11

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region V
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF SORSOGON
Pilar Cluster

Learning Activity Sheet Number No. 11

Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET 4

Name of Student: Grade and Section:

___________________________ ________________________

CONFUCIANISM
I. LEARNING SKILLS

A. Most Essential Learning Competency:

1. Analyze the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related
issues of Confucianism.

B. Objectives:
1. Identify the essential elements of Confucianism such as its founder, sacred texts, core
teaching, and related issues.
2. Present a character sketch of a person who personifies the Confucian virtues.
3. Show importance to Confucianism’s legacy to world culture.

II. INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT

In learning activity sheet 10, you have learned how the two Buddhist sects- Theravada
and Mahayana Buddhism- share some similarities with regard to their belief in dharma, origin,
morality, purpose and views on women.
In this learning activity sheet, we will discuss about a religion that emerged just beyond
the border of India-in China- which is known as Confucianism.

CONFUCIANISM

Life and Times of Confucius

Confucius is the Latinized version of Kongzi and the honorific Kong
Fuzi both meaning “Master Kong.” He was born on September 28 on 551
B.C.E. Hence, it is considered a day of celebration in East Asia—an
official holiday in Taiwan (Teacher’s Day), and a day of cultural celebration
in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Confucius was born in a
small feudal state of Lu (now Shantung province) in Qufu. His personal
name was Qiu and his family name was Kong. He came from a noble
family, but by the time of his birth, they had already lost much of their
wealth. His first teacher was his mother, and at the age of 15 he set his
heart upon learning, thus love of learning became one of the highest https://bit.ly/3c6fcpQ
virtues in Confucian ethics. He married at the age of 19 and had a son at the age of 20. At this

1
point in his life, he had already served in minor government posts and had already gained a
reputation as an all-around scholar. When he was in his 30s he had already started a brilliant
teaching career because of his mastery of the arts of ritual, music, archery, charioteering,
calligraphy, and arithmetic. He was also familiar with classical tradition, particularly in poetry
and history. He is often considered as the first person to devote his whole life to learning and
teaching for the purpose of social transformation and improvement. He held several
government positions including as arbiter, assistant minister of public works, and minister of
justice in the state of Lu. Frustrated that his ideals and policies were brushed off by his
superiors, he soon left Lu. For 13 years, he wandered from state to state, trying to put his
theories to practice. At 67, he returned home to teach (where he gained more disciples) and
to preserve his classical traditions by writing and editing. He died in 479 B.C.E at the age of
73 and he left around 3,000 followers who preserved and put his other teachings to writing. It
is believed that his ideas were documented in writing by a successor known as Mencius.
Confucius lived during a critical time in Chinese history called the Warring States
period (475–221 BCE) during which several states fought against each other in an attempt to
expand their influence over what is now China. It was out of this period that the China known
today emerged in the third century BCE under the unification of the Qin Empire. While several
important schools of thought emerged at this time, the ideas developed by Confucius had
lasting impact for China and the entire region. After his death, varying successors and
adherents contributed to the spread of the Confucian tradition. As with many great schools of
thought, continued debate and discussion about Confucius’ ideas have kept his teachings
alive.

SACRED SCRIPTURES: THE CONFUCIAN CLASSICS

The Five Classics are a group of books which was regarded as early Confucianism’s
basic texts. This includes the Book of Changes, the Book of History, the Book of Poetry, the
Classic of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Analects is also considered an
important source of Confucian teachings since it contains a record of his conversations with
his disciples. Let us now take a look at what these classics are all about.
Confucius has often been considered as the author or editor of the Classics, but
contemporary scholarship has shown that even though many of these texts can be traced
back to Confucius, they have undergone a long period of development. Moreover, these
Classics were burned during the reign of the Qin dynasty and was restored only during the
Han dynasty. It was Confucius’ followers who exerted effort in writing and collating his
teachings and philosophies.

Book of Changes
Also known as the I-Ching, the Book of Changes is believed to have existed at the time
of Confucius and is the oldest of the Classics. It focuses on short predictions following a type
of divination called cleromancy wherein six random numbers are picked and arranged under
sixty-four hexagrams.

