Confucius ancient Chinese philosopher. a) The doctrine of man. Briefly about the basic principles of Confucian teachings

Confucius is much more than the name of one of China's most famous sages. The real name of the great scientist is Kun-fu-tzu, which translated means “teacher from the Kun family.”
The teachings of this legendary man, who was born in ancient times and lived in turbulent times for the state, forever permeated history and influenced the development of China, and also led to the birth of a powerful system of religious beliefs. His thoughts comprehensively embrace and reflect high spiritual and family values, deeply analyze the ethical aspects of life and direct a person to find happiness. Confucius developed an ideal system of principles that transform the state into a single whole with society.

The words of Confucius are still alive and relevant to modern man. But where did he come from, how was he able to conquer the hearts of the Chinese people, what did he teach and what did he preach?

The life path of the ancient philosopher - family origins

The date of birth of Confucius is considered to be 551 BC. e. He was born and lived in an impoverished aristocratic warrior family in the town of Qufu (today in Shandong province).

His father Shuliang He was married three times, because he really dreamed of a son, and only girls were born. The second wife gave him a long-awaited son, but he was crippled. Being no longer young, Shuliang He decided to try his luck again and got married for the third time.

Even the story of the birth of Confucius is shrouded in an aura of legend. Shuliang He's third wife had a vision that foreshadowed her becoming a mother. unusual person, and soon she had a boy. The happiness of fatherhood did not last long, because the future philosopher was only three years old when his father died. After the loss of her husband, Confucius’s mother devoted herself entirely to her son and led a very moral lifestyle, which influenced the formation of the thinker’s system of family values.

Confucius was raised playing games that imitated ancient Chinese traditions and developed the gift of divination from childhood. His thinking and preferences in spending leisure time surprised those around him, because he was of little interest in ordinary fun, and he preferred to spend his time acquiring wisdom through communication with learned people.

At the age of 7, he began attending school and turned out to be a very talented student. His mind was focused in every possible way on mastering the truths; he read a lot. During his studies, Confucius skillfully mastered the traditional skills of that time: correctly participating in ritual ceremonies, perceiving music, writing and counting, shooting a bow and driving a chariot.

The period of the philosopher’s life coincided with the birth of Buddhism and the development of Taoism.

Academic success allowed him to take the place of an official at the age of 17 and manage the barns and barnyard of the kingdom of Lu. At 25 years old, Confucius was considered a respected man among the cultured community.

At the same time, the ruler gave him the honor of going on a visit to the capital of the state. During this period, Confucius deeply realized his desire to preserve the traditional heritage of the Chinese people. This conviction formed the basis of his philosophical school, which taught life according to the laws of nature, reminded people of the great Chinese traditions, and promoted self-knowledge and exploration of their capabilities. Confucius believed that the purpose of a person is to be useful to society and his state.

The scientist's wisdom captivated people who lived even in the most remote corners of the kingdom, and allowed them to reach the highest career level - the position of Minister of Justice. His powerful influence instilled fear in neighboring states and led to him being slandered in the eyes of the ruler. Taking this blow from life, Confucius went on a long journey, visiting all the neighboring kingdoms and proclaiming his philosophy to the ruling elite and ordinary residents. Any attempts to force him to remain as Confucius were rejected. He explained this by the need to convey his ideas to other people whom he respects as his family.

After 13 years of wandering, Confucius finally returned to his homeland and devoted himself to teaching. The number of his followers multiplied in 484 BC. was about three thousand people.

Confucius always lived in accordance with his teachings, fully and clearly embodying them by example.

From the point of view of Confucius, philosophy is not a set of principles divorced from life, but is entirely realized in human actions.

The great philosopher completed his journey in 479 BC. e., being able to predict the date of his death. Confucius discussed the meaning of life at different age periods, saying that at the age of fifteen he was completely absorbed in the acquisition and accumulation of knowledge; at thirty, Confucius lived, basing his thoughts and deeds on acquired knowledge; at the age of forty he overcame his doubts and fears; at fifty he came to realize his place in life; at the age of sixty, Confucius was able to understand the striking difference between truth and lies; and at the age of seventy he fully mastered all the acquired knowledge and was able to act in such a way that things did not run counter to these important truths.

The true value of the philosopher’s teachings could only be appreciated after his death, and on the basis of his doctrine, the famous book “Lun Yu” was compiled, which included his quotes and philosophical conversations.

