Confucius Five Relationships - True Knowledge

By Clifford Nikenya


The five relationships theory was started by Confucius. He used to be a teacher, political analyst and Chinese philosopher. Confucianism is linked with him as the founder. This single person has actually influenced the way that the Asian people think and reason. He is said to have made home in china at around the year five hundred before Christ. Just as a prophet isn't welcome at his own home land, his teachings, beliefs and work were not readily accepted by the Chinese society during his life on planet earth. His vision and ideas came to be readily accepted immediately after his passing on.

According to the beliefs of Confucius, in existence were 5 types of basic relationships in this earth and there was thorough exchange of idea taking place among them.

These were the five relationships on humans that he concluded on: friend to friend relationship, big brother to younger brother relationship, man to wife relationship, father to son relationship and ruler to ruled relationship.

1.) Ruler to Subject

Confucius reminds us that anybody with authority over the society has to do his work brilliantly by setting examples to the ruled so they too can apply it. The ruler has to act like a father to his people. Those being ruled should appear to him as a huge family being taken care of by their dad. A good leader is one who does not rule with all his power but with example. Confucianism made the people of Asia have beliefs that a cruel leader would go to hell and not heaven and if he went out for war and came out as a loser, then he was undeserving.

2.) Father To Son (in the present day, parent to child)

According to Confucius, this was the most stressed relationship in the 5 relationships model. The role of a father can never be thought. This is said to be based on compassion and love. For this relationship type to always be prosperous, then mutual respect and agreement has to take place from both parties involved.

3.) Husband to Wife

Respect, compassion and ideas of love reside in this relation type. Questions like 'why do men cheat?' are included here.

4.) Bigger Brother to Younger Brother

In this kind of relationship, it is believed the bigger brother should be the keeper of his younger sibling.

5.) Friend to Friend

This kind of relationship exists almost everywhere but variations in age may bring some small issues.

For any country to help its people prosper there must be good virtues and also good morals above anything else. That's what the great philosopher reminds us. He also reminded us to be ethical and have good codes of conduct. He stressed on the act of individuals being cautious as much as possible to make the best decisions and choices no matter the situation they could be in.

The ability of the society being in harmony with any other person is based on the idea that people do their roles easily in the best and right way possible. According to Confucius, the society is a big vehicle with wheels that aid in its locomotion. Practicing and fully applying the five relationships will make the world a much better place for everyone.




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