Confucianism

Confucius was a man from the newly-risen class and his ancestors were slaves. In the time of the Shunju ( The spring and autumn period ) when Confucius was born ; 1) The invention of the iron agricultural tools brought on an epoch-marking change in the production methods. 2) Reforms in various fields were made scocially and politically on the economical basis of private ownership of land. In such an era Confucius advocated “human liberation” for the newly-risen class and urged the people to stand up for humanity and make themselves happy according to the principles of “human being.” Accordingly, such thoughts of Confucius as virtue, the rules of propriety, and knowledges should be comprehended from the above social and economical standpoints