Table of Contents
Life and Background
Confucius was one of the most influential philosophers in ancient China, widely considered alongside Laozi as one of China’s foundational thinkers He was born around 551 BCE (in the state of Lu, present-day Shandong province) and died around 479 BCE. His family is said to have traced its origins to the royal house of the Shang or the Zhou.
Roles and Activities
Confucius served as a teacher, a thinker, and for a time was involved in political administration. He placed great importance on education, ethics, and proper conduct in both private life and public duty.
Key Teachings
- The human being should cultivate virtue, respect for others (especially elders and ancestors), proper ritual and behaviour, and social harmony.
- He emphasised that all people have the potential for moral improvement and should have access to learning rather than being excluded because of social class.
- Confucius held that a well-ordered society is the basis for individual freedom—a society built on correct relationships, sincere conduct and reverence for rites .
Legacy
The tradition founded on his thought became known, especially in the West, as "Confucianism". His ideas deeply shaped Chinese politics, culture, education, and social life for many centuries. His collected sayings and teachings (often known as the Analects or Lunyu) are among the most important classical texts in Chinese history.