The five relationships taught by Confucius encouraged people to maintain social and political order. He believed in the importance of personal and governmental morality, as well as the importance of social relationships.
Confucius taught that each person had a specific place in society and certain duties to fulfill. A person should behave correctly in each of five different kinds of relationships in their lives to maintain good order. These relationships are (1) ruler and subject; (2) father and son; (3) elder brother and younger brother; (4) husband and wife; and (5) friend and friend.
