Confucius in biology. ​Confucius - genius, great thinker and philosopher of Ancient China

Name: Confucius (Kung Fu-tzu)

Years of life: around 551 BC e. - 479 BC e.

State: China

Field of activity: Philosophy

Greatest Achievement: Became the founder of Confucianism, some of his ideas were included in traditional Chinese philosophy

History knows many famous names who have had a great influence on the worldview of mankind. Confucius occupies a special place among them. The Chinese teacher and philosopher was the founder of the School of Philosophy known as Confucianism, which is still very influential in China.

History of Confucius

Confucius is the Latinized version of the name Kung Fu-tzu (which translates as Great Master Kung). The most detailed traditional account of the life of Confucius is contained in the records of the historian (Shi-Chi) Su-Ma Chien, who lived from 145 to 86. BC e. Many modern scientists do not trust this biography, considering it mostly just a legend. Nevertheless, a satisfactory outline of the philosopher's life and influence can be reconstructed from this manuscript. According to historian's records, Confucius was a descendant of one of the branches of the royal house of Shang, a dynasty that ruled from about 1122 BC. e. to 221 BC e.

His family settled in the small state of Lu, which was located in the territory of modern Shandong province in northeast China. Confucius's father, like any man of that time, dreamed of sons, but he and his wife had only one daughters. Therefore, he soon divorced his wife and began looking for a new wife - preferably younger and more attractive. And I found it. He married a fifteen-year-old girl from the Yen clan, who gave birth to a long-awaited son, Confucius. This supposedly happened in 551 BC. However, it’s worth making a small remark here - in the narrative the parents’ union is referred to as “wild,” which at that time meant that perhaps the marriage took place after the birth of the child. That is, Confucius was illegitimate.

In the book of teachings, The Analects of Confucius, he writes that he was poor in his youth and was forced to acquire many different skills in order to survive. It is clear that even though his family's fortunes deteriorated, he was not a commoner. Confucius undoubtedly belonged to the aristocratic (ruling) class. He tried various professions– granary caretaker, field guard (as we would say now, chief manager for working with personnel in the fields). But the main work of his life lay ahead of him.

Life of Confucius

It is not known exactly when Confucius began his teaching career, but, apparently, before he was 30 years old. In 518 BC. e. he met with a famous teacher who criticized the actions of Confucius. However, this did not stop him, and he continued his activities, studying and teaching, collecting a large number of students around you.

Around 498 BC e. Confucius decided to leave his home and go on a long journey through eastern China. He was accompanied by several of his students. They wandered through the eastern provinces of Wei, Song and Chen, even being in danger (the weather and the robbers were doing their job). He once almost went to jail because he was mistaken for the adventurer Yang Hu, and was arrested and held until his true identity was revealed.

However, along the way he was warmly greeted by local rulers, who even sponsored his further travels. He spent most of his time developing his ideas on the art of management, as well as continuing his studies. He gained a large following, and it was during this period that the Confucian school began to take shape.

Last years

Little is known about him recent years, although this would have been a convenient time for him to work on the texts and documents he had collected on his journey. Most of his time was devoted to teaching, and he remained distant from political affairs.

However this period was overshadowed by tragedy - his only son died. His favorite disciple, Yen Hui, died soon after. In 480 BC. e. another disciple, Tzu-Lu, was killed in the battle. Confucius experienced all these losses deep inside himself, which probably undermined his health. Confucius died in 479 BC. e. His students organized a funeral for their teacher and saw him off on his last journey.

Teachings of Confucius

Although we cannot be sure that Confucius wrote any of his works, it is still possible to learn something about general nature his philosophy. Soon after his death, his students compiled a work - peculiar conversations between the teacher, students and random people they met. Confucius taught that main task The ruler was to achieve the welfare and happiness of the people of his state. To achieve this goal, the ruler first had to set an example of morality and integrity through his behavior. This example, in turn, will influence people's behavior.

Confucius is the first Chinese thinker to introduce concepts that have become fundamental not only to Confucian philosophy, but to Chinese philosophy as a whole.

The most important of these are Jen (benevolence), Yi (property or correctness), and Li (ritual or ceremony). Confucius believed that a chongzi, or “gentleman,” should set a moral example for others in society. All details of the ceremony and behavior in society are prescribed in his treatises. This is exactly what he taught his students.

Confucius was a humanist and one of the greatest teachers in Chinese history. His influence on his immediate disciples was profound. His students continued to explain his theories until the first Han Dynasty (206 BC -8 BC), the theories became the basis of state ideology, a set of ideas reflecting social needs culture.

Confucius Quotes

The Chinese thinker was also famous for his wise sayings, which reflected human life, his nature. Let's list a few of them.

