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Confucius And The Culture Of East Asian Countries

Decent Essays

It is amazing that after many centuries, Confucius still holds a very influential position in society and that his teachings are still being practiced within a countries culture to the extent that it has adapted to the society. Confucius is an influential Chinese philosopher and his teachings have become a guideline for people in East Asia to live their life in a certain way. Confucius beliefs focus strongly on morality and ethics for one self, but his practices have proved to become universal and this can be seen in social and political situations in East Asian countries. These ideals hold great power in political thought and the government because the practices are oftentimes used to determine how to govern the country. He had disciples …show more content…

Confucius beliefs are not set in stone and it is up to the individual whether or not they want to oblige to the practices but in most cases, East Asians follow them as if law. “Goodness can be taught and learned, and that society can only be in harmony and at peace under the guidance of wisdom” (Yao 26). The traditions practiced by the cultures in East Asia can be seen through the model of a balanced life. Balance begins with the self and society and balance is about finding a midpoint through two opposing forces. Human beings have great potential but they have their limits and this is a core issue in finding a balance in one’s life. Virtue in this case is the balance. One must be able to balance the interests of the self and others in order to find harmony within the community. This situation is relatable to the relationship between rulers and the rules because the ruler must find a balance when creating a rule so that citizens will oblige to the rule. Sometimes there may have to be a compromise if the people are unhappy with the rules set in place by the ruler, but there has to be some sort of balance within both sides interests. Confucianism is a way of thinking and acting, especially in political situations but it is clear that there is a different perspective on his beliefs between differing countries. “For some, Confucianism is not a religion because it focuses on interpersonal relationships, rather

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