The reason that Confucianism has served as part of the foundation for Chinese culture is because its spirit has pervaded and thrived in Chinese society. The core value of Confucianism is ren (benevolence), an ideal of benevolence that should be implemented and practiced among individuals, families, and ultimately, throughout society. This is why Confucianism has been passed down from antiquity and continues to have such a widespread influence in Chinese society today. In Confucian social thought, the concept of society includes a wide range of ideas, which may be roughly broken down into three parts: “survival,” “daily life” and “human life.” These three aspects are briefly discussed below:

Review by Su-Fen Lin and Timothy Baker Jr.