Is Confucianism a Religion?
ReligionForBreakfast・2 minutes read
Confucianism emphasizes human virtues, rituals, and government service, with a focus on morality and justice rather than divine beings. Despite being recognized as a world religion, it lacks traditional religious elements like clergy and sacred scriptures.
Insights
- Confucianism emphasizes human virtues and social order over divine entities, focusing on morality, respect for elders, and justice, with rituals playing a significant role in daily life and ceremonies.
- Confucianism's classification as a religion was a result of Jesuit missionaries' encounters with Eastern philosophies, leading to misconceptions in the West, despite its lack of clergy, religious hierarchy, and official recognition in China.
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Recent questions
What are the core values of Confucianism?
Morality, deference to elders, humaneness, justice.
What role do rituals play in Confucianism?
System of rituals from daily rules to ceremonies.
How does Confucianism view the divine?
Focus on human virtues over divine discussion.
How did Confucianism evolve over time?
Shifted focus to scholarship, government service.
How was Confucianism perceived by Western missionaries?
Initially presented as secular ethical philosophy.