The philosophical thinking of a nation is the fundamental and most stable element in building its national spirit. The ancient Chinese had their own considerations and understandings of the universe, society and life in their long history and had established a complete ideological system full of China’s own characteristics, which affected the Chinese way of thinking and life.

Generally speaking, traditional Chinese thoughts attached greater importance to interpreting society and life from a practical point of view. When commenting on the Hundred Schools of Thought, Sima Qian had said in Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) that different schools of thought “all worked on good governance”, to make the world a better place to live in. Among these schools of thought, Confucianism and Taoism are undoubtedly the most important ones. And the Confucian ethics have, for a long period of time, been the guidance for the Chinese way of life.

Key Figures in Confucianism

1. Confucius (Kong Zi)

Confucianism is the most important elemeni in Chinese traditional philosophy. Before Confucius, the scholars alike regarded it as a trade for rites and ceremonies, which was used as a means of livelihood. It was Confucius (551–479 BC) who transformed Confucianism into a political ideology, a philosophical thought and an attitude for life. Confucius is the tounder and most important thinker of Confucianism and has been regarded as a sage by the Chinese people since ancient limes.

Confucius’s given name is Qiu, also Zhongni. He lived in a turbulem era in China’s history, the Spring and Autumn Period. Born in a declining aristocratic family, he was neglected when he was young, and he had done many miscellaneous jobs. Hut Confucius was a keen student. He was willing to learn from everyone, regardless of their social status. Everywhere he went, he was being inquisitive, especially on the knowledge of rites. He had been in charge of a warehouse which became in good order under his management. He had also been a cattle and sheep farmer, and the number of cattle and sheep increased a lot under his care. Gradually, his reputation was built, and more and more people came to learn from him. So Confucius began to run his own school for whoever wanted to learn from him on the wisdom of life and his political ideals. It is said that the private schools in China started from Confucius. Therefore Confucius is also called a “Great Educator”. Legend has it that he had more than 3,000 students, including nobles, warriors, businessmen, farmers, craftsmen, and people from all walks of life, as Confucius refused no one who came and were willing to learn. He was good at teaching different people according to their capabilities, and transformed them into good talents for the society. He had, for example, turned Zilu, one of his well-known students, from a rough person to a model of rites.

Confucius had established a set of ideas of governing the society and the country. He hoped to save the world with his own ideological theory and his own efforts. In the State of Lu, he was appointed the Grand Minister for Justice. Three months after he took up the position, the state had become so well governed that no one would take what others had lost as their own. In fear of his capabilities, the nobles and those in the neighbouring states forced him out of the State of Lu. Confucius had no choice but travelled across states with his students, hoping to find a place where he could realize his ideal. However, after more than ten years of hard work and visiting more than 70 states, he had never been entrusted by a single king, and he eventually returned to the State of Lu in great disappoinlment.

The reason for Confucius’s failure was probably that his proposed benevolent rules or moral rules were too idealistic. During the Spring and Autumn Period in which Confucius lived, the vassal states were no longer under the control of the central government of the Zhou Dynasty. Due to escalated conflicts over power and interests, noble families within states attacked each olher for land and population. The old order was destroyed and the new order was yet to be established. Confucius hoped to use (propriety) to regulate the relations among nobles. He asserted that everyone should do things in accordance with his own duties and position, and must not go beyond his power and status. He encouraged all to cultivate themselves, live in harmony with others, think for each other, and protect the interests of the others. He called this “Ren” (benevolence), and hoped to buiid a harmonized society by “Ren”, but those in power found Confucius’s thought to be completely unrealistic.

Although Confucius did not gain the trust of those in power, he adhered to his ideals, and was content with his humble living conditions. He had always held a positive and optimistic attitude towards life and society. He praised his student Yan Hui who was living in a humble place and eating simple food, while others could not bear to live in the same situation. Yan Hui was contented in his heart. He was always happy and did not worry about these external material conditions. It is true that Confucius believed that each person should contribute to the society, but in his mind, the highest achievement in life was a life in harmony with nature and forgelling utilitarian gains. On one occasion, he asked students about their aspirations in life. Some of his students said they wanted to become a politician, a ceremonial officer, a diplomat, and so on. Zeng Xi said what he had wished for was that, on a spring day, he would take his friends and family members, wear the spring clothes, and go to the riverside. They could swim, and also enjoy the light breeze. They would enjoy the beautiful scenery of spring, and sing songs on the way home. Confucius appreciated the life Zeng Xi had described, which was also what he desired for himself. This demonstrated that Confucius did not attached importance to personal gains and losses. In act, this is how Coniucius^ thought had influenced the Chinese people–to be content with frugal lite, to maintain happiness in the practice of self-cultivation, and to be positive on life.

In his later years, Confucius began to compile books, such as The Book of Poetry (Shi), The Book of Documents (Shu), The Book of Rites (Li), The Book of Music (Yue), The Book of Changes (Yi) and The Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu). He had presented his standards of right and wrong, wisdom of life, and political thought in these books. After he passed away, his disciples collected his words and compiled them into a book called Lunyu, The Analects of Confucius. These books later became Confucian classics, which had a profound impact on Chinese people and Chinese society for thousands of years. We can say that the Confucian thought has been in the blood of the Chinese people, and had become an inseparable part of the Chinese spirit.

Cultural Notes

The Hundred Schools of Thought (Zhu Zi Bai Jia)

This is a term of the main schools of thought before the founding of the Qin Dynasty. ‘‘Zhu Zi” refers to the many founders of the schools, namely Kong Zi (Confucius), Lao Zi, Mo Zi, Zhuang Zi, Sun Zi (Sun T2u), Meng Zi (Mencius) and other thinkers.

Vassal States

In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the feudal system was practiced. The Zhou king bestowed lands and people on nobles and formed many vassal states of various sizes. These states, originally controlled by the Zhou kings, grew stronger and stronger before they gradually gain autonomy.

Confucian Classics

The most important Confucian classics are the Four Books and the Five Classics. The Four Books include The Great Learning (Daxue), The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong), The Analects of Confucius (Lunyu) and Mencius (Meng Zi). And the Five Classics include The Book of Poetry (Shi), The Book of Documents (Shu), The Book of Rites (Li), The Book of Music (Yue), The Book of Changes (Yi) and The Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu).