Answers should be 7 pages.


All questions draw on lecture materials, and one on Yao. Do not use outside sources.



Question: explain seven core Confucian concepts.

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Introduction

The history of Asia and the Korean Peninsula has been significantly influenced by Confucianism. Many scholars agree that this concept is characterized as a form of social systems. Others acknowledge it as a religion as well as an ethical philosophy established upon social institutions, values and ideals of society. This traditional Asian way of perceiving life remains a fundamental influence on religious identity and as such, had been the foundation for establishing moral understanding in traditional Asian society, especially in China. This paper will discuss the seven core concepts that are associated with Confucianism. 

1.

Morality

As has already been introduced, Confucianism is more than a secular tradition as it also encompasses

religious perspectives in a profoundly spiritual manner. As Yao explains, there is an aspect of religious humanism that forms one of the core concepts of this way of life (p. 155). The author explains that it identifies what can be considered to be moral, and correlates it to the transcendental. From the lecture notes, it is clear that the goal of moral education is to activate character (Lecture Notes, October 20). As such, this moral concept entails the political and spiritual quality of individuals which ensures that a leader is capable of ruling a society without unnecessary use of force or violence. The reasoning behind this is that a virtuous man is endorsed by the heavens as well as ancestors, as explained by Yao (p. 155). Indeed, Confucianism emphasizes on the need for morality to help distinguish between what is right or wrong.

In Confucianism, virtue is not only considered a quality, but also as a skills that provides followers

with the ability to transform themselves as well as influence others. A virtuous person is perceived as a leader when it comes to leading others in a moral direction, in regard to what can be deemed as morally good. Yao maintains the position that being a person of virtue is not a privilege, but rather, an essential condition for transition to civilization (p. 156). It is this character that fulfills social transformations.

1.

Good and evil

One problem that followers of Confucianism seek to address is the concept of good and evil. One

fundamental belief in the context of traditional Confucian view is that the Way of Heaven is right and no individual is supposed to be in opposition or violation of it (Yao, p. 160). Indeed, many followers of this religious perspective hold the opinion that evil is not metaphysical in nature, because whatever is considered evil is not originally as such. Simply, they perceive it as a moral concept that designates the situation that certain human physical activities have been conducted in a manner that is not right. For this reason, many believers in Confucianism believe that good and evil are concepts that refer to an individuals moral character (Yao, p. 160). As such the belief is that good is fundamental and evil is merely a deviation from the norm.

Traditional Confucian believers such as Xunzi alleged that goodness was not part of innate human

nature. Instead, they assumed that human nature is generally evil and goodness results from his activity as revealed by Yao (p. 162). It is a doctrine that comes from the understanding of Heavenly nature, which follows the assumption that Heaven is the origin of morality and virtue regarding human behavior. Mengzi, another follower of this religious perspective, holds a different opinion about good and evil. He elucidates that as humans, we have an innate orientation towards what is good (Yao, p. 162). It is a reasoning that points out the view that Heaven is more of natural law. Another argument is that we are born with natural instincts and as such, require control and guidance to ensure we steer clear of bad behavior for the sake of communal interests and social justice.

1.

Sacred kingship

In Confucianism, there is need for suitable supervision by an effective government to ascertain that

what is morally good is upheld and what is bad is avoided. In this case, it is inevitable that we can avoid politics, as confirmed by Confucius who remarked, In the way of man, government is greatest. Now government means: to be correct (Yao, p. 165). In regard to the Way of Humans, the logical conclusion is that there are three important aspects, which include governance, rituals and love for each other.

Confucianism prioritizes government because it is based upon the other aspects and as such, it is a crucial condition for the society to function. All great Confucian leaders and kings such as King Wen, Yao and Shun were regarded highly for their virtuous nature (Yao, p. 166). In this respect, it is a strong belief that those who possess great virtue will be appointed into positions of leadership.

According to the Confucian perspective, Heaven plays a role in enforcing certain ethical principles

on rulers. This is based on the notion that kings act as intermediaries between humans and the Supreme ruler who abides in the Heavens (Yao, p. 166). Therefore, a king is expected to be an individual of high moral standards. This is what we referred to as moral management in the Lecture Notes (October 10). The concept of sacred kingship is attributed to the Kings sacred position, which is characterized by the extent of his role and responsibilities. In case a ruler is morally inadequate, it can result to social disruption because the virtue of a ruler is measured in relation to how they conform to the needs of his people (Yao, p. 168). In light of this assumption, it is evident that under Confucianism, Kingship was important in fulfilling the Way of Heaven upon the earth.

1.

Harmony

Harmony is both a concept and a theme in Confucianism. It is important to note that the

understanding of harmony is associated with music, as has been elucidated by Yao (p. 170). In ancient times, people understood the close relationship between harmony and music and in this case, they held the notion that music was a direct result of the principles of human conduct. Confucian believers were of the opinion that social and religious ceremonies could not be complete without music. Ritual and music were considered to be essential elements of metaphysical importance due to the fact that both had significant meaning in the Confucian world. Ritual was taken as symbol of the universal order, while music was considered a testament to the harmony of our universe (Yao, p. 171). From Confucius personal perspective, music brought order in chaos and was thus an essential attribute for good human character.

In the Lecture Notes, we discussed that harmony serves the purpose of coordinating the human

society to ensure that all elements are in tandem with each other (October 4). It is a perspective shared by Yao who reiterates that the concept of harmony is a vital content in consideration of the fundamental objective of moral training (p. 172). In realizing this harmony, Asian people were expected to become active and creative when it came to reshaping their lives. The objective here was to improve their insight about the world and, subsequently, manifest their character and nature upon society. Many Confucian followers maintained that harmony is the building block for all relationships, explaining it as reason for the realization of all virtues.