ConfuciusConfucius(551-479BCE),accordingtoChinesetradition,wasathinker,politicalfigure,educator,andfounderoftheRuSchoolofChinesethought.Histeachings,preservedintheAnalects,formthefoundationofmuchofsubsequentChinesespeculationontheeducationandcomportmentoftheidealman,howsuchanindividualshouldlivehislifeandinteractwithothers,andtheformsofsocietyandgovernmentinwhichheshouldparticipate.FungYu-lan,oneofthegreat20thcenturyauthoritiesonthehistoryofChinesethought,comparesConfucius’influenceonChinesehistorywiththatofSocratesintheWest.1.Confucius’LifeThesourcesforConfu-cius’lifearelateranddonotcarefullyseparatefictionandfact.Thusitiswisetoregardmuchofwhatisknownofhimaslegendary.ManyofthelegendssurroundingConfuciusattheendofthe2ndcenturyBCEwereincludedbytheHandynastycourthistorian,SimaQian,inhiswell-knownandoften-quotedRecordsoftheGrandHistorian(Shiji).ThiscollectionoftalesopensbyidentifyingConfucius’ancestorsasmembersoftheRoyalStateofSong.Itnotesaswellthathisgreatgrandfather,fleeingtheturmoilinhisnativeSong,hadmovedtoLu,somewherenearthepresenttownofQufuinsoutheasternShandong,wherethefamilybecameimpoverished.Confuciusisdescribed,bySimaQianandothersources,ashavingenduredapoverty-strickenandhumiliatingyouthandbeenforced,uponreachingmanhood,toundertakesuchpettyjobsasaccountingandcaringforlivestock.SimaQian’saccountincludesthetaleofhowConfuciuswasborninanswertohisparents’prayersatasacredhill(qiu)calledNi.Confucius’surnameKong(whichmeansliterallyanutteranceofthankfulnesswhenprayershavebeenanswered),histabooedgivenname用心爱心专心Qiu,andhissocialnameZhongni,allappearconnectedtothemiraculouscircumstancesofhisbirth.Thiscastsdoubt,then,onConfucius’royalgenealogyasfoundinSimaQian.Similarly,Confucius’recordedageatdeath,‘seventy-two,’isa‘magicnumber’withfar-reachingsignificanceinearlyChineseliterature.WedonotknowhowConfuciushimselfwaseducated,buttraditionhasitthathestudiedritualwiththeDaoistMasterLaoDan,musicwithChangHong,andthelutewithMusic—masterXiang.InhismiddleageConfuciusissupposedtohavegatheredabouthimagroupofdiscipleswhomhetaughtandalsotohavedevotedhimselftopoliticalmattersinLu.ThenumberofConfucius’discipleshasbeengreatlyexaggerated,withSimaQianandothersourcesclaimingthattherewereasmanyasthreethousandofthem.SimaQiangoesontosaythat,“Thosewho,intheirownperson,becameconversantwiththeSixDisciplines[taughtbyConfucius],numberedseventy-two.”The4thcenturyBCEMenciusandsomeotherearlyworksgivetheirnumberasseventy.Perhapsseventyorseventy-twowereamaximum,thoughbothofthesenumbersaresuspiciousgivenConfucius’supposedageatdeath.Attheageoffifty,whenDukeDingofLuwasonthethrone,Confucius’talentswererecognizedandhewasappointedMinisterofPublicWorksandthenMinisterofCrime.ButConfuciusapparentlyoffendedmembersoftheLunobilitywhowerevyingwithDukeDingforpower(orwasitthedukehimselfthatConfuciushadrubbedthewrongway?)andhewassubsequentlyforcedtoleaveofficeandgointoexile.Asinotherancientcultures,exileandsufferingarecommonthemesinthelivesoftheheroesoftheearlyChinesetradition.Inthecompanyofhisdisciples,ConfuciusleftLuandtraveledinthestatesofWei,Song,Chen,Cai,andChu,purportedlylookingforarulerwhomightemployhimbutmeetinginsteadwithindifferenceand,occasionally,severehardshipanddanger.Severaloftheseepisodes,aspreservedintheRecordsoftheGrand用心爱心专心Historian,appeartobelittlemorethanproseretellingsofson...
