The English meaning is "the way things should be done. In Li one must be aware of the way one should act and function within a society. In Li one can best cultivate their character by understanding what it entails. The Doctrine of the Mean is the way in which one should make decisions in life, in which the best decision is always the middle between unworkable extremes.

Confucianism



Confucianism - Wikipedia
The Analects of Confucius is an anthology of brief passages that present the words of Confucius and his disciples, describe Confucius as a man, and recount some of the events of his life. The Analects includes twenty books, each generally featuring a series of chapters that encompass quotes from Confucius, which were compiled by his disciples after his death. Book I serves as a general introduction to the various disciples in the work. Book II deals largely with issues of governance.


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Born: c. Tuo, China Died: c. Qufu, China Chinese teacher and philosopher.



It focuses on innate human goodness and the importance of interpersonal human relationships. The goal of Confucianism to achieve social harmony. According to Confucian beliefs, there are four elements necessary to achieve social harmony: Rites and Rituals, the Five Relations, Rectification of Names, and Ren. Confucius studied the history of China, comparing the most and least harmonious periods of Chinese history, evaluating the relationships between heaven, leadership, and the general population during times of peace and times of war. He found order and understanding in his studies of the past, and he used these findings to develop a system of values and beliefs.