• Three paths lead to knowledge: the path of reflection is the noblest path, the path of imitation is the easiest path and the path of experience is the most bitter path.
• If you hate, it means you have been defeated.
• In fact, life is simple, but we persistently complicate it.
• Happiness is when you are understood, great happiness is when you are loved, true happiness is when you love.
• We take advice in drops, but we give it out in buckets.
• A gemstone cannot be polished without friction. Likewise, a person cannot become successful without enough hard attempts.

Last years of life. After this, he returned to his native kingdom of Lu, where he continued to teach, enjoying universal respect and unquestioned authority. He also continued to work on the systematization of ancient books. “Collected Ancient Songs” is a book that appeared due to the fact that Confucius collected and processed ancient poems. About two years before his death he wrote a short history State of Lu for 240 years: from 721 to 481. BC.

The great sage Confucius passed on to another world at the 73rd year of his life, having experienced the death of his wife, son and beloved student Yan Hui shortly before his departure. For three years, the disciples lived in a hut near his grave, performing mourning ceremonies in accordance with the ritual consecrated by the teacher.

Teaching. Confucius preached his teachings orally. We learn about the worldview of the great philosopher from the notes made by his students, mainly from the book “Lun Yu” - “Conversations and Judgments.”
According to the teachings of Confucius, the ideal of human existence lies in antiquity, which sets the norm and example of worthy behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to study ancient books and the lives of great ascetics. "Confucius believed that education, propaganda of the canons of life will do their job... But this /return to the golden antiquity/ must be done consciously. Each person must be demanding of himself and observe established rules and canons; then only the whole society will be healed of its illness” (6. – P.46, 40).

The central concept of the Teachings of Confucius is “ren” – humanity or philanthropy. This concept contains both the characteristics of a person, the goal of his moral improvement, and the law of relations between people in society. The correct attitude towards people is reciprocity. “Do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself” - Golden Rule ethics of relationships. The teacher called to love people. If people's hearts burn with love, people will become like one family. “So you must love others as yourself... wish for them everything that we wish for ourselves,” he said. “Confucius believed that a person should learn to follow the rules of humanity and etiquette without any punishment.” “If you lead the people through laws,” he said, “then although they (the people) will try to avoid them, they will not have a feeling of shame” (6. – P.46). The concept of “ren” was interpreted by the thinker very broadly and included many qualities: love for people, sincerity, loyalty, selflessness, justice, dignity, truth, courage. It was a set of perfections, an ideal that only the ancients possessed. The “ren” people were actually ascetics, bearers of the highest ethics. Humanity embodied general principles relations between people, and their concrete embodiment was ritual, observance of ceremonies and rituals, that is, rules or etiquette.

Ritual "li" Confucius is not reduced to external ceremonial. Through ritual, a person shows his respect and understanding of another person. Ritual is valuable as a means of achieving harmony in the family and in society. The ritual made it possible to establish reciprocity between people of different ages and social status. The ethics of ritual is based on the belief that human consent is more important than abstract truths. Although ritual and humanity are closely related, humanity is the core of everything. “If a person is not humane, what is the use of ceremonies?” (6.– P.48). What the teacher called ritual was essentially aimed at developing a sense of proportion so that leaders did not exceed their authority and did not abuse their position.

Confucius considered the basis of “ren” and “li” "xiao" - filial piety, respect for parents and elders in general. A son's respect for his father is the highest primary principle, and denunciation of fathers is immoral. This ethical principle in 66 BC was enshrined in law in China. Confucius understood the cult of ancestors “as part of the universal moral and political order... “If we are not diligent in fulfilling our duty towards our ancestors, then the morality of the people will not improve,” he said” (6. – P.42).

Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and political teaching associated with the name of Confucius (551-479 BC). In China this teaching is known as the “School of Scholars”; Thus, tradition has never elevated this ethical and political teaching to the activity of a single thinker.

Confucianism arose as an ethical, socio-political doctrine in the Chunqiu Period (722 BC to 481 BC) - a time of deep social and political upheaval in China. During the Han Dynasty, Confucianism became the official state ideology and retained this status until the beginning of the 20th century, when the doctrine was replaced by the “three principles of the people” of the Republic of China. Already after the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, during the era of Mao Zedong, Confucianism was condemned as a teaching that stood in the way of progress. It was only in the late 1970s that the cult of Confucius began to revive, and Confucianism now plays an important role in the spiritual life of China.

The central problems that Confucianism considers are questions about the regulation of relations between rulers and subjects, moral qualities ah, which the ruler and the subordinate should have, etc.

Formally, Confucianism was never a religion, because it never had the institution of a church. But in terms of its significance, the degree of penetration into the soul and education of the consciousness of the people, the impact on the formation of behavioral stereotypes, it successfully fulfilled the role of religion.

Confucius

Confucius was born in 551 BC. His father was the great warrior of his time, famous for his exploits Shu Lianhe. Shu Lianhe was no longer young at the time Confucius appeared.

