Confucianism

This school of Chinese philosophy was founded by K’ung Tzu, who was also called Confucius,
born in 551 B.C and died in 479 B.C. Confucius is considered the china’s first private teacher
with many students under him. His works were recorded by Lun Yu; his student. This school was
delighted in the study of human heartedness that is the art study.
Confucius was mainly a teacher who transmits the cultural heritage of he ancient to his
disciples1 and was considered as the first to offer education to all. He taught about the
rectification of names as being crucial to the proper to the proper ordering of the society.
Everyone to fulfill their social responsibilities and duties as they are described by their names.
The Confucianism had a guiding theory ‘’doing for nothing’’ which to them means acting rightly
without any personal gain or profit. To them, the value of doing lies in doing itself not in some
external result. This they called, ‘knowing ming’ , acting good to others. Do not do to others
what you do not want them to do to you.2 This was described by Tseng Tzu; the student to
Confucius.
On the human and its nature, Hsun Tzu say that the original nature of man is evil hence needs
to be controlled through laws and rules.3 On contrary, Mencius teaches that human nature is
good, that evil is not inborn but is as a result of one’s own failure. Kao Tzu on the other hand
says that human is in itself neither good nor bad, that morality is just an artificial addition not
belonging to man’s inner nature, that love should begin from the family.

1
Introduction to philosophy by Maurice Makumba page 200
2
Introduction to philosophy by Maurice Makumba page 202
3
Introduction to philosophy by Maurice Makumba page 203