"Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, (humanistic or rationalistic) religion, theory of government, or way of life."
A Chinese ethical and philosophical system, emphasizing moral values, social order, filial piety, and humaneness.
"Confucianism developed from what was later called the Hundred Schools of Thought from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BCE)."
"Confucius considered himself a transmitter of cultural values inherited from the Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou dynasties."
"Confucianism was suppressed during the Legalist and autocratic Qin dynasty, but survived."
"During the Han dynasty, Confucian approaches edged out the 'proto-Taoist' Huang–Lao as the official ideology."
"In the late Tang, Confucianism developed in response to Buddhism and Taoism and was reformulated as Neo-Confucianism."
"The abolition of the examination system in 1905 marked the end of official Confucianism."
"The intellectuals of the New Culture Movement of the early twentieth century blamed Confucianism for China's weaknesses."
"With particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony, rather than on an otherworldly source of spiritual values, the core of Confucianism is humanistic."
"According to American philosopher Herbert Fingarette's conceptualization of Confucianism as a philosophical system, it transcends the dichotomy between religion and humanism."
"While the Confucian concept of tian shares some similarities with the concept of a deity, it is primarily an impersonal absolute principle like the tao or the Brahman."
"In religious Confucianism, liturgy led by Confucian priests or 'sages of rites' to worship the gods in public and ancestral Chinese temples is preferred on certain occasions."
"The worldly concern of Confucianism rests upon the belief that human beings are fundamentally good, and teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor."
"Some of the basic Confucian ethical concepts and practices include ren, yi, li, and zhi."
"Ren is the essence of the human being which manifests as compassion. It is the virtue-form of Heaven."
"Yi is the upholding of righteousness and the moral disposition to do good."
"Li is a system of ritual norms and propriety that determines how a person should properly act in everyday life in harmony with the law of Heaven."
"Zhi is the ability to see what is right and fair, or the converse, in the behaviors exhibited by others."
"Traditionally, cultures and countries in the East Asian cultural sphere are strongly influenced by Confucianism, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam."
"Today, it has been credited for shaping East Asian societies and overseas Chinese communities, and to some extent, other parts of Asia."