- Confucius is not his real name. Confucius’s personal name is understood to be Kǒng Qiū (Zi). Zi representing the family lineage and Kong, a certain branch of the family.
- The Lunyu and Shiji are widely sourced for his biography. ...
- Confucius had to take up many small time jobs in his youth. ...
- Confucianism emerged as a major philosophy in the 100 schools of thought. ...
- He included the concept of Six Arts in his philosophy. ...
- Only 70 odd disciples mastered what he taught. According to Sima Qian, Confucius once said “The disciples who received my instructions, and could themselves comprehend them, were seventy-seven individuals.
- He rose to the position of Minister of Crime in his political career. ...
- Confucius went in a self-imposed exile for 13-14 long years. ...
- His forsaken disciple facilitated his return to Lu. Ran Qiu (Ziyou/Ran You) was a leading disciple of Confucius. ...
- Confucius died in 479 BC leaving a lasting impression on the life in East Asia and beyond. ...
Full Answer
What did Confucius do for a living?
After working in a number of small jobs in his early life, Confucius became a renowned philosopher who had thousands of disciples and numerous followers. He also served as Minister of Crime in his political career.
What are the characteristics of Confucianism according to Confucius?
Confucius stressed the cultivation of personal qualities such as benevolence, reciprocity, and filial piety. Confucius believed that education and reflection led to virtue, and that those who aspired to command others must cultivate discipline and moral authority in themselves.
How tall was Confucius?
An ancient Chinese text recorded the height of Confucius as nine feet six inches tall. While that document may have exaggerated his physical size, there’s no doubt that Confucius was a teacher and philosopher of tremendous stature.
What is the best biography of Confucius?
The Lunyu or “Analects of Confucius”, compiled by Confucius’s disciples and later followers, is considered as one of the most reliable biographical material on Confucius. Shiji or “Records of the Grand Historian”, a masterpiece by Sima Qian, is a monumental account of ancient Chinese history covering over 2500 years.
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What are 5 facts about Confucianism?
Confucianism teaches five virtues that dictate how a person should live and behave. Confucianism's first virtue is Ren, which means 'humaneness', or 'benevolence'. Confucianism's second virtue is Yi which means righteousness and honesty. Confucianism's third virtue Li which means proper behavior and propriety.
What are 3 accomplishments of Confucius?
10 Major Contributions of Chinese Philosopher Confucius#1 He revived the great moral teachings of the sages of the past.#2 He laid the foundation and developed the influential philosophy Confucianism.#3 He is traditionally credited with having authored or edited the “Five Classics”More items...•
Who is Confucius real name?
KongqiuConfucius, Pinyin romanization Kongfuzi or Kongzi, Wade-Giles K'ung-fu-tzu or K'ung-tzu, original name Kongqiu, literary name Zhongni, (born 551, Qufu, state of Lu [now in Shandong province, China]—died 479 bce, Lu), China's most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist, whose ideas have profoundly ...
What are the 4 beliefs of Confucius?
Key Takeaways: The Four Tenets of Confucianism The four tenets of Confucianism are Rites and Rituals, the Five Relations, Rectification of Names, and Ren. All rites and rituals are intentional acts of social unification.
How old is Confucius?
72 years (551 BC–479 BC)Confucius / Age at death
What is Confucius famous for?
Confucius believed that all people–and the society they live in—benefit from a lifetime of learning and a moral outlook. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher, politician, and teacher whose message of knowledge, benevolence, loyalty, and virtue were the main guiding philosophy of China for thousands of years.
How many students did Confucius?
three thousand studentsAccording to Sima Qian, Confucius said: "The disciples who received my instructions, and could themselves comprehend them, were seventy-seven individuals. They were all scholars of extraordinary ability." It was traditionally believed that Confucius had three thousand students, but that only 72 mastered what he taught.
What language did Confucius speak?
Old ChineseConfucius / LanguagesOld Chinese, also called Archaic Chinese in older works, is the oldest attested stage of Chinese, and the ancestor of all modern varieties of Chinese. The earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones from around 1250 BC, in the late Shang dynasty. Wikipedia
How long did Confucius live?
Confucius is believed to have lived from c. 551 to c. 479 BCE in the state of Lu (now Shandong Province or Shantung). However, the earliest written record of him dates from some four hundred years after his death in the Historical Records of Sima Qian (or Si-ma Ts'ien).
