When was Confucius born?
Kong He
It is generally thought that Confucius was born on September 28, 551 BC. His birthplace was in Zou, Lu state (near present-day Qufu, Shandong Province).
Chinese philosophy
Confucianism reached its peak of influence during the Tang and Song Dynasties under a rebranded Confucianism called Neo-Confucianism. Confucius expanded on the already present ideas of Chinese religion and culture to reflect the time period and environment of political chaos during the Warring States period. Because Confucius embedded the Chinese culture so heavily into his philosophy it was able to resonate with the people of China. This high approval of Confucianism can be seen through the reverence of Confucius in modern-day China.
Confucianism
Confucius (551–479 BCE) appeared in this period of political decadence and spiritual questioning. He was educated in Shang-Zhou theology, which he contributed to transmit and reformulate giving centrality to self-cultivation and agency of humans, and the educational power of the self-established individual in assisting others to establish themselves (the principle of 愛人 "àirén", "loving others"). As the Zhou reign collapsed, traditional values were abandoned resulting in a period of moral decline. Confucius saw an opportunity to reinforce values of compassion and tradition into society. Disillusioned with the widespread vulgarisation of the rituals to access Tian, he began to preach an ethical interpretation of traditional Zhou religion. In his view, the power of Tian is immanent, and responds positively to the sincere heart driven by humaneness and rightness, decency and altruism. Confucius conceived these qualities as the foundation needed to restore socio-political harmony. Like many contemporaries, Confucius saw ritual practices as efficacious ways to access Tian, but he thought that the crucial knot was the state of meditation that participants enter prior to engage in the ritual acts. Confucius amended and recodified the classical books inherited from the Xia-Shang-Zhou dynasties, and composed the "Spring and Autumn Annals".
Kong He
Kong He (孔紇), ( ? - c. 548 BC) also known as Shuliang He (叔梁紇), was the father of Confucius and an officer in the Lu state military. Kong died when Confucius was three years old, and Confucius was raised by his mother Yan Zhengzai (顏徵在) in poverty. Kong also had another son, named Pi (皮). However, as Kong Pi's mother was a concubine and Pi himself was said to have deformities in his feet, he could not become his father's successor. Kong He's first wife Lady Shi had given birth to only daughters. Thus, Kong He was heirless until the birth of Confucius.
Tantai Mieming
Tantai Mieming or Dantai Mieming (; born 512 BC), also known by his courtesy name Ziyu (), was a major disciple of Confucius. He was known for being very ugly, but was morally upright. He started his own school in the Yangtze River region, and became a major transmitter of Confucian thoughts. Confucius initially misjudged him because of his bad looks, but later expressed his regret.
Confucius Institute
The Confucius Institute is named after the noted Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BC). Throughout the 20th century, Communist Party of China (CPC) leaders criticized and denounced Confucius as the personification of China's "feudal" traditions, with anti-Confucianism ranging from the 1912 New Culture Movement to the 1973 Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius campaign during the Cultural Revolution. However, in recent decades, interest in pre-modern Chinese culture has grown in the country, and Confucius in particular has seen a resurgence in popularity. Outside of China, Confucius is a generally recognizable symbol of Chinese culture, removed from the negative associations of other prominent Chinese figures such as chairman Mao Zedong.
Zou (state)
The noted Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi descends from the ruling house. The small state of Zou, however, is most famous as the birthplace of the Chinese philosopher Mencius. As the overlord State of Lu was the home state of Confucius and many of his disciples, this means that Confucianism's founder, and most of its minor sages and wise men hailed from or had ancestral roots in these two ancient states of China.
Philippe Couplet
Philippe or Philip Couplet (1623–1693), known in China as Bai Yingli, was a Flemish Jesuit missionary to the Qing Empire. He worked with his fellow missionaries to compile the influential "Confucius, Philosopher of the Chinese", published in Paris in 1687. As his works were in Latin, he is also sometimes known as .
Philippe Couplet was born in Mechelen in the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium) in 1623. He entered the Jesuit Order in 1640.
Shandong
Confucianism: The most well known humanity of Shandong is Confucianism. Each year thousands of people come to Shandong to visit and learn about Confucius' culture. Confucius, according to Chinese tradition, was a thinker, political figure, educator, and founder of the Ru School of Chinese thought. His teachings, preserved in the Lunyu or Analects, form the foundation of much of subsequent Chinese speculation on the education and comportment of the ideal man, how such an individual should live his life and interact with others, and the forms of society and government in which he should participate. Additionally, there are many famous books about Confucius; the most famous one is the Analects which was written by his students. Confucius also helped edit The Five Classics (五经). The Five Classics include The Book of Songs, History, Changes and Rites.
Kong Anguo
Kong Anguo (; ca. 156 – ca. 74 BC), courtesy name Ziguo (子國), was a Confucian scholar and government official of the Western Han dynasty of ancient China. A descendant of Confucius, he wrote the "Shangshu Kongshi Zhuan", a compilation and commentary of the "Old Text" "Shangshu". His work was lost, but a fourth-century forgery was officially recognized as a Confucian classic for over a millennium.
Liezi
Most "Liezi" chapters are named after famous figures in Chinese mythology and history. Either sage rulers like the Yellow Emperor (supposedly r. 2698?-2599? BCE), King Tang of Shang (r. 1617?-1588? BCE), and King Mu of Zhou (r. 1023?-983? BCE); or philosophers like Confucius (551-479 BCE) and Yang Zhu (fl. ca. 350 BCE).
Etiquette
Confucius (551–479 BC) was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher whose philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity.
Zengzi
Zengzi (505–435 BC), born Zeng Shen, courtesy name Ziyu (), was an influential Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius. He later taught Zisi (Kong Ji), the grandson of Confucius, who was in turn the teacher of Mencius, thus beginning a line of transmitters of orthodox Confucian traditions. He is revered as one of the Four Sages of Confucianism.
Education
In China, Confucius (551–479 BCE), of the State of Lu, was the country's most influential ancient philosopher, whose educational outlook continues to influence the societies of China and neighbours like Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Confucius gathered disciples and searched in vain for a ruler who would adopt his ideals for good governance, but his Analects were written down by followers and have continued to influence education in East Asia into the modern era.
Confucius' Birthday
Confucius’ Birthday (, Mandarin ）, falls on the 27th day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is officially celebrated on Taiwan as "Teachers' Day" on September 28, and in Hong Kong on the third Sunday of September as "Confucius Day", though the traditional date is also often observed. Mainland China observes a "Teachers' Day" on September 10 to celebrate the efforts of today's teachers, and there is a legislative effort underway to move that to September 28.
