Section 2
Confucius and His Teachings
Chapter 5
Ancient China
Objectives
• Learn about the life of Confucius.
• Find out about the teachings of
Confucius.
• Understand the influence of
Confucianism had on Chinese society.
Vocabulary
• Confucius (551 - 479 B.C.) a Chinese
philosopher and teacher whose beliefs
had a great influence on Chinese life.
• philosophy
a system of beliefs and values
• civil service the group of people whose
job it is to carry out the work of the
government
• Confucius (c. 551 – 479 B.C.)
• Chinese teacher and philosopher.
• Founder of the religion Confucianism.
• The religion is based
on the writings and
teaching of Confucius.
• Most stories
contain a moral
message.
Life of Confucius
• Confucius was the most famous and
important of the early Chinese thinkers.
• The Chinese called him Kong Fu Zi or
“Master Kong.”
Early Years
• Confucius was born in 551 BC to a noble but
poor family of the North China Plain.
• He loved learning and was mostly selftaught.
• After he failed to succeed at advancing in
government, he began to teach.
Pioneer Teacher
• Many historians think that Confucius was
China’s first professional teacher because he
charged a fee for students.
• Confucius taught his students his views on
government and life.
• He searched for a ruler that would follow his
teachings but he died having never found one.
• He thought he was a failure.
Reading Check
What kind of student did Confucius like to
teach?
Confucius liked to teach students who
were eager to learn.
Teachings of Confucius
• Confucius did not claim his teachings to
be original.
• He thought his teachings were the works
of wise men before him.
• He hoped to bring
peace, stability, and
prosperity to China’s
kingdoms.
Confucianism
• Confucius himself never wrote down his
teachings.
• Instead, his students gathered a collection
of his sayings after his death.
• His writings became a philosophy – system of
beliefs and values, that became known as
Confucianism.
Bringing Order to Society
• The goal of Confucius was to bring peace and
order to China.
• He lived during a time where Chinese
kingdoms were fighting for control.
• Confucius believed that if people could
behave correctly toward one another, peace
would come.
Respecting Others
•
•
•
Confucius taught that people should know
their place in life and society.
They should respect people above and below
them.
The Five Relationships
1. Ruler and Ruled
2. Father and Son
3. Husband and Wife
4. Older Brother and Younger Brother
5. Friend and Friend
Religious Traditions
• Although Confucianism is a philosophy, it
has been a religion for many people.
• Many Chinese used Confucianism along
with other religions.
• Taoism supported the ideas of living a
balanced life with nature.
• Taoism is based on the writings of Laozi,
who lived in the 500s BC.
Reading Check
Describe the religious traditions of ancient China.
Ancient China was home to a variety of
religious traditions, including ancestor
worship, honoring gods, and belief in
spirits.
Most people believed that life should be
lived in harmony with nature, including the
members of Taoism, a religion based on the
writings of a Chinese thinker named Laozi.
Influence of Confucius
• The teachings of Confucius came to have a
major effect on Chinese government.
• The teachings became part of the basic
training for members of civil service – a
group of people who carry out the work
of government.
A Merit System
• After the teachings
of Confucius, the
Chinese merit
system was used.
• Before
government
jobs were
given to the
sons of
powerful men.
Rising to High Positions
• The examination system did not open
government jobs to everyone.
• Candidates still had to know how to read.
• This law made it difficult for the poor
man to enter government.
Reading Check
Why was it difficult for poor men to work
in the civil service?
Civil servants had to know how to
read.
Many poor men did not have the
opportunity to learn to read.
Section 2 Assessment
• 1. (a) Recall
• How did Confucius become a
teacher?
• Confucius could not get a government
post and decided to try teaching.
• 1. (b) Transfer Information
• Confucius would teach only those
students who wanted to learn.
• How does his rule apply to your
experience as a student?
• Today, laws require all children to go to
school, whether they want to or not.
• Students who did not want to learn would
waste the teacher’s time.
• 2. (a) List
• What were the basic teachings of
Confucius?
• Basic teachings included: behave
properly to one another so that order and
peace return to society, know their place
in society, respect those above and below
them and treat each other justly, set a
good example if they are in a position of
authority, and not do unto others what
they would not want done to themselves.
• 2. (b) Explain
• Why did Confucius think it was
important to teach rulers how to
behave?
• It was important for rulers to be good, so
that his people would follow his example.
• 3. (a) Describe
• How did the ideas of Confucius
change the way civil servants were
chosen in ancient China?
• Confucius taught that men should be
chosen based on merit rather than their
family connections.
• 3. (b) Predict
• Confucius hoped to become a government
worker, but he became a teacher instead.
• Do you think his influence on Chinese
society would have been different if he
had gotten his wish? Explain your answer.
• No, he might have spread his ideas by example
instead of by teaching.
• Yes, he might have been absorbed in his job
and not had time to develop his philosophy.