Confucius was born 551 BC in Ch'u-fu, state of Lu (Now Shantung province in China). He
was originally named KUung ChUiu but his title was Latinized when his teachings were
introduced to the West by Catholic missionaries in the early 17th century. He is said to
be Chinas most famous and important, teacher, philosopher, and political theorists and his
teachings have influenced the civilizations of all eastern Asia.
While little is know about his early life it is believed his family was of the
impoverished nobility and he was orphaned at a early age, grew up poor and was largely
self educated. While he was always searching for a greater enlightenment, learning was not
his greatest priority, he focused much of his interest in the political and social
problems of the time. He was born during the downfall of the Chou dynasty and much of the
country was in turmoil.
Confucius is said to be the foremost teacher of China, he spent a large part of his
life directly teaching a small group of disciples. He once said, "In education there
are no class distinctions", which demonstrated his belief in the equality and ability
for all men to learn. Confucius often downplayed his own importance in his philosophical
teaching, he called himself "a transmitter and not an innovator", when actually
he was a very revolutionary thinker who shaped much of eastern thought to this day. To
define Confucianism would be to define the ideal social ethic in China and many
surrounding countries. Emphasis is stressed on the four cardinal virtues, jen, yi, li and
chih. Jen is benevolence, love and human heartedness. It was believed that everyone had
good inside and kindness to all things and all those around you was part of making you a
complete person. Yi is righteousness, this is the obeying moral obligations, to live in
harmony with everything around you and stay free of guilt or sin. Li is benevolence, which
is to have a kindly disposition, promote the welfare of others and display goodwill to
your fellow man. Chih is wisdom, which means that a person must strive for knowledge and
understanding of the world around them. These are the rules that were needed to be
followed help make a more complete and civilized person. Most of the direct quotes of
Confucius are found in the Lun-yu or Analects of Confucius, which is a collection of
journals and notes on sayings and activities of Confucius, which was kept by his
disciples. Confucius said, "It is by poetry that one's mind is aroused; it is by
ceremonials that one's character is regulated; it is by music that one becomes
accomplished." Some of Confucius' more famous sayings would have to be, "Within
the four seas, all men are brothers," "Wishing to be established oneself he
assists others to be established; Wishing to be successful oneself he assists others to be
successful," and of course, "Do not do to others what one does not wish to be
done unto."
Many of Confucius' sayings show the strength that he felt backed up his philosophical
teachings. One example is, "The commander of a great army may be carried off, but the
will of a common man cannot be taken from him." Or, "The superior man is always
calm and at ease; the inferior man is always worried and full of distress. The superior
man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what is profitable. The
superior man makes demands on himself; the inferior man makes demands on others."
Toward the end of his life Confucius said, "At 15, I set my heart on learning. At 30,
I was firmly established. At 40, I had no more doubts. At 50, I knew the will of Heaven.
At 60, I was ready to listen to it. At 70, I could follow my heart's desires without
transgressing what was right."
Confucianism seems to search out or expose the good of people. It tries to stress order
and harmony between all things. It explains that all men are extremely similar and it is
only our habits and customs that make people different. It speaks of family and how this
harmony with the world must start at home, then be carried out into society. By promoting
good a person is not only improving their life but those around them, and through
cooperation and tolerance for that which you may be opposed to you are making the world a
better place. So in short Confucianism seems to be saying that by following the cardinal
virtues a person is making there own life more complete and useful while improving the
lives of those around them.
Like Socrates, Confucius sets many important guidelines for all philosophical study and
understanding. It should be understood that both Confucius and Socrates, two of the
greatest thinkers of all time, existed around the same time in history and had extremely
similar philosophical beliefs, yet were on opposite sides of the world in extremely
different cultures and had no connection or knowledge of the others culture. This may be
evidence that their beliefs about human nature, education and the ideal society are the
most correct to date or at least the best starting points for study. Both philosophers
believed that knowledge was the key to becoming the most complete person, so they may both
have agreed that their own philosophies should be studied and developed rather than simply
accepted.
Confucius seems to be a stand out philosopher for two reasons, firstly he is probably
the most well respected and fully accepted philosophers in history. Books he wrote or
edited have formed the basic curriculum of Chinese education for more than two thousand
years. Secondly Confucius is one of the most open-minded philosophers, his goals were to
use what create order and harmony amongst all things by using all the knowledge the world
could offer. Confucius is one historical figure that can never be studied enough and his
teachings will be useful and important for generations and generations to come.
Works Cited
Chinese Mythology, Anthony Christie. Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, London. Copyright
1968.