Disciples of Confucius
Min Sun (閔損) was one of Confucius's students from the State of Lu. His courtesy name was Ziqian (子騫). According to Sima Qian he was 15 years younger than Confucius, but other sources state that he was 50 years younger. When he first came to Confucius he had a starved look, but after studying with Confucius he gained a look of fullness and satisfaction. When Zigong once asked Min Sun how this change had come about, he replied, "I came from the midst of my reeds and sedges into the school of the Master. He trained my mind to filial piety, and set before me the examples of the ancient kings. I felt a pleasure in his instructions; but when I went abroad, and saw the people in authority, with their umbrellas and banners, and all the pomp and circumstance of their trains, I also felt pleasure in that show. These two things assaulted each other in my breast. I could not determine which to prefer, and so I wore that look of distress. But now the lessons of our Master have penetrated deeply into my mind. My progress also has been helped by the example of you my fellow disciples. I now know what I should follow and what I should avoid, and all the pomp of power is no more to me than the dust of the ground. It is on this account that I have that look of fullness and satisfaction." Min Sun was one of Confucius's most favourite students. He was distinguished for his moral purity and his love for his parents. His place in the Temple of Confucius is on the first place on the east, among "The Wise Ones", immediately following the Four Assessors. He was first sacrificed to, along with Confucius, in 720 AD, by the sixth emperor of the Tang dynasty. His title, the same as that of all but the four assessors, is "The Ancient Worthy, the Philosopher Min." The eleventh chapter of the "Analects" was traditionally attributed to his disciples.
Xing Zi Ming Chu
The author of "Xing Zi Ming Chu" is contested. According to some scholars it was written by Zi Si (483–402 BCE), a grandson of Confucius, based on the similarities in thought between this text and others which he or his disciples are traditionally held to have written, such as "Zi Yi" (). However, while acknowledging the likelihood that "Xing Zi Ming Chu" and the other Guodian texts circulated during Zi Si's lifetime, other scholars do not find this evidence persuasive, leaving the question of authorship open.
Society of the Song dynasty
The Chinese philosophy of Confucius (551–479 BC) and the hierarchical social order his disciples adhered to had become embedded into mainstream Chinese culture since the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (r. 141–87 BC). During the Song dynasty, the entire Chinese society was theoretically modelled upon this familial social order of superiors and inferiors. Confucian dogma dictated what was proper moral behavior, and how a superior should regulate rewards or punishments when dealing with an inferior member of society or one's family. This is exemplified in the Tang law code, which was largely retained in the Song period. Gernet writes: "The family relationships supposed to exist in the ideal family were the foundation of the entire moral outlook, and even the law, in its total structure and its scale of penalties, was nothing but a codified expression of them."
Xun Kuang
Xun Kuang (; ; c. 310c. 235 BC, alt. c. 314c. 217 BC), also widely known as Xunzi (; , "Master Xun"), was a Chinese Confucian philosopher who lived during the Warring States period and contributed to the Hundred Schools of Thought. A book known as the "Xunzi" is traditionally attributed to him. His works survive in an excellent condition, and were a major influence in forming the official state doctrines of the Han dynasty, but his influence waned during the Tang dynasty relative to that of Mencius.
Chinese theology
Confucius (551–479 BCE) emerged in the critical Warring States period as a reformer of the religious tradition inherited from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. His elaboration of ancient theology gives centrality to self-cultivation and human agency, and to the educational power of the self-established individual in assisting others to establish themselves (the principle of 愛人 "àirén", "loving others").
Kung Te-cheng
Kung was born in his family estate in Qufu, Shandong. He was the third child and only son of Kong Lingyi (孔令貽), Duke Yansheng by his second concubine, Wang Baocui (王寶翠). His father's name contained the character 令 Ling because it was the generation name for 76th generation descendants of Confucius. On 6 June 1920, shortly after his birth, he was appointed Duke Yansheng by President Xu Shichang in accordance with an imperial tradition dating back to 1055 of bestowing the title on the eldest male in each generation of the main line of descent. His father, Kong Lingyi (1872-Nov. 8, 1919), had died before Kung Te-cheng's birth. Kung Te-cheng became the last person to be granted the centuries-old dukedom when the title was abolished by the Nationalist Government in 1935 and replaced with that of Sacrificial Official to Confucius (大成至聖先師奉祀官, literally "Sacrificial Officer of the Great Accomplished and Most Sacred Teacher").
Confucius (2010 film)
Confucius ( Kǒng Zǐ) is a 2010 Chinese biographical drama film written and directed by Hu Mei, starring Chow Yun-fat as the titular Chinese philosopher. The film was produced by P.H. Yu, Han Sanping, Rachel Liu and John Shum.
Emperor Wu of Han
In 140 BC, Emperor Wu conducted an imperial examination of over 100 young scholars. Having been recommended by officials, most of the scholars were commoners with no noble background. This event would have a major impact on Chinese history, marking the official start of the establishment of Confucianism as official imperial doctrine. This came about because a young Confucian scholar, Dong Zhongshu, was evaluated to have submitted the best essay in which he advocated the establishment of Confucianism. It is unclear whether Emperor Wu, in his young age, actually determined this, or whether this was the result of machinations of the prime minister Wei Wan (衛綰), who was himself a Confucian. However, the fact that several other young scholars who scored highly on the examination (but not Dong) later became trusted advisors for Emperor Wu would appear to suggest that Emperor Wu himself at least had some actual participation.
Zhuansun Shi
Zhuansun Shi (b. 503BC), commonly known by his courtesy name Zizhang, was a prominent disciple of Confucius, who accompanied Confucius in his travels abroad, and later started his own sect of Confucianism.
Zhuansun Shi (Zizhang) was born in 503 BC, 48 years after Confucius. According to the "Shiben" (Book of Lineages), his grandfather was a prince of the State of Chen, who served in the government of Lu, Confucius' native state. Although Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian" identifies Zizhang as belonging to the State of Chen, he was likely born and raised in Lu.
Chinese social structure
The teaching of Confucius (551 BCE – 479 BCE) taught of five basic relationships in life:
Analects
Very few reliable sources about Confucius exist besides that of the Analects. The principal biography available to historians is included in Sima Qian's "Shiji", despite the "Shiji" containing a large amount of (possibly legendary) material not confirmed by extant sources, the biographical material on Confucius found in the "Analects" makes the "Analects" arguably the most reliable source of biographical information about Confucius. Confucius viewed himself as a "transmitter" of social and political traditions originating in the early Zhou dynasty (c. 1000–800 BC), and claimed not to have originated anything ("Analects" 7.1), but Confucius's social and political ideals were not popular in his time.
