Confucianism is the most influential school in ancient China after Dong Zhongshu's "exclusive respect for Confucianism". Confucianism, as the embodiment of China's inherent value system, is not an academic or school in the usual sense. Generally speaking, especially in the pre-Qin period, although Confucianism is the most influential school, it is only one of the philosophers, and there is no master-slave relationship like other philosophers. "Confucianism" is a common name, and the title of Confucianism is not Confucius' own title, but Mohism's title to Confucius. Confucianism was on an equal footing with other philosophers in the pre-Qin period, and was hit hard by "burning books to bury Confucianism" in the Qin Shihuang period. It rose after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty implemented the idea of "ousting a hundred schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone" in order to maintain autocratic rule.
The connotation of Confucianism is rich and complicated, and the feudal imperial power gradually developed basic theories and thoughts, which emphasized the unity of the whole country with the monarch, ministers and father and son.
Confucius, the founder of the Confucian school, broke the monopoly of the ruling class on education for the first time, changing from "official learning" to "private teaching", so that traditional cultural education spread to the whole nation. In this way, Confucianism has a solid national psychological foundation, which is accepted by the whole society and gradually Confucianism the whole society. Confucianism adheres to the principle that "Tao cannot be three generations and law cannot be two kings" (Xunzi Wang Zhi).
The essence of Confucianism includes pre-Qin Confucianism, Confucius' benevolence, righteousness and propriety, from the ritual and music system in the former Confucius era to Confucius' benevolence and propriety, Confucius' filial piety, the filial piety in the Analects of Confucius, Confucius' outlook on life, the formation background of Confucius' outlook on life, the characteristics and connotation of Confucius' outlook on life, the guiding significance of "cultivating oneself and keeping the family in harmony" and Confucius' theory on life problems. It's easy to stand and talk, Mencius' theory of good nature and Mencius' mission, Mencius' theory of benevolence and Xunzi's theory of evil nature and rule by courtesy, the evolution of Confucianism, Dong Zhongshu's Confucianism, Zhou's Neo-Confucianism, Zhang's Neo-Confucianism, Cheng's Neo-Confucianism and Zhu's Neo-Confucianism. The concepts of Confucianism, Confucianism and Confucianism should be distinguished. Confucianism, as a theory, as a stratum and as a belief, is both the same and different, and needs to be distinguished.
Confucianism has made great contributions to China's science and technology and world civilization. According to the chronology of natural science events in the world, there were about 300 major scientific and technological inventions that affected human life before16th century, of which 175 was invented by China people. It is these great inventions (including discoveries) that have kept China's farming, textile, metallurgy and manual manufacturing technologies at the advanced level in the world for a long time. Confucianism has also left behind a large number of world-famous scientific works, such as Kao Gong Ji, Tiangong Wu Kai and so on.