The practical philosophy derived from the teachings of Confucius, influential in China and other Far Eastern countries. Confucianism was the state orthodoxy in China until the revolution of 1911. It teaches that harmony is found by following the right actions of piety and respect, religious ritual, and righteousness. Developed by followers such as Mencius, it emphasizes human goodness (and the right to rebel against those who stand in its way, such as unjust rulers), while its veneration of literacy, scholarship, poetry, ceremony, and music aligns it with the Platonic and Aristotelian ideals of contemplation and wisdom.
Philosophy dictionary. Academic. 2011.