How Did Confucius Want To Determine Who Could Hold A Civil Service Position?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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How did Confucius want to determine who could hold a civil service position? Before Confucius’s ideas took hold, the civil service jobs were given to the sons of important people. After his ideas were in place, any male could hold a government job based on merit (how well they did the job).

Did Confucius hold government positions?

Confucius was born into the class of shi (士), between the aristocracy and the common people. He is said to have worked in various government jobs during his early 20s, and as a bookkeeper and a caretaker of sheep and horses , using the proceeds to give his mother a proper burial.

What was Confucianism role in civil service?

SOCIAL MOBILITY AND CURRICULAR UNIFORMITY UNDER THE CONFUCIAN SYSTEM. The civil service examination system was an important vehicle of social mobility in imperial China. Even a youth from the poorest family could theoretically join the ranks of the educated elite by succeeding in the examination system.

What did Confucius believe about people in authority?

the rulers wanted to bring back respect for tradition. ... to show loyalty and respect within the family. Confucius believed that people in authority should . set a good example by behaving well .

How were government officials chosen in a Confucian system?

Some officials were hired because their fathers or grandfathers had held high government rank. Some were hired because of personal recommendations. ... Song emperors and scholars believed that officials who had studied Confucius would be rational, moral, and able to maintain order.

How were the civil service tests unfair?

Cheating on the exams was met with harsh penalties including death . The civil service was an effort to establish a meritocracy. This means that people were promoted due to their “merit” or how well they scored on the exams and not based on their family or wealth.

What were the civil service exams in Confucianism?

The civil service exam system in imperial China was a system of testing designed to select the most studious and learned candidates for appointment as bureaucrats in the Chinese government . This system governed who would join the bureaucracy between 650 CE and 1905, making it the world’s longest-lasting meritocracy.

What did Confucius believe a good ruler was?

Confucius gave attention to two overarching matters: what makes for good government, and what makes for a morally good individual. ... Good government rules not by physical force but through moral force. The ideal ruler embodies virtue , which is expressed in his unfailingly benevolent treatment of the people.

What was Confucius golden rule?

And five centuries before Christ, Confucius set forth his own Golden Rule: “Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself. ” ... And five centuries before Christ, Confucius set forth his own Golden Rule: “Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself.”

What is the main belief of Confucianism?

The main idea of Confucianism is the importance of having a good moral character , which can then affect the world around that person through the idea of “cosmic harmony.” If the emperor has moral perfection, his rule will be peaceful and benevolent.

What did Confucius believe the subjects owed to the ruler?

Confucius taught that rulers had a sacred responsibility to rule virtuously. This meant ruling with self-discipline , attention to the ancient rituals, and putting the welfare and happiness of his subjects first. Ruling in this fashion, Confucius said, set an example of moral goodness for all others to follow.

What are at least two drawbacks with only hiring Confucian scholars to run the government?

How did hiring scholars hurt China? Hiring scholars hurt China in two ways: (1) people that knew science, math, and engineering were kept out of government (2) Confucian scholars had little respect for merchants – trade/business were not encouraged .

How did people become scholar officials?

Beginning with the Sui dynasty, those with the right family background who passed this examination would become scholar-officials. ... The government would select scholar-officials by examining their poems and essays writings for knowledge of Confucian texts and some Buddhist texts .

Which religion is most closely associated with self denial?

Which religion is most closely associated with self denial meditation the Four Noble Truths and Nirvana? Most Buddhist traditions emphasize transcending the individual self through the attainment of Nirvana or by following the path of Buddhahood, ending the cycle of death and rebirth.

Which belief system was the basis for the civil service?

The civil service examination system was squarely based upon the Confucian classics and upon recognized commentaries on those classics.

What was a major accomplishment of the Chinese civil service system?

The Chinese civil service system gave the Chinese empire stability for more than 2,000 years and provided one of the major outlets for social mobility in Chinese society . It later served as a model for the civil service systems that developed in other Asian and Western countries.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.