ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism is a very big and complicated idea that has to do with how people should behave and relate to each other in China a long time ago.

Imagine you and your friends are all playing a game, but you don't know the rules very well. Some people are being mean and cheating, while others are trying to play fairly. Neo-Confucianism is like a set of rules that tell you how to be a good player and treat everyone fairly, no matter what they are like or what they do.

The people who came up with Neo-Confucianism believed that everything in the world was made up of two things: physical matter, like rocks and trees, and spirit, like ideas and emotions. According to them, people are more than just their physical bodies, and they have a special kind of spirit that makes them human.

These thinkers said that if you want to live a good life, you should follow certain principles, like being respectful, honest, and hardworking. They also believed that people should always try to learn and study, so they can become better at everything they do.

They thought that by following these rules and principles, people could improve themselves and make the world a better place. They also believed in treating others with kindness and respect, even if they didn't deserve it.

Overall, Neo-Confucianism was about being a good person, treating others well, and working to make the world a better place. It was a way of living that helped people become the best versions of themselves, and it was a very important part of Chinese culture for a very long time.