The popularity of the teachings led to the formation of Confucianism, which in 136 BC. became the official form of religion in China, and the figure of the philosopher became a cult figure. Confucius turned from a wandering scholar into a deity in whose honor temples were built. Confucius remained a religious stronghold of the people until 1911, when the Xinhai Revolution broke out and the republic was proclaimed.

Orientalist, specialist in the field of cultural traditions of China, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Alexey Maslov, see in the video below what he says about Confucius.

Philosophy of life and the book “Lun Yu”

It is impossible to judge how well the original “Lun Yu” has been preserved, since during the reign of the Qin dynasty the works of Confucius were destroyed. Later the book was restored, but in our time there are several different editions of the works of the great philosopher known. The modern text of the book is based on texts from the Middle Ages, which is a historical moment for strengthening the religious foundations of Confucianism. Approximate date The birth of this form of religion is considered to be 722-481 BC.

They have taken a strong place in the traditions of the Chinese people. Any relationship between people should be based on mutual respect, the ability to trust, mandatory fidelity and responsible attitude towards each other. Confucius represents the state in his philosophy as one big and friendly family. Society must be governed through rules and principles that are developed jointly by the people and the board.

He believed that the state and relations between managers and governed must necessarily be regulated by humanity and mutual trust. He was categorically against the forcible imposition of laws and rules, since he believed that if he did not find a response in a person’s heart, he would not help in the successful management and prosperity of the country.

The cardinal difference between the teachings of Confucius is that he brought into life not new philosophy, but revived already existing principles and ideas. The philosopher Confucius emphasizes that a person is able to gain new knowledge only on the basis of learned old rules and traditions. The constant desire to learn and implement the rituals of wise ancestors in life can teach a person to cognize the world and think.

Unlike Taoism, which requires great self-sacrifice and an ascetic lifestyle from a person, Confucius proposed his own non-supernatural and natural path - turning to cultural origins and values. Ritual in the teachings of Confucius represents the basis of daily existence. This concept does not mean something complex or incomprehensible, but nature itself, clearly illustrating the change of seasons for the human eye and demonstrating various phenomena, conducts the ceremony.

Confucius said that the laws of nature are stable and constant, all changes are carried out according to the same ancient rules, therefore a person must organize his life according to the wisdom of the ancients.

Etiquette occupies a huge place in the philosophy of Confucius - the ability to behave correctly, build relationships with people who occupy different positions in life (family, friends, servants), express respect to people according to age gradation and in accordance with their position in society and rank. Etiquette for Confucius is also an opportunity to show one’s individuality and protect one’s interests, regulated by verbal and non-verbal signals. People who follow the rules of etiquette are humane members of society (the concept of “ren”) who are able to show virtue and justice towards another person (the concept of “li”).

The place occupied by Confucius and his teachings in China today

After the establishment of communist rule in China, the government made great efforts to eradicate Confucianism. But the latest sentiments in the country indicate a course towards the restoration of traditional forms of beliefs and values. Today China actively uses in its political model and ideology the principles that originated when Confucius lived. Mostly ideas related to strengthening the national spirit are being disseminated. Experts believe that China owes much of its economic success to its ancient ideology, which was once laid down by Confucius, making the state an ideally structured mechanism.

Although Confucianism was born as a form of faith in its time, today its founding principles are revered by millions of people around the world for their practicality and universality. Modern form religion developed into neo-Confucianism, which includes the principles of the life of Confucius and elements of Taoism and Legalism.

The places where Confucius lived are shown in the video.

Confucianism gets its name from the Latin for "wise teacher Kun". It is considered the teaching of well-bred and enlightened people. It is also often called the “religion of scientists.”

Confucianism became the main ideology of China. Its influence can be compared to Catholicism in Europe.

The founder of the teaching, Confucius, lived in the 6th-5th centuries. BC. The country at that time suffered from internecine wars and fragmentation. Confucianism can briefly be called the doctrine of the desire for stability and order. Confucius was interested in music and ancient rituals. It is through them that a person must achieve harmony with the Universe. The philosopher managed to found his own school and become a teacher of Chinese history. Most important politicians were graduates of this school.

Lun Yu is the main book of Confucianism. It was produced by the disciples of the deceased philosopher. The book describes Confucius's long life experience of fifteen years:

15 years of planning for study;
30 years of becoming independent;
40 years freedom from doubts;
50 years of mastery of heavenly will;
60 years of art of distinguishing lies from truth;
70 years of observing rituals and listening to your heart.