What are the 5 teachings of Confucius?
Confucius's teachings were meant to be advice for the rulers of China. 5. Confucius said people should practise five virtues: kindness, goodness, honesty, modesty, wisdom and trustworthiness. 6.
What Confucius means?
Chinese philosopherConfucius. / (kənˈfjuːʃəs) / noun. Chinese name Kong Zi or K'ung Fu-tse. 551–479 bc, Chinese philosopher and teacher of ethics (see Confucianism).
What are 3 main beliefs of Confucianism?
Key Ideas of Confucianism To the virtues of the ruler correspond values that each individual is supposed to cultivate: 1) benevolence toward others; 2) a general sense of doing what is right; and 3) loyalty and diligence in serving one's superiors.
Kong Fuzi, or as known as Confucius, was born into a poor yet noble family
His family lived in the Lu state, now Shandong province. However, being poor did not hinder his education and instead proved his noble upbringing.
At age 19, Confucius got married
He had 3 children with his wife named Qiguan. The first son, Kong Li, was born a year after their marriage. Later, they gave birth to two more daughters, one of whom died tragically in childhood.
Confucius has approximately 3 million descendants
Of all the Confucius facts that you ought to know, this one might be too good to believe in. The Confucius Genealogy Compilation Committee is an organization that keeps track of the Chinese philosopher’s numerous relatives.
Confucius did not have any surviving image, picture, painting or sculpture during his lifetime
A lot of portraits of the teacher may have surfaced since his death, but there is no way of knowing which of them is the most accurate.
Confucius had a different career start from what he is known for now
In his early 20s, Kong Fuzi labored as a bookkeeper and a guardian of horses and sheep. He only started teaching at 30.
By the time he reached age 71 or 72, Confucius suffered emotional exhaustion
His lifetime was long enough to have him bury his son as well as some of his own disciples. Finally, the philosopher died of old age and was buried in Kong Lin Cemetery.
The number of students whom Confucius taught reached above 3000
Out of those, 72 students succeeded as renowned wise men. Confucius has had the most number of disciples in ancient China’s educational history.
What are some interesting facts about Confucius?
Here, we've compiled a list of the top 10 interesting facts about Confucius. 1. Confucius' hometown was Qufu. With a history spanning back thousands of years, Qufu city remains the legendary birthplace of many Chinese sages, such as Confucius and Mencius. To memorialize these great sages, the locals built temples and cemeteries, ...
What did Confucius study?
Confucius studied six main arts including archery, arithmetic, charioteering, ritual and calligraphy. In addition, he also studied poetry and history. The fact that he was highly knowledgeable is evident in a wide range of his works and teachings.
Why was the Temple of Confucius built?
The Temple of Confucius in Qufu was built to worship Confucius, the Chinese thinker and social philosopher whose teachings and philosophy deeply influenced Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese. The temple consists of a group of grand, majestic, oriental-featured ancient buildings and was built at the site of Confucius’ former residence.
How old was Confucius when he started teaching?
Confucius started his teaching career at the age of 24. Confucius started his teaching career in 527 BCE, when he was only 24 years old. His main objective in the teaching career was to bring about reform in the leadership of that time, which had negatively been impacted by corruption and lawlessness.
How many times was Confucius' cemetery rebuilt?
7. Confucius' Cemetery was repaired and rebuilt 13 times. Since the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD), the Cemetery of Confucius was repaired and rebuilt 13 times by the emperors of many Chinese dynasties.
When is the Confucius Festival?
There is an annual festival to celebrate Confucius. Performance on Qufu International Confucius Festival. Every year between September 26th and October 10th in Qufu City, the hometown of Confucius, there is the Qufu International Confucius Culture Festival.
Which dynasty was Confucianism founded in?
His philosophy became the basis state ideology during the first Han Dynasty in the 2nd century BC. The followers of his teachings are the ones who established Confucianism, which remains one of the largest and longest standing religions in China. 7. Confucius' Cemetery was repaired and rebuilt 13 times.
What are some interesting facts about Confucius?
1. Following the victory of Han over Chu after the collapse of Qin, Confucius’s thought received official sanction and were further developed into a system known in the West as Neo-Confucianism, and later New Confucianism. 2.
What is Confucius' philosophy?
Confucius was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius, also known as Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity.
What did Confucius say about his first child?
