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.

Focus on human virtues over divine discussion.

Shifted focus to scholarship, government service.

Initially presented as secular ethical philosophy.

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.

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.

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Confucianism is centered around values like morality, deference to elders, humaneness, and justice, as outlined in the Analects of Confucius.
Confucian texts include a system of rituals ranging from daily social rules to religious ceremonies like funerals and weddings.
Confucius rarely mentions gods or spirits, preferring to focus on human virtues and institutions.
The Analects mention a divine being called Heaven, but Confucius values human culture over divine discussion.
Confucians shifted focus from rituals to scholarship and government service from the Han dynasty onwards.
Confucianism lacks an organized clergy or religious hierarchy, unlike Buddhism and Taoism.
Confucianism was not recognized as a religion by the Chinese government, with very few identifying as Confucians.
Confucianism's inclusion in lists of world religions stems from Jesuit missionaries' encounters with Eastern philosophies in the 16th century.
Ancestor worship, a long-standing practice in China, influenced Confucius' emphasis on filial piety and rituals for the deceased.
The Imperial State Religion, developed during the Han dynasty, centered around the Son of Heaven and incorporated Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist elements.

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Confucius in this version of Confucianism was seen as a wise philosopher whose moral teachings influenced Chinese culture, not a divine being.
Ancestor worship, a common practice in Chinese society, posed a challenge for Jesuit missionaries due to its idolatrous nature.
The Jesuits attempted to explain away ancestor worship as a secular practice, but Pope Clement XI declared it idolatry in 1704, leading to the Jesuits' banishment from China.
Confucianism was mistakenly perceived as a religion in the West following the Jesuits' efforts to present it as a secular ethical philosophy.
Confucianism was officially recognized as a world religion at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions, despite lacking traditional religious elements like clergy and sacred scriptures.