Book of History
Also known as the Book of Documents or Shangshu, the Book of History is
conventionally attributed to Confucius by early scholars. It is composed of speeches (or prose)
of royalty and ministers mainly from the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Book of Poetry
The Book of Poetry, also known as the Book of Songs/Odes/Shijing, is a collection of
three hundred and five songs compiled around 600 B.C.E. which includes four sections of
various themes such as love, courtship, abandonment and dances. It also includes feast songs
or state chants.

Classic of Rites

2
 Originally the Three Li/Three Rites/San Li, the Classic of Rites is a compilation of
ceremonial rituals, administration, and social forms of the Zhou Dynasty. It is considered as a
complete body of work which includes the Ceremonials (I-li/Yili), an early manual of protocol
for the nobility, describing such occasions as marriages and funerals, sacrifices and even
archery competitions.

Analects
The Analects, or Lunyu (“conversations” or “sayings”), is also known as the Analects
of Confucius. It is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher
Confucius and his contemporaries, traditionally believed to have been written by Confucius'
followers. It is believed to have been written during the Warring States period (475 B.C.E.-221
B.C.E.) and finalized during the middle of the Han dynasty. At first it was considered as merely
a commentary on the Five Classics, but later on acquired tremendous significance that it has
been classified as one of the Four Books along with Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean,
and Book of Mencius. Among other important Confucian works, it has become an influential
canonical resource in Chinese and East Asian philosophy.

CONFUCIAN DOCTRINES/BELIEFS
Perhaps Confucius is more often celebrated for his Golden Rule: “Do not do unto
others what you would not have them do unto you.” Found in the Analects, this saying teaches
the ethics of mutuality and reciprocity. Thus, it requires people to treat others equal to
themselves and in equally the same manner as they would have wanted to be treated. Some
of the most important Confucian doctrines include the idea of Tian or heaven; human nature;
rectification of names; the five constants; filial piety; and ancestor worship.

Rectification of Names
Confucius believed that to return to the ancient Dao, people must play their assigned
roles in society. This was later called the rectification of names, or zhengming, The Five
Relationships include: 1) ruler-subject; 2) father-son; 3) husband-wife; 4) elder and younger
brother; and 5) friend and friend. The responsibilities originating from these relationships are
shared and reciprocal. For example, a minister owes loyalty to his ruler, and a child owes filial
respect to the parent. In return, rulers must care for their subjects, and parents must care for
their children. The Five Relationships emphasize the upright sense of hierarchy. Among
friends, for example, seniority of age requires a certain deference. Zhengming helps bring
social order for it advocates the idea that every person has a particular role at a particular time
in life, and that by abiding to this particular role, one is able to fulfil one’s social duties and
responsibilities, thus creating social harmony.

The Five Constants

The Five Constants, also known as the Five Classical Virtues, or Wuchang, are the
five most important Confucian ethics mentioned in the Analects and the Book of Mencius.
These include the following: ren or benevolence; yi or righteousness; li or propriety; zhi or
knowledge/wisdom; and xin or fidelity. Ren, or benevolence, can be achieved by returning to
li, or the traditional Chinese rituals. It means following the social hierarchy patterned after
family relationships. Ren can also be achieved by extending one’s filial love for parents and
siblings to fellow human beings. It can also be achieved by avoiding envy or harm. Yi, or
righteousness, can be achieved by having the moral disposition to do good, which can only
be possible after recognizing what is right and good. It can also be achieved through the ability
to feel what is the right thing to do. Li, or propriety, which is considered as the concrete guide
to human action and social order, can be achieved by following the guide to human
relationships (rectification of names, doctrine of the mean, The Five Relationships); it can also
be achieved by following the norms of ren, or righteousness. Zhi, or knowledge/wisdom, can
be achieved by knowing what is right and what is wrong, which is innate in people who are
basically good according to Mencius. Lastly, xin, or fidelity can be achieved by keeping one’s

3
word and being faithful, for Kung Fuzi believed that only people who are faithful can be trusted
with important tasks. Fidelity is also seen as the key to nation-building.

