Confucius The Philosopher BY FREDERICK FANG

The Not So Secret Life of Confucius He was born on September 28 th, 551 BC to a military officer. His dad was of old age and his mom was only in her teenage years. He lived in major poverty during his younger years. He studied with a Lao Tzu, a famous teacher. He spent an abundance of hours learning ancient rituals, music, history, and poetry.

The Not So Secret Life of Confucius.. PART 2 Confucius began to gather disciples and had as many as 3000! Around the age of 51, Confucius began his political career. Shortly after, Confucius left his position as Minister and dedicated the rest of his life to teaching. He died in 479 BC at the age of 72. After his death, his disciples wrote a book after him: The Analects of Confucius. The Analects of Confucius Cool huh? Even though I can’t read it.

Political Career At the age of 51, Confucius began his political career in the state of Lu. He held the position of Minister of Public Works and then the Minister of Justice. He eventually became the Prime Minister of Lu! However, he learned that the Prince of Lu was taking a leave of absence from the government. Why he left? The neighboring state gave the prince 100 horses and 80 dancing girls. Confucius was deeply sadden by the irresponsibility of the Prince and left his post as Minister.

Beliefs and Principles Confucius’s beliefs and principles have carried on throughout Chinese history. He believed three things: 1. Strong Family Loyalty 2. Respect of elders, children, family members, and yourself. 3. Ancestor Worship Confucius even created the first “Golden Rule”. “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself”.

Wisdom Confucius believed that wisdom was gained in three ways: 1. Reflection: Looking at yourself, examining your actions, and looking to make better decisions. 2. Imitation: Do as other wise people do. 3. Experience: Live through events and learn from mistakes. Confucius also believed that a wise person could be anyone, whether poor or rich. For example: he was not ashamed to ask poor people for help.

Teachings The teachings of Confucius stress the importance of the following items: 1. Education 2. Respect for everyone 3. Appropriate behavior 4. Moral development by the Individual. 5. The government helping citizens rather than making strict laws that hinder well-being. Confucius and his disciples

5 Virtues Philosophy Confucius taught all of his disciples 5 virtues. Following these virtues would allow one to achieve “moral perfection” and live a healthy life in a state of harmony. 1. Ren: Humanity (Love of People) 2. Yi: Honesty and being good. 3. Zhi: Knowledge. The ability to see right and wrong. 4. Xin: Integrity and faithfulness 5. Li: How a person should act in everyday life. Examples: correct behavior, politeness, and good manners.

Confucianism Confucianism is a philosophical system built by the teachings of Confucius. It was a popular religion in ancient China along with Buddhism and Daoism. It states to treasure things in everyday life, especially family. If you believe in Confucianism, you believe that humans are teachable, improvable, and perfectible. This is by education and trying hard to achieve a goal.

The Analects of Confucius It was made after Confucius had died by his followers and disciples. The Analects of Confucius contains ideas and sayings that Confucius taught and believed. In the book also contains information on virtues, government, philosophies, and ideas on Confucianism. It remains one of the most read and studied Chinese books. Ideas in the book still have a strong impact in Chinese culture today.

Favorite Quotes of Confucius “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated”. “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence”. “It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get”. “The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell”. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop”. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart”. “Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change”.

Sources:        Folk Tale Stories