The Life and Teachings of Confucius

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Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who lived and taught in a period when the unified Chou kingdom had split into a number of feudal states. The subjects that will be talked about is: The philosopher himself, the Analects and what they represent, and lastly the teachings and what a single interpretation of them could be, and what further questions could be asked for further interpretation. Confucianism is the study of the social philosophy through the secular teachings that Confucius taught, what could we learn through analyzing his teachings today?

Confucius, more properly known as K'ung Ch'iu who was born in 551 B.C., in Tsou, a small town in Lu, which is in Eastern China. His father, Shu-Liang H^e, a former magistrate and warrior of some repute, he married the mother of Confucius, Yen Che^ng Tsai. Growing up in comparative poverty as he did, Confucius had resolved to devote his energy to learning, and justice for all. He was three when his father died, and was raised by his mother, which he felt obliged to work at several jobs to help support his family. He Became married at age 19 to a girl named Chi-Kuan. At the age of 22, Confucius initiated what is considered to the first private school.

Confucius left Lu in 497 B.C. And spent the next thirteen years wandering from regional court to regional court, apparently because of conflicts of the political type. This was the time he gathered disciples and unsuccessfully sought after a Prince who would try to carry out his vision of traditional values. After the thirteen year period he returned to his state of nativity, Lu, where he lived out the rest of his life teaching, and gaining a following. Through the Analects the hope was a society whose members behave with a natural...

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...passages that come from the Analects, and further questions aimed at better understandings of the text. The Analects of Confucius is translated as “Sayings,” and is a work that can be authentically be said that of Confucius. The Books of the Analects was a marvel in the human mind to highlight the greater good of one's self. The words still apply to life today and will constantly remind us that no matter how advanced we become our thoughts can still be interpreted in few words.

Works Cited

Knox/Clinton. “The Analects of Confucius.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Second Edition. Sarah Lawall, Maynard Mack. New York, London: WW Norton & Company, pages820-823

Knox/Clinton. “Confucius.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Second Edition. Sarah Lawall, Maynard Mack. New York, London: WW Norton & Company, pages 823-831

www.confucius.org/

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