Filial Piety as an Important Virtue

For Confucius, family relations provide a model for social behavior. Respect for elders,
whether your own or others, is emphasized, as well as kindness to your own children and
juniors, including those of others. These were said to be instructed by Mencius and have
provided inspiration for generations of Confucians. Filial piety is said to have provided China
with a strong sense of solidarity not only in the Chinese family, but also in Confucian social
organizations and even among Chinese communities in different parts of the world. Ancestor
worship is a manifestation of filial piety, or respect for one’s parents, which is directed toward
older relatives and ancestors. The idea of ancestor worship is based on the key Confucian
idea that it is expected of children to respect and obey their parents in life, and to continue
remembering them after they have died through the proper observance of rituals. One way to
remember them is by worshipping ancestral tablets which can be kept at home. These
ancestral tablets contain the information regarding the place where the family originated and
the names of the ancestors. Another way to remember ancestors is to worship them in their
graves. People occasionally visit the graves of their loved ones, clean the graves, offer food
and wine. The ancestors were believed to have tasted the food before the whole family eat
the meal being offered. Ancestor worship is an expression of a union between the living and
the loved one, clearly a manifestation of filial piety.
The concept of hun-po or soul is important in Chinese cosmology and early concept of
dualism. Accordingly, the human being is made up of two souls: an upper or intellectual soul
(hun) which becomes the spirit (shen) and climbs to the world above; and a lower soul (po),
which becomes the ghost and goes down with the body into the grave. Thus, ancestor worship
is important because of the belief that even the bodies of the dead ancestors possess souls
which need to be worshipped and revered

WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES

The Book of Rites recorded the rituals practiced by the Chinese for many centuries.
Some of these rituals have been classified under Family Rituals, also known as the “Four
Rites,” which are rituals or ceremonies that characterize a person’s growth and maturity,
namely: coming of age rites, marriage ceremonies, mourning rites, and sacrificial rituals. Many
of these rituals are no longer observed, but they offer functional proof of the religious nature
of Confucianism.

Four Rites

COMING OF AGE RITES are ceremonies held to signify that a young person has
reached the marriageable age and could join the different activities of his/her clan as an adult.
Two important coming of age rites among the Chinese are capping and hair pinning
ceremonies.

Capping refers to doing the male teenager’s hair in a bun/coil and wearing a cap. This
is a ritual that male teenagers have to go through sometime between the ages of 15 and 20.
In this occasion, a male Chinese receives his formal hat and ceremonial gown, as well as his
formal name. Also, a wine libation (a drink poured out as an offering to the deity) is made and
the young man is formally introduced to his ancestors.

Hair Pinning refers to the gathering of a girl’s hair into a knot, and securing it using a
hairpin or a hairclip; often done by 16-year-old women after engagement and before their
wedding day.

4
 MOURNING RITES often involve intricate practices, which include the following steps:
First, there should be public announcement of grief through weeping, and the wearing of white
funeral clothes by the family of the deceased. Mourning also constitutes the offering of
symbolic goods like money and food from the living to the dead, preparation and setting up of
a spirit tablet, payment of ritual experts, the playing of music and chanting of scriptures to
accompany the corpse and to pacify the spirit, the sealing of the corpse in a coffin, and the
removal of the coffin from the community. There is also a tradition of exerting effort to recover
the deceased, which is being practiced to avoid false death. They do this by trying to call or
shout over the wandering soul through the person’s clothes, in case the soul just lost its way
back to the body of the person.

MARRIAGE CEREMONIES are an important aspect of Chinese culture since marriage

is considered as a central feature of society; through marriage, patience and love are
cultivated to promote the right virtue. Traditionally, a marriage is decided by the parents of the
couple, with wealth and social status as the primary considerations. Monogamy is preferred,
which means married couples should be loyal to their partners for the rest of their lives.
Marriage rituals include giving of gifts and following the necessary etiquettes, from marriage
proposal to the wedding ceremony itself, in which the groom and his family meet the bride at
her home, after the bride sent the dowry to the groom’s house; on the wedding day, rites
include carrying the bride to the sedan and the couple leading the festivity at the bridal
chamber; on the wedding night, friends, and relatives are supposed to banter the couple; and
on the third day, the couple would go back to the bride’s parents’ home to pay respect.

