Ideaistic Research Of Moral Education From Confucius

Confucius (551-479 BC), the ancient Chinese thinker, educator and ethicist, is a renowned and respected master and the representative of traditional Chinese culture. His thought has profound influences both historically and contemporarily, and it plays an important role in the spreading of traditional Chinese culture to the world. As the first ethical thinker in ancient Chinese history, Confucius systematically constructed the system of morality theory in Ancient China for the first time, in which the thought of moral education is its important part.The thought of Confucian moral education was created during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.) and the Period of Warring States (475-221 B.C.) in Chinese history, during which the society was transferring from the system of slave society to that of feudal society. The development of social productive forces brought about the transformation of productive relations, political turbulences, cultural down-transferring and "contending of a hundred schools". This phenomenon provided conditions for the creation of Confucian moral education in the perspectives of economy, politics and culture. The creation of Confucian moral education thought born profound history background, which consisted of the following three aspects: the development of social economy serves as the economic environment, the political turbulence as the political environment, ideological changes as the thought origin. The improvement of agricultural productive forces, the development of handwork and trade, which provided economic conditions for the creation of Confucian thought, and made it is possible to develop the moral education activities. The development of productive forces, the packet system of the West Zhou Dynasty, the reform of the patriarchal system, the fading of the kingship and the power hegemony led to the collapse of etiquette governance and the resistance of slave and common people. The turbulence of the social and political situations promoted Confucius to think about the key problems of power constructions, power patterns and society orders, which gave birth to the creation of the Confucian thought of moral education. The phenomenon of cultural down-transferring and the situation of 'contending of a hundred schools'laid foundation for the promotion of the Confucianism and thus gave birth to the Confucian moral education.The formation of Confucian thought of moral education had its profound theoretical foundation: virtual governance served as its base of political theory, the doctrine of mean as its methodological base, character similarities and habitual differences as its humanistic base. In order to save the situation of the society political turbulences, etiquette and recreation corruption, Confucius proposed the political strategy of moral governance. He said that virtual governance was just like the North Star which was in the center and surrounded by the other stars supporting you (The Analects of Confucius, Governance). Moralization of politics was the fundamental principle of Confucian moral theory and it also was the base of political theory. The term Character was mentioned two times in The Analects of Confucius, referring to Character and Heaven, Character Similarities and Habitual Differences respectively. Confucius laid stress on Distance, rather than Good and Evil. From the view of psychology, his humanity theory explored the similar natural foundation of the human psychology development, thus implicitly showing the possibility of moral education. And secondly, it emphasized the decisive function and necessity of education and environment to the human's physical and mental development. What's more, Confucius focused on the importance of acquired training and enlightenment. The Doctrine of Mean belongs to the special category in Chinese philosophy, which is a kind of theoretical philosophy and also a living skill philosophy. The proposition of the Doctrine of Mean came from the theory of Harmony and Similarity of Yanzi (another ancient philosopher in Chinese history). The Doctrine of Mean is not only a way of living skill philosophy in daily life, but also a kind of methodology. Confucius's Doctrine of Mean shares similarities and differences with Aristotle's Mean Principle, and both have created different influences. The technique of living skills embodied in the above theory can not be acquired but through further studies.The content of Confucian moral education is abundant and has complete system. Humanity serves as its major moral purpose, courtesy as its core moral standard, Loyalty as its supreme moral principle, filial piety as its basic moral specification, thus we can acquire the ideal moral personality as a wise and noble man. The contents of Confucius moral education consists of five aspects: firstly, benevolent education, which is the goal of his moral education. In order to realize the benevolent education, Confucius gave benevolence the basic concept"love people", which was the supreme state of moral cultivation. Filial obedience, loyalty, forgiveness, respectfulness, generosity, faithfulness, sensitivity and kindness are the moral demands in achieving benevolence. Secondly, etiquette education is a way of Confucius moral education and exists side by side with benevolence. Etiquette is the criterion of benevolence, and is based upon benevolence. Thirdly, humanity education is interconnected with benevolence. No humanity, no benevolence. A noble man should regard humanity prior to others, remember humanity anywhere and anytime and sacrifice for it. These are the main contents of Confucius humanity education. Fourthly, the education is of filial obedience, loyalty and forgiveness. Filial obedience is the basis of benevolence, loyalty and forgiveness, which are the rules of conduct. Wisdom, courage, kindness, conscience and frugalness are the basic moral requirements. Fifthly, the