Confucius

The Story of Confucius

 Born 551 BC died 479 BC
 Named Qiu K’ung but was called K’ung-fu-tzu (master
K’ung) by disciples
 Father was a warlord – mother was a young concubine.
 Father died a few years after Confucius’ birth and mother
was poor.
 Married Qiguan at the of age 19
 Mother died when he was 23 – mourned for 3 yrs
 By age 30 he worked in the government of Lu as a
teacher, then granary manager, governor, chief of justice.
 Left Lu to wander China in his 50’s and teach.
Confucius’ Social Philosophy
 Ren: compassion for others, charity, being humane –
the golden rule
 Respectfulness, magnanimity, truthfulness, acuity,
generosity, self-improvement
 The virtue of justice (duty, principle)
 Filial piety – the above traits reflected in relationships
and basis of social structure
 Parent to child – parent provides protection, necessities,
guidance, education, moral up-bringing while the child
shows honor, respect, love.
 How did Confucianism begin?

A Chinese philosopher named

K'ung Fu-tzu or Confucius, the
Westernized version, believed
that a society could become
perfect, if the people who lived in
it exhibited "beautiful conduct."
What did Confucius teach
people?
 Confucius taught people five basic ideas about
behavior:
1) kindness
2) righteousness
3) sobriety
4) wisdom
5) trustworthiness
The Analects
 "The Analects" collected teachings on
education and government, the definition of
nobility, the equality of man and the right
way and purpose of living.
 These ideas eventually spread to the West
and influenced the great thinkers of the
Enlightenment.
 Confucius set forth his own Golden Rule:
"Do not impose on others what you do not
wish for yourself."
General Theme of The Analects
 A man should lead an upright life, educate himself,
and contribute to the betterment of society.
 The superior man, he says, respects elders,
cultivates the friendship of good people, presides
over his subordinates with a fair and even hand,
continually educates himself, overflows with love
for fellow human beings, and in general sets a
good example for others to follow. 
 The gentleman wishes to be slow in speech but
prompt in action.

Confucius, Book 4
 Be
loyal and trustworthy. Do not befriend anyone
who is lower than yourself in this regard. When
making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.
 Thesuperior man is modest in his speech, but
exceeds in his actions
 When you see a good person, think of becoming
like her/him. When you see someone not so good,
reflect on your own weak points.
 “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

― Confucius
 “Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.”

― Confucius
 “The man who moves a mountain begins by
carrying away small stones.”

- Confucius: The Analects

Good government
  "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity
among them be sought by punishments, they will
try to escape punishment and have no sense of
shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity
sought among them through the practice of ritual
propriety, they will possess a sense of shame and
come to you of their own accord.”
Good government
 Confucius' political beliefs were rooted in his
belief that a good ruler would be self-disciplined,
would govern his subjects through education and
by his own example, and would seek to correct his
subjects with love and concern rather than
punishment and coercion.
 “Ifyour desire is for good, the people will be
good. The moral character of the ruler is the
wind; the moral character of those beneath
him is the grass. When the wind blows, the
grass bends.”
 Confucius believed that, because the ruler was the
model for all who were under him in society, the
rectification of names had to begin with the ruler,
and that afterwards others would change to imitate
him (Analects 12.19).
 A good ruler will learn self-discipline
 Will govern by example
 Will show Ren (compassion) to the
people
Book IV, Chapter I
 TheMaster said, “It is the moral character of a
neighborhood that constitutes its excellence, and
how can he be considered wise, who does not elect
to dwell in moral surroundings.”
Book II, Chapter XV
 TheMaster said, “Learning without wisdom is
useless, Wisdom without learning is
dangerous.”
What is the Difference
Confucius: “What you do not wish for
yourself, do not do to others.”

Bible: “Do unto others as you would

have them do unto you.”