Harmony is subject to only a well-mannered and highly moral person. Only after the correct education of people in the country will there be order in everything. One should feel the soul of the people when taking management measures. Time has proven Confucius right. The philosopher considered the most difficult thing to force a person to follow the principles of morality and ethics. For some it takes many years, while others are simply too lazy to work on themselves. Confucius skillfully used in his teaching the cult of ancestors, revered by the Chinese for many centuries. Legendary ancestors became role models.

Confucius called for love from those around him, to be responsible for one's own actions, to honor elders and show concern for younger ones, to remain loyal and sincere.

Family norms were transferred to state level. China began to prosper because each person had his own place and fulfilled his duties - the basic principle of human relationships.

To become a humane person, you should cultivate the following qualities:

achieve success through your intelligence;
show mercy in management;
the ability to inspire confidence in oneself;
conquer the crowd with your breadth of outlook;
behave with dignity and avoid awkward situations.

The principles of Confucianism are broad. For example, philanthropy means not only love for people, but also responsibility, reading traditions, heritage, etc. Humanity means respect for elders, brotherly love, patronage and help of younger ones. But Confucius considered strict execution of instructions, principles and dogmas higher than humanity. There was an incident in the philosopher’s life when he ordered the execution of actors for not following the script.

Every person should be noble and cultured. People should think about higher matters, and not earthly pleasures.

Man is the highest being in the animal world. He is able to control his actions and knows a sense of proportion. There should be a golden mean in everything: food, pleasures, etc.

A noble Chinese must go through all three roads:

military;
official;
hermit.

He must be aware of what is happening around him, think logically and briefly, and master the main principles for the development of his field of activity.

Confucius was the first to open free schools. Lessons were conducted not in the form of lectures, but in the form of conversations. The teacher was lenient, but demanded a lot from smart and insightful students.

Today, Confucianism is a way of life with a thousand-year history. People's actions are based on the heritage of their ancestors and their life experiences. Confucianism plays big role in the life of the Celestial Empire and its inhabitants.

As a character from one of everyone’s favorite Russian films liked to say: “The East is a delicate matter.” It attracts many with its mystery with a slight touch of mysticism. Particularly interesting is the culture of China, which remained for Europeans for many years full of secrets. This great power long time developed in isolation from others, created its own culture, traditions and values, and also gave the world unconventional and wise thinkers, whose originality of thinking is in no way inferior to the philosophers of Ancient Greece.

One of these “giants of thought” is considered to be Confucius, who even created a separate movement in philosophy called after him. He lived quite a long time ago, approximately in the fifth century BC, therefore information about him is scanty and sparse. However, few people really know what kind of person he was and what his fate was. It makes sense to figure it out based solely on objective facts that have survived to this day.

Eastern sage Confucius: biography of a calm man

Most known fact about this man is that it was he who founded an entire school of philosophy, which was called Confucianism. His teachings were based on moral and ethical standards of behavior that have not lost their relevance and relevance even today. It was they who became the guide for relations between different layers of society, as well as between the state and the individual.

When understanding who Confucius is, one should understand that his teaching cannot be perceived as a religion in its pure form. Despite the fact that even during the life of the sage, the state accepted his philosophy as official, it should be considered solely as an incentive and guide to action, as an everyday “guide” for a highly moral person who is responsible to himself and others. Religious cultism and ritualism, as we know it, are completely absent from this teaching.

Briefly about the sage of China

For many years in a row, Confucius can be safely called a symbol of the Celestial Empire, its ancient, deep culture and original philosophical thought. He is also called the first teacher of all Chinese, because for many centuries, not only the inhabitants of this one country, but also numerous neighbors lived according to the rules and norms drawn up by this man: Koreans, Japanese and other eastern peoples. He can be placed on a par with the Prophet Muhammad for the Muslim community or Jesus Christ for the entire Christian world.

In his teachings, Confucius never said that he invented something himself, but repeated many times that he relied on ancient wisdom, which for centuries shaped the postulates of the worldview, which he put into words and drew on paper. He considered a person not a separate unit, but a part of something whole, for example, society. Any particle of the universe, including an individual, necessarily interacts with the surrounding universe. If you do not achieve harmony in this, then dissonance will upset the precarious balance. At the same time, the sage himself recognized the power of the ruler as absolutely sacred, his decisions as unshakable, and the division of people into “noble men” and “petty little people” was completely fair.

