Confucius (551-479 BCE) China s greatest philosopher. For centuries his teachings have influenced Chinese thinking about a person s ideal education and the proper way to behave. First 5000 Years. Great Barrington, MA:
Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters? Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may take no note of him? (Analects 1:1) Richey, Jeffrey L. Confucius in East Asia. Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Asian Studies, Inc, 2013.
Confucius: the early years Born in the state of Lu (today called Shandong Province.
Shandong Province, China.
Family name: Kong Qui (chee) His courtesy name, Zhongni (jong-nee). As a adult, he eventually earned the name Kong the Grand Master (Kong fuzi) which was later Latinized as Confucius. He married at nineteen, had two daughters and one son, and held a minor government office in Lu. While he was devoted to teaching he real desire was to reform the decaying Zhou (joe) culture.
Minister of Justice, Confucius He was promoted to Magistrate and then to Minister of Justice in Lu. When he grew disillusioned with his inability to change the bureaucratic system, Confucius set out five years later with a group of disciples to other states, seeking a worthy ruler who would implement his teachings.
Five Classics About thirteen years later, he returned to Lu to teach, and according to traditional Chinese history, he over saw the writing of the Five Classics. Classic of History (Shujing) Classic of Poetry (Shijing) Classic of Changes (Yijing) Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqui) Classic of Rites (Liji) Classic of Music (no longer extant)
The Analects of Confucius Believed to have been written by his followers. By the early Han dynasty the Analects were considered a commentary on the Five Classics. Over time the Analects grew to be one of the central texts of Confucianism. As the late Song dynasty grew to a close, the importance of the Analects as a philosophical work was raised above that of the older Five Classics, and later was recognized as one of the Four Books.
Reputation After Death His teachings and their influence continued to spread after his death. By the time of another Chinese philosopher, Mencius (371-289 BCE) Confucius was considered a sage. Example-When the stables were burnt down, on returning from court Confucius said, "Was anyone hurt?" He did not ask about the horses, instead asking about people. In this way he demonstrated that people were more important than property.
Worshipped during the Han and Song (soong) Dynasties. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) the emperors made offerings at his tomb, which eventually became a shrine and later a temple. During the Song dynasty (960-1279 CE), the scholar Zhu Xi compiled details of Confucius s life and teachings into the Four Books: Great Learning Doctrine of the Mean Analects of Confucius Mencius
Confucius Temple of Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Confucius, Innovative Teacher Opened his school to all serious students. His teachings transformed aristocratic mores into collective values. He emphasized literacy and demanded that his students be enthusiastic, serious and self-reflective. He firmly believed that all persons, but especially the ruling class, must develop moral integrity by practicing ritual action in order to express humanity.
Confucius, Innovative Teacher, cont. He stressed that by expressing humanity each moment of life, one becomes a consummate person. One word that exemplifies his teachings is shu, meaning empathy which is defined in the Analects as never do to another what you do not desire. With a renewed interest in Confucius in China, his teachings continue to influence many aspects of Chinese culture.
Confucius in East Asia, Jeffrey L. Richey. Richey, Jeffrey L. Confucius in East Asia. Ann Arbor, MI: Association for Asian Studies, Inc., 2013.