We know very little for certain about the life of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (a westernised version of his name, which means ‘Master Kong’). [18], Confucius was born into the class of shi (士), between the aristocracy and the common people. Either in conversation with a disciple or with a counselor about the drought in Lu or the cause of social unrest, this was a Confucius animated by speech and still trying to think through the most confounding problems of the human condition. These would be rulers devoted to their people, striving for personal and social perfection, and such a ruler would spread his own virtues to the people instead of imposing proper behavior with laws and rules. Confucius was born in the small state of Lu in 551 BC and died in 479 BC. His father was a soldier named Kong He who died when Confucius was three years old. Since that time there have been many portraits of Confucius as the ideal philosopher. Although his search was ultimately in vain, he never gave up, because he was eager for someone to “put me to use” (Analects, 17:5). The order found in the music of shao or in the conduct of a person suggests the ultimate good, but it is not an abstract idea, for it effects an emotional pull—a gravitating toward the music or the person possessing it. In the early Confucian tradition, lǐ was doing the proper thing at the proper time, balancing between maintaining existing norms to perpetuate an ethical social fabric, and violating them in order to accomplish ethical good. Confucius’s disciples were considerably younger than him. Still, Confucius took Zilu in, for he was someone “who did not feel ashamed standing next to a man wearing fox or badger fur while himself dressed in a tattered gown padded with silk floss” and who was so reliable that “by speaking from just one side of a dispute” in a court of law he could “bring a legal dispute to a conclusion” (Analects, 9:27; 12:12). [53], Confucius's favorite disciple was Yan Hui, most probably one of the most impoverished of them all. Confucius was born in 551 BCE in the small feudal state of Lu in what is now Shantung Province. [23] In 500 BC, Hou Fan—the governor of Hou—revolted against his lord of the Shu family. Under the succeeding Han and Tang dynasties, Confucian ideas gained even more widespread prominence. He did not actively recruit them when he was a counselor in Lu. Among the reasons why Confucius was such a popular figure can be seen in his works. When was Confucius born, What country did Confucius live in, Was Confucius considered to be one of the first Chinese philosophers. Confucius was born on September 28, 551 BC; Confucius was born in Lu; I hope this helps! There have been two film adaptations of Confucius' life: Confucius (1940) starring Tang Huaiqiu, and Confucius (2010) starring Chow Yun-fat. He simply wanted to give a discomforting and more truthful account of what human beings are like in order to get them moving more quickly on the road to reform. A good example is found in this famous anecdote: By not asking about the horses, Confucius demonstrates that the sage values human beings over property; readers are led to reflect on whether their response would follow Confucius's and to pursue self-improvement if it would not have. Confucianism is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture as well as a complete ideological system created by Confucius, based on the traditional culture of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties.It has dominated a feudal society that in essence has lasted 2000 years and for that reason its influence over the history, social structure and the people of China cannot be overlooked. Confucius's political thought is based upon his ethical thought. In the centuries after his death, Mencius (孟子) and Xun Zi (荀子) both composed important teachings elaborating in different ways on the fundamental ideas associated with Confucius. Confucius’s father, Shu-liang He, had been a warrior and served as a district steward in Lu, but he was already an old man when Confucius was born. Confucius therefore waited for the duke to make a lesser mistake. Confucius was born in the state of Lu at a time when local rulers failed to pay homage to the emperor of a declining Chou dynasty. Although they never found an adequate explanation for Huan Tui’s action, some suggested that the mob of Kuang mistook Confucius for someone else. [73][74] The Hanlin Academy rank of Wujing boshi 五經博士 was awarded to the southern branch at Quzhou by a Ming Emperor while the northern branch at Qufu held the title Duke Yansheng. Part of the problem was Confucius himself: he was unwilling to pursue any avenues that might obligate him to those who could bring him trouble rather than aid. When was Confucius born? A handful of younger disciples—who make their appearances rather forcefully at the beginning and the end of the work—could have initiated the project, but it took another 200–300 years of tinkering—with some passages being omitted and others appended or modified—before the text settled into its present form. But when asked what should come first when administrating a state, he said “trust” (xin). Confucius also stressed the importance of maintaining some emotional distance from matters that require judgment, but Xunzi placed more emphasis on the mind’s potential. His utterance at the siege of Kuang conveyed even greater confidence that Heaven would stand by him. And in the ruler’s presence, though he was filled with reverence and awe, he was perfectly composed” (Analects,10:2). Confucius was emboldened to think that he could set things right in the world, because he was born at a time when such aspirations were within the reach of men living in circumstances similar to his. This, in part, explains what Confucius was trying to teach. On the question of which of the human faculties should play the deciding role, Mencius opted for the heart while Xunzi favoured the mind. By his thirties, he'd become a brilliant teacher who shared his knowledge of several subjects, including arithmetic, history, and poetry, with his students. Confucius looked nostalgically upon earlier days, and urged the Chinese, particularly those with political power, to model themselves on earlier examples. An education in the Odes, the earliest collection of Chinese poetry, complements an education in the rites. But what if your parents are thinking of doing something wrong? This demanded that the subordinates must advise their superiors if the superiors are considered to be taking a course of action that is wrong. True or False, What year did Confucius die According to some reports, Confucius’s early ancestors were the Kongs from the state of Song—an aristocratic family that produced several eminent counselors for the Song rulers. But unless the child “acts according to the spirit of the rites, in being respectful, he will tire himself out; in being cautious, he will become timid” (Analects, 8:2). He puts the greatest emphasis on the importance of study, and it is the Chinese character for study (學) that opens the text. He claimed that he had gotten it from Confucius, though one learns from the Analects that Confucius did not like to talk about human nature (Analects, 5:13). Confucius was disappointed and resolved to leave Lu and seek better opportunities, yet to leave at once would expose the misbehavior of the duke and therefore bring public humiliation to the ruler Confucius was serving. The life of Confucius begins with a man named K’ung Ch’iu who was born in northeastern China in 551 BC. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of the shame, and moreover will become good." No hardship or privation could have distracted him from his love of learning and his desire to know the good. Mencius was a member of the first group and Xunzi (c. 300–c. [53] Most of them came from Lu, Confucius's home state, with 43 recorded, but he accepted students from all over China, with six from the state of Wey (such as Zigong), three from Qin, two each from Chen and Qi, and one each from Cai, Chu, and Song. 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