Confucianism: Religion or Philosophy?

Confucianism was born because of a burning question that was found in ancient Zhou dynasty, fueled by the turmoil and many bloody wars. The question was revolved on the socio-political and ethical. What makes a good ruler? What makes a effective government. What's the role of family in the society? and what is our proper position in the cosmos? And Confucius bring his social-political and ethical vision of "order" and "harmony", tried to solved those kind of hot questions. He deal on the proper behavior on how to be a living example. We can say that he believes that to change the world, we need to change ourselves first. The way of ethics and ritual are the fastest way to attain that goal, to be junzi (Gentleman). Because of his emphasis on social, ethical and political dimension, many has wondered whether Confucianism is philosophy or religion. Scholar like Giles argue that Confucian was better to be said as moral teacher than religious teacher. Thus, Confucianism is philosophy not religion. Giles view is understandable because Confucian teaching has a small interest on divine and rather focused more on interpersonal relationship. 

He promote filial piety, egalitarianism, private property (Ethics, Politics, Economics) and many more but not the notion of God. Interestingly, whenever someone asked him about spirit and gods he seems to hinder to answer it with definitive answer. His answer was seems to escape from the question and he asked the questioner to focus more on visible things more: the life over death, serving man rather than spirit (but he never deny explicitly the reality of spirit). Furthermore, there is no official known God of Confucianism that need to be worshiped like other religious traditions (Jews, Christian, Islam). Although there were a cult-group that was born in Han Dynasty after his death whereby people start to worship Confucian but this cult was not part of Confucianism. Jason Ananda Josephson in his essay entitled The Inventions of Religion in East Asia says that the question whether Confucianism is a religion or not is never been questioned in ancient China. In fact, in 2015 the Center for the study of Confucianism Religion was established. It was stated as religion and not philosophy although only few Chinese people will think Confucianism as religion (Official Chinese government acknowledge Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism but not Confucianism).

So, here the big question for us to deal with. At the one side, we see that Confucianism is close to philosophy than religion but at the same time, it also acknowledged as a religion by some and as it acknowledged in ancient past (Minority). Although Confucianism apparent to be seen as philosophy easily than a religion, at least there are three main reasons why Confucianism can be considered as a religion. There are three major reasons that I could think of. 

First, with respect of content of tradition. Confucianism really respect tradition of ritual. The offering and sacrifice to ancestors is part of the tradition. These open the gate of reality of the other dimension more what meet the eyes. Although some would argue that there is a difference between God and Spirit, we can say that religion is not only concern on the idea of God (Otherwise, Buddhist will be excluded) but spirit & supra-natural. Hopkins in his book Religions of India argue that ancestor worship/veneration was a primitive form or the earliest form of religion. Religious scholars also argue that Animism is a seed of religion.

Second, with respect to understanding of heaven. All form of metaphysics deal with core questions of the relation between one and many. For Confucian, Heaven is the core principles and human sub-principles (one-many). He also mentioned that heaven is superiors to heaven which emphasis this duality of realm. A great men according to Confucianism are those who accord to the Will of Heaven as it written in I-Ching, "He may precede heaven, and heaven will not act in opposition to Him; He may follow Heaven, but will act as Heaven would do at that time. If heaven will not act in opposition to Him, how much less will men! How much less with the spirits of kuei and shen?" In sum, Man must walk in accordance with the way and mandate of Heaven (Yin & Yang). The concept of Heaven is surely beyond the realm of physics. 

Third, with the respect of transcendent realm in the world than beyond or above. The term for this non-dual reality to which we can called as "Immanent-transcendence." There is no such things as a distinction between profane and sacred in Confucianism worldview like for example the City of God and the City of Man concept that was famously promoted by Augustine. Quoting Tu Weiming Stephen Prothero wrote, "The Way of Heaven is immanent in human affairs." The life of every man carries the mandate of heaven through the means of bounded ritual and ethics that are inextricably intertwined. We cannot separate them but we can distinguished it. In this case, Prothero then conclude that Confucianism can be regarded as religious-humanism. 

Three arguments above can show how some people probably come to conclude why Confucianism is a religion. Many more can be said regarding this topic. Some might add the other argument of Confucianism as religion by it having the "Ultimate Concern" (Paul Tillich) or from the argument of complete personal transformation that it could bring when we practice or embrace it just like the rest of religion for instance Christianity (Transformative element). Whatever it is, we cannot deny that the ethical, political and social aspect of Confucianism are far way more extensive than the religious aspect. But we need also to be careful and not trying conclude to recklessly that Confucianism is not a religion at all, period. There are clear functionalities of religion that are clearly expressed in Confucianism. At the end, I venture to conclude that Confucianism is a philosophy with religious function and today, Confucianism has a great impact on the Chinese people in general. It shapes the religious backdrop and Chinese religious and cultural values. It is inseparable with the life of Chinese people and inter-related to other Chinese traditional religions ("Three teachings"). As many have said, "In Chinese today, every Chinese wear Buddhist robes, a Confucian Cap, and Taoist Sandals!"