Confucius: Life and Teachings

Background

• Born in 551 BC in China.
• Possibly a student of the Taoist master Lao Tzu.
• Served in various governmental roles including Minister of Crime.
• Fell out with Duke Ding of Lu due to moral disagreements.
• Wandered and taught for years.
• His teachings were collected into the "Analects" by his followers between the 3rd and 5th century BC.

Key Teachings

Golden Rule

• "Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself."
• Universal principle found in many moral systems.

Importance of Ceremony

• Confucius emphasized rituals and ceremonies.
• Believed rituals clarify intentions and guide behavior.
• Example: Prioritizing ritual propriety over practical gain (sheep ceremony conversation).

Filial Piety

• Strict views on treatment of parents:
  • Obey when young, care when old, mourn extensively, and make sacrifices when they die.
  • Avoid travel while parents live, cover their mistakes.
• Moral life begins in the family.

Obedience to Honourable People

• Modern egalitarian societies vs. Confucian hierarchy.
• Importance of respecting and obeying those with more experience or accomplishments.
• Superiors and inferiors compared to wind and grass.

Cultivated Knowledge vs. Creativity

• Confucius valued knowledge from hard work over spontaneous creativity.
• Emphasized the five constant virtues: benevolence, ritual propriety, righteousness, wisdom, integrity.
• Moral character and wisdom seen as lifelong pursuits.

Legacy

• Confucius died without achieving his reforms but left a lasting impact.
• Schools and temples were established to honor his teachings.
• Major influence on Eastern political and moral ideas.
• Confucian virtues challenge modern impulses and offer guidance on good behavior.

Modern Relevance

• Provides a corrective to modern excesses.
• Modern world is un-Confucian in being formal, egalitarian, and innovative.
• Risk of impulsiveness, irreverence, and thoughtlessness without Confucian advice.