The Paradox of Confucianism
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Confucianism positions itself beside Taoism as one of the two great religions native to China. The name Confucius emerges as the latinized version of the Chinese Kong Fuzi, an esteemed Chinese sage and philosopher who lived in the sixth to the fifth centuries B.C. The moral and philosophical teachings of Confucius, especially those he expounded about the concept of the "superior man", emerged as the dominant system of thought and ethics in China from the 3rd century B.C. until the 1911 revolution. The paradox of Confucianism is that it has contributed to China's greatest strengths and weaknesses by promoting respect for the aged, strong familial bonds, fierce loyalty, moderation and principle even as it stalled progress, deterred scientific progress, subjugated women, impaired the enterprise and adventure of young men, and devalued speculative thought, manual labor and mechanical inventions. Confucius is believed to have been born in 551 B.C. in Qufu, a small Chinese village nestled at the bottom of a mountain. Confucius is not to be mistaken for a god or even a Prophet of God. In the Analects Confucius specifies that he cannot claim to be either a Divine Sage or even a Good Man since the most he can ever hope even to meet is "a true gentleman." He further clarifies that he is not a divine person or one born "with innate knowledge" but rather is "simply one who loves the past and who is diligent in investigating it." In analyzin
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nant thread running through Confucius' teachings is loyalty in one's moral nature (chung) and the need to treat others like one's self (shu). The chung and shu form the two sides of jen, explicating what is to be done for both an individual and a society to achieve a good moral life. One of Confucius' major innovations was to alter the Chinese concept of Heaven from an anthropomorphic being to that of a spiritual and moral one. Confucius promoted the concept of the "superior man" whose conduct expresses "righteousness and benevolence, moderation in all things, and a fixed system of human relations."
Wang Yangming represents a good example of Confucianism. As Chinese scholars began to squabble among themselves over how best to avoid dogmatic interpretations of Confucianism, the elite culture of China began to formulate a Neo-Confucianism. In scrutinizing "lixue" or principle, thinkers within the Tang dynasty began to react against Buddhism, insisting that human life should be seen as "fundamentally good" rather than as "a fabric of vain desires and delusions." In 1472 Wang Yangming was born into a family richly blessed with many scholars and high officials. Nicknamed "Cloud" as a child, Wang found himself increasingly i
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Approximate Word count = 1436
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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