Like Socrates, Aristotle or Pythagoras, Confucius did not leave a written statement of his philosophy. Like the ancient sages, he acquired disciples who wrote down his words and preserved his words for posterity, compiling a book called “Lun Yu”. Loosely translated, it sounds like “Conversations and Judgments.” Basically, it is a long list of various aphorisms and wise sayings for every day for any occasion.

The early years of the future Teacher

It is well known that the sage descended from the ancient aristocratic Kun family. His ancient ancestor was a certain Wei Tzu, who faithfully served the emperor of the Zhou dynasty, who reigned back in the eleventh or tenth century BC. Emperor Chen-wan, seeing the valor and loyalty of his beloved warrior, decided to “reward” him with the inheritance (principality) of the Song, thereby making him zhu hou (prince).

Time passed, generations passed, the merits of the great warriors were forgotten, and the clan itself gradually lost influence, until Mu Jingfu (one of the ancestors) had to flee from his native land in order to save his life. He decided to stop in the province of Lu.

The father of the future philosopher, Shuliang He, was a professional military man, and by the time his son appeared, he was already in his seventies. He took a young seventeen-year-old concubine from the city of Qufu named Yan Zhengzai, who immediately became pregnant. Around the year 551, she gave birth to a baby, who at birth received the name Kun Qiu. When the boy was only one and a half years old, his elderly father died. He had to reach all worldly wisdom on his own, under the guidance of a gentle and loving mother.

Shuliang He's elder wives openly disliked the young girl. Even during her husband’s life, they plotted against her. When he died, fearing for the life of her baby, she decided to go home. Returning to the parental home was considered a shame, so the young widow settled separately and began to raise her son. WITH early childhood the boy was taught to help his mother, since they did not have a penny to their name, and also to worship their ancestors, as was customary in China at that time. Mother always told him about how great fearless warrior, his father was a just ruler, so the tomboy decided to take his rightful place in this world.

Six Arts

To achieve something, it was necessary a good education, but there was no money for teachers. Therefore, the boy decided to study on his own. As was customary, he began to study the six arts.

Performing rituals.
Understanding and reproduction (performance) of musical works.
Archery.
Reading and writing.
Driving a chariot with one, two or three horses.
Proficiency in counting skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).

Only by perfectly mastering all these wisdoms could a young man receive the status of an aristocrat, a true “noble man.”

Administrative career of Confucius

Perseverance, diligence and even some “workaholism” led to the young man being noticed. At first he was assigned to the position of barn manager. He was in charge of the acceptance, issuance, and accounting of grain from the Ji clan from the kingdom of Lu (now Shandong province). After some time, seeing the zeal and dedication young man, and according to evidence, by that time he had turned nineteen, the ruler decided to promote him. Then he was appointed as an official who was responsible for keeping records of livestock.

By that time ruling dynasty Zhou was experiencing her last years, and the emperor's power became more nominal than real. Devastation reigned in the country, the poor became even poorer, and instead of true noble men, the ruler was surrounded by “pseudo-aristocrats” who thirsted only for money and unlimited power. At the age of twenty-seven, the philosopher Confucius, who had already become famous throughout the province for his wisdom and prudence, was taken to serve in the main shrine (prayer house with idols) of the kingdom of Lu. Students who wanted to hear wisdom from the lips of Confucius followed him in crowds for a long time and slept outside the gates of his house.

The teacher never paid attention to the pedigree (origin) of the young men who came to him. He believed that the son of a commoner was quite capable of becoming a noble husband. Around the year 500, he accepted the post of head of the entire judicial department, but envious people staged a provocation at one of the services. This forced the gray-haired husband to pack his things and go home for fourteen long years.

From management to teaching

Seeing all the imperfections of the world, having gathered his students, Confucius set off on a journey. The man was literally thrown off balance by the inability of some rulers to find a common language with the people and maintain their trust. He decided to find a king who would listen to his words, heed his pleas and restore the country as it was in his own time. best years- period of prosperity. He needed an emperor for whom the thirst for power, money-grubbing, intrigue and betrayal would be completely unacceptable.

He even managed to impress the governor of the Qi province, but the dignitaries, frightened, ridiculed the sage. Then the prince asked him to leave, considering himself too old to endure the mockery of himself. Only in 497 did Confucius return to his native land, where he was surprised to find that he was received with honor.

