Confucius believed that order in the family was the key to a peaceful society and a well-run government, and that there were five main relationships that everyone needed to contain goodness and respect. He said that if these relationships were in proper harmony, the entire community would be in harmony as well.
The five relationships are as follows:
- Ruler and subject
- Parent and child
- Husband and wife
- Older and younger siblings
- Friend and friend
The central relationship was between parents and children. Confucius taught that parents should love their children and children should have reverence and respect for their parents. He taught that if this happened, other relationships would fall into their proper places. Confucius put a great deal of emphasis on authority. The younger or "lesser" in any of the relationships should respect and do what the older says. The only relationship in which this idea does not apply is friend to friend.
Confucius believed that a father was responsible for his children’s behavior, and in the same way, evil rulers were responsible for the evil actions of their subjects. He tried to teach the qualities that would make men become good public officials. The four most important virtues were integrity, loyalty, generosity, and politeness. The Confucian tradition dominated Chinese society for more than 2,400 years.
Food for Thought
What would Confucius say about the teacher-student relationship?