Mencius
The "Mencius" (also spelled "Mengzi" or "Meng-tzu"), a book of his conversations with kings of the time, is one of the Four Books that Zhu Xi grouped as the core of orthodox Neo-Confucian thought. In contrast to the sayings of Confucius, which are short and self-contained, the "Mencius" consists of long dialogues, including arguments, with extensive prose. It was generally neglected by the Jesuit missionaries who first translated the Confucian canon into Latin and other European languages, as they felt that the Neo-Confucian school largely consisted of Buddhist and Taoist contamination of Confucianism. Matteo Ricci also particularly disliked Mencius's strong condemnation of celibacy as unfilial. François Noël, who felt that Zhu's ideas represented a natural and native development of Confucius's thought, was the first to publish a full edition of the "Mencius" at Prague in 1711; as the Chinese rites controversy had been recently decided against the Jesuits, however, his edition attained little influence outside central and eastern Europe.
Confucius' Birthday
Festivals are held to celebrate the birth of Confucius all across China, including at his birthplace in Shandong Province. Among the many attendees of the ceremonies at the Temple of Confucius in Qufu are scholars, notable people, and descendants of Confucius.
During the festival at the Qufu temple there are many activities and entertainments, including musical performances and dancing from ancient times. In the famous Yi Dance, the dancers wear clothes from the Song and Ming Dynasty, with yellow silk robes, blue waistbands, and black hats. The ceremonial music, played with traditional Chinese instruments, is known as “The Sound of Peace”. The musicians wear the clothes of the Ming Dynasty, with red robes and black hats. In addition to these performances, are calligraphy demonstrations and exhibitions, with many people in traditional costumes. Tourists are welcome to attend and enter the tombs of Confucius and his descendants, as well as explore his hometown and the Confucius Temple.
Transcendental whistling
The story of Lu Jieyu meeting Confucius (551-479 BCE) is well known. The first version is in the Confucian "Lunyu". 
Chieh Yü, the madman of Ch'u, came past Master K'ung, singing as he went: "Oh phoenix, phoenix How dwindled is your power! As to the past, reproof is idle, But the future may yet be remedied. Desist, desist! Great in these days is the peril of those who fill office." Master K'ung got down [from his carriage], desiring to speak with him; but the madman hastened his step and got away, so that Master K'ung did not succeed in speaking with him. (tr. Waley 1938: 219) 
The Daoist "Zhuangzi" gives an anti-Confucian version.
When Confucius went to Ch'u, Chieh Yü, the madman of Ch'u, wandered about before his gate, saying:
"Phoenix! Oh, Phoenix! How your virtue has declined! The future you cannot wait for, The past you cannot pursue. When the Way prevails under heaven, The Sage seeks for accomplishment; When the Way is absent from the world, The sage seeks but to preserve his life. In an age like that of today, All he can hope for is to avoid punishment. …" (tr. Mair 1994: 40-41)
Confucian art
When Confucius was elevated to the rank of Supreme Sage and the Uncrown King ("Su Wang"), Confucian art became identified with the art of Confucius in recognition to the sage's central position in the transmission of the Chinese ancient culture. Notable elements of this art are calligraphy of Confucian writings and thoughts, often contained within Confucian temples and schools, as well as whiteware ceramics and pottery related to Confucian religious and scholarly practices. In China, Chinese scholar's rocks were part of this tradition. As most importantly the Korean stone art which continues to this day. Themes and subjects usually include the depiction of prominent Confucian figures such as statesmen, poets, and painters, among others. These are the subjects, for instance, of the paintings of Zhang Lu (1464-1538). Artworks also reflected prevailing interests during the Confucian period such as chess, music, and painting in addition to the depiction of the didactic pictorial narratives of the life of Confucius and the twenty-four paragons of filial piety.
Emperor Gaozu of Han
In his early days, Emperor Gaozu disliked reading and scorned Confucianism. After becoming the emperor, he still held the same attitudes towards Confucianism as he did before until he encountered the scholar Lu Jia (or Lu Gu). Lu Gu wrote a 12-volume book, "Xinyu" (新語), which espoused the benefits of governing by moral virtue as opposed to using harsh and punitive laws (as it was under the Qin dynasty). Lu Gu read each volume to the emperor after he finished writing it. The emperor was deeply impressed. Under Emperor Gaozu's reign, Confucianism flourished and gradually replaced Legalism (of Qin times) as the state ideology. Confucian scholars, including Lu Gu, were recruited to serve in the government. The emperor also reformed the legal system by relaxing some laws inherited from the Qin regime and reducing the severity of certain penalties. In 196 BCE, after suppressing a rebellion by Ying Bu, he passed by Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius, and personally prepared for a ceremony to pay respect to the philosopher.
H. H. Kung
Kung was a 75th generation descendant of Confucius, as indicated by the generation name "hsiang" (祥; "xiáng"). Kung's father was (; 1861–1911), a 74th generation descendant of Confucius, indicated by the generation name "fan" (繁; "fán").
The Cantos
Canto LIII covers the period from the founding of the Hia dynasty to the life of Confucius and up to circa 225 BCE. Special mention is made of emperors that Confucius approved of and the sage's interest in cultural matters is stressed. For example, we are told that he edited the "Book of Odes", cutting it from 3000 to 300 poems. The canto also ascribes the Poundian motto (and title of a 1934 collection of essays) "Make it New" to the emperor Tching Tang. Canto LIV moves the story on to around 805 CE. The line "Some cook, some do not cook, / some things can not be changed" refers to Pound's domestic situation and recurs, in part, in Canto LXXXI.
Analects
According to Ban Gu, writing in the "Book of Han", the "Analects" originated as individual records kept by Confucius's disciples of conversations between the Master and them, which were then collected and jointly edited by the disciples after Confucius's death in 479 BC. The work is therefore titled "Lunyu" meaning "edited conversations" or "selected speeches" (i.e. analects). This broadly forms the traditional account of the genesis of the work accepted by later generations of scholars, for example the Song dynasty neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi stated that "Analects" is the records of Confucius's first- and second-generation pupils. The view however was challenged by Qing dynasty philologist Cui Shu (崔述, 1740–1816) who argued on linguistic ground that the last five books are much later than the rest of the work. Many modern scholars now believe that the work was compiled over a period of around two hundred years, with some questioning the authenticity of some of the sayings. Because no texts of the "Analects" have been discovered earlier, and because the "Analects" was not referred to by name in any existing source before the early Han dynasty, some scholars have proposed dates as late as 140 BC for the text's compilation.
