Confucianism as Political Faith in Han Dynasty

Serious debate on the nature of Confucianism in ancient China has been going on since the early 1980s. Few scholars consider Confucianism in history a religion but others a philosophy. Three aspects of Confucianism in Han Dynasty are discussed in this paper. First, the background under which Confucianism was generated. Second, the political theology of Han Confucianism. Third, the state cult and political rituals. The conclusion of this article shows that Confucianism in Han Dynasty is a religion, not in general but rather in special, in other words, an ancient political religion. Political religion is similar to what Prof. Robert N. Bella called civil religion.