His first child with her was named Kong Li. 25. Confucius said that people should be honest, kind, obedient, polite and wise. He encouraged leaders to be role models of good behavior. 26. At the age of 50, in 501 BCE, he became a judge and was put in charge of law and order in the state of Lu.
How old was Confucius when he returned home?
He spent the next 12 years in exile, learning and teaching his vision. 17. When Confucius was 67 years old, he returned home and taught and wrote. 18. Confucianism is mainly practiced in Vietnam, Korea, Japan and China, but it’s also practiced in some places in North America.
Why was Confucius dismissed?
After 5 years as a judge, he was dismissed in 496 BCE because his jealous rivals plotted against him. 29. The teachings of Confucius were written down by his students and were compiled in the Sishu or Four Books, which were studied by the Chinese for 2400 years. 30.
What were the six arts that Confucius studied?
The six arts that Confucius was schooled in were archery, music, arithmetic, calligraphy, cha rioteering and ritual. He also studied history and poetry. 14. He tried to bring his ideas about morals, politics, society and education to the government but his ideas weren’t taken seriously. 15.
What are the five virtues of Confucianism?
20. Confucianism has five virtues that dictate how a person should live and behave. The first virtue, Ren, means “humaneness,” or “benevolence.”. The second virtue, Yi, means “righteousness” and “honesty.”.
What are some interesting facts about Confucius?
Ancient Facts About Confucius. “The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large” -Confucius. It’s tempting to simply sum up Chinese-born Confucius as a philosopher, but he was far more than that. He was also a teacher, editor, and politician whose teachings have left a crucial impact ...
Where was Confucius born?
According to most historians, Confucius was born on September 28, 551 BC. His birthplace has been identified as being close to the modern city of Qufu in China. At the time, it was known as the district of Zou.
How did Confucius influence China?
In just one of many ways that Confucius influenced China, his philosophy helped inspire the system known as the Imperial Examinations. It was a meritocratic system where anybody was permitted to positions in the government so long as they passed the examination. This meant that ordinary people got access to honorable and well-paying jobs that they normally wouldn’t have had a chance at getting.
How many children did Confucius have?
Confucius is said to have had three children. One son, born just a year after Confucius’ marriage to Qiguan, was named Kong Li. Two more daughters were born to the couple, with one of those daughters allegedly, and tragically, dying in childhood. Wikimedia Commons. 28.
Why is Confucius called Confucius?
The only reason he is known as Confucius is because 16th century Jesuit missionaries coming to China took his name and gave it a Latinized sound. The word “Confucius” was adapted from the name “Kǒng Fūzǐ.” However, not even this was his true name, because “Kǒng Fūzǐ” simply means “Master Kong.” His given name was Kong Qiū, though he would also have been called “Zhòngní”—the Zhong part indicated that he was the second son in his family.
What were the six arts of Confucianism?
These skills, known as the Six Arts, comprised of rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics.
What did Confucius give his name to?
He even gave his name to Confucianism, which is treated by many as a religion.
What did Confucius believe?
Confucius believed that all people–and the society they live in—benefit from a lifetime of learning and a moral outlook. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher, politician, and teacher whose message of knowledge, benevolence, loyalty, and virtue were the main guiding philosophy of China for thousands of years. An ancient Chinese text recorded the ...
What did Confucius study?
Confucius showed a zeal for academics early on. “At 15, I set my heart on learning, ” he later told his disciples. He studied music, mathematics, the classics, history, and more. He was especially entranced by the early years of the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 B.C.), a peaceful period he perceived as a golden age to be emulated.
How many students did Confucius leave behind?
Confucius was largely ignored in his own day. When he died in 479 B.C., he left behind perhaps 3,000 students, who devoted themselves to preserving and propagating their master’s precepts. Confucius’s teachings were enthusiastically adopted as Chinese state ideology by the Han dynasty in the second century B.C.
How many acres are there in Confucius's temple?
The Temple of Confucius was built shortly after the sage died in 479 B.C. and has evolved to become a 50-acre complex.
What were the problems of the 20th century?
Their shrinking farms were divided among multiple heirs. Banditry and rebellion began to take hold, and peasant uprisings were a threat into the 20th century.
Where was Confucius born?
The individual known in the West as Confucius was born Kongqiu in 551 B.C. near Qufu, in eastern China. His family may once have been aristocratic, but they apparently fell on hard times, because he took menial jobs as a young man.
