Religious Research

Religious Research

A Comparative Study of the Requisites and Attributes of the "Ideal Sovereign" in Zoroastrianism and Confucianism

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
narges khandel 1
sayyed saeid reza montazeri 2
Mahdi Lakzaei 3
1 PhD Candidate, Department of Religions and Mysticism, Qom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Farabi Campus, Faculty of Theology, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Non-Abrahamic Religions, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
10.22034/jrr.2024.429032.2154
Abstract
One of the fundamental, influential, and consensual elements in the formation of an ideal state (Utopia) is the presence of an ideal king or a wise ruler. In Zoroastrianism, the ideal king and the institution of monarchy hold a sacred and divine status. In Confucianism, the ideal king establishes an inseparable connection by cultivating moral virtues and wisdom. This article, aiming to examine the requisites and attributes of the ideal king in Zoroastrianism and Confucianism, is written with an analytical-theoretical approach and a descriptive-library method. The main issue of the research is the investigation and comparison of the requisites and attributes of the ideal king and his role in society and in the formation of an ideal state, with an emphasis on the rule of a wise sovereign in Zoroastrianism and Confucianism. Based on the research findings; upbringing, wisdom, justice, practicing moral virtues and spreading them in society, as well as the performance of rituals by the ideal king, are among the commonalities. In contrast, the Divine Glory (Farr), racial purity, and the hereditary nature of kingship are considered points of divergence. The main question is: what are the requisites and attributes of the ideal king in Zoroastrianism and Confucianism? Another question is: what are the points of divergence and commonality in the attributes and requisites of the ideal king in these two religious and philosophical traditions?


- Keywords: Utopian king, wise ruler, Ren, Lee, Glory
Keywords
Utopia (the ideal state), ideal kingship, wise ruler, Ren (Benevolence), Li (Ritual/Propriety), Farr (Divine Glory)
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Religious Research
Volume 13, Issue 25 - Serial Number 25
November 2025
Pages 329-351