Editing Chinese philosophy (section)

==== Confucianism ====

[[Image:Confucius Statue at the Confucius Temple.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kong Fuzi ([[Latin Language|Latin]]: [[Confucius]])]]
{{Main|Confucianism}}

Confucianism is a philosophical school developed from the teachings of Confucius collected and written by his disciples after his death in ''[[The Analects]]'', and in the [[Warring States period]], [[Mencius]] in ''[[The Mencius]]'' and [[Xun Kuang|Xunzi]] in ''[[Xunzi (book)|The Xunzi]]''. It is a system of [[morality|moral]], [[social philosophy|social]], [[politics|political]], and [[religion|religious]] thought that has had tremendous influence on Chinese history, thought, and culture down to the 20th century. Some Westerners have considered it to have been the "[[state religion]]" of [[imperial China]] because of its lasting influence on Asian culture. Its influence also spread to Korea, Japan, Vietnam and many other Asian countries.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Confucianism reached its peak of influence during the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] and [[Song dynasty|Song]] dynasties under a rebranded Confucianism called [[Neo-Confucianism]]. Confucius expanded on the already present ideas of Chinese religion and culture to reflect the time period and environment of political chaos during the [[Warring States period]]. Because Confucius embedded the Chinese culture so heavily into his philosophy it was able to resonate with the people of China. However, the relationship between Confucianism and contemporary Chinese society is continuously transforming, reflecting the evolving cultural, political, and social landscape of modern China.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lai |first=Chen |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351268912 |title=Confucius and the Modern World |date=2018-11-21 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-26892-9 |edition=1 |location=New York : Routledge, 2019. {{!}} Series: Routledge studies in contemporary Chinese philosophy |language=en |doi=10.4324/9781351268929}}</ref>

The major Confucian concepts include [[filial piety]], loyalty ({{lang-zh|c=忠|p=zhōng|labels=no}}),  ''[[Li (Confucian)|li]]'' (ritual), ''[[Ren (Confucianism)|ren]]'' (humanity or humaneness), the [[rectification of names]] (i.e., to ensure everything is what its name implies it should be),.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Warren|last=Steinkraus|title=Socrates, Confucius, and the Rectification of Names|journal=Philosophy East and West|volume=30|issue=2|year=1980|pages=261–64|doi=10.2307/1398850|jstor=1398850}}</ref> Confucius taught both positive and negative versions of the [[Golden Rule]]. The concepts [[yin and yang]] represent two opposing forces that are permanently in conflict with each other, leading to perpetual contradiction and change. The Confucian idea of "Rid of the two ends, take the middle" is a Chinese equivalent of the idea of "thesis, antithesis, and synthesis", often attributed to [[Hegel]], which is a way of reconciling opposites, arriving at some middle ground combining the best of both.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Confucius heavily emphasized the idea of microcosms in society (subunits of family and community) success's were the foundations for a successful state or country. Confucius believed in the use of education to further knowledge the people in ethics, societal behavior, and reverence in other humans. With the combination of education, successful family, and his ethical teachings he believed he could govern a well established society in China.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}