Kung Te-cheng
K'ung Te-ch'eng () (23 February 1920 – 28 October 2008) was a 77th generation descendant of Confucius in the main line of descent. He was the final person to be appointed Duke Yansheng and the first Sacrificial Official to Confucius. He helped formulate and was in charge of officiating the modern Confucius ceremony held annually in Taiwan. In addition to Sacrificial Official, he held numerous posts in the Republic of China government, including member of the National Assembly from 1946 to 1991, President of the Examination Yuan from 1984 to 1993, and senior advisor to the President of the Republic of China from 1948 to 2000. He held professorships at National Taiwan University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Soochow University.
Eastern philosophy
Confucianism was a major ideology of the imperial state during the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) and was revived as Neo-Confucianism during the Tang dynasty (618–907). During later Chinese dynasties like Song Dynasty (960–1297) and the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) as well as in the Korean Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) a resurgent Neo-Confucianism led by thinkers such as Zhu Xi (1130–1200) and Wang Yangming (1472–1529) became the dominant school of thought, and was promoted by the imperial state. Beginning in the Song dynasty, confucian classics were the basis of the imperial exams and became the core philosophy of the scholar official class. Confucianism suffered setbacks during the 20th century, but is recently undergoing a revival, which is termed New Confucianism.
Confucianism
Confucianism, also known as Ruism, is described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or simply a way of life. Confucianism developed from what was later called the Hundred Schools of Thought from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BCE), who considered himself a recodifier and retransmitter of the theology and values inherited from the Shang (c. 1600–1046 BCE) and Zhou dynasties (c. 1046–256 BCE). In the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), Confucian approaches edged out the "proto-Taoist" Huang–Lao as the official ideology, while the emperors mixed both with the realist techniques of Legalism.
Bu Shang
It is uncertain which state Bu Shang came from. Different ancient sources name his birthplace variously as either Wey, Wei, or Wen (溫). Modern scholars, including Ch'ien Mu, generally believe he was from Wei. Born in 507 BC, he was 44 years younger than Confucius.
Confucius
Confucius ( ; 551–479 BC) was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history.
Ran Qiu
Ran Qiu (born 522BC), also known by his courtesy name Ziyou and as Ran You, was a leading disciple of Confucius. Among Confucius's disciples, he was the foremost in terms of ability and accomplishment in statesmanship. As a military commander of the State of Lu, he repelled an invasion from the neighbouring State of Qi. His influence in Lu facilitated the return of Confucius to his native state after fourteen years of exile.
Like Confucius, Ran Qiu was a native of the State of Lu, and was 29 years younger than the Master. He came from the same clan as Ran Geng and Ran Yong, two other prominent disciples of Confucius, and was of the same age as Ran Yong.
Great Learning
Confucius, who incorporated ideas from earlier philosophers, compiled or edited the "Classic of Rites" and the "Spring and Autumn Annals", two of the Five Classics. Confucius' student Zengzi wrote the introduction and exposition of the "Great Learning". Zengzi lived from 505-436 BC. Confucius taught 3000 pupils, 72 of whom mastered the six arts. It is still unclear how much his students wrote and edited.
Disciples of Confucius
It is not certain what state Bu Shang (卜商) was a native of, but he was said to have been born either in Wei or Wen. His courtesy name was Zixia (子夏). He was 45 years younger than Confucius and lived to a great age, for in 406 BC (73 years after Confucius's death) he was recorded serving at the court of Prince Wan of Wei, to whom he gave copies of some of the classics. He is represented as an extensively well-read and exacting scholar but one without great comprehension of mind. The "Maojing" is said to contain his philosophical views. Gongyang Gao and Guliang Chi studied the Spring and Autumn Annals with him. When Zixia died, his son wept so greatly it is said that he became blind. In the Temple of Confucius, he is placed in the fifth east position, among "The Wise Ones".
Confucius
Confucius was born into the class of "shi" (士), between the aristocracy and the common people. He is said to have worked in various government jobs during his early 20s, and as a bookkeeper and a caretaker of sheep and horses, using the proceeds to give his mother a proper burial. When his mother died, Confucius (aged 23) is said to have mourned for three years, as was the tradition.
Three teachings
Confucianism is a complex school of thought, sometimes also referred to as a religion, revolving around the principles of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. It was developed in the Spring and Autumn Period during the Zhou Dynasty. Main concepts of this philosophy include Ru (humaneness), righteousness, propriety/etiquette, loyalty, and filial piety, along with a strict adherence to social roles. This is illustrated through the five main relationships Confucius interpreted to be the core of society: ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife, elder brother-younger brother, and friend-friend. In these bonds, the latter must pay respect to and serve the former, while the former is bound to care for the latter.
Book of Documents
According to a later tradition, the "Book of Documents" was compiled by Confucius (551–479 BC) as a selection from a much larger group of documents, with some of the remainder being included in the "Yizhoushu".
However, the early history of both texts is obscure.
Beginning with Confucius, writers increasingly drew on the "Documents" to illustrate general principles, though it seems that several different versions were in use.
Ancient philosophy
Confucianism was particularly strong during the Han Dynasty, whose greatest thinker was Dong Zhongshu, who integrated Confucianism with the thoughts of the Zhongshu School and the theory of the Five Elements. He also was a promoter of the New Text school, which considered Confucius as a divine figure and a spiritual ruler of China, who foresaw and started the evolution of the world towards the Universal Peace. In contrast, there was an Old Text school that advocated the use of Confucian works written in ancient language (from this comes the denomination "Old Text") that were so much more reliable. In particular, they refuted the assumption of Confucius as a godlike figure and considered him as the greatest sage, but simply a human and mortal.
Confucius
Confucius began teaching after he turned 30, and taught more than 3,000 students in his life, about 70 of whom were considered outstanding. His disciples and the early Confucian community they formed became the most influential intellectual force in the Warring States period. The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian dedicated a chapter in his "Records of the Grand Historian" to the biographies of Confucius's disciples, accounting for the influence they exerted in their time and afterward. Sima Qian recorded the names of 77 disciples in his collective biography, while "Kongzi Jiayu", another early source, records 76, not completely overlapping. The two sources together yield the names of 96 disciples. 22 of them are mentioned in the "Analects", while the "Mencius" records 24.
Zuo Qiuming
Zuo Qiuming, Zuoqiu Ming or Qiu Ming (556 BC-451 BC) was a Chinese writer and contemporary of Confucius who lived in the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China.
Disciples of Confucius
Fu Buqi (宓不齊) was a native of Lu; and, according to different accounts, 30, 40 or 49 years younger than Confucius. His courtesy name was Zijian (子賤). After studying under Confucius he became the Commandant of Danfu, where he succeeded in his position easily. Wuma Qi, having served in the same office, and succeeding only by virtue of great industry and toil, asked Zijian for advice. Zijian answered, "I employ men; you employ men's strength." People later pronounced Fu to be a superior man. In "Analects" 5.3 Confucius himself uses the evidence of Zijian's exemplary character to demonstrate that Lu had retained a culture of high moral quality. His writings are mentioned in Liu Xin's catalogue of important books. In the Temple of Confucius his tablet is placed on the second place on the west.