SACRIFICIAL RITUALS are performed regularly by the descendants of the deceased

ancestors. Sacrifices are often given at festivals. One such festival is the Qingming Festival
celebrated annually by Chinese all over the world to honor their dead. Qing Ming means “clear
and bright” which describes the weather on that particular day of the year. It is observed by
visiting the ancestor’s grave to clean and repair it, and through offertories, such as food, fruit,
wine, incense, or candles. Descendants of the deceased normally bury their ancestors with
belongings that they wanted to be transported to the spirit world with the dead. During ancient
times, some royal families put bronze vessels, oracle bones, and human or animal sacrifices
in the grave. These were considered as things one may need in the spirit world and as a form
of continued filial piety. It is the oldest and most enduring Confucian ritual still observed today.

SELECTED ISSUES

Certain issues arise when we try to reconsider the relevance of Confucianism and Neo-
Confucianism. One characteristic of the Confucian social order is the fixed and strict hierarchy,
with the higher partners being composed of men—fathers, husbands, and rulers exercising
righter and privilege over women who are placed in a subordinate position. Another issue
related to hierarchy would be authoritarianism, which was an influence of the philosophy of
Legalism and which became the guiding principle of the Chinese government during the Qin
dynasty. Still, the issue of Confucianism’s incompatibility with environmentalism is another
aspect being analyzed by scholars.

Female Subordination

It is often said that a woman’s life under Confucianism can be summed up in three
periods, also known as the “Three Obediences:” obedience to her father while at home;
obedience to her husband when married; and obedience to her son when widowed. Women,
being at the bottom of the Confucian hierarchy, are expected to display ideal behavior and
accommodation. They are expected to demonstrate obedience before all other virtues and are
not expected to act as independent beings. Women lived separately from men by custom.
Women were also assigned the role of providing a male heir to ensure the continuation of the
tradition that male children should perform the ancestral rites. This also excuses the husband

5
to take on secondary wives if the first wife failed to provide him with a son, while women were
not allowed to see other men other than their husbands and close male relatives. In the “Five
Relationships,” it is very clear that the relationship between husband and wife should be based
on male supremacy. In the Book of Changes, the male-female relationship is represented in
terms of the superiority of heaven over inferior earth. The patriarchal nature of Confucianism
is manifested in certain beliefs like preference for male children. Men are expected to inherit
the family names and property, and are responsible for the care of their parents, that is why
having male children is preferred. For one, women are the ones expected to give dowry to the
family of their groom when they get married, and among poor families, having female children
has become a burden rather than a blessing. This also paved the way for more cases of female
infanticide and abortion every year (although abortion is prohibited in Confucianism except in
cases when the life of the mother is at risk). Implementation of the one-child policy by the
Chinese government in the 1970s and the 1980s made it even worse for women. Some would
say that despite the elevation of the status of women in China during the time of communist
rule, the one-child policy paved the way for the return of Confucian values and made it once
again trendy not to have girls. If the parents have a daughter for a first born, they would often
try to have a son. If the first three children were girls, it is not unusual to keep the first girl, give
away the second girl, and abort the third girl. For critics, it is obvious that the more Confucian
the society became, the less freedom the women enjoyed.

Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is another challenge that Confucianism still faces at present. Because

Confucianism stresses the hierarchy between relationships, this has reinforced top-down
values and hierarchical systems by encouraging deference to one’s superiors—ruler, father,
teacher, or anyone older. When Confucian values are used to suppress opposition, thwart
fresh ideas to surface, or to protect apathy, then Confucianism poses a serious threat to the
development of society and the flourishing of democracy. Confucianism has been criticized
on the issue of father-son relationship, especially on the aspect of allowing the bad behavior
of a father and requiring the son to accept it when this occurs. After all, Confucianism teaches
that a father must be respected at all costs and a son must obey his father no matter what.
This suggests that children must not question the authority of their parents and simply accept
their subordinate status. When they become parents, the son will become a father hence that
is the time that he will enjoy a superior status over his son. Meanwhile, the daughter, when
she becomes a mother, will continue to be in an inferior position, this time to her husband.

