Confucius: The Golden Rule

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This is a story of a wise man from China

There was a wise man from China who was born to an officer in the Lu military. When he was three years old, her father died, and he was thus raised by his mother in poverty, who herself would later die at less than 40 years of age.

He studied at schools for commoners and worked in different government jobs and as a bookkeeper and caretaker of sheep and horses. From his savings, he gave his mother a proper burial.

This wise man existed during the sixth century B.C., when competing Chinese states challenged the authority of the Chou Empire and traditional ideologies declined.

He felt a duty to strengthen the values of compassion and tradition. He thus taught about ‘ren’ or ‘loving others,’ self-discipline, and the Golden Rule: ‘What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.”

This man is Confucius, also known as ‘Kong Qui’ or ‘K’ung Fu-tzu’ (also ‘Kong Fuzi’)—a Chinese philosopher, teacher, and political figure deemed as the founder of Confucianism.

He was born probably in 551 B.C. in Zou, Lu state (near present-day Qufu), Shandong Province, China.

He was born to Kong He (also called Shuliang He) and Yan Zhengzai. At age 19, Confucius married his wife Qiguan, and a year later, the couple had their first child, Kong Li.

The couple would later have two daughters together, one of whom is believed to have died early in her life as a child.

On November 21, 479 B.C., Confucius died in Qufu, China. By the second century B.C., during China’s first Han Dynasty, his ideas became the foundation of the state ideology.

Today, he is generally deemed as one of the most influential teachers in Chinese history.

Activity:

After reading the short story, give your honest answer to the following questions:

1. Is Confucius’ life impressive?

2. What can you about his mission to strengthen the values of compassion and tradition?

3. What can you learn from his life?

4. Is Confucius comparable to Buddha? Why or why not?

For other free lectures for students like this, visit Homepage: Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

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Mahayana Buddhism 101: The Brief History, Core Teachings, Fundamental Beliefs, Practices, and Related Issues