Religious Confucianism

Religious Confucianism (Chinese: 儒教; pinyin: Rújiào) is an interpretation of Confucianism as a religion. It originated in the time of Confucius with his defense of traditional religious institutions of his time such as the Jongmyo rites, and the ritual and music system.

The Chinese name for Religious Confucianism is Rujiao (Chinese: 儒教; pinyin: rújiào), in contrast with Secular Confucianism which is called Rujia (Chinese: 儒家; pinyin: Rújiā). The differences can be roughly translated with 教 jiào meaning religion, and 家 jiā meaning school, although the term Rujiao is ancient and predates this modern usage of jiao.

Ru ("Erudites") were a "small group of cultural specialists" who preserved older Zhou dynasty rituals and did scholarly work to pass down traditional Zhou "written classics" through generations.

Religious Confucianism includes Chinese traditional patriarchal religion in its practice and some scholars call it Tianzuism (Chinese: 天祖教; pinyin: Tiānzǔjiào; lit. 'Church of Heaven and Ancestors') instead to avoid confusion with secular Confucianism. It includes such practices as jisi (祭祀), sacrificing to heaven, and sacrifice to Taishan.

Elements include the deification and worship of Confucius, the seventy-two disciples, Mencius, Zhu Xi, and Shangdi.

Religious Confucianism has had state sponsorship since the Han dynasty, and in all subsequent major dynasties or historical periods until the 1911 Revolution. The Five Classics became the jurisprudential basis of the national code and the Chinese legal system, and the Spring and Autumn Courts. At the end of the Han Dynasty, Religious Confucianism was widespread. Religious Confucian organizations known as Confucian churches formed in the Qing dynasty have significant popularity among Overseas Chinese people today.

Elements of religious Confucianism can be found in Chinese salvationist religions and Falun Gong, while a number of Japanese and Korean religious sects also claim a Confucian identity.