Confucianism: history, content of teaching, influence on the modern Chinese population

Semenenko Dmitriy S.

Modern Chinese society shares three main religious practices: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Moreover, one person can be an adherent of three of the above religions at the same time. The study presents historical, cultural, social and ideological data based on reliable sources. The modern Chinese people are widely embedded in civilised communities around the world, hence the relevance of the subject: to identify the influence of Confucianism on the behavioural, economic, and social motivators of the Chinese people. The objectives of the study are to describe the personality of Confucius, the chronological course of his life, the basic postulates of the doctrine and inferences that may take place in the minds of Chinese subjects at the present stage of the civilisation development. Confucius strove to preserve the foundations of antiquity – the traditions and practices of Chinese civilisation to strengthen state power, justice in socio-economic life, as well as in the transmission of folk beliefs and rituals. Confucius disseminated political ideology through school education. The main principles are a large population, a developed education, a rich population, which has a positive effect on the stability of the central government. To develop the economy, it is necessary to strengthen the education of the population and raise the cultural level. Confucius concludes that governing the country through the imposition of ethical and moral principles is more effective than governing through decrees and laws. Confucius believed that diligence in learning ensures a comfortable existence in the future. Confucius introduced his distorted view of the world. This gave its negative consequences. Typical "diseases" of Confucianism are moralising, and abstract thinking without concrete steps and consistent actions. Confucianism is a way of philosophising without practical and pragmatic rules that can be implemented step by step to achieve material success.

Keywords:religious ritual, state, ruler, education, rules of conduct.