The king turned out to be merciful: he appointed the famous sage as governor of Zhong-du, where he was already officially able to open a school. The previously gained experience became his best help; he immediately put judicial and agricultural affairs in order, confiscated lands from bribe-takers, which led to the emergence of dissatisfied people and even enemies.

It was very difficult for him in this position, as sometimes he had to step over himself. He even executed one of the officials, contrary to his firm convictions. His disciples were amazed. The sage answered them that the criminal deceived people, and persisted in his lies, for which he paid.

How to properly govern a country according to Confucius

At the dawn of any civilization, the various emerging religious movements were very closely intertwined with mythology, in an attempt to explain the emergence of man. Therefore, in the teachings of Confucius, legist (school of legalists) ideas of the wisdom of ancestors predominate. This means that everything must be based on the teachings drawn from their lives, actions and laws established by them. The souls of ancestors were considered best friends and reliable advisers.

A special role in Confucianism is given to the rules that the ruler must observe. First of all, the king must behave like a loving father who does not wish harm to his children - the people. Respect and leniency were the main tenets of the teaching. In the search for perfection, each person follows his own path, which forms the concept of Tao (road, direction), which has neither end nor beginning, it is eternal and indestructible. Moreover, he leads everyone where they are supposed to go, regardless of personal activity or desire.

An important point in thinking about human nature was the original doctrine of the correction of names - one of the main concepts of the entire teaching. The philosopher Confucius managed to combine science with true values, and came up with several basic concepts that were not suitable for “naming” people, especially rulers. In his opinion, inappropriate or “wrong” names should have been corrected. It is believed that it was from this doctrine that the prejudices associated with the magical manipulation of names in the future by mystics and “sorcerers” grew.

Sociological reflections on human nature

The six canons of Confucianism deduced by the scholar should be explained. They are identical to the arts that we have already discussed. But there is also the “Pentateuch” (not to be confused with the Book of the Covenant of Moses) – “Wu-Ching”.

"I Ching" or "Book of Changes".
"Chun-qiu" or "Spring and Autumn: Chronicle".
"Shi Ching" or "Book of Songs".
"Li Chi" or "Book of Ceremonies".
"Shu-ching" or "Book of Legends".

This is one of the most ancient monuments of the chronicle heritage of the Celestial Empire. In all these works there is a lot of completely historical information about those times. There you can find the virtues that are necessary for a harmonious life and the development of the individual.

Philanthropy (the principle of “love your neighbor” among Christians).
Justice (equal rights before the court for everyone).
Ritual (observance of ritual).
Prudence (judgment in objective reality).
Sincerity (conscientiousness in carrying out any task).

Personal life of a philosopher: the years of Confucius’s life and his death

Contrary to misconceptions, this great Chinese scientist “noble man” was not alone. He never claimed the monastic title, although he was not interested in getting rich either. He wanted to live in harmony with the world around him and teach everyone else to do the same.

Wife and son

Legends tell about the marriage of Confucius, the most likely is the following. At the age of nineteen, the young man met a beautiful girl named Kikoan Shi from the noble Qi family from Song Province. A year later they already had little son. In honor of such a solemn event, Ruler Zhang Kung sent the family a gift of live carp from the royal ponds. Therefore, it was decided to name the baby Li, which means carp. The boy also had the nickname Bo Yu (fish, eldest of the brothers).

Confucius hoped that he would have more sons, but it did not work out. A year later, his wife gave birth to a daughter, whose name and fate are unknown. There are hints in some texts that the sage divorced his wife when he left his job and began working on his school, but this is also unreliable.

Death of an Ancient Thinker

According to the notes of Tzu Kung's disciple, the sage felt in advance that death would soon await him. He started having visions and prophetic dreams, which seemed to foreshadow a quick decline. He gathered his disciples and went with them on a trip to China, but none of the rulers wanted to listen to the elder. The years of Confucius's life were inevitably coming to an end.

Returning home, he told his followers that it was his turn and went to bed. The philosopher died in the year 479, having reached his eighties. He was buried in a high mound, around which the village of Kung-li was soon formed, where his grandson Tsi-kung lived. It is said that the dried wood from this mound is still kept as a shrine.

The further fate of Confucian teachings: the memory of the greatest Chinese sage of the past

Immediately after the death of the sage, his teaching did not become popular. His image is gradually introduced into classical Chinese philosophy. Only during the reign of the Han dynasty, which lived in the Middle Kingdom around the dawn of our era, did he begin to be considered not only a teacher or politician, but also a demigod, legislator and “father of the people.”