By that time he already had nine daughters, which made him very unhappy. He needed a worthy successor to the ancient aristocratic family. The eldest son Shu Lianhe was very weak from birth and the warrior did not dare to make him his heir. Therefore, Confucius had to become the heir. When the boy was two years and three months old (the Chinese count the age of a child from the moment of conception), Shu Lianhe died. Shu Lianhe's two previous wives, who hated the heir's young mother, did not restrain their hatred of her, and, having snatched her son from the atmosphere of squabbles and scandals, the woman returned to her hometown.

However, her parents did not agree to accept her into the house, which she disgraced by marrying before her two older sisters, and even to a much older man. Therefore, the mother and little Confucius settled separately from everyone else. They lived a very secluded life, but the boy grew up cheerful and sociable and played a lot with his peers. Despite poverty, his mother raised him to be a worthy successor to his famous father. Confucius knew the history of his family, dating back centuries. When Confucius was seventeen years old, his mother, who at that time was barely thirty-eight years old, died.

With great difficulty, Confucius found his father's grave and, in accordance with religious rites, buried his mother nearby.

Having fulfilled his filial duty, the young man returns home and lives alone. Because of poverty, he was forced to do even the women's work, which was previously done by him. deceased mother. At the same time, Confucius remembered his belonging to the upper strata of society. Carrying out the duties of the father of the family, Confucius enters the service of the wealthy aristocrat Ji, first as a warehouse manager, then as a household servant and teacher. Here Confucius first became convinced of the need for education.

Confucius served until he attained maturity, the feeling of which came to him at the age of thirty. He would later say: “At fifteen I turned my thoughts to study. At thirty I became independent. At forty I was freed from doubt. At sixty I learned to distinguish right from wrong. At seventy I began to follow the desires of my heart and did not violate the ritual."

By the age of thirty, his basic ethical and philosophical concepts had developed, mainly relating to the management of the state and society. Having formulated these concepts more clearly, Confucius reveals private school, the first disciples appear, some of them accompanied their Teacher throughout their lives. Wanting to use my teachings in practical activities, Confucius joins the king exiled by the high aristocracy and flees to a neighboring kingdom. There he meets the adviser to the powerful king Jing Gong, Yan Ying, and, talking with him, makes a very good impression. Taking advantage of this, Confucius seeks a meeting with the king himself, and, talking with him, shocks Jing Gong with the depth and breadth of his knowledge, the courage and unusualness of his judgments, the interestingness of his views, and expresses his recommendations for governing the state.

Returning to his native kingdom, Confucius becomes famous person. For personal reasons, he refuses several opportunities to become an official. However, he soon agrees to the invitation of King Ding-gun and, moving up the career ladder, takes the post of Sychkou (chief adviser to the king himself). In this position, Confucius became famous for his many wise decisions. Soon, the king's entourage, concerned about his increasing influence, forces him to “voluntarily” leave his post. After this, it was time for Confucius to travel.

For fourteen long years, surrounded by students, he traveled around China, becoming even more famous. However, his desire to return to his homeland intensifies, and soon, with the assistance of one of former students, Confucius returns home with great honors as a very respected man. Kings resort to his help, many of whom call him into their service. But Confucius stops searching for an “ideal” state and pays more and more attention to his students. Soon he opens a private school. In order to make it more accessible, the Teacher sets a minimum tuition fee. After teaching at his school for several years, Confucius dies in his seventy-fourth year. This happened in 478 BC.

Filial piety xiao

Filial piety (xiao 孝) is one of the central concepts in Confucian ethics and philosophy. Originally meant respect for parents; then spread to all ancestors. And since the ruler in Confucianism was given the place of “parent of the entire people,” the virtue of xiao affected the entire socio-political sphere. Violating xiao principles was considered a serious crime.

5 Types of Xiao:

▪ Manager and subordinate

▪ Father and son

▪ Husband and wife

▪ Senior and younger brothers

▪ 2 friends

In most relationships, with the exception of friendships, preference is given to elders. Especially great importance is paid to the child’s attitude towards his parents, including the deceased.

The theory of xiao was enshrined textually in the treatise Xiao jing (Canon of Filial Piety), attributed to Confucius. It recounts a conversation between a teacher and his favorite student, Tseng Tzu. Because this text was distinguished by its intelligibility and comparative simplicity (a total of 388 different characters), it was used as a textbook for reading in primary education since the Han Dynasty.

Ideas of filial piety still govern many areas of Chinese society.

Relationships

Harmonious relationships are very important element Confucianism. From relationships arise various responsibilities: for children and parents, managers and subordinates, teachers and students. If the younger ones must be loyal to the elders, then the elders must show benevolence, etc. Such relationships still permeate East Asian nations.

The goal of Confucian teaching is social harmony achieved through the efforts of every member of society.

