Lecture Notes: The Teachings of Confucius

1. Introduction

• Confucius: Chinese philosopher born in 551 BC.
• Possible student of Daoist master Lao Tzu.
• Served various roles in government, including Minister of Crime under Duke Ding in the state of Lu.
• Left court after a disagreement with the duke.
• Confucius' teachings recorded in the "Analects (论语: Lunyu)" by his followers between the 3rd and 5th century BC.

2. Key Teachings of Confucius

2.1 The Golden Rule

• Moral teaching: "Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself."

2.2 Ceremony (Ritual Propriety 禮: Li)

• Importance of ceremonies and rituals.
• Example: Debate about sacrificing a sheep, valuing ritual over the sheep.
• Rituals help us understand behavior and make intentions clear.
• Modern analogy: family meals, wedding vows, etc.

2.3 Reverence Toward Parents (Filial Piety 孝: Xiao)

• Obey parents when young, care for them when old, make sacrifices in their memory.
• Do not travel far from them while they are alive.
• Importance of starting moral life within the family.
• Modern contrast: less emphasis on staying close and caring for parents.

2.4 Obedience to Honorable People

• Recognize and venerate those with experience and accomplishments.
• Modern society's egalitarian values vs. Confucian hierarchical respect.
• Quote: "Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, a father a father, and a son a son."
• Significance of humble obedience as a gesture of respect.
• Analogy: relationship between wind and grass.

2.5 Cultivated Knowledge Over Creativity

• Emphasis on lifelong cultivation of virtues: benevolence, ritual propriety, righteousness, wisdom, integrity.
• Moral character and wisdom compared to gardening.
• Importance of hard work and reflection over sudden inspiration.
• Modern society values creativity, but Confucius stresses consistent improvement and habit change.

3. Confucius' Legacy

• Did not reform officials in his lifetime, but followers created schools and temples in his honor.
• Significant influence on Eastern political ideas about morality, obedience, and leadership.
• Modern relevance: Confucian virtues seen as corrective to modern society's excesses.
• Comparison to modern world: less formal, more egalitarian, and innovative, yet prone to impulsivity and thoughtlessness without Confucian guidance.