At the most basic level was the family, which was the model for the model for the state as a whole, as a system of relationships.
Ideally, the harmonious state was maintained by a well-meaning king who was a kind of sage (wise man).
Although Confucian thinkers felt that relationships were important, followers of another school, known as Mohism, were concerned that running the state on relationships could lead to corruption and unfairness.