Environmental Ethics

One more issue that Confucianism faces today is that of environmentalism. While it is
true that Confucianism advocates respect for the environment, its acceptance of people’s
dominance of nature poses a threat to the issue. The Analects mentioned the subordination
of animals to social interests. Some experts also say that when faced with the dilemma
between maintaining social duties and the environment, Confucianism would lead one to
choose the former than the latter. Confucian logic would give priority to defense of social duties
over environmental protection.

What Role Does Confucianism Play Today?

Confucius is one of the world’s most influential philosophers. Today, his philosophy
continues to influence large groups of people across Asia and throughout the world. Countries
that show the most significant imprint of Confucianism are China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
Confucianism manifests itself in the way children defer to their elders and parents (filial piety)
and in the hierarchical structure within offices among employees of different ages and levels
of experience. Confucianism also plays a role in the expectations people place upon
government and upon its legitimacy.

6
III. ACTIVITIES

A. Practice Tasks
Task 1: Copy the given diagram in your notebook and supply it with the missing concepts.

THE FIVE RELATIONSHIPS

(Zhengming)

Task 2: Fill in the needed information about the Five Constants.

Ways You Can

Five English
Ways of Achieving It Demonstrate/Show These
Constants Equivalent
Virtues in Your Life
1. ren benevolence Returning to li, or Learners’ response may
traditional Chinese vary
rituals/Following the
social hierarchy
patterned after family
relationships/extending
one’s filial love for
parents and siblings to
fellow human
beings/avoiding envy or
harm.
2. yi righteousness having the moral Learners’ response may
disposition to do vary
good/ability to feel what
is the right thing to do
3. li propriety following the guide to Learners’ response may
human relationships vary
(rectification of names,
doctrine of the
mean/following the
norms of ren, or
righteousness
4. zhi knowledge knowing what is right and Learners’ response may
what is wrong vary
5. xin fidelity keeping one’s word and Learners’ response may
being faithful vary

7
Performance Task: Character Sketch
Directions: Create a character sketch of a person who personifies the Confucian virtues. Your
output should be written in the attached Performance Task template and it will be graded
according to the following rubric below.
Needs Very
Criteria Fair Good
work good
1. Includes basic facts about the character’s background
and a description of his/her physical appearance and 1 2 3 4
personality
2. Includes a description of the character’s thoughts,
1 2 3 4
feelings, and actions
3. Vocabulary (e.g. range of vocabulary, inclusion of
1 2 3 4
specific details)
4. Grammar (e.g. use of appropriate verb tense, subject-
1 2 3 4
verb agreement)
5. Mechanics (e.g. spelling, capitalization, punctuation) 1 2 3 4
Rubric adopted from www.edb.gov.h
The sketch shown below may serve as a guide for you to draft your character sketch.

https://pageintraining.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/character-sketches/

The reading below may also help you create your character.
HOW TO WRITE A CHARACTER SKETCH
Get inside your character's head
A character sketch is a quick rendering of a character, and writing a sketch is about
asking and answering questions. In order to write a character sketch, you must ask yourself
questions about your character.

8
Who is your character physically?
Physical characteristics are the first things we notice when we meet someone.
Therefore, this is a good starting point when writing a character sketch. Is your character a
woman or a man? Is he or she tall or short? Is your character bald? How old is your character?
Does he or she have a disability?

What is your character doing?

This is the next question to ask because it brings into account other aspects of story
writing such as setting and time. The answer to this question will also affect other aspects of
your sketch, such as what your character is wearing or how he or she is feeling. Is your
character walking down the street? Is he or she sitting in a park? Is your character working on
a boat? Asking what your character is doing will not only help you understand your character,
but also his or her relationship to the setting in your story.

