Confucius
My life
My life has become more symbolic then fact. It has been said by scholar Ming Dong Gu, quoting scholar Brayn W. Van Norden,that "Since his death over two millennia ago, Confucius has ceased to be a historical figure. Indeed, as Van Norden puts it, he has become “a symbol for a variety of different (and often contrasting) things: meritocracy, aristocracy, traditionalism,rationalism, aestheticism, ‘feudalism,’ secularism, wisdom, ignorance, Chinese culture, virtue, hypocrisy, and ‘the Orient.’(Gu 34)” So little is known about me as a person, it is easy to see why I have become such a symbol. My words were recorded by others, allowing them to be open to such symbolic interpretations.
There are no known documents written by me. All that we have are the documents written by my disciples, which means that all the writing we have about my life is questionable. There is also little to no documentation about my life and how I lived. Many of your modern scholars have theories about my life, ranging from the fantastic to the simple. Some claim that I was even born to royalty, while others say I was really a malicious individual.
The most likely fact is that I was born in the small town of Zou in the ancient state of Lu(near modern day Qufu in what is now the Chinese Province of Shandong). It is said that I was born in answer to my parent's prayers and so I was given the surname Kong (which means literally an utterance of thankfulness when prayers have been answered). My family given name was Kong Qiu, and my courtesy name was Zhongni.(Riegel) Throughout the ages I have been given a number of other names and titles which include: Kong Fuzi (or Master Kong), The Great Sage, and The First Teacher of China. Most modern day Chinese call me Kongzi, which is another way of saying "Master Kong." Over time Kongzi was Latinized and has become Confucius, which is what English speakers call me today.
My father (Kong He) belonged to the Shi class and was a magistrate and soldier for the state of Lu. When I was about three years old, my father died, leaving me to grow up in poverty. At the age of 22, I started the first private school in China, teaching a philosophy of ideal personal conduct, benevolence, and justice by law. When I was about fifty, I became the Grand Official of Justice for the State of Lu. A common falsehood told about my life is that after leaving that position, many believe that I spent the last 13 years of my life traveling around China, teaching my philosophies. However, this is a fictional tale made up by Mencius (one of my later disciples) who was looking to better his own position. No matter what the truth about my life it, I have many followers, both then and now. It was my disciples who later wrote down the things I taught. These teachings later became known as the 5 great classics of China along with the Analects and other books.
In the Analects, it claims that I said, “At fifteen I was intent on learning; by thirty I was standing straight; by forty I was no longer confused; by fifty I knew heaven's commands; by sixty I was attuned; and at seventy, I could follow my heart's desires without transgressing what was right.” (Ebrey, p46)
I lived between the years 551-479 BC, according to your modern calendar. I never wanted to become a philosopher. My ambitions were in politics. I died thinking I had failed in my life goals. I had no idea that I had started, what would prove to be, a nationwide movement that would change China forever.
After My Death
I never had thought that I would become famous after I died. They even rebuilt my home as a temple as if I am some of kind of Diety!
My teachings, or those teachings attributed to me, have been the basis for most of China's governments since the Han dynasty! In my life, I felt that few political leaders would listen to me. It was only until after I died that they began to pay attention.
Because I personally never wrote any of my thoughts or teachings, so after my death my disciples compiled my works into what is now called the Analects. The problem with this is that many works that I had no part in have been attributed to me. Early 20th century Chinese studies professor Homer H. Dubs said “…[T]he real teaching of Confucius became distorted anew each time a new Confucian philosophy appeared. Many sayings were put into his mouth which he never could have uttered…(Dubs 30)” And so such things make it difficult to tell what was from me or attributed to me after my death. Often times my name was used to validate someone else's philosophies.
The Analects
Along with the Five Classics, is a book called the Lunyu, or, as it is called in your language, The Analects. It is supposed to be a collection of my teachings, as recorded by my disciples. (I, myself, left no written record of my teachings.) It is probable that some of my disciples who added to this collection, added their own ideas to my teachings and thus passed them off as my words. This book is a collection of short sayings and teachings; many of them have become proverbs in the years since it was written. Gu states that the Analects are a series of questions posed to me by my students and how I answered. Because of this nature, the Analects are open in nature. Gu adds that this openness allows for a multitude of interpretations and proof that the Analects are penned by multiple authors. “The sayings and conversations were not written down by a single hand... (Gu 37)” Gu says, causing the Analects to become "text for all readers, Confucius is inevitably everyone’s Confucius because he will appear, albeit ever slightly, as a different image in every reader’s mind. (Gu 46)” The open nature of the Analects allows anyone to interpret them as they will.
