The thoughts of the Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 5th and 6th centuries BC had a tremendous influence across East Asia.

Over time, it was divided into several schools by later scholars. Although this philosophy contains many elements, they can be summarized very concisely as follows. Confucianism does not deny power asymmetry and instead adopts a structure that acknowledges the realistic imbalance between the strong and the weak. It was established as a moral theory that demands mercy and responsibility from the strong, and respect and conformity toward the rightful strong from the weak. (From this perspective, a revolution against a king who has failed to fulfill his duty is considered justified.) 

This structure was not intended to oppress the weak, but rather served as a philosophical mechanism to maintain overall order by placing a heavier moral responsibility on the strong. This order applies to society as a whole, including the state and the family, and the ancestor worship seen in Confucianism originates from this foundation. In modern times, the political influence of such ideas has disappeared, but they still retain some influence as a socio-cultural element.


He greatly improved a world that was full of barbarism such as human sacrifice. However, this is only a thing of the past.
But in my personal opinion, his thoughts are now outdated. His thoughts do not fit the modern era where democracy is important. According to my subjective view, half of the social problems in East Asia come from Confucianism.

What do you think about Confucius' thoughts?