Confucianism: There and
Here, Then and Now
World Literature
Ms. Cassie Nodine
Who Was Confucius?
Chinese scholar,
teacher, and statesman
Member of the upper
class
551-479 B.C.
Never wrote anything
Students recorded his
words
Sayings were compiled
into The Four Books
Most famous collection
of quotes is called The
Analects (“Confucius”).
(Confucius Statue at Qufu)
Teacher and Statesman
(The Gate Entrance to the Kong Family Residence)
Taught young men only
(admitted all who showed a
desire and ability to learn)
His home was the school in
Qufu (poorer students lived
with him)
Used small group or oneon-one conversations
Required study of morality,
literature, rituals, music,
archery, calligraphy,
mathematics, and
charioteering
Proposed a series of
examinations to place
students in careers
(Bledsoe).
Teachings of Confucius
Based on THE
THREE BONDS
– Ruler over the subject
– Father over the son
– Husband over the wife
(Confucius Teaching)
If these are followed, the
world will be at peace;
however, if these are
violated, the world will
be in chaos (Yan,
“Chinese”).
Confucian Ideals
Ren: benevolence
and kindliness toward
others
Yi: faithful friendship
Li: ritual and propriety
Zhi: wisdom
Zhang: loyalty
Shu: reciprocity
Xiao: filial piety
(familial places)
Ti: brotherly love
Xin: sincerity,
honesty, and trust
(Yan, “History”).
Sought to teach pupils how to
think, not what to think
Core Values
Emphasizes the
importance of
education
Values harmony and
unification
Opposes distinction of
classes
Honors family through
ancestor worship
Encourages the
establishment of
morality on all levels
Emphasizes kind and
humane governance
Moderation in all things,
the Middle Way (Yan,
“History”)
(Confucian Education in
Contemporary China)
Rise and Fall
Height of popularity was
during the Han Dynasty
by Wu Di in 136 B.C.E.
Decline came after the
fall of the Han led to war
and a rebellion against
the examination system.
Mao banned the
philosophy after the
Communist take-over in
1949 because it was said
to promote the selfish
interests of the wealthy,
highly educated minority
(Lannom).
Current favor in China is
due to the Communist
Party’s revival of the
philosophy because it
promotes values the party
desires for its people:
education, family values,
hard work, and collective
harmony with an
acquiescent attitude
toward authoritarian rule
(Slavicek).
The Analects, or Lun Yu
Followers of Confucius
compiled his teachings
into The Four Books
The Analects is the last
of these four.
Contains aphorisms,
proverbs, maxims,
sayings of Confucius
Deals with attaining true
virtue
Emphasizes
strengthening
relationships to one’s
family, neighbors,
country, the earth, and
heaven (Gard).
(Analects of Confucius)
Confucius says…
“Wake yourself up with
poetry and complete
your education with
music.”
“Teaching is half of
learning.”
“A youth must be
respected. How do you
know that his future
may not exceed your
present?”
“Don’t criticize other
peoples’ faults; criticize
your own.”
“A person of true
wisdom knows what he
knows and knows what
he does not know.”
“Do not do to others
what you do not want
others to do to you”
(Confucius, The
Analects).
Works Cited
Analects of Confucius. Photograph. Cultural China. 2007. Web. 31 Oct. 2011.
<http://history.cultural-china.com/en/173History495.html>.
Bledsoe, Helen W. "Confucius: Teacher and Statesman." Calliope 10.2 (1999). Academic Search
Premiere. Web. 28 Oct. 2011.
Confucius. Confucius: The Analects. Trans. D. C. Lau. Hong Kong: Chinese UP, 1992. Print.
"Confucius." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 02 Nov. 2011.
<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/>.
Confucian Education in Contemporary China. 2008. Photograph. Beijing. Neo-Confucian Schools.
CRCC/USC, 2008. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. <http://crcc.usc.edu/initiatives/ncs/>.
Confucius Statue at Qufu. 2008. Photograph. Qufu. What Confucius Said. Shunya, Nov. 2008.
Web. 31 Oct. 2011. <http://www.shunya.net/Text/Blog/WhatConfuciusSaid.htm>.
Confucius Teaching. Qufu. English East Day. 2001. Web. 31 Oct. 2011.
<http://english.eastday.com/e/zx/userobject1ai4044949.html>.
Gard, Carolyn. "The Analects." Calliope 2.10 (2009). Academic Search Premiere. Web. 15 Oct.
2011.
Lannom, Gloria W. "After Confucius." Middle Search Plus. EBSCO, Oct. 1999. Web. 31 Oct.
2011.
Slavicek, Louise C. "Confucianism Today." Middle Search Plus. EBSCO, Oct. 1999. Web. 31 Oct.
2011.
The Gate Entrance to the Kong Family Residence. 2009. Photograph. Qufu. Hakloot. 2009. Web.
31 Oct. 2011. <http://www.hansdewaele.com/?p=39>.
Yan, Wenqiang. "Chinese Buddhism with Chinese Characteristics." Fulbright-Hays Seminars
Abroad. China, Chongqing. 13 July 2011. Lecture.
Yan, Wenqiang. "History of Confucianism." Message to the author. 24 Sept. 2011. E-mail.