.
According to Confucius, leaders could motivate their subjects to follow the law by
teaching them virtue and the unifying force of ritual propriety.

His philosophy of education focused on the "Six Arts": archery, calligraphy,

computation, music, chariot-driving and ritual. To Confucius, the main objective of being
an educator was to teach people to live with integrity. Through his teachings, he strove to
resurrect the traditional values of benevolence, propriety and ritual in Chinese society.

Major Works
Confucius is credited with writing and editing some of the most influential
traditional Chinese classics. These include a rearrangement of the Book of Odes as well
as a revision of the historical Book of Documents. He also compiled a historical account
of the 12 dukes of Lu, called the Spring and Autumn Annals. Lunyu, which sets forth
Confucius’ philosophical and political beliefs, is thought to be compiled by his disciples.
It is one of the "Four Books" of Confucianism that Chinese philosopher Zhu Xi, a self-
proclaimed Neo-Confucian, published as Sishu in 1190. Far-reaching in its
influence, Lunyu was later translated into English under the title The Analects of
Confucius.

Death and Legacy

Convinced that his teachings had not made a significant impact on Chinese
culture, Confucius died on November 21, 479 B.C. in Qufu, China, a year after losing his
son, Tzu-lu, in battle. His followers held a funeral and established a mourning period in
his honor. As of the fourth century B.C., Confucius was regarded as a sage who had
deserved greater recognition in his time. By the second century B.C., during China’s first
Han Dynasty, his ideas became the foundation of the state ideology. Today he is widely
considered one of the most influential teachers in Chinese history.

What is Confucianism?
Confucianism is the way of life taught by Confucius. It is sometimes viewed as
philosophy and as a religion. Its influence has also extended to East Asia countries like
Japan and Korea. Confucianism originated from the teachings of Confucius. He tried to
use his teachings in government. Confucius tried to implement his teachings when he was
helping out the Lu state. Early in his adult life, Confucius spread his teachings while he
was working as a teacher for the sons of noble families. Confucius wrote 5 books called
the five Confucian classics of ancient texts that helps you understand what the values and
beliefs are of Confucianism. He believed in 3 values righteousness, compassion and
justice. He than governed a small town which he than ruled using his method,
Confucianism. After Confucius died, Mencius and Xunzi spread Confucius's teachings.
Confucianism spread to the Han Dynasty, and became the official culture. Now more
than 6 million people follow Confucius's idea/ Philosophy.

The Origin of Confucianism

Confucius lived during a time of political turmoil. Many people suffered hunger,
displacement, and death because of the fighting. Amidst this anarchy, Confucius sought
to bring peace and order to society. Although he hoped to accomplish this goal by serving
as a high minister in government, Confucius never obtained such a position. Instead, he
strived to teach others the way to live in harmony with those around you as well as
principles of good governance. His teachings eventually permeated society and he
became one of China’s greatest social philosophers and teachers.

Confucius’ teachings focused on the mortal world of rulers and the ruled rather
than life after death. In Confucianism, order and peace emanated from the top. Rulers
achieved order and harmony in their kingdom when they abided by strict moral codes and
sought after virtues. These virtues included humanness, filial piety, ritual, humility,
loyalty, and diligence. Confucius also taught that the safety of a society depended on the
people maintaining and strengthening five key relationships. These relationships include
the following: ruler to subject, father to son, husband to wife, elder to younger, and friend
to friend.

Although having been taught for centuries, Confucianism eventually became less
influential in China after the fall of the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). At this time,
followers of different religions began sharing new ideas with the people. Buddhism,
Daoism, and other philosophies began guiding individual behavior and society. As such,
Confucianism’s development began to stagnate. However, nearly 1,000 years later, its
teachings were revived.

Centuries later, Notable scholars, such as the Cheng brothers (1032 – 1107 CE),
and Zhu Xi (1130 – 1200 CE), revived original teachings of Confucius and combined
them with other philosophies of the time. Modern Western scholars would later dub this
renaissance as Neo-Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism combined elements of both
Buddhism and Daoism and put them into a Confucian framework. Neo-Confucianism
now gave answers to questions beyond the physical realm. One result of the renewed
study was an emphasis on the concept of li. Li is sometimes translated as “rationale” or
“principle.” It refers to the concept of an underlying principle that governs the existence
of all things in the universe. Zhu Xi, the father of Neo-Confucianism, expounded on, but
also focused his work on qi, the vital or living force in the universe. Much of Neo-
Confucian philosophy focuses on the interactions and roles of li and qi. This interaction
helped people to understand the living world around them as well as their place in the
world. Zhu Xi’s works also emphasized key Confucian teachings that added a religious
aspect as well as reestablished core governing concepts. He taught how to build a
spiritual connection with the past by visiting the graves of the deceased and by
performing ancestor rituals. Society based itself on building strong relationships in the
family through love and respect. Once more, kings needed to be virtuous and set the
example of conduct for the kingdom. Learning and education became essential to
becoming a better person and citizen in society. These enhanced concepts formed a new
foundation of principles and governance that became essential after the Mongol
conquests of Asia.

In the early thirteenth century, the Mongols began invading and conquering parts
of China. A Chinese scholar named Hsu Heng (1209 – 1281 CE) persuaded the
Yüan court that a government bureaucracy modeled after Neo-Confucian teachings. He
convinced the Mongols that these principles would be an effective way to manage the
government under Mongol rule. The Mongol rulers agreed with this vision of peace and
order and permitted the scholars to begin to establish a Neo-Confucian bureaucracy.
These scholars’ efforts infused Confucian principles into the foundations of Chinese
government and society. As the Mongolian empire stretched throughout the Asian
mainland, peoples from foreign countries traveled to Beijing and enjoyed more frequent
interaction within the empire. Koreans traveled more freely and there Korean scholars
obtained new books and knowledge from the Chinese schools of thought — particularly
those of Zhu Xi. These Korean scholars (the most prominent being An Hyang) brought
their newfound knowledge back to Korea and began spreading Neo-Confucian teachings
throughout Koryŏ society (918 – 1392 CE). The scholars eventually established several
schools to teach Zhu Xi’s doctrine.

Contributions of Confucianism to ethics

 Chinese

 Personal

 Family

 Society

Sources:

Confucius. (2017, April 28). Retrieved from

https://www.biography.com/people/confucius-9254926

The Origin of Confucianism. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://chosonkorea.org/index.php/confucianism/east-asia-in-the-context-of-
confucianism/the-origin-of-confucianism

History of Confucianism. (2016, November 22). Retrieved from

http://www.religionfacts.com/confucianism/history