What is your character feeling?

This is probably one of the more complex questions you can ask about your character.
Is your character angry? Is he or she happy, sad, tired, or depressed? Does your character
love something or someone? Asking questions about your character's emotional life might
evolve into the production of a character history.

B. Assessment
Directions: Read each item carefully. Match Column A with Column B and write your chosen
letter of the correct answer on the blank provided.

Column A Column B
___1. It is the Latinized version of Kongzi and the honorific a. The Book of
Kong Fuzi both meaning “Master Kong. Changes
___2. These are a group of books which was regarded b. Analects
as early Confucianism’s basic texts.
___3. It is also known as the I-Ching, and is believed to c. Coming of Age
have existed at the time of Confucius and is the oldest of the Rites
Classics.
___4. It is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to d. rectification of
Confucius and his contemporaries, traditionally believed to names
have been written by Confucius' followers.
___5. According to Confucius, people must play their assigned e. Environmental
roles in society which was called the zhengming or Ethics
_____________.
___6. Also known as the Five Classical Virtues, or Wuchang, f. Five Constants
these are the five most important Confucian ethics
mentioned in the Analects and the Book of Mencius.
___7. These are ceremonies held to signify that a young person g. Authoritarianism
has reached the marriageable age and could join the
different activities of his/her clan as an adult.
___8. An issue in Confucianism where women, being at the bottom h. Female
of the Confucian hierarchy, are expected to display ideal Subordination
behavior and accommodation.
___9. Another issue in Confucianism which encourages deference i. Confucius
to one’s superiors—ruler, father, teacher, or anyone older.
___10. Confucianism’s acceptance of people’s dominance j. The Five Classics
of nature poses a threat to this religion’s selected issue.

9
IV. ANSWER KEY
A. Practice Tasks
Task 1: Copy the given diagram in your notebook and supply it with the missing concepts.

THE FIVE RELATIONSHIPS

(Zhengming)

elder and younger

ruler-subject father-son husband-wife friend and friend
brother

Task 2: Fill in the needed information about the Five Constants.

Ways You Can

Five English
Ways of Achieving It Demonstrate/Show These
Constants Equivalent
Virtues in Your Life
1. ren benevolence Returning to li, or traditional Chinese Learners’ response may vary
rituals/Following the social hierarchy
patterned after family
relationships/extending one’s filial love for
parents and siblings to fellow human
beings/avoiding envy or harm.
2. yi righteousness having the moral disposition to do Learners’ response may vary
good/ability to feel what is the right thing to
do
3. li propriety following the guide to human relationships Learners’ response may vary
(rectification of names, doctrine of the
mean/following the norms of ren, or
righteousness
4. zhi knowledge knowing what is right and what is wrong Learners’ response may vary
5. xin fidelity keeping one’s word and being faithful Learners’ response may vary

Performance Task: Character Sketch

Answer may vary

B. Assessment
1. I 2. J 3. A 4. B 5. D 6. F 7. C 8. H 9. G 10. E

V. REFLECTIONS/COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS

Complete the following phrases.

I have learned that _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
I have realized that _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
I will apply ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

10
VI. REFERENCES

TEACHER’S GUIDE
Most Essential Learning Competency

BOOK
Jose, Mary Dorothy dL. and Jerome Ong. Introduction to World Religions and Belief
Systems Textbook. Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc., Haus of Serah Printing and
Trading Corp, 2016.

INTERNET SOURCES/PICTURES
“How to Write a Character Sketch.” scribendi.com. https://www.scribendi.com/
academy/articles/how_to_write_a_character_sketch.en.html. (accessed September
17, 2020).

MODULE
Alternative Deliver Mode, First Edition, 2020

Prepared by:

JHAN MARK O. LOGENIO

MT-II
Abucay NHS

Quality Assured by:

CERELINA T. MESTIOLA RICKY MILLARES

MT-I, Pilar NCHS MT-I, Salvacion NHS

ROMMEL L. LLEVA ELENOR M. OBLIGAR

TIC, Palanas NHS Principal II, Abucay NHS

11