During the Three Kingdoms period (240s AD), Confucius finally acquired the aristocratic title of wang, and at the beginning of the sixteenth century he began to be called “the greatest sage of the sages of the past.”

In the 17th century, a fashion for everything Chinese suddenly arose in Europe, and then Confucianism penetrated into this part of the world. Such great minds as Gottfried Leibniz, Matteo Ricci, Nicolas Malebranche and Johann Gottfried Herder were interested in him. Hegel, in his lectures, notes that the teachings of Confucius are a collection of platitudes that are known to everyone.

The sage is credited with the authorship of many books, but scientists believe that he himself definitely wrote one - “Conversations and Judgments” (“Lun Yu”). After the examination system was introduced in the Celestial Empire, many monuments and temples were built to the great taxonomist and scientist in the cities of Taichung, Qufu, as well as in Shanghai and Beijing. The story of his life is reflected in feature films and documentaries. Many writers also turned their attention to his person. For example, diplomat and writer Pavel Stepanovich Popov collected his wise speeches into a single book, which was published in Russian.

Wise aphorisms and apt sayings of Confucius

If you start hating someone, then you have already lost.

The greatest deed can be ruined by intemperance in small things.

Before you plan revenge, dig two graves at once.

People tend to take advice drop by drop and give it out in buckets.

Life is simple, but everyone complicates it as best they can.

If they spit in your back, don't be upset. This means that you are ahead of the offenders.

Biography

Judging by his mastery of aristocratic arts, Confucius was a descendant of a noble family. He was the son of a 63-year-old official, Shu Lianghe (叔梁纥 Shū Liáng-hé), and a seventeen-year-old concubine named Yan Zhengzai (颜征在 Yán Zhēng-zài). The official soon died, and, fearing the wrath of his legal wife, Confucius’s mother and her son left the house in which he was born. From early childhood, Confucius worked hard and lived in poverty. Later he realized that it was necessary to be a cultured person, so he began to educate himself. In his youth, he served as a minor official in the kingdom of Lu (Eastern China, modern Shandong province). This was the time of decline of the Zhou Empire, when the power of the emperor became nominal, the patriarchal society was destroyed and the rulers of individual kingdoms, surrounded by lowly officials, took the place of the clan nobility.

The collapse of the ancient foundations of family and clan life, internecine strife, corruption and greed of officials, disasters and suffering common people- all this caused sharp criticism from zealots of antiquity.

Realizing the impossibility of influencing state policy, Confucius resigned and, accompanied by his students, went on a trip to China, during which he tried to convey his ideas to the rulers various areas. At the age of about 60, Confucius returned home and spent the last years of his life teaching new students, as well as systematizing the literary heritage of the past. Shi Ching(Book of Songs), I Ching(Book of Changes), etc.

Confucius’s students, based on the teacher’s statements and conversations, compiled the book “Lun Yu” (“Conversations and Judgments”), which became a particularly revered book of Confucianism (among the many details from the life of Confucius, Bo Yu 伯魚, his son - also called Li 鯉); the remaining details of the biography are concentrated mostly in the “Historical Notes” of Sima Qian).

Of the classical books, only Chunqiu (“Spring and Autumn,” a chronicle of the inheritance of Lu from 722 to 481 BC) can undoubtedly be considered the work of Confucius; then it is very likely that he edited the Shi-ching ("Book of Poems"). Although the number of students of Confucius is determined by Chinese scholars to be up to 3000, including about 70 closest ones, in reality we can count only 26 of his undoubted students known by name; the favorite of them was Yan-yuan. His other close students were Tsengzi and Yu Ruo (see en: Disciples of Confucius).

Teaching

Although Confucianism is often called a religion, it does not have the institution of a church, and questions of theology are not important to it. Confucian ethics is not religious. The ideal of Confucianism is the creation of a harmonious society according to the ancient model, in which every individual has his own function. A harmonious society is built on the idea of devotion ( zhong, 忠) - loyalty in the relationship between a boss and a subordinate, aimed at preserving the harmony of this society itself. Confucius formulated Golden Rule ethics: “Do not do to a person what you do not wish for yourself.”

Five Consistencies of a Righteous Man

Moral duties, since they are materialized in ritual, become a matter of upbringing, education, and culture. These concepts were not separated by Confucius. All of them are included in the category content "wen"(originally this word meant a person with a painted torso or tattoo). "Wen" can be interpreted as cultural meaning human existence like good manners. This is not a secondary artificial formation in man and not his primary natural layer, not bookishness and not naturalness, but their organic alloy.

