Confucianism had an unbelievable impact on Asia as it developed. Confucianism was taken up as the official state philosophy for two millennia in China and also influenced over one third of the world, being spread to countries like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam as well as China. It enhanced the educational system as well as the outlook on education and re-defined the standards of government and society in these places.
Confucius was a keen advocate of education and possessed higher views of education than most people in Chinese society during his time. Confucius believed that one could only truly understand a subject when one has studied long and carefully, but that a balance had to be found in learning. Two different understandings of education existed before Confucianism spread: in one, students studied assiduously for long periods of time; in another, students spent time reflecting on what they had learned and forming their own opinions on the subjects. Confucius maintained that a balance must be found between the two methods.
Confucius also changed society’s respect for education. While legalist rulers shunned the career of a teacher and education of the masses, Confucius established the art of teaching as not only than a career, but also a valuable way of life. Legalism believed that intellectualism in anyone other than the rulers and government should be discouraged because the people could not be trusted with power; Confucius, on the other hand, wanted to open the doors of education for all under one condition: students had to have a keen desire to learn. According to Confucius, the goal of education was to train exemplary people, or junzi, through self-improvement and social interactions with others. Confucius believed that education should be shared; unlike Legalists, Confucius did not believe that anyone should hoard the power of education, not even the rulers. Instead, one is obliged to share his knowledge with the world with the hope of improving it.
Confucianism also influenced Chinese society outside of the educational realm; rulers often relied on Confucian ideas to guide their government when Confucianism was the state philosophy, and rulers even elected Confucian scholars as officials. The values of Confucianism were thus engrained in Chinese culture. For instance, the emphasis on filial piety in Confucianism prompted the distribution of Civic Awards to faithful wives and filial sons in late traditional China to promote filial piety. The rulers of China also followed the duties of Confucianism for rulers as directed by the first of the five relationships (ruler to subject). For instance, the ruler had to make sacrifices to heaven as well as take practical steps to rule, emphasizing yet another balance in Confucianism, one between spiritual and secular rule.
Another balance that Confucianism imparted on Chinese culture was the balance of Yin and Yang. Yin represents earth, darkness, and female forces whereas Yang represents heaven, light, and male forces. Confucianism also introduced the belief that the universe reflects a delicate balance between these two forces. These two forces further express the bias of men over women, but they ultimately impart a greater message to Chinese society: in order for the society to thrive, a balance must be achieved in all aspects of life. In ancient China, where Legalism encouraged complete power to the central government and took extreme measures to ensure the government’s power, and feudalism unsuccessfully established power primarily in the state governments, Confucianism urged balance in society as much as he did in nature, education, and daily life.