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  • Essay / The concept of Confucianism in The Mandate of Heaven and the Talks of Confucius

    Writings of ConfuciusConfucianism is inspired by two main texts: the Mandate of Heaven and the Talks of Confucius. Kong Fuzi (551 – 479 BCE) is the father of Confucianism which emerged in the 6th century BCE. However, as China's political climate became turbulent (referring to the Warring States Period (403 – 221 BCE), fervent followers such as Mencius (372 – 289 BCE) and Xunzi (298 BCE) – 238 BCE) amplified and developed the teachings to adapt to the problems of the times. As stated in the Mandate of Heaven, the main Confucian principles are described such as ren (benevolence, virtue and humanity), li. (property, etiquette and convention), xiao (filial piety, honor and respect in relationships). The Confucian ideal of a junzi evokes the meaning of “gentleman, nobleman, or decent man.” essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get original essayThe Mandate of Heaven marks the transition from the Shang Dynasty (1766 – 1122 BCE) to the Zhou Dynasty (1122 – 256 BCE) . It sanctifies the overthrow of the Shang by. the Zhou on the basis of corrupt practices, immortality, mismanagement of administration and oppression of his subjects. Heaven reserved the right to intervene in human political affairs and guaranteed order. The criteria for retaining these rights were virtue and integrity. The designated ruler is referred to as the “son of heaven” who serves as the link between heaven and earth. Returns to immorality rendered the ruler unfit, so the Mandate of Heaven was transferred to another. This was because of “moral virtue…the spirits of the hills and rivers were equally at peace in all.” This compliance with the stipulations of the Mandate guaranteed harmony, stability and balance with nature and the sky. Deceased fathers became consecrated and revered elements of the spiritual realm through homage, respect and adherence to tradition. These practices characterize Chinese society as a static society where change takes place very slowly. We must “comply with the wisdom of the Ancients”, according to the Mandate of Heaven. Confucius himself claimed that he “transmitted what had been taught without inventing anything of my own and that he had been faithful to and loved the Ancients. » (Analects of Confucius) Formal and ethical education corresponded to those who possessed the qualities necessary to administer the government and lead the country. public sphere. The importance given to education in Confucianism made it the organization best suited to training young administrative leaders. Han Wudi (141 – 87 BCE), emperor of the ancient Han dynasty (206 – 9 BCE), chose Confucianism as his curriculum to teach bureaucracy to thousands of civil servants in Chinese universities. This decision came into effect in 124 BCE and was a boon, as the largest skilled and competent bureaucratic workforce emerged. (Traditions and Encounters p. 195). Order diffuses from the upper echelons to the lowest and so they have emphasized political activism as the key to restoring order. Moreover, in China, the divinatory arts suggest the search for an order and a model in nature and in times. The spread of Buddhism occurred through the personal efforts of monks and Buddhas explaining their doctrine to others. They considered it their duty to recite, internalize and disseminate Buddhist truths. In this “Buddhism” excerpt, the setting is China, the fertile soil where it flourished (since the fourth century CE) and was..