Confucianism and despotism, which has caused much ambiguity and misunderstanding in modern times, must be thoroughly clarified to correct those extreme views in the academic world. The supreme object of Confucianism is “Taoism” and the basis of Confucianism is humanity. The preQin selfconscious orthodox Confucians all emphasized that it is men who carry forward the Tao. Confucian orthodoxy and political orthodoxy are both related with and independent of each other, for political orthodoxy is dominated by the ideological ideal of the Tao, expressing a very strong critical spirit. This critical spirit means the critical functions and quality Confucianism possesses, which is not destructive but constructive. The critical spirit, which was embodied by Confucians as a social group, is both a free critical spirit with realistic concern and a religious morality-defending spirit to carry out Confucian orthodoxy.

Confucian; Confucianism; Confucian Doctrine; consciousness of Confucian orthodoxy