PartIWisdomandBeliefsUnit1ConfucianthoughtonheavenandhumanityConfucius(551-479BC),knowninChinaasKongzi,givennameQiuandaliasZhongni,wasanativeofZouyi(present-dayQufuinShandongProvince)oftheStateofLuduringtheSpringandAutumnPeriod(770-476BC).Agreatthinker,educatorandfounderofConfucianism,ConfuciusisanancientsagetotheChinesepeople.HiswordsandlifestorywererecordedbyhisdisciplesandtheirstudentsinTheAnalects(Lunyu).ConfuciusonHeaven:thesourceofEverythingIntheShang(1600-1046BC)andZhou(1046-256BC)dynasties,theprevalentconceptof“Heaven”wasthatofapersonifiedgod,whichinfluencedConfucius.Generally,however,Confuciusregarded“Heaven”asnature.Hesaid,“Heavendoesnotspeakinwords.Itspeaksthroughtherotationofthefourseasonsandthegrowthofalllivingthings.”Obviously,heavenequalednature,intheeyesofConfucius.Moreover,naturewasnotalifelessmechanismseparatefromhumans;instead,itwasthegreatworldoflifeandtheprocessofcreationoflife.Humanlifewaspartandparcelofnatureasawhole.ConfuciusonPeople:renandliRenandLiarethetwocoreconceptsofConfucius’sdoctrineaboutpeople.WhenhisstudentsFanChiaskedhimaboutren,Confuciusreplied,“lovepeople”.ThisisConfucius’mostimportantinterpretationofren.Loveforthepeopleisuniversallove.Confuciusfurtheremphasizedthatthiskindofloveshould“beginwiththeloveforone’sparents”.Hebelievednoonecouldlovepeopleingeneraliftheydidnotevenlovetheirownparents.Confuciusregarded“filialpietyandfraternalduty”astheessenceofren.TheDoctrineoftheMean(Zhongyong)quotesConfuciusassaying,“Thegreatestloveforpeopleistheloveforone’sparents.”Healsosaid,“Childrenshouldnottravelfarwhiletheirparentsarealive.Iftheyhavenochoicebuttodoso,theymustretainsomerestraint.”Hedidnotmeanthatchildrenshouldnotleavetheirparentsatall.Whathemeantwasthatchildrenshouldnotmaketheparentsanxiousaboutthemwhileawayfromhome.Confuciussaidagain,“Childrenshouldthinkoftenoftheageoftheirparents.Theyshouldfeelhappyforthehealthandlongevityoftheirparents.Theyshouldalsofeelconcernfortheagingoftheirparents.”Byren,Confuciusmeantuniversallovebasedonloveforone’sparents.Howshouldpeopleloveoneanotherthen?Confuciussaid,“Oneshouldbeawarethatotherpeoplemayhavesimilardesiresasoneself.Whilefulfillingone’sdesires,allowotherstofulfilltheirdesiresaswell.”Hefurthersaid,“Donotdotowardothersanythingyouwouldnotwanttobedonetoyou.”Thusfromoneselftoone’sfamily,fromfamilytosociety,oneshouldextendlovetoallpeople.Mencius(c.372-289BC),agreatConfucianscholar,bestsummarizedrenas,“lovingone’sparents,lovingthepeople,lovingeverythingintheworld.”Lireferstorituals,traditionsandnormsinsociallife.Ofthese,Confuciusregardedburialritualsandancestralworshipritualsasthemostimportant,becausetheyrosefromhumanfeelings.Hesaid,“Achildshouldnotleavehisparents’bosomuntilheisthreeyearsold.”Henaturallylovehisparents.Theritualofwearingmourningforadeceasedparentforthreeyearswasanexpressionofthechild’sloveandremembrance.ConfuciusontheStateoflifeBeforeConfucius,onlythenobilityhadtherighttoeducation.HewasthefirstfigureinChinesehistorytoinitiateprivateeducation.Accordingtohistoricalrecords,Confuciustaughtformanyyearsandtrained3,000disciples.Atotalof72ofthemexcelledinthe“sixarts”,i.e.,ritual,music,archery,(carriage)driving,calligraphy,andmathematics.Agreateducator,Confuciushasbeenadmiredbylatergenerationsasthe“sageofsages”.Confuciusbelievedthebasicgoalofeducationwasto...
