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Confucianism
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Originating
551 B.C. in China
Heaven
is a vast infinite space composing of yin and yang forces.
The
Far Eastern belief's known as Confucianism are named for its chief
proponent, the Chinese philosopher Confucius, although other didacts
called Ju, or meek ones, contributed significantly to its principles.
Confucius,
or K'ung Fu-tzu, to give him his Chinese name, was an accountant
in the province of Lu. Later, he became the first Oriental to
teach all ranks of people the six arts of Chinese culture: history,
numbers, ceremonies, music, archery, and charioteering. Among
his teachings was the imperative ideal of Jen, or benevolence,
which formed the main ethic of Confucianism. He also pointed out
that truth could be discovered only by acknowledging one's faults,
and he strongly stressed altruism and the obeisance of children
to parents.
Confucianism
as taught by the master himself dwelled on a belief that people
could best be led by example, and Confucius when lecturing pointed
to a previous period of history, attributing the prosperity of
the people to the leadership of the emperors. He did not believe
in prayer, but taught that man directs his own destiny.
Many
theologians tend to recognize Confucianism more as a philosophy
than as a formal religion, because it has no church, clergy, or
institutions in which to conduct worship.
The
greatest spreading of Confucianism for many years came from students,
who, embracing the Wu Ching (Five Classics) compiled by Confucius,
used it to emphasize the development of human nature and the person
as an individual.
Confucianism
was made the state religion of China during the T'ang Dynasty,
A.D. 618-906, but a recent push to restore its former status was
rebuffed, although Confucianism still claims more than 300 million
practicioners today.
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