Confucian Enlightenment Thinking

Moralizing-education is the main content in the field of the legal thought of Confucius. The thought of Moralizing-education in history is divided into these stages: the first is it's the origin and establishment including the thought of Moralizing-education of ZhouGong , Confucius, MenZi, and XunZi, the second stage represents the development of the thought of Moralizing-education, such as the thought of Moralizing-education during the dynasties of Han and Tang, the third period is the continual stage of the thought of Moralizing-education, inclusive of the periods of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.Moralizing-education is based on the thought of the importance of people. The Confucianists think that the people is the element of a country. From this point of view, the Confucianists insist that rich men is the first and Moralizing-education the second, and the stable material life is the guarantee of Moralizing-education. They believe that human being is could be moralized. As to the relationship between Moralizing-education and penalty, the Confucianists think that Moralizing-education is in the first place and penalty is supplementary, and they object to the simplicity of penalty. Nevertheless, they don't deny the functions of penalty. Meanwhile, the Confucianists believe the " influence of behavior" .The thought of Moralizing-education, which was stressed by the Confucianists has great influence on their descendants. The thought of Moralizing-education of Confucius, improved and developed by MengZk Xunzk Dong-Zhong-Shu, "the two Chens" and Zhuxi, wascombined together with feudal etiquette. It was authorized by the feudal2rulers from Xi-Han dynasty, and remained to be the dominant thought in the field of political law. The thought of Moralizing-education has been greatly affected Chinese traditional law, the systems of endurance, mixture of etiquette and laws, honoring the old and loving of the childhood, mediation, recording, family, marriage and inheritance are all influenced by the thought of Moralizing-education of the Confucianists.Moral teaching has been emphasized by Chinese rulers of all historical periods, they stack to the dominant morality and supplementary penalty, stress on moralism, on the function of moral persuasion and on the accomplishment in self-cultivation. All of these have had its special merits and preciousness, and achieved fine effect. It was quite reasonable for the Confucianism to maintain the points of view which properly deal with the relation of Moralizing-education and penalty, and insist the dominant Moralizing-education and supplementary penalty without denying the function of penalty.However, the thought of Moralizing-education was in favor of the rulers. It protected the rulers, So its essence was the importance of rulers. The Confucianists put morality in a ultimate position so that it become extensive morality, and law was considered as the maiden servant of morality. Therefore, morality took place of law.The Confucianists emphasized Moralizing-education, relied on moral persuasion and the accomplishment of self-cultivation of the rulers, but they were lack of the system of supervision, so- the effect was not guaranteed.