Chinese President Xi Jinping Delivered an Address at the Great Hall

[icy]

China has become more liberal since the days of cultural revolution and is beginning to promote Chinese philosophy, Confucianism, along with other philosophies as well as Buddhism.  We see China spent enormous amount of money in restoration works in Buddhist temples around China.  I believe it is the beginning of Buddhist Renaissance in China once again.

Does anyone know if Confucianism is in anyway related to Buddhism?






In his remarks, Xi noted that, “Confucianism, along with other philosophies and cultures taking shape and growing within China, are records of spiritual experiences, rational thinking and cultural achievements of the nation during its striving to build its home.”

Xi voiced his respect for Confucius and traditional culture.
“If a country does not cherish its own thinking and culture, if its people lose their soul, no matter which country or which nation, it will not be able to stand.”

Xi was the first Chinese president to address an international conference on the ancient philosopher.
President Xi also used the event to address real world concerns and highlighted China’s need for and commitment to peace.

Observers quoted in the China Daily tended to be in complete agreement with the president. Zhang Jiang, an expert from the International Confucian Association and professor at Renmin University of China said that Confucianism emphasized openness and harmony, and Xi underscored such thoughts to assure the world that a growing China would not seek expansion or confrontation.

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For thousands of years, Confucius has been regarded as a symbol of China’s traditional culture, as well as the country’s intellectuals.

He was deified as a great sage in ancient China, and despised as a regressive pedant during the decade-long Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

After the reform and opening up policy in the late 1970s, respect of traditional Chinese culture has been restored and Confucius Institutes which operate at universities overseas, have become a feature of the Chinese culture going global.

[herukachoo]

As I understand it, Confucianism is basically the codification and transmission of traditional Chinese ideas about family loyalty and manners, extended to advice for public life. It has no particular connection with Buddhism, although when Buddhism came to China there was the usual part-argument and part-merging that happens whenever two philosophical traditions meet.

[Andrea Keating]

What I understand from my Chinese friends is that the Chinese regard the parents highly and one should always performed their filial duties to his parents.  In some sense, it is rather similar with Buddhism to always repay kindness of our parents. 

Kong Qui, better known as Confucius, was born in 551 B.C. in the Lu state of China. His teachings, preserved in the Analects, focused on creating ethical models of family and public interaction, and setting educational standards. He died in 479 B.C. Confucianism later became the official imperial philosophy of China, and was extremely influential during the Han, Tang and Song dynasties. His social philosophy was based primarily on the principle of "ren" or "loving others" while exercising self-discipline. He believed that ren could be put into action using the Golden Rule, "What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others."

However, the scholarly consensus is that Buddhism first came to China in the first century of the Common Era, that is, in the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) through missionaries from India. From that time on, Buddhism played a significant role in Chinese history up to and including modern times.

Based on that, it explains why both Confucianism and Buddhism are rooted deeply in the Chinese culture.