BBC

A History of Ideas: Confucian Ancestor Worship

Aidan Turner on Confucian Ancestor Worship

How do we achieve social harmony? For Chinese philosopher Confucius this was through recognizing hierarchies and honouring our elders. It is important to understand one’s place in the hierarchy of the universe, part of which is realizing the debt we owe to our parents and all the family members that came before us. Living well is not only about how we treat those around us, but how we treat the dead. 

Want to hear more on this topic?

Here’s the whole episode from A History of Ideas –  Philosopher Timothy Secret on Ancestor Worship. 

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