I just saw this movie Confucius starring Chow Yun Fat and was suddenly confounded by just how intellectually and emotionally grounded ideas such as his must be.  In the beginning scene of the movie, Confucius's character and his cohorts exude a fierce aura of dignity, respect, brotherhood, filial piety, and comradery.  Basically 5 minutes of a dialogueless scene set the tone for the rest of the movie.  The sheer composure of all the excellent actors acting out the roles of Confucius and his  crew was outwardly reflected in a collective action sometimes wrongly described as ritual display.  In certain regards that is the easier route of explanation.  However, as ritualistic and regimented though it might seem I don't think Confucian behavior can be equated to what is commonly known as etiquette because etiquette is simply convention designed to be followed whether you understand it or not.  For example in Japan it is a compliment to say to someone that they are roundish and plump while in America it is considered rude.  And the reasons for this become clear when taking into account aesthetic differences between these two cultures.  Another example of convention is military dress code.  Why some uniforms have green, others red, and others camo.  But in the portrayal of Confucius, and ancient Chinese culture in general, audiences are expected to relate due to some deeper and unspoken harmonious understanding such that what becomes shown on screen becomes associated with a universal drive towards some collective mentality, without explanation of the convention.

Who are the Confucius's of other cultures, nationalities, and countries?  Name me a Vietnamese Confucius, or a Japanese Confucius in ancient or modern times.