Where was Confucius' native city?
During his lifetime, Confucius was not particularly appreciated in his native city of Qufu, in eastern China. Time has remedied that oversight. The devotion of subsequent Chinese rulers and people over the centuries has helped preserve his now hallowed ground.
What are some interesting facts about Confucius?
10 Interesting Facts About Chinese Philosopher Confucius. Born in 551 BC in the district of Zou, in the tributary state of Lu near present day Qufu, China; Confucius is considered as a towering personality in ancient Chinese history. After working in a number of small jobs in his early life, Confucius became a renowned philosopher who had thousands ...
What was Confucius' role in the world?
He also served as Minister of Crime in his political career. In his role as a political thinker, philosopher, teacher and great master, Confucius left a deep influence in the essence ...
How many disciples did Confucius have?
Traditionally it is said and widely believed that Confucius had 3000 disciples, but only 72 mastered what he had to teach. Yan Hui was the favorite disciple of Confucius. He is considered the first among the Four Assessors or the four prominent Chinese philosophers in the Confucian tradition.
What is Confucius's personal name?
Confucius’s personal name is understood to be Kǒng Qiū (Zi). Zi representing the family lineage and Kong, a certain branch of the family. As per prevalent customs his personal name was only used by the family elders and his courtesy name Zhòngní was commonly used by his contemporaries.
What is the name of the book that Confucius wrote?
Besides these, other important texts from which one can know about Confucius include Zuo zhuan or “Commentary of Zuo“, composed in the 4th century; and the Mencius, compilations of teachings and philosophies of Confucius by his well-known 4th century follower Mencius, known as the “second Sage” after Confucius himself.
Why did Confucius go into exile?
There are varied accounts on why he abrogated his position and went into exile most pointing to the internal politics within the state, the moral denigration of the ruling elite, jealously of other states and that his ideas did not sit well with the aristocracy. So around 496 BC, Confucius went into a long self-imposed exile of 13 to 14 years looking for a feudal state that would utilize his services. His journey was primarily in the north-east and central China including Wey, Song, Zheng, Cao, Chu, Qi, Chen, and Cai. Confucius was mostly received with much respect and admiration during his journey. He expounded his philosophy but was disappointed that much of his teachings were never implemented.
When did Confucius grow up?
It took place during the Spring and Autumn period (771 to 476 BC) and the Warring States period (475 to 221 BC) of ancient China. Born towards the end of the spring and autumn period, Confucius grew up in a time when China was getting more and more divided. The rise of disunity and civil strife gave rise to various philosophies.
1. He was a longed-for son
Confucius’ father, Kong He, was 60 when he married a 17-year-old girl from the local Yan family, in the hope of fathering a healthy male heir after his first wife had produced 9 daughters. Kong looked to the teenage daughters of one of his neighbours for his new bride.
2. His birth is the subject of an origin story
A popular legend states that Confucius’ mother, while pregnant, was visited by a qilin, a strange mythical creature with the head of a dragon, the scales of a snake and the body of a deer. The qilin revealed a tablet made of jade, the story goes, which foretold the unborn child’s future greatness as a sage.
3. His teachings form a sacred text known as the Analects
As a young man, Confucius opened a school where his reputation as a philosopher was ultimately born. The school attracted some 3,000 students but did not teach academic training, but rather schooling as a way of life. Over time, his teachings formed the basis of one of China’s most sacred texts, the Analects.
4. He believed that traditional customs were the key to peace
Confucius lived during China’s Zhou dynasty (1027-256 BC), which by the 5th and 6th centuries BC had lost much of its power, causing China to fracture into warring tribes, states and factions. Desperate to find a solution to his tumultuous age, Confucius looked to the 600 years before his time.
5. He emphasised the importance of ritualism
Confucius believed in the power of ritualism. He insisted that rituals and codes – from handshakes when greeting others, to the relationship between young and old, or teacher and student, or husband and wife – could create harmony in everyday society.
6. He achieved immense political success
At the age of 50 in his home state of Lu, Confucius entered local politics and became the minister of crime, where he transformed the fortunes of his state.
7. His followers were from all parts of society, united in their virtuous character
Confucius’ half dozen disciples who travelled with him were drawn from every part of society, from merchants to poor cattle ranchers and even warrior types. None were of noble birth but all had the innate ability to be ‘noble of character’.