Misunderstandings of the twentieth century criticism of Confucianism

Misunderstandings of Confucianism in the twentieth century include being a representative of conservatism, a representative of feudalism, and an authoritarian system of thought.

1. Misunderstanding of Confucianism as a Representative of Conservatism

Confucianism is considered to be the main system of thought in traditional Chinese society, and is therefore misunderstood as a representative of conservatism. However, Confucianism is not an unchanging fixation on old ideas, but has evolved and developed in different historical periods and social contexts.

Confucianism focuses on human cultivation and the cultivation of moral qualities, emphasizing the way of the gentleman, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faith, which are of positive significance to the progress and development of society and the individual.

2. Misunderstanding of Confucianism as a representative of feudalism

Confucianism has been misunderstood as a system of thought of feudal society, which is contrary to modern society and democratic values. However, Confucianism is not entirely equivalent to feudal thought; it also contains many thoughts and ideas about human rights, democracy and social justice.

The core values of Confucianism, such as benevolence, justice, loyalty and filial piety, are still important for the construction and development of modern society.

3. Misunderstanding of Confucianism as an authoritarian system of thought

Confucianism has been misinterpreted as a system of thought that emphasizes authority and hierarchy, which is contrary to individual freedom and equality. However, Confucianism emphasizes the morality of the gentleman and the establishment of social order, rather than simply emphasizing the maintenance of authority. The idea of Confucianism is to promote social order and public **** interest through morality and indoctrination, rather than through coercion and suppression.

Representative Figures of Confucianism:

1. Confucius (551 B.C.-479 B.C.

The founder of Confucianism, honored as "The Sage". He advocated the core values of "benevolence," "propriety," and "honesty," emphasized personal cultivation and social morality, and is regarded as the great teacher of ancient Chinese culture.

2. Mencius (372 B.C.-289 B.C.

A major thinker in Confucianism, Mencius was honored as the "Sage after the Sage". He inherited and developed the ideas of Confucius, and put forward the ideas of "goodness of nature" and "cultivating one's moral character, aligning the family, ruling the country, and leveling the world", advocating the inherent goodness of human nature, and focusing on personal cultivation and social responsibility.

3. Zhu Xi (1130-1200)

Song Dynasty Confucian scholar, honored as "Zhu Zi". He conducted in-depth study and systematic organization of Confucianism, and put forward the idea of "Rixue", which emphasized the unity of rationality and morality, and carried forward the Confucian tradition of thought.

4. Wang Yangming (1472-1529)

The Ming Dynasty Confucian scholar, known as "Mr. Yangming". He put forward the idea of "psychology" and advocated "conscience", emphasizing the importance of human inner intuition and moral self-awareness, which had a significant impact on the development of Confucianism.