Confucianism: Philosophy or Religion?

[Arinya]

I am writing a paper about Confucianism and I'm taking the stand that it's a philosophy, but I didn't realize until I came to my East Asian History to the 1800's class that many see it as strictly a religion. So, what do you see it as and why?
And there's a poll!

[Hairball]

It is a philosophy. The only thing he ever said about an afterlife was that we know very little about this life and that our life on earth should be a concern. But he put an emphasis on the veneration of ancestors which eventually became an ancestor worship in popular culture. Chinese popular culture can turn anything into a religion, but it certainly wasnt intended that way.

[MoonDragn]

Confucianism has always been a philosophy, it was never viewed as a relgion. Taoism however, due to its reverence of nature, has become a relgion from its philosophical origins.

[Arinya]

Confucianism has always been a philosophy, it was never viewed as a relgion. Taoism however, due to its reverence of nature, has become a relgion from its philosophical origins.

That and Neo-Taoism brought about the addition of deities to Taoism (kitchen god, door god, etc.) but these are mostly only celebrated around times of festival.

For the record, I believe Confucianism is a philosophy. One of the arguments I have been hearing from those that feel it is a religion is that Confucious speaks of "ancestor worship" (which I consider to just be respecting and honoring of ones ancestors) and of the way/heaven although I don't feel that is a "god" in the sense that others do.

[arctic splash]

This subject has been brought up on a previous thread. I really think it depends on who you talk to... some people follow Confucianism in a very religious way (and there is the term "Religious Confucianism" to separate it from purely philosophical Confucianism). If you read the Analects of Confucius, it looks more philosophical than religious. If you read some of the Neo-Confucian writers, like the brothers who brought concepts like li and chi into Confucian thought, you begin to see more religious ideas involved.

But what is religion? I think that's the first question. Whether it was 'intended' to be a religion seems irrelevant to me. The word "religion" is a Western word, anyway, so what exactly does that mean?

I also don't think a system needs to consider the afterlife in order to be considered religion. Many religions have negated this world in favour of the transcendental. "This world isn't real." I wish I saw more people religiously experiencing *this* world, finding their experiences here sacred, making the most of life in this human body, making the most of every moment, and finding the afterlife a secondary concern (or not a concern at all).

[Oak King]

It's a philosphy, the major one in China and it is followed by Daoism. It is one of 3 different things, including Daoism that the Chinese believe to encompass a complete system.

[memnoch]

I am writing a paper about Confucianism and I'm taking the stand that it's a philosophy, but I didn't realize until I came to my East Asian History to the 1800's class that many see it as strictly a religion. So, what do you see it as and why?
And there's a poll!

its a relgion to the same extent that many "religions" are. I believe everyone uses philosophy to declare religion

[Isa]

Strictly speaking it's a philosophy. I think the "religion" thing comes from the ambiguous nature of religion in general in many Asian cultures. Most religious practices in China are not strictly "Confucian" or "Buddhist" or "Taoist" but a hybrid of the three.

[Zophael]

The cosmology of Confucianism has it's roots in Taoism, therefore it lies somewhere between religion and philosophy.

[Lupercus]

:hmmmmm: My opinion of Confucianism is that it both, Confucians admit it quite readily. As far as one direction or the other, it is more philosophy than religion.

[Dead Dogs]

I've always thought of it as a political & social philosophy aimed at creating order and stability.