CONFUCIUS
Mortera, Gillian Q.
PS4-A
Ms. Ana Janet M. Pinlac
GOLDEN RULE: “DO NOT
DO TO OTHERS WHAT
YOU DO NOT WANT
OTHERS DO TO YOU.”
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Original name: Kongqiu or Kong Qiu
Family name: Kong
Personal Name: Qiu
Literary name: Zhongni
Referred as Kongzi or Kongfuzi
China’s most famous teacher,
philosopher, and political theorist,
whose ideas have influenced the
civilization of East Asia
LIFE OF CONFUCIUS
Born in 551 BCE
September 28 – Teacher’s Day in Taiwan
Born in Qufu in the small feudal state of Lu (now
known as the Shandong province)
His ancestors are considered members of the
aristocracy
To contradict, they are “poverty-stricken” or extremely
poor by the time of his birth
LIFE OF CONFUCIUS
Served in minor government posts and keeping books for granaries
Has the mastery to six arts: ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and
arithmetic
Familiarity with the classical traditions, poetry, and history
His life is plain and real.
His humanity does not reveal truth but an expression of self-cultivation.
DESCRIPTIVE ENVIRONMENT
Aristocratic families hired tutors to educate their son in specific arts
Superiors were uninterested in his policies, he left the country to find (for 12 years)
another feudal state to which he could render his service
PRESCRIPTIVE PHILOSOPHY
He wants education to be part of the people’s way of life
He was the first person to devote his whole life to learning for the purpose of improving
the society
“All human beings could benefit from self-cultivation.”
“Education is not merely an acquisition of knowledge but also as character building.”
“Wooden tongue for a bell” – sounding heaven’s prophetic note to awaken the people
PRESCRIPTIVE PHILOSOPHY
“transmitter who invented nothing” – he believed he was teaching the natural path to
good behavior passed down from older, divine masters; “reanimate the old in order to
attain the new”
Analects – his collection of works of sayings written down by his followers
not commandments, because he did not like prescribing strict rules
simply living virtuously would inspire other to do the same
CONFUCIANISM
A system of social and ethical philosophy rather than a religion
Established social values, institutions, and transcendent ideals of traditional Chinese society
Humanism – central feature of Confucianism
The Four Books (Si Shu)
The Great Learning – guide for moral self-cultivation
Analects
Mencius – collection of conversations between Mencius and Kongzi
The Doctrine of the Mean – deals with how to maintain perfect balance and harmony in one’s life
CONFUCIANISM
The Five Classics (Wu Jing) – five pre-Qin Chinese books that form part of the traditional
Confucian canon
Classic of Poetry (Book of Odes) – collection of 305 poems divided into 160 folk songs, 105 festal
songs sung at court ceremonies, and 40 hymns and eulogies sung at sacrifices to heroes and
ancestral spirits of the royal house
Book of Documents – collection of documents and speeches alleged to have been written by rulers
and officials of the early Zhou; possibly the oldest Chinese narrative
Book of Rites – describes ancient rites, social forms and court ceremonies
I Ching (Book of Changes) – divination system comparable to Western geomancy pf t
Spring and Autumn Annals – historical record of the State of Lu, Confucius’ native state
