CONFUCIANISM as a religion came to Indonesia long before Indonesia's independence. Its history began in Solo in 1918 when a Confucian religious institution called Khong Kauw Hwee came into being. Five years later, it became the Confucian Religion Central Institute (Khong Kauw Cong Hwee).

In 1955, 10 years after Indonesia proclaimed its independence, Indonesian Confucians set up the Indonesian Confucian Religion High Council (Matakin) in an