Confucianism - Freedom and Democracy 2.0

Is Confucianism a Religion?

Appendix 5. Are there Sacred Texts?   Are they the words of god?

There are no sacred texts purported to be the word of god. The closest one could come to sacred  texts are the four Confucian classics, defined by Zhu Xi in the 12^th century - the Analects of Confucius, Mencius, the Doctrine of the Mean, and the Great Learning. But the books are said to reflect the teachings of the human Confucius, not words handed down from god. The “Confucian” ideals were present in Chinese society hundreds of years before Confucius. These Four  Books became the central texts for primary education and for the imperial exams for more than six hundred years.   

Confucianism - Freedom and Democracy 2.0

Is Confucianism a Religion?

Appendix 4.  Is there a Confucian deity?   Is tian heaven, god, or sky?

In the past, some western scholars said no, probably based on lack of reference in Chinese texts to a personal god and the historical association in China with ancestor veneration and local folk religions. But from the time of the earliest writing (circa 1300 BCE, much later than in the fertile crescent and eastern Mediterranean) 上帝 Shangdi - the Shang dynasty term for supreme deity of the Shang – was mentioned.

Confucianism - Freedom and Democracy 2.0

Is Confucianism a religion?

Appendix 3.  Is there a Teleology?   Is there a heaven or heaven on earth to aim for?

Sort of. But not really.

Confucianism - Freedom and Democracy 2.0

Is Confucianism a religion?

Appendix 2.  Confucian Spirituality   Incantations and deep mysteries?

Let’s get some things out of the way. No, there are no incantations or deep Asian inscrutability. Confucianism is not some weird Asian thing. A Confucian spirituality is grounded in the here and now and in daily life – just as in Christianity.

Confucianism - Freedom and democracy 2.0

Is Confucianism a religion?

Appendix 1.  Rules Golden and Silver –  Christian and Confucian formulations

Christians know the Golden Rule. In Matthew 7:12  and Luke 6:31 Jesus says do to others what you want them to do to you.

Christianity is not unique in having such a rule. Pretty much every culture has a variation on this. 

Confucianism - Freedom and democracy 2.0

Is Confucianism a religion?

      So what to do now? … Love and the good life