Zeng Dian
Zeng Dian (; born 546 BC), courtesy name Zixi (), also known as Zeng Xi (), was one of the earliest disciples of Confucius. He is known for a passage in the "Analects" in which he expressed his ambition as no more than being content with daily life. He was the father of Zeng Shen, or Master Zeng, one of the most prominent disciples of Confucius.
Zisi
Zisi (; c. 481–402 BCE), born Kong Ji (孔伋), was a Chinese philosopher and the grandson of Confucius.
Confucianism
Traditionally, Confucius was thought to be the author or editor of the Five Classics which were the basic texts of Confucianism. The scholar Yao Xinzhong allows that there are good reasons to believe that Confucian classics took shape in the hands of Confucius, but that "nothing can be taken for granted in the matter of the early versions of the classics". Professor Yao says that perhaps most scholars today hold the "pragmatic" view that Confucius and his followers, although they did not intend to create a system of classics, "contributed to their formation". In any case, it is undisputed that for most of the last 2,000 years, Confucius was believed to have either written or edited these texts.
Four Books and Five Classics
Traditionally, it was thought that Confucius himself had compiled or edited the texts of the Five Classics. The scholar Yao Hsin-chung allows that there are good reasons to believe that Confucian classics took shape in the hands of Confucius, but that “nothing can be taken for granted in the matter of the early versions of the classics.” From the time of the Western Han dynasty, Yao continues, most Confucian scholars believed that Confucius re-collected and edited the prior works, thereby “fixing” the versions of the ancient writings which became the Classics. In the twentieth century, many Chinese scholars still held to this tradition. The New Confucian scholar, Xiong Shili (1885 -1968), for instance, held that the Six Classics were the final versions "fixed up" by Confucius in his old age. Other scholars had and have different views. The Old Text School, for instance, relied on versions found in the Han dynasty which supposedly survived the Qin dynasty burning of the books but many of them held that these works had not been edited by Confucius but survived directly from the Zhou dynasty.
Confucius' Birthday
Many countries with Confucian cultures hold commemorations each year, especially mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan. The birth of Confucius is not a public holiday, but it is an official public holiday for workers (not including teachers) in Taiwan, known as Teachers’ Day. In October 2006, Hong Kong officially commenced celebrating the birth date of Confucius. The roots of this traditional ceremony can be found as far back in the time of the Zhou Dynasty, and appeals to both foreign tourists and local people to this day.
Confucius
In modern times, Asteroid 7853, "Confucius", was named after the Chinese thinker.
Wenzi
Written references to the "Wenzi" first appear in the Han Dynasty. The no longer extant 1st century BCE "Qilue" 七略 "Seven Summaries" by Liu Xiang and Liu Xin said the "Wenzi" had 9 "pian" 篇 "chapters". The bibliographical section of the 1st century CE "Book of Han" records the "Wenzi" text in 9 "juan" 卷 "rolls; volumes", says Wenzi was a student of Laozi, a contemporary of Confucius (551-479 BCE), and adviser to King Ping of Zhou (r. 770-720 BCE), but adds "the work appears to be a forgery" (tr. Sakade 2007:1041), presumably because King Ping and Confucius lived two centuries apart.
Religion in China
Broadly speaking, however, scholars agree that Confucianism may be also defined as an ethico-political system, developed from the teachings of the philosopher Confucius (551–479 BCE). Confucianism originated during the Spring and Autumn period and developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), to match the developments in Buddhism and Taoism which were dominant among the populace. By the same period, Confucianism became the core idea of Chinese imperial politics. According to He Guanghu, Confucianism may be identified as a continuation of the Shang-Zhou (~1600 BCE–256 BCE) official religion, or the Chinese aboriginal religion which has lasted uninterrupted for three thousand years.
Success Sutras for the 21st Century
Confucius was a sage and social philosopher of China whose teachings have deeply influenced East Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan for two thousand five hundred years. He talked of duty, he talked about action and not just idle action, but wise action…that leads to a happy populace and restores social order.
Confucius
During the Song dynasty, the scholar Zhu Xi (AD 1130–1200) added ideas from Daoism and Buddhism into Confucianism. In his life, Zhu Xi was largely ignored, but not long after his death, his ideas became the new orthodox view of what Confucian texts actually meant. Modern historians view Zhu Xi as having created something rather different and call his way of thinking "Neo-Confucianism". Neo-Confucianism held sway in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam until the 19th century.
The works of Confucius were first translated into European languages by Jesuit missionaries in the 16th century during the late Ming dynasty. The first known effort was by Michele Ruggieri, who returned to Italy in 1588 and carried on his translations while residing in Salerno. Matteo Ricci started to report on the thoughts of Confucius, and a team of Jesuits—Prospero Intorcetta, Philippe Couplet, and two others—published a translation of several Confucian works and an overview of Chinese history in Paris in 1687. François Noël, after failing to persuade ClementXI that Chinese veneration of ancestors and Confucius did not constitute idolatry, completed the Confucian canon at Prague in 1711, with more scholarly treatments of the other works and the first translation of the collected works of Mencius. It is thought that such works had considerable importance on European thinkers of the period, particularly among the Deists and other philosophical groups of the Enlightenment who were interested by the integration of the system of morality of Confucius into Western civilization.
Liu Xin (scholar)
Liu Xin (; c. 50 BCE – 23 CE), courtesy name Zijun (), was a Chinese astronomer, historian, librarian and politician during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 9 CE) and Xin Dynasty (9 – 23 CE). He later changed his name to Liu Xiu () due to the naming taboo of Emperor Ai of Han. He was the son of Confucian scholar Liu Xiang (77 – 6 BCE) and an associate of other prominent thinkers such as the philosopher Huan Tan (c. 43 BCE – 28 CE). Liu founded the Old Text school of Confucianism.
Mount Ni
According to the Han dynasty historian Sima Qian, Confucius parents to be, Kong He and Yan Zheng, went to pray at Mount Ni and Yan Zheng gave birth to Confucius afterwards.
Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi (; ; October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200), also known by his courtesy name Yuanhui (or Zhonghui), and self-titled Hui'an, was a Chinese philosopher, politician, and writer of the Song dynasty. He was a Confucian scholar who was the leading figure of the School of Principle and the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China. His contributions to Chinese philosophy including his assigning special significance to the "Analects", the "Mencius", the "Great Learning", and the "Doctrine of the Mean" (the Four Books), his emphasis on the investigation of things ("gewu"), and the synthesis of all fundamental Confucian concepts, formed the basis of Chinese bureaucracy and government for over 700 years. He has been called the second most influential thinker in Chinese history, after Confucius himself.
