Confucianism is not a religion; rather, it is a philosophy. Many people have explored the argument on whether Confucianism is a religion or not. Some claim that Confucius, the man who came up with Confucianism, was a religious man and even a Deity himself, which makes the concept a religion (Blitstein, 2021). On the other hand, others argue that the sentiments of Confucius were more about living ethically and morally, making the idea a philosophical one and not a religion. The controversy continues to be an issue, and there is evidence to support either side (Blitstein, 2021). However, the facts supporting it as philosophical appear to be weightier.
Confucianism is concerned with virtues, community respect, and morality. It has existed in China for about 3,000 years and has been the main foundation of many Chinese cultures (Sun, 2020). The idea was created by Confucius, who was both a teacher and a philosopher. His students wrote down his perception in different books when teaching morality, ethics, and good behavior. He invented the golden rule, which states that one should not do unto others what they would not wish for others to do to them (Sun, 2020). The statement makes Confucianism fit into being a guide to good living and co-existence with others. Since its start and development, Confucianism has influenced different spheres of human living (Sun, 2020). It influenced people’s politics and social lives, making them perceive it as a religion. Therefore, they honored Confucius and, after his lifetime, worshipped his spirit. However, there is no God accorded to Confucianism despite there being temples where people who believe in the ideas visit and seek guidance.
Confucianism’s main idea is a good character. The characters are meant to affect the community and the world to promote harmonic living. Confucius taught that once a leader is of good moral standing, his leadership involves being peaceful and prosperous. According to him, the natural disasters that befall people and lead to destruction arise from people abandoning the ancient ways and beliefs. Therefore, to avoid chaos and instability, people must embrace the virtue of ren, which means humanity (Sun, 2020). Ren is about altruism, respect, and humility. However, the process of getting a virtuous character involves getting an education. As such, he influenced education by encouraging people to be part of it and understand virtues that can allow them to live better.
Another element of Confucianism is family devotion. The main point of the devotion was for people to worship their ancestors and respect their parents. A family is essential in developing a character that can lead a person to respect society (Blitstein, 2021). Therefore, it became Chinese tradition that children should be submissive to their parents and people to their leaders, and their leaders lead with morality.
In modern times, the teaching of Confucius remains rooted in the practices of many Asian communities. They look at it as a guide to good living and morality and do not use it to answer metaphysical questions (Blitstein, 2021). Confucius taught people how to live with each other on earth and did not explore the existence of supreme beings and their expectations, making Confucianism a form of philosophy to live by, not religion. Furthermore, the concepts of the practice do not solve the problems of personal living, like old age, death, and illnesses (Blitstein, 2021). In Eat Asia, people perceive Confucianism as a good prescription for understanding proper relations but not understanding the purpose of life and after-death experiences.
In conclusion, Confucianism is a philosophical religion focused on living with others and promoting cosmic harmony. Therefore, it can fill the moral vacuum more than the spiritual vacuum. It provides eminently sensible virtues for social existence and political practices. However, the knowledge it gives does not extend to the spiritual dimension.
References
Blitstein, P. (2021). Confucianism in Late Nineteenth-Early Twentieth-Century China. Dao Companion to Contemporary Confucian Philosophy, 27-46. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-56475-9_2
Sun, L. (2020). the relation between Confucianism and Chinese politics: history, actuality, and future. Journal of law and religion, 35(1), 138–148. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2020.2
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