Spread of Confucianism in Western Europe

In the middle of the 17th century Western Europe a fashion arose for everything Chinese, and generally for oriental exoticism. This fashion was also accompanied by attempts to master Chinese philosophy, which they often began to talk about, sometimes in sublime and admiring tones. For example, Robert Boyle compared the Chinese and Indians with the Greeks and Romans.

The popularity of Confucius is confirmed in Ding. Han: In literature, Confucius is sometimes called the "uncrowned king". In 1 AD e. he becomes an object of state veneration (title 褒成宣尼公); from 59 n. e. regular offerings are approved at the local level; in 241 (Three Kingdoms) he was consolidated in the aristocratic pantheon, and in 739 (Din. Tang) the title of Wang was consolidated. In 1530 (Ding Ming), Confucius received the title 至聖先師, “the supreme sage [among] the teachers of the past.”

This growing popularity should be compared with the historical processes that took place around the texts from which information about Confucius and attitudes towards him is drawn. Thus, the “uncrowned king” could serve to legitimize the restored Han dynasty after the crisis associated with the usurpation of the throne by Wang Mang (at the same time the first Buddhist temple was founded in the new capital).

In the 20th century in China, there are several temples dedicated to Confucius: the Temple of Confucius in his homeland, in Qufu, in Shanghai, Beijing, Taichung.

Confucius in culture

Confucius is a 2010 film starring Chow Yun-fat.

Literature

The book “Conversations and Judgments” of Confucius, five translations into Russian “on one page”
Works of Confucius and related materials in 23 languages (Confucius Publishing Co.Ltd.)
Buranok S. O. The problem of interpretation and translation of the first judgment in “Lun Yu”
A. A. Maslov. Confucius. // Maslov A. A. China: bells in the dust. The wanderings of a magician and an intellectual. - M.: Aletheya, 2003, p. 100-115
Vasiliev V. A. Confucius on virtue // Social and humanitarian knowledge. 2006. No. 6. P.132-146.
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The man known in Europe as Confucius was always called Kong Qiu in China. However, the peculiarities of Chinese pronunciation lead to several transcription options: Kung Fu-Tzu, Kung Tzu or simply Tzu. The latter, by the way, is translated as “teacher”. Confucius, whose biography is now one of the most authoritative spiritual sources for the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, was the greatest ancient Chinese thinker, sage and founder of the philosophical system that received his name. The main tenets of this teaching were the ethical ideas of the ancient Chinese and the natural human need for happiness and well-being.

Confucius: a short biography

This man was born around 551 BC. e. in modern Shandong (then Qufu) province. Confucius, whose biography has been studied as carefully as what has come down to us allows historical sources, was a descendant of an impoverished aristocratic family. His father was an elderly official. From childhood, the boy knew hard work and need. However, curiosity, natural hard work and the desire to become one of the people pushed him to constant self-education and self-improvement.

Confucius, whose biography is full of adversity and difficult trials, in his youth worked as a caretaker of state lands and warehouses. However, already at the age of 22, he took up what would later become his calling - private teaching. We must not forget that education has always been highly valued in China. Advancement up the career ladder was unthinkable without passing special exams. Soon the young man became famous throughout the Celestial Empire. What he educated was open to everyone, regardless of material wealth or nobility of origin. Confucius, whose biography is filled with many parables and stories about the relationship between teacher and students, did not engage in any other business until a very advanced age. Only at the age of 50 does he get to public service. However, soon intrigues force him to leave this business, after which he wanders around China for thirteen years, accompanied by his students. During his travels, he made constant visits to the rulers of various regions, conveying to them his own ethical, moral and political doctrine. However, the ideas of Confucius in those years were not as popular as they were to become later. In 484 BC. e. he settles in the city of Lu. From now on great thinker He was only engaged in teaching.

The legend about him says that the philosophy of Confucius is becoming more and more popular in China. The number of his students is approaching three thousand. Of these, about seventy were close associates. The Twelve always followed their mentor relentlessly. Even twenty-six students of the great thinker are known by name. In parallel with this business, Confucius was engaged in the distribution of books. In 479 BC. e. The great philosopher was overtaken by death. According to legend, this happened on the bank of a quiet river, in the shade of the branches and foliage of a sprawling tree.