What is Confucianism?

“About 2,500 years ago, a man was born to a once aristocratic family in a small state called Lu in East China. During his lifetime, the man endeavored to…carrying forward the old tradition in a chaotic environment and opening up a new horizon in a dark age. By the time he died at the age of seventy-three, his teachings had spread throughout the state and beyond…But there was one thing that neither [his students and disciples] knew: that Chinese culture, and to some extent, East Asian culture, would be forever linked with his name, that the tradition he loved…would rank with the greatest in the world” (Yao – Author of An Introduction to Confucianism). This tradition is Confucianism- the Western English word coined by the Jesuits from the 16^th century.  

            I do not think Confucianism is a word that can be defined or described. Therefore, I would not even try to define the term but rather would do my best to illustrate my thinking and belief of the word Confucianism in my blog. When the word ‘Confucian’ is mentioned, some thinks of Confucius (“Kong Zi”) or some thinks of a really boring concept, particularly the younger generations. Despite being a younger generation, I agree with Dr. de Bary’s concept of ‘Confucian’- the one word that would characterize the Chinese way of life for the last two thousand of years. (Theodore de Bary- Sources of Chinese Traditions)  Dr. de Bary’s reason for such characterization is that there is no other individual in Chinese history besides Confucius that “has so deeply influenced the life and thought of his people, as a transmitter, teacher and creative interpreter of the ancient culture and literature and as a moulder of the Chinese mind and character” (Theodore de Bary).