WORLD RELIGIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -Within Confucianism there are five constant virtues or wu chang (). In descending order of importance, the virtues are benevolence or ren (), righteousness or yi (), propriety or li (), wisdom or zhi () and fidelity or xin ().

Detailed explanation-2: -Confucius taught that rulers had a sacred responsibility to rule virtuously. This meant ruling with self-discipline, attention to the ancient rituals, and putting the welfare and happiness of his subjects first. Ruling in this fashion, Confucius said, set an example of moral goodness for all others to follow.

Detailed explanation-3: -The relationship between parents and children is the most fundamental of the five cardinal relationships (Chinese: ; pinyin: wǔlún) described by Confucius in his role ethics, and filial piety, together with fraternal love, underlies this system.

Detailed explanation-4: -There are two reasons for this. First, a merit-based social hierarchy can allow people at the top to make the right decisions for the moral well-being of morally inferior persons. Second, it is necessary for establishing social distinctions that are instrumental for the moral cultivation of the people at the bottom.