Kalangi Nathar
Kalangi Nathar was an Indian ascetic who had gone to China. Kalangi Nathar belongs to both Nath tradition of Northern India and also the Siddha tradition of Southern India. Kalangi Nathar is associated with Kaanja Malai in South India and later migrated and lived in China and spread the knowledge of yoga and Varma-Kalai (acupuncture) to the Chinese people. In China he is called Confucius. Kalangi Nathar decided to go into Samadhi for a very long time (for about 5000-years), and called Bogar to come to China to continue his mission. According to Chinese tradition, Laozi lived in the 6th century BC, however many historians contend that Laozi actually lived in the 4th century BC, which was the period of Hundred Schools of Thought and Warring States Period, whereas Confucius was born in 551 BCE in Lu, a small state in China and died in 479 BCE (as per Chinese sources). This shows that Confucius was elder to Laozi. Bhoganathar who is called Laozi/Lao Tzu in China, was the successor of Kalangi Nathar (Confucius).
Qufu
Qufu is best known as the hometown of Confucius, who is traditionally believed to have been born at nearby Mount Ni. The city contains numerous historic palaces, temples and cemeteries. The three most famous cultural sites of the city, collectively known as "San Kong" (, are the Temple of Confucius (), the Cemetery of Confucius (), and the Kong Family Mansion (). Together, these three sites have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.
Confucian Academy
In 2010, Confucian Academy recommended the Hong Kong government to list the birthday of Confucius (27 August of the Chinese Calendar)(農曆八月二十七日) as a public holiday in order to commemorate the Confucius, carry forward the Confucian culture, educate the next generation and enhance the status of Confucianism in Hong Kong.
Confucius
Kong He died when Confucius was three years old, and Confucius was raised by his mother Yan Zhengzai () in poverty. His mother would later die at less than 40 years of age. At age 19 he married Qiguan (亓官), and a year later the couple had their first child, Kong Li (孔鯉). Qiguan and Confucius would later have two daughters together, one of whom is thought to have died as a child.
Confucian Academy
The Confucian Academy is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1930 by Dr. Chen Huanzhang () to promote Confucianism. It follows Confucius's teachings to provide students with the relevant knowledge. His teachings are based on a moral code for human relations, which emphasizes the importance of tradition and rites.The academy upholds the Confucian teaching "Left No Child Behind" (有教無類), trying to cultivate all the talents of children.
They teach according to the different potential of the children (因才施教) so as to help them to grow to contribute to the society. They are committed to cooperate with the parents and the community to build a good learning and educational environment for the kids.
Di Zi Gui
Di Zi Gui (, "Standards for being a Good Pupil and Child") was written in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1661-1722) by Li Yuxiu. The book is based on the ancient teaching of the Chinese philosopher Confucius that emphasises the basic requisites for being a good person and guidelines for living in harmony with others. Like the "San Zi Jing" (another classic Chinese children's text), it is written in three-character verses. The source for the main outline of it is from Analects of Confucius, Book 1, Chapter 6, where Confucius said:
A young man should be a good son at home and an obedient young man abroad, sparing of speech but trustworthy in what he says, and should love the multitude at large but cultivate the friendship of his fellow men. If he has any energy to spare from such action, let him devote it to making himself cultivated.
Zhou dynasty
During the Zhou dynasty, the origins of native Chinese philosophy developed, its initial stages beginning in the 6th century BC. The greatest Chinese philosophers, those who made the greatest impact on later generations of Chinese, were Confucius, founder of Confucianism, and Laozi, founder of Taoism. Other philosophers, theorists, and schools of thought in this era were Mozi, founder of Mohism; Mencius, a famous Confucian who expanded upon Confucius' legacy; Shang Yang and Han Fei, responsible for the development of ancient Chinese Legalism (the core philosophy of the Qin dynasty); and Xun Zi, who was arguably the center of ancient Chinese intellectual life during his time, even more so than iconic intellectual figures such as Mencius.
Confucius
Confucius is widely considered as one of the most important and influential individuals in shaping human history. His teaching and philosophy greatly impacted people around the world and remains influential today.
Gongbo Liao
Gongbo Liao (), courtesy name Zizhou (), was a disciple of Confucius. He was born in the State of Lu, Confucius' native state. His years of birth and death are unknown.
Laozi
The earliest certain reference to the present figure of Laozi is found in the 1‑century BC "Records of the Grand Historian" collected by the historian Sima Qian from earlier accounts. In one account, Laozi was said to be a contemporary of Confucius during the 6 or 5 century BC. His surname was Li and his personal name was Er or Dan. He was an official in the imperial archives and wrote a book in two parts before departing to the west. In another, Laozi was a different contemporary of Confucius titled Lao Laizi and wrote a book in 15 parts. In a third, he was the court astrologer Lao Dan who lived during the 4th century BC reign of Duke Xian of the Qin Dynasty. The oldest text of the "Tao Te Ching" so far recovered was written on bamboo slips and dates to the late 4th century BC; see Guodian Chu Slips.
Gao Chai
Gao Chai was born in 521 BC, 30 years younger than Confucius. He was a native of the State of Qi, and a member of the noble house of Gao. He was said to be very ugly and dwarfish in stature, not even six "chi" tall (about ). Confucius considered him unintelligent, but he showed great ability as a governor.
Zuo zhuan
The 400-year period the "Zuo zhuan" covers is now known as the Spring and Autumn period, after the "Spring and Autumn Annals", but the "Zuo zhuan" is the most important source for the period. This era was highly significant in Chinese history, and saw a number of developments in governmental complexity and specialization that preceded China's imperial unification in 221BC by the First Emperor of Qin. The latter years of this period also saw the appearance of Confucius, who later became the preeminent figure in Chinese cultural history. The "Zuo zhuan" is one of the only surviving written sources for the history of the Spring and Autumn period, and is extremely valuable as a rich source of information on the society that Confucius and his disciples lived in and from which the Confucian school of thought developed. It was canonized as one of the Chinese classics in the 1st century AD, and until modern times was one of the cornerstones of traditional education for men in China and the other lands of the Sinosphere such as Japan and Korea.
Duanmu Ci
Duanmu Ci (Zigong) was a native of the State of Wey. He was 31 years younger than Confucius.
