Influnce of Confucianism on Ancient China Society Essay

Influnce of Confucianism on Ancient China Society - Essay Example Based on his teachings, China later on went on to develop Confucianism, an ethical and philosophical system, which preaches about the importance of morality and other virtues like righteousness and honesty in one’s life (Lefande, pp. 1–10). People often refer to Confucianism as a religion since many people employ it as a sound ideology in their lives and govern their actions and decisions according to it. This ethical system or religion promoted a society where every person prioritizes the advancement of his or her personal virtue. Selflessness and honesty are amongst the few characteristics, which Confucianism holds in high esteem and promotes as ideals necessary for a healthy flourishing society. It believes that the best individual is the most ethically and morally sound individual (Hoobler and Hoobler, pp. 60). The influence of these teachings were spread widely even outside China. â€Å"They influenced the cultures and governments of Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and several other East Asian countries† (Lefande, pp. 1–10). This influence lasted centuries after the era of Confucius, and are venerated by people all over the world even now. However, to understand the true effect of Confucianism, one must analyze the effect it had on East Asia in the centuries that immediately followed the era of Confucius. The Influences on Society and Government One of the main reasons why Confucianism was so influential among East Asia was because it was based on ancient Chinese values, which are respected and in some cases shared by other countries in East Asia (Lefande, pp. 1–10). These include the mandate of heaven, veneration of ancestors, spirits, and rituals which China’s cultural heritage is based upon. Also, since it promoted a virtuous character for all people, not matter what stage of life they were at, it gained popularity as the people saw it as a reasonable system according to which they could live. People belonging to higher tiers of society would use the principles taught by Confucianism such as loyalty, honesty, and selflessness to boost their image in the public as well as to train them in order to gain positions in the government. This affected the government, as the people wishing to become a part of it would do so by improving themselves on moral grounds, thus making themselves examples for others to follow and desirable leaders (Lefande, pp. 1–10). This also had a similar effect on lower rungs of society, such as peasants and farmers. The principles of morality and virtue also became famous amongst them as they learned that following these principles was beneficial to them not only on an individual and on a family level, but also immensely improved the society as a whole. With such desirable results and influences, this religion quickly spread over China as well as several other East Asian countries. It was so well adapted into the culture of the Chinese that even today; the Chines e have taken their culture with them. Places dominated by a Chinese population such as Singapore also stand heavily influenced by the teachings of Confucianism today. Another way in which Confucianism had a major effect on government as well as society of China was through its promotion of education. According to the principles taught by Confucius, it helped polish the character of a person if he or she gained a proper education. This was one of the