Which term best describes the school of thought emphasizing social harmony through filial piety and proper conduct?

Which term best describes the school of thought emphasizing social harmony through filial piety and proper conduct?

• A. Legalism
• B. Daoism
• C. Confucianism
• D. Mohism

Answer: (C)

Social harmony achieved through filial piety and proper conduct is a hallmark of this tradition. It teaches that a well-ordered society rests on people understanding and performing their proper roles within family and state, guided by respect for elders and ritual propriety (li). Filial piety, or xiao, is the foundation, shaping behavior from family to government: rulers govern by moral example, while citizens follow by fulfilling their duties with virtue. This emphasis on moral cultivation, hierarchical relationships, and education to build virtuous character identifies it with Confucianism—the tradition associated with Confucius and later thinkers who stressed rituals, relationships, and ethical cultivation as the path to social stability. In contrast, Legalism relies on strict laws and state power; Daoism centers on harmony with the Dao and natural spontaneity; Mohism emphasizes universal love and merit.

Social harmony achieved through filial piety and proper conduct is a hallmark of this tradition. It teaches that a well-ordered society rests on people understanding and performing their proper roles within family and state, guided by respect for elders and ritual propriety (li). Filial piety, or xiao, is the foundation, shaping behavior from family to government: rulers govern by moral example, while citizens follow by fulfilling their duties with virtue. This emphasis on moral cultivation, hierarchical relationships, and education to build virtuous character identifies it with Confucianism—the tradition associated with Confucius and later thinkers who stressed rituals, relationships, and ethical cultivation as the path to social stability. In contrast, Legalism relies on strict laws and state power; Daoism centers on harmony with the Dao and natural spontaneity; Mohism emphasizes universal love and merit.