Seokjeon Daeje
The Seokjeon Daeje, also sometimes called Seokjeonje, is a ceremonial rite performed twice annually to honor Confucius. It is held at Confucian sites across South Korea including hyanggyos and the Confucian temple Munmyo located at Sungkyunkwan, on Confucius' birthday in fall (28 September) and the anniversary of his death in spring (11 May). "Seokjeon" is made up of the two Chinese characters, 釋 (to lay out) and 奠 (alcohol), and "Seokjeon Daeje" means "Laying out offerings ceremony". It involves an elaborate ceremony with sacrificial offerings of alcohol and foods, as well as an elaborate dance known as "munmyo ilmu" accompanied by musical performances "munmyo jeryeak". Ceremonies honoring Confucius date back to 372 in Korea, during the Three Kingdoms Period.
Classic of Poetry
The "Classic of Poetry" historically has a major place in the Four Books and Five Classics, the canonical works associated with Confucianism. Some pre-Qin dynasty texts, such as the "Analects" and a recently excavated manuscript from 300 BC entitled "Confucius' Discussion of the "Odes"", mention Confucius' involvement with the "Classic of Poetry" but Han dynasty historian Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian" was the first work to directly attribute the work to Confucius. Subsequent Confucian tradition held that the "Shijing" collection was edited by Confucius from a larger 3,000-piece collection to its traditional 305-piece form. This claim is believed to reflect an early Chinese tendency to relate all of the Five Classics in some way or another to Confucius, who by the 1st century BC had become the model of sages and was believed to have maintained a cultural connection to the early Zhou dynasty. This view is now generally discredited, as the "Zuo zhuan" records that the "Classic of Poetry" already existed in a definitive form when Confucius was just a young child.
Ran Geng
Ran Geng (born 544BC), also known by his courtesy name Boniu, was one of the most prominent disciples of Confucius. Confucius considered him his third best disciple, after Yan Hui and Min Sun, in terms of moral conduct.
Ran Geng was a native of the State of Lu, and was only seven years younger than Confucius. He was from the same clan as Ran Yong and Ran Qiu, two other prominent disciples of Confucius. When Confucius served as the Minister of Justice of Lu, Ran became the magistrate of Zhongdu. He contracted a vile disease, possibly leprosy, and died young. Confucius lamented his early death with great pain.
Disciples of Confucius
Liang Zhan (梁鱣), aka. Liang Li (梁鯉), was a native of Qi. His courtesy name was Shuyu (叔魚). He was either 29 or 39 years younger than Confucius. When he was 30, being disappointed that he had no son, he was thinking about divorcing his wife. "Do not do so," said Shang Zhu to him. "I was 38 before I had a son, and my mother was then about to take another wife for me, when the Master proposed sending me to Qi. My mother was unwilling that I should go, but Confucius said, 'Don't be anxious. Zhu will have five sons after he is 40.' It has turned out so, and I apprehend it is your fault, and not your wife's, that you have no son yet." Zhan took this advice; and, two years later, he had a son. In the Temple of Confucius his tablet occupies the eighth place on the west side, among the tablets of the outer court.
Confucius
Followers of Confucianism have a tradition of holding spectacular memorial ceremonies of Confucius () every year, using ceremonies that supposedly derived from Zhou Li () as recorded by Confucius, on the date of Confucius's birth. In the 20th century, this tradition was interrupted for several decades in mainland China, where the official stance of the Communist Party and the State was that Confucius and Confucianism represented reactionary feudalist beliefs which held that the subservience of the people to the aristocracy is a part of the natural order. All such ceremonies and rites were therefore banned. Only after the 1990s did the ceremony resume. As it is now considered a veneration of Chinese history and tradition, even Communist Party members may be found in attendance.
Social theory
Confucius (551–479 BCE) envisaged a just society that went beyond his contemporary society of the Warring States. Later on, also in China, Mozi ("circa" 470 – "circa" 390 BCE) recommended a more pragmatic sociology, but ethical at base.
David Kung Ling-kan
Kung Ling-kan (December 10, 1916 – August 1, 1992) was the eldest son of H. H. Kung and Soong Ai-ling. Kung was a 76th generation of Confucius, in which he earned the generation name "ling".
Kong (surname)
This surname Kong is most notable as the surname of Confucius and his descendants. The family tree of Confucius and his descendants is generally considered to be the world longest, covering over 2,500 years with more than 80 generations recorded, and has two million entries according to its last update in 2009. The main line of descent traditionally held the title of Duke Yansheng, which was changed to the title of the first Sacrificial Official to Confucius in the 20th century. This title is currently held by Kung Tsui-chang.
Mencius (book)
The Mencius (; Old Chinese: "*mˤraŋ-s tsəʔ") is a collection of anecdotes and conversations of the Confucian thinker and philosopher Mencius on topics in moral and political philosophy, often between Mencius and the rulers of the various Warring States. Mencius was a disciple of one of the students of Zisi, a grandson of Confucius, and the "Mencius" records his travels and audiences with the various rulers of the Warring States period, his students, and his other contemporaries. A number of linguistic and textual clues suggest that the text was not written by Mencius himself but by his disciples, probably during the late 4th century BC.
Gongsun Hong
Gongsun Hong (公孫弘; Wade–Giles: Kung-sun Hung; 200 – 121 BCE), born Kingdom of Lu, Zichuan (part of present-day Shandong province), was a Chinese statesman in the Western Han dynasty under Emperor Wu. Together with the more famous Confucian scholar Dong Zhongshu, Gongsun was one of the earliest proponents of Confucianism, setting in motion its emergence under the Han court. The ideals both promoted, together with Gongsun's decrees, would come to be seen as values-in-themselves, becoming the "basic elements, or even hallmarks" of Confucianism. While first proposed and more ardently promoted by Dong, the national academy (then considered radical) and Imperial examination did not come into existence until they were supported by the more successful Gongsun. Their establishment set a precedent that would last into the twentieth century.
Yan Ying
Yan Ying (), courtesy name Zhong (), or more widely known as Yan Zi () c.578-500 BC, was born in present-day Gaomi county, Shandong province. He served as prime minister to the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period. An accomplished philosopher, statesman and politician, he was an elder contemporary of Confucius, described as "by far the most creative thinker of the Chunqiu age".
Mencius
Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke (孟軻), was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng (originally Zouxian), Shandong Province, only thirty kilometres (eighteen miles) south of Qufu, Confucius's birthplace.
Disciples of Confucius
56. Qin Shang, styled Zi-pei [al. Pei-zi and Bu-zi] (秦商, 子丕 [al. 丕茲 and 不茲]), a native of Lu, or, according to Zhang Xuan, of Chu. He was 40 years younger than Confucius. One authority, however, says he was only four years younger, and that his father and Confucius's father were both celebrated for their strength. His tablet is the 12th, east.
Kui (Chinese mythology)
The (ca. 3rd century BCE) "Hanfeizi" (外儲說左下, tr. Groot 1910:5:497) gives two versions of Duke Ai 哀公 of Lu (r. 494-468 BCE) asking Confucius whether Kui had one leg.
