ABSTRACT
Confucius gave to chinese civilization a Grand Ideal for the Ordering of Society. If followed perfectly, the Confucian system promised to fashion a society that would be harmonious, peaceful, prosperous, and governed by wise leaders dedicated to the welfare of all. And, the individual within this society would be a person of refinement and compassion. All of this was to be accomplished by reestablishing the harmony between human society and the natural order, which is continually threatened by unchecked selfish interests. More than other Chinese schools of thought, Confucius’s vision of the right social order became a model that has inspired Chinese social thinking through the ages.
