Abstract
"After about 400 years of study and research, Confucianism in the West is still a subject which only involves a small group of scholars." It is more than surprising when we actually realize how wide and deep is the effect of Confucianism on Chinese culture and society. More interesting, one reason that might explain the lack of cultural awareness is probably the great similarities between Confucianism and Christianity, without considering the differences inherent in the cultural and historical context. These convergences are not only due to their comparable profound and long lasting on society but rather because of their agreement de facto on the core of their doctrines. Even though he first came in China to evangelise people, in the sixteenth century, the Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci learnt about Chinese culture in general in order to find the right words to convert Chinese people.
