ORIGINATION & STORY: Confucianism was founded by Kongzi, or Confucius.

He became a teacher in his early

twenties, and that proved to be his calling in life. His ability Is a teacher became apparent and his fame spread
rapidly, attracting a strong core of disciples. Many were attracted by his wisdom. He believed that society would not
be changed unless he occupied a public office where he could put his theories into practice. Confucius held minor
posts until age 50, when he became a high official in Lu. His moral reforms achieved an immediate success, but he
soon had a falling out with his superiors and subsequently resigned his post. Confucius spent the next 13 years
wandering from state to state, attempting to implement his political and social reforms. He devoted the last five
years of his life to writing and editing what have become Confucian classics. He died in Chüfou, Shantung, in 479
B.C., having established himself as the most important teacher in Chinese culture. His disciples referred to him as
King Fu-tzu or Kung the Master, which has been latinized into Confucius.

MAJOR DEITY/S: Adherents of Confucianism do not worship any almighty god.

SACRED TEXTS: The Si Shu or Four Books: The Lun Yu the Analects of Confucius, The Chung Yung or the Doctrine
of the Mean, The Ta Hsueh or the Great Learning, The Meng Tzu. The Wu Jing or Five Classics: Shu Ching or Classic
of History: writings and speeches from ancient Chinese rulers, The Shih Ching or Classic of Odes: 300 poems and
songs, The I Ching or Classic of Changes: the description of a divinatory system involving 64 hexagrams, The Ch'un
Ch'iu or Spring and Autumn Annals: a history of the state of Lu, and The Li Ching or Classic of Rites: a group of three
books on the LI the rites of propriety.

BELEIFS: Confucian ethical teachings:

Li: includes ritual, propriety, etiquette, etc., Hsiao: love within the family: love of parents for their children and of
children for their parents, Yi: righteousness, Xin: honesty and trustworthiness, Jen: benevolence, humaneness
towards others; the highest Confucian virtue, Chung: loyalty to the state, etc. Confucius taught that when societies
operate under laws, people are punished by authorities after having committed illegal activities. People generally
conform to the laws, often without necessarily understanding the rationale behind them. He promoted a different
way: to internalize behaviors so that actions are controlled beforehand. People then behave properly because they
wish to avoid feeling shame and want to avoid losing face. In theory, the result is a reduction in the number of
coercive laws required for smooth functioning of the society.

RULES: The rules of Confucianism are those such as laws of propriety, which are recorded in the analects of
Confucius. Some are thingslike putting family as the highest moral value, and the concept of non-voilence.

AFTERLIFE: Confucians do not have a specific belief of individual salvation or damnation.

PRACTICES/TRADITIONS: Birth: The T'ai-shen (spirit of the fetus) protects the expectant woman and deals
harshly with anyone who harasses the mother to be. A special procedure is followed when the placenta is disposed
of. The mother is given a special diet and is allowed rest for a month after delivery. The mother's family of origin
supplies all the items required by the baby on the first, fourth and twelfth monthly anniversary of the birth. Upon
reaching maturity: This life passage is no longer being celebrated, except in traditional families. It takes the form of a
group meal in which the young adult is served chicken. Marriage: This is performed in six stages: Proposal,
Engagement, Dowry, Procession, Marriage & Reception, Morning After(the bride cooks breakfast for the husbands
parents). Death: The relatives cry out aloud to inform the neighbors. The family starts mourning and puts on clothes
made of a coarse material. The corpse is washed and placed in a coffin. Mourners bring incense and money to offset
the cost of the funeral. Food and significant objects of the deceased are placed into the coffin.

SECTS/GROUPS: Different sects of Confucianism were never formed because the teachings of Confucius were
hardly interpreted differently from adherent to adherent.
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