Confucianism
Learn about Confucianism — the Chinese philosophical tradition of moral cultivation, social harmony, and filial piety that shaped East Asian civilization.
Confucianism is less a religion than a comprehensive ethical and social philosophy that has shaped Chinese — and broader East Asian — civilization for over two and a half millennia. Founded on the teachings of Confucius (Kong Qiu, 551–479 BCE), it provides a detailed framework for how individuals should cultivate moral virtue and how societies should be organized.
At Confucianism's core is the belief that human nature is fundamentally good and can be perfected through education, self-discipline, and ritual practice. The ideal person — the junzi, or 'exemplary person' — cultivates five key virtues: ren (benevolence), yi (righteousness), li (propriety), zhi (wisdom), and xin (trustworthiness). Social harmony depends on the proper ordering of five fundamental relationships: ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife, elder brother-younger brother, and friend-friend. Each relationship carries mutual obligations.
Confucianism became China's state ideology under Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (r. 141–87 BCE), and the civil service examination system — which tested candidates on Confucian classics — ensured its influence over Chinese governance for over two thousand years. Confucian values also profoundly shaped Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese societies. Today, Confucianism continues to influence East Asian attitudes toward education, family, social responsibility, and governance, making it one of the most enduring intellectual traditions in human history.