Confucius – His Life and His Ideas

Confucius, whose dates are usually reckoned as 551 – 479 B.C., is one of the most influential thinkers in Chinese history.  He was the founder of the school of thought called Rujia (Confucianism or, literally, the School of the Literati). It was one of the many original philosophies including Daoism, Legalism, and Mohism that were conceived of to cope with the social instability, political turmoil, and incessant war associated with the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC).  After suffering from a short period of suppression during the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC), Rujia thinking was established as the official ideology by the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). After more than two thousands years of consistent institutionalization, Rujia thinking has become deeply embedded into almost all aspects of Chinese people’s social and cultural life and its far-flung influences had spread to neighboring East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

Confucius was born into a noble family in decline. His grandfather fled from his native country Song  to the state of Lu (currently Shang Dong province). At the time Confucius was born, his family was already impoverished. Confucius’ early life experience was full of misery and humiliation. It was not until he reached middle age that Confucius’ talents and virtues were recognized by the Duke of Lu. He was appointed the Minister of Public Works and then Minister of Justice. However, after some hostile disputes with the noble family of Lu, Confucius had to step down and went into self-imposed exile for 12 years. He traveled with his disciples to different states such as Wei, Song, Chen, Cai, and Chu, trying to convince the rulers of these states to accept his political philosophy. Unfortunately, his efforts came to no avail. In 484 BC, Confucius returned to Lu and spent the rest of his life compiling and editing the Classics of Poetry, the Classics of Books, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. Confucius didn’t leave behind any writing of his own. Most of his life and words are documented by his disciples in the book The Analects of Confucius, which has become the most important text in Confucianism. These works gave Confucius his status as the spiritual ancestor and role model of Chinese teachers, historians, moral philosophers, and literary scholars.

Confucian thought is often referred to as moral philosophy. The essential ideal of Confucian philosophy is the realization of a state of harmony through the maintenance of order, be it transcendental symbolic order represented by Tian (heaven) or the social/political orders that are embodied within the ethical relationship between members of various social groups. Among his significant concepts is Li (rite) which can be regarded as a ritualistic manifestation of the metaphysical and secular order of the world. Although living in accord with Li is a highly conspicuous component of the Confucian ideal life, his preaching on Li should not be reduced to merely proposing empty rituals and stiff moral conduct codes. Rather, foundational to Li is the concept of Ren (benevolence or humaneness), which regards a sense of empathy and an understanding of others’ needs as the guiding principle for human interactions. “What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others” (Analects, XV, 23) Thus, to Confucius, there is a mental quality intrinsic to all humans that makes it possible for people to engage in effective communication and forge social ties.   

Such a perception of human nature led Confucius to an egalitarian view of education. To Confucius, education is the primary means of achieving ideal humanity, which is the essential goal of Confucian philosophy.  Confucius’ educational thinking centers mainly on the fostering of Junzi – a concept that can be translated as nobility. To Confucius, Junzi is characterized by both outer behavioral propriety and inner integrity.  The various kinds of virtues necessary to Junzi are not endowed by nature, but have to be acquired through a long and sometimes painstaking process of self-discipline and reflexivity. On the other hand, Confucius holds the belief that all human beings have the potential to fulfill the promise of becoming an ideal person. That’s why Confucius spent much of his life as an enthusiastic educator who endeavored to give educational opportunities to people of varied origins: “In teaching, there should be no distinction of classes” (Analects XV, 39)  

In the late 19th century, as Western colonial forces began to infiltrate China and exert their influence on the Chinese people, the prevailing self-skepticism about Chinese culture destabilized the dominant position of Confucianism in China. Such skepticism reached a peak in 1919's May 4th Movement in which youthful students repeated the slogan:“Demolish the Confucian Shop”. During the Communist regime, Confucianism was regarded as a remnant of feudalism that needed to be completely eradicated. However, since the early 1990s, there has been an increasing trend toward a reevaluation of Confucius’ legacies as one of the foundational philosophies behind Chinese culture. Many cultural movements have tried to rejuvenate Confucianism and to restore the Confucianist tradition.