Topic > The Meaning of the Concepts of Confucianism

Confucianism, being a way of life that can be seen as a philosophy and sometimes as a religion, has been followed by the Chinese for a period of about two millennia. Although the school of thought has transformed over time, it remains a platform of knowledge, the foundation of morals and social policy of the Chinese people. The influence of Confucianism spread to other countries where kingdoms competed for power and wars were prevalent. Confucianism was based on the traditional culture of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, which dominated feudal societies that essentially lasted for 2,000 years. The influence of Confucianism on Chinese history, social structure and people cannot therefore be overlooked. The concepts of Confucianism are essential to give our kings the right political direction as they embrace human friendliness, goodness, benevolence, the distinctive nature of human beings, as well as the principles of gain, benefit, order and concrete guidance to human nature ( Yao 246). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay With a clear understanding of the philosophies and political theories of my times, it is essential that leaders embrace the concept of the virtue of virtues as described by Confucius. In describing the distinctive nature of human beings, Confucius claimed that he failed to see the expression of the concept of virtue of virtues. In his description, he stated that it is from virtue that other virtues arise, although he failed to give a clear definition of virtue (Yao 251). Critically, anyone could understand the virtue that Confucius intended by analyzing the characteristics associated with virtue. The virtue that the concept of Confucianism speaks of is probably that of the human heart. It is from virtue that all other virtues derive. As king, the virtue of virtues; the human heart is very significant as a personality like a king must understand all the needs of the society, be it political or social. It is by the virtue of the human heart that a king can define all other attributes that could help one understand the kingdom clearly. In his definition of the process of becoming a human being, Confucius described true human beings as those who are capable of being disciplined and can return to trial. His definition of human being focused on the transformation of the self. It is a necessity for a king to maintain high levels of discipline to win the respect and loyalty of the members of the kingdom. Self-discipline is part of the leadership skills that should be embraced by leaders globally. During his dynasty, Confucius is said to have freed himself from conceit, making it easier to understand the Confucian “golden rule” which states: “Do not do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Chai and Chai). A king must respect the Confucian golden rule even when engaged in wars with enemies. The actions a kingdom should take against its enemies must be reasonable enough to demonstrate some ethics in governing. Taking into consideration the availability of women and children along with other vulnerable groups in society should be paramount in a king's leadership. The legacy of Confucius created by the “golden rule” is fraught with ethical implications; thus capturing his “clear and real” appreciation that learning to become human is a business venture. In his description of humanity, Confucius stated that people of human nature who wish to establish themselves also need to establish others. Those who wish to broaden themselves must broaden others as well. The method of humanity derived from Confucius is essentialfor leaders like kings who will always have the goal of asserting themselves. It is necessary for a king to take full responsibility for the kingdom in order to benefit the members of society at large. A competent leader should make accessible public resources that are important for the normal functioning of a kingdom. Some kings may prefer to misappropriate funds for self-serving purposes instead of developing their kingdoms. The development of the Kingdom would also lead to the growth of the economy; hence an improvement in the lifestyle of many people. A king who demonstrates the kind of responsibility described can be assured of the full support and loyalty of the people he rules. Confucianism states that a true man will sacrifice himself to preserve his “jen,” the sense of dignity of human life. On the contrary, an individual's sacrifice is what makes life worth living. Basically, feelings apply to all men and not just to one nation. As a king, it is therefore significant to sacrifice yourself to lay the foundation of all human relationships in the kingdom. It is the concept of the sense of dignity of human life that gives human beings their humanity; so as king, there is no doubt that personality should be within oneself for effective control of humanity and nature. Letting ourselves be guided by the senses towards human life is the ultimate goal of human action. A king is expected to demonstrate his respect for humanity through actions that display kindness, generosity, and other behaviors that make man appear to be a unique creature on the planet (Cline). The principle "ren" speaks of benevolence, indicating excellent character in accordance with the ritual norms of society. The Chinese believed that the principle of humanity constituted the virtue of loyalty to one's true nature. Those who govern A expect them to be true to their nature and not try to adapt to a personality that does not suit them best. The concept of Confucianism, therefore, is characterized by a highly optimistic view of human nature. Furthermore, the school of thought believes that humans have faith in the probability of ordinary humans becoming creatures of great inspiration as it is deeply rooted in the Confucian legacy. From the story of Confucius himself, he managed to live an ordinary life, demonstrating that the proposition that human beings are teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal efforts and is distinctively Confucian (Hoobler and Hoobler). Any ordinary human being would understand the line of argument of the Confucian concept that human beings should not fixate on their own thinking but instead be ready to listen to the point of view of others. As a king, it would be necessary for the advisors who are supposed to be natives of the kingdom to always be ready to give advice on matters affecting the society. As a king, taking other people's advice into consideration would be the best option as they experience daily challenges in society, unlike the king who will always lead a comfortable life in the palace. In Confucianism there are no specific rituals or practices that are followed regardless of ethical principles that recognize human dignity. Confucianism, therefore, observes the practices followed by the existing religion followed by Confucians. It would be appropriate for the king to follow the same concept and join those he governs in carrying out religious practices. A king is expected to embrace all religions existing in his kingdom as a demonstration of equality among people despite their religious differences. Confucianism is not a religion as there are no Confucian deities and teachings about life after death. The Confucian was a staunch supporter of