the development of a more well rounded society where any and all extremes were not accepted. Confucius displays this lack of acceptance in book five, chapter 20, where it is stated, “Lord Ji Wen always thought thrice before acting. Hearing this, the Master said: ‘Twice is enough’” (Analects). By refusing to accept extreme measures in the way that society operated, Confucius established a system of traditions that innovated the way society operated by returning ethical and moral values to the core of Chinese traditions. The key factor in Confucius’ ideology of increasing moral value in society was the idea of practicing reciprocity, which is the practice of exchanging words, actions, or objects with others for mutual benefit. Virtue, goodness, and respect were characteristics presented by Confucius as being of the highest importance for people of the entire society to adopt. Through the adoption of these …show more content…
Analects states how Confucius taught that goodness, virtue, and respect were all attainable characteristics but must be done so over time in order to construct a society that maintains superior morality. The idea of reciprocity is introduced as a tool for collective development, through which fellow citizens of the society extend a moral respect to one another in order for the society to operate at its highest possible level, both ethically and morally. By connecting the teachings of Confucius and relating them to one another, the society is able to conform to the norms set forth by Confucius and adjust accordingly as a collective whole, instead of as individuals developing at a different pace. In turn, this would allow all citizens to learn at an equal pace and effectively adopt Confucian ideology to lead an overall collective societal