To many people today he is merely a set up to a one line joke, yet his ancient teachings still resonate now when they are heard, because they developed in accordance with how society was during his life-and our times are still very much like this today.

The days in which Confucius lived, compared to the past, were a time of moral chaos, in which common values were widely rejected. Crime rate was high, with robbery and theft a major problem in rural areas and murder on the rise in the cities. The divide between rich and poor was broad, with the rich living lavishly in enormous mansions while some couldn’t even get food on the next street. Government was corrupted and many citizens failed to put trust or faith in them. They refused to see that society was falling apart. Economy during these times changed as well. Productive class-farmers, peasants, etc was shrinking, while mercantilist production was growing. Marketplaces were filled with things that had no real purpose that only the rich co

“ At 15 my mind was set on learning, at 30 my character had been formed, at 40 I had no more perplexities, at 50 I knew the will of Heaven, at 60 I was at ease with whatever I heard, and at 70 I could follow my heart’s desire without transgressing moral principles.

“Don’t be concerned about whether other people appreciate you, or if you don’t get a job. Just strive to be worthy of these things. If people won’t recognize what you have to offer, it’s their loss. Examine your character, correct the bad and accentuate the good.”

Many people took up Confucius teaching after he passed away at age 72, in 479 B.C , the most prominent was Mencius. He had many beliefs which were very much in keeping with Confucian philosophy. We now often wonder why Confucius never became a great leader or took his wisdom any further. He believed government didn’t follow his teachings, and although he had many followers, he would not go against himself. Before he died, Confucius left us with this final thought:

Some people say that Confucius was an orphan while others say he was raised with his siblings by his mother. as a child, Confucius held make believe temple rituals, and soon after he soon gained a reputation for fairness politeness and wisdom. Although he was born poor, he had many opportunities throughout his life. As a young adult he held jobs as a shop keeper and a field lord, his practical thinking helped throughout this life. He was known for his morally honest and right deeds. He derived much of his wisdom from his first teachers, Chou Kings, Wen and Wu. Confucius traveled frequently, on one particular trip he is said to have met Lao Zi, founder of Daoism. Confucius became the first professional teacher in ancient China. He was married and had a son and daughter.

Some topics in this essay:
Kong Fu’zi, Education Confucius, Zi Zhang, Mandate Heaven, Self Cultivation, Daoism Confucius, Advantages Virtue, Wu Confucius, Ironically Chou, self cultivation, Lao Zi, public servant, knowledge ritual, confucius believed, people confucius, throughout life, filial piety,