Confucius: Life, Teachings, and Impact on China
Confucius: Life and Philosophy
Three names have been attributed to the same person: Kong Qiu, Kong Fuzi, and Kong Zi. “Kong” means “master”, someone who teaches something. He has been a huge influence upon China; it is almost impossible to talk about China without talking about him.
Humble Origins and the Warring States Period
Confucius had humble origins; he came from a family of peasants (he wrote about his origins). He never got a substantial government position and he claimed he was not an innovator (he considered China had to look backwards, antirevolutionary). The period he lived was a period of wars: China itself didn’t exist. We have the “Warring States” period: social anarchy due to the collapse of the central government (there wasn’t political stability). Because of that, Confucius started investigating what previous emperors did to keep things well.
The Importance of Education
Confucius thought that people should be educated in traditional values, which was absolutely revolutionary. He thought that education makes people grow as individuals.
Confucius didn’t create Confucianism, it was his followers, basing it on his sayings.
The Basic Doctrine of Confucianism
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Cultivating Human-Heartedness
Humaneness (rén) is the basic virtue in Confucianism: if a man sets his heart on benevolence, he will be free from evil. It entails a doctrine of reciprocity: do not do unto others what you will not want others to do unto you. You should be benevolent even if the other person is inferior to you. But you must be in contact with people superior to you, because inferior people will contaminate you. People are not born with “humaneness”; it is something you have to cultivate.
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The Ideal of the “Superior Person”
(junzi: the ruler’s son). We are not all equal; only educated people can be superior. The junzi is the noble person, the ideal human; a person of higher moral character. He has wisdom, compassion, and courage. He always strives for the good (Make it your guiding principle to do your best for others). He has an open mind. We are supposed to cultivate our will and increase our knowledge. Confucius does not talk about power in the sense of having moral character.
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The Role of Ritual and Culture
Ritual and culture make us better persons if we respect them. Li (ritual) also means propriety. There is a proper way to behave in all situations. There’s only one way to do certain things. Ritual connects people with their ancestors. Culture refers to the art of peace, which are music, art, and poetry. Confucius was completely against the art of warfare; a gentleman must practice the art of peace.
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The Rectification of Names
The proper use of language. We should not play with words. This is against gossip and idle speaking; you must have authority to speak.
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The Five Constant Relationships
(and their attendant virtues): father-son, elder brother-younger brother, husband-wife, ruler-subject, and elder friend-younger friend.
The Golden Rule
Reciprocity: “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.”
Confucianism and the Imperial Exam
Many years ago, China made an exam about Confucius in order to enter the Civil Service (Bureaucracy): to form part of the Emperor’s servants. The method is very different from the one we have in Western countries like Spain or England. This is a meritocracy. Candidates had to study the Confucianism Canon, containing 400 characters. They had to memorize all these characters. The imperial exam operated for two millennia.