ritual; however, there were state ritualsassociated with Confucianism, an indication that the Confucian tradition was instrumental in shaping Chinese social relations and moral thought. In other cultural contexts, Confucianism plays the same role as religion; therefore there would be no need for a king to be limited to a particular religion. The king has the role of ensuring that the cultural practices of the society he is leading are maintained. Being present during cultural state practices, as was the case in Confucianism, would make it easier for the king to observe that the culture and practices of the community are maintained. As king, it may be part of the schedule planned by the advisors to create personal time in which the king can practice the religion of his choice. It is desirable that all state meetings should be conducted according to rituals and practices followed by the majority of citizens. The king should be responsible for seeking ways to extend the virtue of the sense of dignity of human life to other people in the nation. . Since the king is the leader of a sovereign state, it is his duty to ensure that citizens are educated and influenced on how to show dignity to human life. The dignity of human life implies limiting the incidence of crime in society. Offenders should be transferred to rehabilitation centers where they would be informed about the importance of showing some respect for nature. Rehabilitation centers and other facilities that can be used by the state to combat crimes such as murder should be led by the king as a way to show his efforts in support of the concept of dignity for humanity (Cline). The concept of "Li" in Confucianism brings out a meaning of concrete guidance to human relationships as well as rules that ensure correct action which in its true sense embodies the concept of "Jen" which implies a sense of dignity to human life. While the king is responsible for respecting human life, it is also vital that he creates an environment that fosters practical guidance in human relationships. It is the relationships between individuals that, in the long run, will determine the kind of respect people have for each other. Poor relationships between individuals in society will likely create the lack of brotherhood whereby each individual stands up for himself. By ensuring good relations in society, it would be a great achievement for the nation as the dignity of human life would be embraced. Creating concrete guides to human relationships in a nation is part of the general principle of social order as required by the Confucianism (Chai and Chai) school of thought. According to Confucius, a well-organized society is necessary for perfect self-expression. It is therefore the duty of a king to seek out different strategies that ensure an economically stable society. Disorder in society can be caused by several factors including economic instability which would lead to high costs of living; thus creating disorder. High costs of living can also force poor people to commit crimes such as murder even as they seek ways to survive in a difficult economy. A king is faced with the challenge of ensuring total order by resolving all the factors that can create the disorder witnessed in many parts of the world. Political reasons can also cause disorder, especially when the leadership of a king is not satisfactory. As a king, therefore, you must embrace uniformity in the distribution of resources and provision of jobs without favoritism. A solution to all the factors mentioned would make it very easy for the state to observe Confucianism in carrying out its operations. Things in a state should be done in a positive way rather than a negative way with the aim of improving relationshipshuman. When a king ensures that every aspect of his leadership is carried forward in a positive way, the importance of people's openness to each other is also highlighted. Any leadership requires a certain element of trust in its people as they are the people who provide the right information about current trends in society. The type of language chosen by a king's leadership should depend on the truth of things as it is conveyed. out of the citizens. Citizens' failure to provide the right information can mislead a king's government; so it may be involved in using the wrong language. A king has the role of assigning different people the role of spying on the society to get the right knowledge about the status of the nation. By obtaining the right information, a king can create concrete guidance on human relationships; thus maintaining order. Confucianism is also based on the doctrine of the middle according to which correct action is taken between two extremes. A king needs to obtain accurate information on the two extremes of the state; then find out the average of the aspect to be calculated. The Confucian canon of the mean guarantees correct action without siding with the extremes. As the king of a sovereign nation where political pressure is often a challenge, it would be advisable to follow the canon of evil to find the best remedy for a problem that has arisen (Rubin). Any king of a country should be well informed about the types of relationships mentioned in the Confucian school of thought. The relationships highlight the way things should be done in social life although none of the relationships are transitive. Relationships also involve the family as the fundamental unit of society. Aside from family relationships, Confucianism involves the relationship between a ruler and a subject. A king is required to acquire actual knowledge about how the subject, i.e. the citizens, should be governed. As a king, it is worth noting that every action affects someone else, directly or indirectly. A king should, therefore, keep in mind that limits on individuality are necessary since some people may want to abuse their freedom to influence the well-being of their colleagues. Even a king's actions can affect the citizens subject to his rule. It is recommended that a king sets the perfect example by taking the lead in placing limits on his individuality. By placing limits on individuality, there would be order as Confucius sorted out an entire way of life. Confucius noted that no individual should be left alone to improvise responses as people may not know how to behave. It is noted in literary works that well-behaved people do not face problems due to the order of events in their lives. The Confucianism school of thought recommends the application of “Yi”; justice to behave well as a superior man. The concept connotes a moral sense emphasizing the ability to do what is right and good. A king must possess moral wisdom, this also means being persistent in consulting his advisors on the state of the nation. Wisdom is a gift believed to come from supernatural powers, depending on the religion of a given group of people. It is also believed that everyone is surrounded by people who have the special gift of making critical decisions. As a king, it is no exception that there are people in the state who can help make vital decisions (Rubin). The concept of righteousness discourages the impersonal ego possessed by most people in society. According to the Confucian concept, the impersonal ego refers to the assimilated values ​​of culture. The ability to identify whether an action is good or bad is, therefore,,.