Confucianism is a worldview, a political ideology, a social ethic, a scholarly tradition, and a way of life. As one of the most prominent traditions of thought, Confucianism has lasting and profound bearings on social, political, and value systems in East Asia. This entry (a) outlines the cardinal principles of Confucianism, (b) discusses the Confucian view of language, and (c) illustrates the impact of Confucianism on interpersonal relationships and communication patterns in East Asian cultures.

Confucius (551–479 BCE) viewed the universe as an organic whole and all modalities of beings in it as interconnected and governed by a unifying force, Dao (the Way). Dao and tao are the same thing, the Daoist/Taoist notion of the Way. This term is romanized as tao in the older Wade-Giles system and as dao in the modern pinyin system. This entry uses the latter because it is phonetically closer to the actual pronunciation of the word in Mandarin, and these days more and more Sinologists and communication scholars on Chinese communication have started to make the switch. Dao constitutes the harmonious organization of life that upholds and perpetuates a moral order. Through following Dao, human beings can gain a sense of self-knowledge; gain insights into the human condition as a whole, as well as one’s own particular location in it; and acquire de (virtues), the ability to achieve harmony both within oneself and with others.

Littlejohn, Stephen W and Karen A.Floss. (2009). Encyclopedia of Communication Theory.USA:SAGE.654

Penanggungjawab naskah :

Gayes Mahestu
Edwina Ayu Kustiawan