Confucius
Confucius (551 B.C. to 479 B.C.), also known as Kong Qui or K'ung Fu-tzu, was a Chinese philosopher, teacher and political figure. His teachings, preserved in the Analects written by his followers after his death, focused on creating ethical models of family and public interaction and setting educational standards.
He is said to have defined five relationships:
- ruler and subject,
- father and son,
- husband and wife,
- older brother and younger brother, and
- friend and friend.
Only the relationship between a friend and friend was not a hierarchical relationship where one person has more power than the other. Each person has a distinct role and set of responsibilities.
The philosophy of Confucius, also known as Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, the correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. Confucianism is a socio-philosophical movement aimed at bettering society. Confucianism played an important role in forming Chinese character, behavior, and way of living. Its primary purpose was to achieve harmony during a time of social and political violent unrest in Chinese society. Confucianism strongly emphasizes mercy. The three pillars of Confucianism are filial devotion or piety, humaneness, and ritual or ritual consciousness. Respect for parents, filial piety, is considered the most fundamental of the Confucian values, the root of all others.
Confucius believed that in each relationship, the person with more power was required to exercise more responsibility for the other person using their power wisely, fairly and honestly for the betterment of all.