The original teachings of Confucius do not include references to a supreme being.

• A. False
• B. There is no record of such teachings
• C. True
• D. They include references to a supreme being

Answer: (C)

In Confucian thought, the divine is framed as Heaven (Tian) guiding a moral order rather than as a personal creator god. The original teachings focus on ethical living, social roles, and proper conduct—honoring ancestors and performing rituals—within a framework of Heaven as a transcendent source of authority that supports moral order. Because there isn’t a depiction of a personal, interventionist supreme being who rules the world, the statement that the original teachings do not include references to a supreme being aligns with how Confucius presents the divine: indirect, impersonal guidance through Heaven and moral law rather than a personal deity. You’ll still encounter the idea of Heaven in Confucian texts, but it serves as a moral order that legitimizes virtue and governance, not as a theistic deity. This is why the answer is true.