ideal personality education is for a noble man. Being a noble man and a gentleman is the ideal personality of Confucius. To achieve this, self-cultivation, benevolence, humanity, loyalty, etc. should be reinforced.The principle of moral education is individualized, which consists of two aspects: firstly it is to understand the students'special cases and recognize their personal differences; secondly, it is to educate them in various ways according to their personal differences. Confucius implemented the thought of'education for all without distinction'and possessed landmark significance in the history of educational development. Studying, thinking and behaving are the ways of Confucian moral education, which forms a trinity and has a close inherent connection. Studying is initial in accepting moral education, including the study of moral theory, moral knowledge and moral understanding, and then thinking is needed, in which the acquired knowledge is digested, reflected, analyzed and generalized, thus turned into our own moral conviction, and lastly behaving, in which the theory and practice should be combined and implemented into the practice so as to develop into the favorable moral habits. The approach of Confucian moral education is internal cultivation. The training of a kind and moral man acquires two important elements: firstly, the external factor, which is the influence of the society's moral education and environment, and secondly, the internal factor, which is the individual conscious behaving and cultivation. The moral education can only work through individual's internal behaving and cultivation, so the internal moral cultivation is the only way to realize the target of external moral education of society. Confucius emphasized Self-humanity, Self-introspection and Neighbor-example, and so on, which referred respectively to initiatives of moral and internal cultivation, learning from virtual people, correcting mistakes instantly, thus becoming a virtual person gradually.Confucian thought of moral education had creative, systematic and holistic characteristics, which laid foundation for the moral education in Chinese history. Its main contributions were as follows: Firstly, he founded the holistic system of the moral education idea, systematically established a subject of moral education, and proposed a series of principles, methods and ways for moral education. Secondly, Confucian thought of moral education was a strict system which contained many moral orders that were mutually related. What's more, he made the thought of moral education be open, inclusive and assimilative. Thirdly, he completely established the system of moral education, regarding Benevolence as its core, which included three levels: value ideal, core principle and concrete standard with value judgment and moral practice through its whole process. What's more, Confucian moral education had its limitation, which was specifically maintaining the hierarchy system, conservativeness and discrimination of the laboring people. To the Confucius thought of moral education, we should reject its dross and accept its essence, making it exert in the fields of current moral education, society moral activities, society moral standard raising and the socialist moral construction.The research on Confucius moral education thought has profound actual significance. It can provide reflection on current moral education– there is a paradox between the society core value and the society cultural direction in modern education. We hope to find out the correct position of modern moral education under the support of Confucian moral wisdom. And it is helpful for us to reflect and improve current education problems by scrutinizing Confucius moral education thought in the school teaching, and the thought has actual advising significance in the party's rectification of political thought. Furthermore, the Thought is needed in establishing a harmonious society, as it provides cultural resources, promotes democratic politics, forms moral principles and specifies citizen's personal integrity. The Confucian Thought is rooted in the Chinese culture and the theory of Confucianism is widely welcomed nationwide. Lastly, the Thought has enlightened significance for the present education.Confucius and his thought of moral education have left us a lot of inspiration and thinking. This paper gives rational thinking for the following three aspects: the class essence of Confucius thought of moral education, the surpassing elements of the thought and the modern transition of the thought. Confucius thought of moral education bears strong class nature, and is fundamentally feudal and conservative. This point should be clearly realized in receiving, experiencing and researching of that. The reflections on Confucian moral education thought must have some implications in the class essence of the Confucian moral education thought ,surpassing elements in the Confucian moral education thought and the modernization of the Confucian moral education thought. Confucius has a strong ideological and moral education of the Class, whether training objectives, the content of moral education, or training of the ideal personality, all make the srevice for the ruling class. The surpassing elements in the Confucius thought refer to its human spirits and state, which makes Confucius as a great thinker and educator. The different understandings of the Confucius thought throughout the history and the methods and principles inside it can be used universally in moral education and self-cultivation. There are two ways in completing the modern transition of Confucius thought of moral education, firstly, critical inheritance– reject the dross and assimilate the essence, secondly, the past serves the present– bring forth the new through the old. What's more, drawing experience and inspiration from the Confucius thought of moral education is also a kind of transitional method.