Confucius

Confucius, a Chinese philosopher who lived 2,500 years ago, was like Socrates in the West, dedicated to guiding people to think about morality and a good life. In addition, Confucius and Lao Tzu are the most brilliant twin stars in the history of Chinese philosophy. and now to the professional researchers at institutions like the Confucius Research Institute in Qufu.

Who was Confucius?

Confucius (Kǒng Zǐ), commonly known as Confucius in the West, was born in 551 BC and lived during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. He was one of the most famous thinkers, educators, and philosophers of ancient China, and Confucius philosophy influenced East Asian culture. His teachings have impacted China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and other East Asian countries.

The Life of Confucius

Confucius (Kǒng Zǐ) was born in 551 BC in Zouyi, Lu State (present-day Qufu, Shandong Province). Confucius father died when he was three years old, and his mother supported him by spinning and weaving. However, she also passed away when Confucius was 17.

After his mother's death, Confucius began to contemplate the issues of human life and social order. Around the age of 20, Confucius began working to support his family. He worked as a "Wei Li" (accountant) managing warehouses and as a "Cheng Tian" (managing cattle and sheep).

At the age of 30, Confucius made a groundbreaking move that changed the history of Chinese education—establishing private schools. Before this, only the children of nobles could attend school (education was provided by the government). Confucius proposed "education for all," meaning that as long as one brought ten strips of dried meat as a gift to become a student, he would accept anyone, regardless of wealth, social status, intelligence, or stupidity.

At the age of 51, Confucius became the magistrate of Zhongdu County. He was later promoted to Minister of Works, and then to Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Security. During his tenure, merchants dared not arbitrarily raise prices, and the people did not pick up lost items on the road.

Confucius as Educator

Confucius was not only a philosopher but also one of the greatest educators in human history. He is revered by later generations as "The Greatest Sage and Teacher" and "The Model Teacher for Ten Thousand Generations."

If Confucius were alive 21st century, he would probably be a frequent TED speaker, a bestselling author of educational books, and a keynote speaker at the Global Education Innovation Summit. Confucius's educational revolution broke three epoch-making innovations.

Breaking the monopoly: Education for all

• Before Confucius, education was a privilege of the nobility—"learning was confined to the government." Only the children of nobles could enter official schools to learn etiquette, music, and archery.
• Confucius proposed a radical idea for his time: "In education, there should be no class distinctions."
• In practice: As long as a student could offer ten strips of dried meat as a token of respect (ordinary people could afford), Confucius accepted him as a disciple, regardless of whether he was a nobleman or a commoner, a rich man or a poor man.
• Historical significance: This is equivalent to Confucius establishing the world's first "private school" and "university for the common people," bringing education from the halls of power to the common people.

Personalized instruction: the pioneer of individualized learning

Confucius was one of the world's earliest educators to practice "teaching according to the student's ability."

Confucius believed that the same question could have different answers. The most classic example is when Zilu and Ran You asked the same question: Should one immediately act upon hearing a principle?

• To Zilu (brave but reckless), Confucius replied: "Think thrice; consult your father and elder brothers first."
• To Ran You (humble but hesitant), Confucius replied: "Hear something and do it; do it without hesitation."

Why the difference? Confucius explained: "Ran You is usually timid, so I encourage him; Zilu is too impetuous, so I restrain him."

All-round development: The four disciplines of Confucius

Confucius established four core courses, known as the "Four Disciplines of the Confucian School": Morality, Speech, Politics, and Literature. This was equivalent to a university that simultaneously offered departments of philosophy, diplomacy, public administration, and literature, cultivating generalists rather than specialists.

Confucius's Achievements

In his later years, Confucius devoted himself to compiling ancient texts, which resulted in the Confucian classics known as the "Six Classics": Book of Song, Book of Documents, Book of Rites, Book of Music, Book of Changes, Spring and Autumn Annals.

In addition to studying the classics, Confucius also required his students to master six basic skills—the "Six Arts": Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, Mathematics.

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