Service to Humankind

Confucianism is a Wisdom tradition that has influenced the mind and hearts of the Chinese people.  Many Chinese have criticized Confucianism for being elitist, or too focused on the family (Armstrong 270). It has been criticized for being too oriented toward the past. Modern Western entrepreneurs have criticized Confucian-influenced education in China for being too focused on traditional achievement and not on creative problem solving.  Feminists have criticized it for maintaining and reinforcing a hierarchy that oppresses women.

There is truth to all these claims, however, Confucianism can claim much good.  It has given the world several religious classics.  Along with Confucius' own Analects are the Five Classics:

1. Shu Ching (Classic of History) - collection of documents and speeches dating from the Later Han Dynasty (23-220 CE)
2. Shih Ching (Classic of Odes) - collection of 300 poems and songs from the early Chou Dynasty (1027-402 BC)
3. I Ching (Classic of Changes) - collection of texts on divination based on a set of 64 hexagrams that reflect the relationship between Yin and Yang in nature and society
4. Ch'un Ching (Spring and Autumn Annals) - extracts from the history of the state of Lu 722-484, said to be compiled by Confucius
5. Li Ching (Classic of Rites) - consists of three books on the Li (Rites of Propriety)

The other important classics are the Four Books (which includes the Analects):

1. Lun Yu (Analects) of Confucius
2. Chung Yung (Doctrine of the Mean)
3. Ta Hsueh (Great Learning)
4. Meng Tzu (Mencius) (Fieser 153-180)
   

Confucianism codified the Golden Rule.  In the Analects Confucius says "do not do to others what you don't want done to you."  I am sure if Confucius had know it would be constantly compared to other Golden rules around the globe, he would have given it a more positive grammatical turn!

Confucianism gave the Chinese people a positive philosophy of leadership that Chinese rulers held as their ideal even if they didn't always follow it.  When a ruler used Confucian philosophy and had the wisdom to apply it properly, the kingdom thrived. Confucianism wasn't the only philosophy available to Chinese leaders.  In the Chinese Kingdom of Qin in 340 BCE a competing philosophy, Legalism, was employed to defeat and consolidate the other Kingdoms of China (Armstrong 335).  This philosophy was a starkly rigid interpretation of the law.  It was based on the idea that punishment was the important deterrent and must be employed without compassion, but with impartiality, to get the best results. Legalism never completely went away after this victory but Confucianism came back into the public sphere and provided a check on pragmatic leadership.

Confucianism has also supported the dignity and importance of family in China.  It is a philosophy that supports education, the arts, self-improvement and filial piety.  It reinforces respect for the elderly and as a result elderly parents and relatives are honored and well cared for in countries influenced by Confucianism.