Abstract

Confucianism is a socio-political doctrine originating in China. In Vietnam, it functioned as a state ideology from the Early Lê dynasty to the Nguyễn dynasty and served as a key instrument for governing and organizing society. Confucian concepts of governance have long permeated and deeply shaped Vietnamese cultural identity and spiritual life. In the course of national modernization, this tradition presents both constructive elements and limitations, offering complementary values while also creating certain constraints on the goal of building a socialist rule-of-law state in Vietnam. The article explains the continued presence and influence of Confucian governance in contemporary society by highlighting three factors: current socio-economic conditions that allow Confucian remnants to persist, the adaptive capacity of Confucian thought over time, and the retention of rational cores and foundational values that remain applicable to modern social organization and governance.

Keywords: Influence of Confucianism, philosophical thought, political thought, rule of law, Vietnamese thought