Confucianism emphasizes the role of education, and thinks that attaching importance to education and neglecting punishment is the only way for the country to be stable and the people to be rich and happy. Advocate "education without class", both the ruler and the ruled should be educated, so that the whole country can become a virtuous person.
Politically, he also advocated ruling the country by courtesy and convincing people by virtue, and called for the restoration of the "Zhou Li", which he thought was the ideal way to realize ideal politics. By the Warring States period, there were eight schools of Confucianism, among which Mencius and Xunzi were the most important.
The founder of Confucianism is Confucius. Confucius, surnamed Kong, was born in Qufu, Shandong Province at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, and was honored as a "model for all generations" by later generations. The core of his theory is "benevolence", he advocates "love" and asks people to love each other and live in harmony; To achieve' benevolence', we must be tolerant of others, "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you." The principle of the system or behavior that embodies benevolence is "self-denial and courtesy". Confucius initiated private education and advocated "teaching without distinction" and "teaching students in accordance with their aptitude". He believes that everyone, rich or poor, has the right to education. At the same time, it also broke the situation of aristocratic monopoly of cultural education. Confucius advocated that the rulers should observe the people's feelings, cherish the people's strength, "run the country by virtue" and "save money and love the people" so that the people can "eat enough" and the country can "foot soldiers" to win the trust of the people. He opposed tyranny and arbitrary execution. This kind of thought contains people-oriented thought, and it is also the moral ethics advocated by him. Pay attention to moral education, especially personal cultivation, emphasize caring for others, and restrain your behavior with social norms.
Works: The Five Classics of the Spring and Autumn Annals compiled by Confucius: Poetry, Calligraphy, Ceremony, Yi and Yue, together with the Spring and Autumn Annals, are called "Six Classics" by later generations. Among them, Yue died later, and the existing poems, books, rites, changes and spring and autumn are collectively called the Five Classics.
The Confucian school split after Confucius, and Mencius became a representative figure in the mid-Warring States period. Mencius, alias Ke, was born in Zou during the Warring States Period. He is a disciple of Confucius' first grandson, Zisi (named Kong Ji) and is called "Ya Sheng". Mencius' thought was retro and retrogressive, which was considered inappropriate by many rulers at that time. He advocated "benevolent government" and further put forward that "the people are the most important, followed by the state; Junqing. " His ethics is "human nature is good".
Xunzi was the representative figure of Confucianism in the Warring States Period. Xunzi's reputation was honored as Xun Qing. Politically, he advocated "benevolence and righteousness", "kingliness" and "serving people with virtue", and put forward that "a monarch can swim in the water while living in Shu Ren". The knife cuts bread and fingers. "Philosophically, we also insist on' Heaven has things' and' using destiny'. Xunzi believes that people are born with sensory requirements. They need to eat when they are hungry and wear clothes when they are cold, which forms people's natural demand for "being good at profit" and "being good at music". However, by studying etiquette and the rule of law, we can turn villains into gentlemen and ordinary people into saints. Xunzi's thought is called "theory of evil nature" Xunzi reformed Confucianism, blending the positive and reasonable elements of Legalism and Taoism, making Confucianism more suitable for the needs of society.
Mencius and Xunzi summarized and reformed Confucianism, absorbed some positive and reasonable elements from other schools, and made the Confucian system more complete and Confucianism more suitable for the needs of society. Confucianism at the end of the Warring States period has developed into a mass in which a hundred schools of thought contend!
Representative figures: Confucius, Mencius and Xunzi.