Confucianism A Great Chinese Thinker And Philosopher Who...

Sarthak Singh Mr Rainey 18 June 2015 Ancient China Confucianism Who was Confucius? Confucius was a great Chinese thinker and philosopher who lived during the Warring States Period from 551-479 BCE. He was born in 551 BC, in Zou, Lu state in a family that was in between common people and aristocrats. He never held a high-class job, only working as a shepherd, cowherd, clerk, and a book-keeper. His mother died when he was 23 and he then mourned for three years, an Ancient Chinese tradition. Lu state had a duke and three aristocratic families ruling it, a system that collapsed quickly as the families wanted total control and overthrew the duke with a rebellion. Confucius, who had built a reputation through his teachings, disapproved of the three families’ greed and hoped to form a centralised government for Lu state. Confucius had become the Minister of Crime and had some political influence, which he used with diplomacy to fulfil his desires, since he had no military influence. Confucius stirred up tensions between the families, which led to a series of wars and rebellions in the Lu state, leading to the return of the duke and centralised governme nt to Lu. After a few years, the Duke of Lu neglected his duties and his respect for Confucius and he left Lu state, spreading his teachings to small kingdoms in North-East and Central China. Confucius lived in rugged conditions and lived without many basic needs, adapting an unkempt image during this time (See Fig 1.). HeShow MoreRelatedPhilosophy Of Mencius And Xunzi1111 Words   |  5 Pages Confucianism is unique in the fact that unlike other religions, it doesn’t have a divine ruler that is worshiped by its followers. Instead, followers of Confucianism adhere to the ideas and values spread in the teachings of Confucius, a philosopher. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Confucius was a thinker, political figure, educator, and founder of the Ru School of Chinese Thought (Reigel, para. 1). Other than that, however, not much is known for certain about the life of ConfuciusRead MoreEssay Human Nature and Proper Order1725 Words   |  7 PagesProper Order in Confucianism and as taught primarily by Mencius, the Chinese philosopher, is the conceptual theory that instructs how people can reach their highest potential of moral and material well being embodied in Mencius conception of human nature. The theory of proper order is the primary and philosophical means to that end. Although proper order may seem in many ways philosophically abstract, Mencius teachings of proper order in history have had lasting and tangible effects on modern EastRead MoreHow China s Isolation Affected Itself?2161 Words   |  9 PagesChina’s isolation affected itself? What traditions did the Chinese develop? Patterns in Classical China What dynasties were widely known in China? What has the Zhou dynasty accomplished? What were the alliances like? What became of the Yangtze River Valley? What did the Zhou dynasty work to do? Qin Dynasty Who took over after the fall of the Zhou dynasty? What accomplishments were made during the Qin dynasty? Han Dynasty What was accomplished inRead MoreSocrates And Confucius As Teachers3484 Words   |  14 Pageslogical method, the meaning of human experience, and the quest for eudaimonia through moral excellence. His famous paradox, that no one does wrong both wittingly and willingly, has challenged his philosophical heirs for centuries. Confucius founded Confucianism, or Ruija, which has influenced the politics, culture, and national identity of China throughout the past two millennia. His pursuit of the ideal society and his emphasis on human relations and on moral standards, has encouraged and summoned peopleRead MoreWorld History AP8768 Words   |  36 PagesBritish imperial education system, and Mussolini all using the examples of previous empires as models for their own societies. †¢ As prompted by the opening and closing sections of the chapter, a student might draw potential lessons for the United States today, especially from the model of Rome, whose conquests led to a political shift from a republican to an imperial political system. †¢ A student could also argue that basic problems of classical empires, such as overextension and the creation of