Confucianism originated from Zhou Rites. Zhou Li is the rule by which the Zhou royal family rules the world, and the hierarchy is very particular.
The emperor, princes, scholar-bureaucrats, common people, slaves.
Five levels, a mountain of rules.
The punishment is not as good as that of a doctor, and the courtesy is not as good as that of a common man.
Ancient famous sayings fully illustrate the limitations of Zhou rites.
Confucius studied Zhou rites and learned various corresponding rules. Confucius's disciple Sun Sun examined his words and deeds and compiled "Lun", which founded Confucianism.
From the beginning of its birth, Confucianism was marked by Zhou rites and had a strong hierarchical thinking. There has always been little respect for the status of the majority of workers. This unequal ideological understanding ultimately destroyed Confucianism.
The profession that does not value working people is called a lowly profession. This style of empty talk without pragmatism has always been the case from the birth of Confucianism to its collapse.
I am young and humble, so I am capable of many things.
Although Confucius grew up in poverty, he developed personal abilities in life. But in terms of thinking, he is too obsessed with retrospect and pursues official positions all his life, and he doesn't care much about the core of technical productivity.
Confucius, who grew up in troubled times and had seen the big world, was so ignorant, let alone his disciples and disciples who had less knowledge in later generations.
Confucianism, Mencius, Dongxue, New Learning, Neo-Confucianism, Mind Learning, Practical Learning.
Historically, Confucianism has evolved several times over the past two thousand years, with various theories emerging.
But all these are no match for the West.
Scientism, compulsory education.
As early as the 18th century, Germany had implemented compulsory education so that the lower classes of society could cultivate enough talents. Western countries followed suit and introduced compulsory education laws in the 19th century.
In contrast, China has not come up with this thing in its two thousand years. It is clear at a glance whether we are advanced or lagging behind.
Loving the past is not the present, being knowledgeable cannot be pragmatic. Teaching etiquette and enlightening children are meritorious.
Sima Tan’s comments on Confucianism are very profound.
Confucianism is not good at practical things, and its advantage is nothing more than enlightenment education. When the compulsory education law was enacted, Confucianism no longer had a competitive advantage, and its demise was only a matter of time.
When you love the past and can’t save it, you don’t seek the truth enough for your respect.
Confucianism is based on ancient rituals, which is not true enough in understanding the world. What is untrue cannot withstand the test of history.
Confucius deleted the Spring and Autumn Annals and changed the history books of the State of Lu, which set a bad precedent.
How can we face the world if we cannot seek truth from facts.
Practice is the only criterion for testing truth.
In history, when foreigners came to the west, they blasted the sky with cannons. The imperial examination system was abolished, Western study abroad flourished, and Confucianism disappeared.
It is not that there have never been great craftsmen in Chinese history. Mozi, the ancestor of the Mohist family, was a craftsman. The Mohist School flourished for hundreds of years during the Warring States Period and is famous throughout the world for its craftsmanship and organizational discipline.
Without a king and without a father, you are just a beast.
This is what Mencius said about Mohism. It can be seen that from the perspective of Confucianism, which is deeply rooted in hierarchy, people who seek equality are beasts.
Paying too much attention to the hierarchy will prevent talents at the lower levels of society from rising up and prevent society from progressing.
India's caste system has caused the decline of the ancient country for thousands of years, and it is still full of problems today.
China’s two thousand years of imperial rule, from the late Qin to the late Qing. From the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period when technology led the world, to the late Qing Dynasty when tens of thousands of foreigners could destroy China. In two thousand years, the residual poison of masters and slaves can be seen to be enough to cause civilization to regress.
China and India, the two ancient civilizations, are unable to select useful talents from the lower strata of society because their hierarchical systems are too stubborn. They all lost their countries and the world one after another, and were on the verge of extinction several times.
The Central Kingdom, which was strong for a while, was finally defeated by outsiders, which can only mean that it has already reached the brink of collapse. The backwardness and incompetence of the upper strata of society stifles all opportunities and efforts of the lower strata.
Zhou Li could not save the Zhou royal family, and Confucianism could not save China.
Things from the old era have too many old imprints and will eventually fade away with the times.
Confucianism had its advantages, but it perished precisely because its shortcomings were too great to remedy.
Win with the long and lose with the short. The history is very simple.