Confucianism: What is it?

I have read book one and book two of "The Chinese Classics--Volume 1: Confucian Analects" by James Legge. Here is a short response on what I think about Confucianism after my reading.

Confucianism is not a religion, but rather a 'way of life'. I believe this is true because in my reading I had not encountered anything that struck me as religious, since everything mentioned sounded more like guidelines on how to live a certain way. Confucius was being referred to as the first two chapters "master" in The Chinese Classics--Volume 1: Confucian Analects and as a master and founder of Confucianism he teaches other how to lead a proper life. "The Master said, To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity" (Legge 4; Line 8; Book 1). This here is a sample of how Confucianism is proven to be more of a 'way of life' because Confucius is taking about how a ruler should rule a large country if he wishes to be successful. I also believe that the book supports the idea that people are born good because it has examples of people being good or being corrupted to be bad from originally being good.. "If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?" (Legge 11; Line 9; Book 3). This quote basically shows how people were originally born to be good. According to this quote from the book, people are born with good intentions for their fellow man, and make several inventions, like music, to make the life of humanity, as a whole, better. "if the people be led by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover be good" (Legge 7; Line 4; Book 2). In this quote the book supports how people are made bad by a system full of complex rules but also suggest that if they were led to live morally good lives from the start, they will be good. "While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filal (Legge 5; Line 13; Book 1). Here Legge writes about how if a man's son is does not stop following his father's teachings after he has died,for three years, he can be called a son. This basically shows how the book supports the fact of people being born good because this quote represents a sort of understanding in how the world can corrupt the son of a dead father but if he can stay loyal to his fathers ways for three years he is illegible to be called a true son. So basically in order to be corrupted one must have started with being good, which is why I believe this quote also supports why this book supports the fact that people are born good.