The ruler Ngai of Lu asked Confucius, saying: "I have heard that there has lived in ancient times a certain Khwei with one leg; may we really believe in his one-leggedness?" Confucius answered: "No; he was no monopod; he was a choleric, perverse, ill-natured man, who raised much discontent; but he escaped being by reason of this killed by the hand of man on account of his trustworthiness, for everybody said: 'This is the only man of one piece and complete'. Thus Khwei was not one-legged, but he was a man of a piece and complete." The ruler Ngai now said: "Thus the fact is, that he was solid and complete".
Philip J. Ivanhoe
Philip J. Ivanhoe (born January 17, 1954) is an historian of Chinese thought, particularly of Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism. He is a professor at the City University of Hong Kong. Ivanhoe is perhaps best known for two claims: that Neo-Confucian philosophers such as Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming have systematically misinterpreted earlier Confucians such as Confucius, himself, and Mengzi; and that Confucianism may usefully be understood as a version of virtue ethics.
Qufu
Qufu is a traditional centre of Confucianism, being the area where Confucius was born. The city is home to the holiest Temple of Confucius, to the Mausoleum of Confucius and to the Mansion of the Kong Family. In January 2016 Confucians proposed to ban Christian churches in the city, viewed by many as a holy city of Confucianism that would be desacrated by their presence. The city is home to a community of 8,000 registered Christians (1.5%), while including unregistered ones the number rises to approximately 18,000 (2.7%). The city also has a branch of the Holy Church of Confucius (孔圣堂 "Kongshengtang") and hosts the headquarters of the Federation of Confucian Culture.
Roman historiography
Tacitus was born c. 56 AD in, most likely, either Cisalpine or Narbonese Gaul. Upon arriving in Rome, which would have happened by 75, he quickly began to lay down the tracks for his political career. By 88, he was made praetor under Domitian, and he was also a member of the "quindecimviri sacris faciundis". From 89 to 93, Tacitus was away from Rome with his newly married wife, the daughter of the general Agricola. 97 saw Tacitus being named the consul suffectus under Nerva. It is likely that Tacitus held a proconsulship in Asia. His death is datable to c. 118.
Zuo zhuan
China's first dynastic history "Records of the Grand Historian", completed by the historian Sima Qian in the early 1st century BC, refers to the "Zuo zhuan" as "Master Zuo's "Spring and Autumn Annals"" ("Zuoshi Chunqiu" ) and attributes it to a man named "Zuo Qiuming" (or possibly "ZuoqiuMing"). According to Sima Qian, after Confucius' death his disciples began disagreeing over their interpretations of the "Annals", and so Zuo Qiuming gathered together Confucius' scribal records and used them to compile the "Zuo Annals" in order to "preserve the true teachings."
Min Sun
Min Sun was a native of the State of Lu. According to Sima Qian, he was fifteen years younger than Confucius, but the "Narratives of the School" states that he was fifty years younger.
Ran Yong
Ran Yong (; 522 BC – ?), also known by his courtesy name Zhonggong (), was one of the prominent disciples of Confucius. Confucius thought highly of his excellent moral conduct, and considered him fit to be the ruler of a state. After completing school, he served as chief officer of Jisun, the noble clan that dominated the politics of Lu.
Hundred Schools of Thought
Mencius (371–289 BC), or Mengzi, formulated his teachings directly in response to Confucius.
Qidiao Kai
Qidiao Kai (; born 540 BC), courtesy name Zikai () or Ziruo (), was a major disciple of Confucius. He declined to take government office, but started his own school, which developed into one of the eight branches of Confucianism identified by Han Fei. His work, known as the "Qidiaozi" ("Master Qidiao"), has been lost.
Korean Confucianism
The nature of early Korean political and cultural organization centered on the clan and the tribe rather than cities and states. A Chinese record of the Gojoseon Kingdom (1000 BC – 300 BC) labeled the inhabitants of the peninsula as DONG-I or "eastern barbarians" or "eastern bowmen". Though the Shang Dynasty (1766 BC – 1040 BC) is recognized chiefly for its metallurgical accomplishments, its organizational accomplishments included the invocation of authority through one's ancestors. When the Shang Dynasty was overtaken by the Western Zhou (1122 BC – 771 BC), the Zhou modified the Shang belief in ancestors belief to invoke the "Mandate of Heaven" as a way of identifying the divine right to rule. The Mandate of Heaven was based on rules of good governance and the emperor was granted the right to rule by heaven as long as those rules of good governance were obeyed. The scattered rule of many semi-autonomous holdings were increasingly brought under the rule of a central government as a Zongfa or "kinship network" though as time went on the territory ruled was far too large for all vassals to be actual blood relatives. Vassals to the king enjoyed hereditary titles and were expected to provide labor and fighting forces as circumstances merited. In these many ways, the Gojoseon kingdom would have been “validated” by their “big brother” to the south, and while the Gojoseon king would still rule, the “Mandate of Heaven” lay obligations on him to rule justly and fairly and for the benefit of his people and not just his favorites or relatives. As the Western Zhou declined, China entered into a period known as the Spring and Autumn period (771 BC – 471BC) and the "kinship network" also declined. Control of many feudal holdings fell to feudal lords and knights, or "fighting gentlemen", (C. SHI). Unbound by family relationships, these men were free to attack their neighbors and accrue holdings. It was into this period, then, that Confucius was born and spent his entire life seeming to strive for the construction of a governmental ideal in the nature of the Zhou centralized government. However, in 109 BC the Han Emperor, Wu-Ti overwhelmed Gojoseon by both land and sea and established four bases, or "commanderies", Four Commanderies of Han in the region as a way to stabilize the area for trade. The subsequent introduction of four separate administrations to oversee the region only served to prolong the divided nature of the Korean peninsula and hamper an adoption of the Confucian model.
Shandong
The reports didn't give figures for other types of religion; 80.05% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and folk religious sects. Shandong is the province where Confucius was born in the year 551 B.C.
Duanmu Ci
Duanmu Ci (; 520–456 BC), also known by his courtesy name Zigong (), was one of the most important and loyal disciples of Confucius. Among Confucius' students, he was the second best at speech, after only Zai Yu. He was a prominent diplomat of the Spring and Autumn period who served as a high official in several states, and was a very wealthy businessman.
Confucius
The philosophy of Confucius, also known as Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. His followers competed successfully with many other schools during the Hundred Schools of Thought era only to be suppressed in favor of the Legalists during the Qin dynasty. Following the victory of Han over Chu after the collapse of Qin, Confucius's thoughts received official sanction and were further developed into a system known in the West as Neo-Confucianism, and later New Confucianism (Modern Neo-Confucianism).