Confucianism

• Founded on Confucius’ (551-479 BCE) teachings   * Most famous Chinese philosopher   * Grew up impoverished → learned from feudal practices     * Watched what higher-ups did, learned how to copy   * Never wrote down his teachings     * Students wrote it down in the Analects: book compiling all his principles       * Became foundation for social life in China       * Philosophy centered around it
• Government + society grounded in Confucianism thought   * Basic order in the universe   * Natural harmony linking man + nature + cosmos     * Man = naturally social       * Five relationships with reciprocity         * Ruler
• Fell into decline at the fall of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 AD)   * Dormant for roughly 600 years

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