The European Graduate School states “The Analects give us most of what we know about Confucius and while Confucius claimed to be a mere transmitter, scholars agree that he in fact did much more than transmit and in fact it is his interpretations, expansions and departures that honored him with such a lasting reputation.(EGS)” The teachings found in this work have provided a basis for millions of peoples beliefs and practices through out the world. The Analects provide most of what is known about me. This has allowed for many variations of me to emerge.
It is Sima Qian who first recorded that I wrote all the five classics in his great history (written, I might add, nearly 400 years after I lived!). I wonder if he thought he was being respectful- or perhaps he really believed I wrote them all? In any event, since then I have been credited with far more wisdom than I ever held. Again, as Dubs has said, many things people claim I have written were truly written by others. The classics were written much before my time. In fact, I am also found to be quoting from the Books. I especially enjoy the works from the Book of Poetry. For example:
“The Master said, 'In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence - 'Having no depraved thoughts.’ Confucius. The Analects. ca. 500 B.C.E.
'It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.' - The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed.' The Master said, 'With one like Ci, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence.’ Confucius. The Analects. ca. 500 B.C.E
The main focus of the Analects is on proper living through Li and Ren. These are defined as follows bu Homer H. Dubs.
Li: "...included matters of politeness, court etiquette, religious ritual, governmental practices and the state constitution, codes of conduct, and ethical principles. Perhaps the best interpretation is that a man of li lives in accordance with the highest code of conduct that can be expected of a true gentleman in a very broad sense. It is also more than mere con-formity to a code, for Confucius required it to be heartfelt and sincere…(Dubs 33-4)”
Ren: “...was a newer conception, possibly original with Confucius. He found this word used by the great founder of the state of Lu, the Duke of Jou. This duke once described himself as a man of ren-meaning thereby that he was a lord who was graciously kindly to his subordinates. This virtue Confucius took as fundamental. He broadened it to mean love for others and once equated it with the ordinary word for love (An. XII, xxii). Today this word is often translated by such terms as ‘human-heartedness’ or by some other term than ‘love.’(Dubs 34)”
By living these correct principles, I believe that it is possible for a person to become happy while bringing happiness to those around them. These qualities where especially needed for rulers, who also need to follow de, or rites and rituals to bring peace to the people. These where some of the basic things I taught during my lifetime that my students then recorded in the Analects
My Teachings
I never claimed to have any of my own teachings. I simply was sharing ancient knowledge that had been forgotten. During my life in China, everyone was at war, and I saw many troubling things in humanity. This caused me to think and talk a lot about the proper way human beings should live their lives. I believed that if people acted according to these ancient principles, the wars and chaos would end. The Ancient principles I taught include:
--The Golden Rule: “Do not unto others what you would not wish for yourself.”
--Filial Piety: This was a principle of hierarchical, mutual respect. It included five bonds: ruler to subject, father to son, husband to wife, elder brother to younger brother, and friend to friend.
--Ren or humanism: This was concern for the welfare of others or simply being humane.
--Zhong or Loyalty: This principle was mainly for loyalty towards a ruler. However, if the ruler does not follow the virtue of Ren, the people are not obligated to be loyal.
--Li: This principle has many aspects. It is considered ancient ceremonial rites, but also acts as the basic rules of conduct in your everyday life.
--Junzi or Gentleman: The idea behind this principle is that anyone (regardless of social class) can become a Junzi if they conduct themselves morally and respectfully.
Most of my teachings focused on how peace can be obtained. Because of the tribulation I saw during my lifetime, I wanted to see peace for all. This is why so much of my teaching focused on being basically a good human. This is done through kindness and rituals. We need to treat each other as we want to be treated. We as humans truly must be concerned with the welfare of each other. All I really ask is that we treat each other as we wish to be treated.
References
Ebrey, Patrica Buckley. "The Cambridge Illustrated History of China". New York, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 2d ed.
Riegel, Jeffrey, "Confucius", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2012/entries/confucius/>. Accessed April 18, 2012
Dubs, Homer H. “Confucius: His Life and Teaching.” Philosophy. Jan. 1951: pp. 30-36. Print.
Ming Dong, Gu. "Everyone's Confucius, All Readers' Analects." Journal Of Chinese Philosophy 37.1 (2010): 34-47. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
“Confucius- Biography.” The European Graduate School. EGS. n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2013
Chin, Ann-ping. "The authentic Confucius: A life of thought and politics." New York: Scribner, 2007. Print.
Creel, Herrlee Glessner. "Confucius: The man and the myth." New York: John Day Company, 1949. Print.
Powerpoint presentations for classroom use
- Confucius_by_Loren_S.pptx (Media:Confucius_by_Loren_S_part_1.pptx and Media:Confucius_by_Loren_S_part_2.pptx)
- Confucius_by_Tara_F.pptx (Media:Confucius and the Analects.pptx)