Confucius, the latinized version of the name Kongzi (“Master Kong”) was one of the first and most important teachers of Ruism. The term Confucianism was coined by early Christian missionaries to refer to the Ruism.
[su_note note_color=”#bfb8b8″]Some people in the West still refer to Ruism as Confucianism, but this is slowly changing.[/su_note]
Some of America’s Founding Fathers–including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison–expressed admiration for Confucius’ teachings. Although Ruist teachings were popular in colonial America, most 21st century Americans know very little about Ruism. What little we do know tends to be corrupted by myths, exaggerations, and stereotypes. It’s time to change that.
To learn more about the influence of Confucius in Colonial America, check out the excellent historical blog, The U. S .Founders and China.