Chinese tradition can be largely known via Confucianism. With the works of Confucius and his followers, the four books and five classics became the fundamental guideline of governing and social structure establishment. Confucius believed in "three fundamental bonds and five instant virtue. " The three fundamental bonds put parents over children, male over female, and older over young. the Five instant virtue is benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity.
Traditional Chinese value was developed on Confucianism until Song dynasty when they began to incorporate some ideas from Daoism and Buddhism. Ever since the Song dynasty, the new interpretation of Confucius classics began and they became more practical and try to explain the universe with the help of Daoism and Buddhism.
There are several characteristics of Confucianist society. First, it values family highly, second, it put agriculture on top of commercial activity. And third, it centralizes the power, yet restricts the rulers with Confucianist ideas. Last but not least, it maintained the legitimacy of the ruling family, who were regarded as the "son of heaven".
