Philosophy
Confucius lived in about 500BC. At that time Chinese religion consisted of numerous gods and spirits and veered towards mysticism and Taoism. There was no central religious authority and practice could vary widely between families and between regions. Confucius seems to have not adhered to Taoism - which believed in a natural and divine order of things - instead he placed huge importance on ritual; indeed he made his name and career was as a master of ritual. It is perhaps a reflection of this conservatism that he did not see himself as a creator of ideas but simply as a transmitter of ideas. Many of the ideas which he taught he had taken from his reading of the ancient Book of Songs.
The disorganised nature of the Analects makes it difficult to pull out a single narrative or theme from Confucius' philosophy, indeed he taught that people should study and think deeply for themselves and not rely on a single doctrine. However one of the themes running across the Analects is the importance of compassion and practicing concern for others. Within this framework the purpose of ritual is as a way of reconciling one's own desires with that of the family and the community as a whole. Respect for your parents and your elders is also crucial in achieving the vital goal of social harmony.
Confucius's teaching also touched on what might nowadays be referred to as the philosophy of management. He believed in the importance consulting the right experts and on judging someone by their actions. He also felt that you should be careful never to disregard someone's words simply because of their behaviour.
Confucius felt that he was living in a time where the political institutions had broken down. He disagreed with the prevailing legalistic approach of rules and laws as he felt that it simply meant people would bend and manipulate the laws simply to avoid punishment. Instead he championed rule by virtue; the theory being that if people are led by virtue then they will come to follow virtue themselves.
Legacy
Despite a lack of success in his own lifetime he ideas slowly gained ground and in about 100 BC Confucianism became the official state ideology. His teachings were not always rigorously applied but he has still had an enormous influence on Chinese history - perhaps more than any other single person. A dramatic demonstration of his influence and his theories about conservatism and ritual meant that Chinese language, dress and basic culture of remained virtually unchanged from 1st century BC right up to the 19th century. This astonishing continuity meant that China remained ultimately stable and peaceful but it perhaps came at a cost of development and innovation. Another example of his influences and also the unintended consequences of his ideas comes with the famous written examinations for civil positions. These examinations were designed to encourage meritocracy in government, however the examinations were limited to set texts and so did not encourage free thinking or free learning. The end result was a highly educated yet highly conservative ruling elite.
The only period in the last 2,000 years where Confucianism has not held sway in China was during the Cultural Revolution when it was decried as being too individualistic and too tied to ritual. However after the death of Mao it quickly returned to favour - Confucius World in Qufu remains a major tourist attraction today.
In the West he is perhaps best known for the 'Confucius He Say' series of jokes, such as 'Confucius He Say: Man who cut self while shaving, lose face'. It is a tribute of sorts that a man who lived in China 2,500 years ago is famous enough to have his style of speaking parodied today.
Peter Geer is a partner of Crazy Dragon Books http://crazydragonbooks.co.uk/ which specialises in books relating to all aspects of Chinese History and Culture. If you would like more information or resources on Confucius, his life and his philosophy see the Chinese philosophy books section of Crazy Dragon Books
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