Noble husband

Jun Tzu, a noble man, a perfect man, a man of the highest moral qualities, a wise and absolutely virtuous man who makes no mistakes.

The concept of a “noble husband” has two interconnected meanings for Confucius - belonging by birthright to the highest strata of society, to the nobility and an example of human perfection. Belonging to the nobility in itself does not guarantee perfection, although it presupposes it, because it gives a person the opportunity for self-development. To achieve perfection, a lot of spiritual work on oneself is necessary, which is difficult to expect from poor commoners who are not capable of assimilating wisdom. It turns out that human perfection is, in principle, accessible to everyone, but it is the responsibility of the upper strata of society, on which the life of the state depends.

A noble husband knows the value of knowledge and studies all his life, for the most important vice is not to love to learn.

The opposite of a noble husband is xiao ren (literally “little people”), who are unable to comprehend ren.

Correcting names

Confucianism attached great importance to the teaching of zheng ming (about the “correction of names”), which called for putting everyone in society in their place, strictly and accurately defining the duties of everyone, which was expressed in the words of Confucius: “The sovereign must be the sovereign, the subject must be the subject, the father must be father, son - son." Confucianism called on sovereigns to rule the people not on the basis of laws and punishments, but with the help of virtue, an example of highly moral behavior, on the basis of customary law, and not burden the people with heavy taxes and duties.

One of the most prominent followers of Confucius - Mencius (4-3 centuries BC) - in his statements even admitted the idea that the people have the right to overthrow a cruel ruler by uprising. This idea was ultimately determined by the complexity of socio-political conditions, the presence of strong remnants of primitive communal relations, acute class struggle and strife between the kingdoms then existing in China.

Government

Who rules according to virtue,
Like the northern star:
Stands in its place
In the circle of other constellations.

The elevation of the ruler in the state was carried out through the signs of Heaven (the cult of which was then emerging in China) and was carried out by officials and from officials (if they were Tsing Tzu). “A noble man (ruler) fears three things, the command of Heaven, great people and the perfectly wise.” Thus, the ruler was constantly under the threat of the “perfectly wise”, who, at their own discretion, could make an outcast out of the ruler. But on the other hand, the ruler was endowed with zhen (philanthropy) according to Confucius.

The bureaucracy, being the bearer of Li in the state, received its faithful patron in Confucianism, and gave it the right to legally overthrow a ruler that did not suit them (the bureaucracy often used this), through a favorable interpretation of rules or natural phenomena.

One of the real embodiments of the ideals of Confucianism was the system state exams, designed to put true human virtues at the service of society. For the first time in the history of mankind, the task of attracting the most worthy citizens to the service, who combined high spirituality, wisdom, experience and social activity, was set and generally solved at the state level.

The methods of selecting and training officials were adopted from China and countries that have experienced the powerful influence of its unique culture. Over the centuries, they have formed their personnel “corps”, in accordance with the Chinese experience.

Confucius (Kung Tzu, Kong Fu Tzu ca. 551 BC─479 BC) - outstanding ancient Chinese philosopher and a thinker whose views became a paradigm philosophical system Confucianism. He created a doctrine prescribing rules of behavior for the main categories of the population, from officials to peasants. After the fall of the Qin dynasty, Confucianism was established as the state ideology of China, remaining in this status until the end of the imperial period in 1911. Thanks to this, the name of Confucius was included in the religious pantheon. Today the name of this man has become a symbol of the culture and philosophy of the Middle Kingdom.

Early biography

Confucius was born around 551 BC. near Qufu in what is now the Chinese province of Shandong. He was a representative of a bankrupt aristocratic family whose roots went back to the Shang-Yin dynasty. The father of the future philosopher Shu-liang He was a military man in his youth who became famous for his many military exploits. He was then appointed commandant of Zou Fortress.

According to legend, all his life he had only daughters (the exception was his crippled son from his concubine). Wanting to have an heir, He, at the age of 80, decides to marry a young girl from the Yan clan. She gave birth to a great philosopher. Confucius did not know his father, since he died three years after his birth. The older wives did not like the younger one, which forced the mother of the future philosopher to leave to live on her own.

His childhood was difficult, the boy managed to personally go through poverty and hard labour. But even in such difficult times, he did not stand still, but constantly tried to educate himself. In this he was helped by his innate curiosity and inquisitive mind.

It is not known exactly where Kong Tzu received his education, but his statement is preserved in the sources: “At the age of 15 I felt the need to study”. However, constant lack of money prevented me from entering the school where future officials were taught. But this did not become an obstacle to his path, and Confucius began to take private lessons, supplementing them with active self-education. This helped him learn hieroglyphs and master writing, and then begin studying ancient literature.

An important role in the formation of Confucius’ ideological positions was played by his mother, who loved to tell the boy in detail about the affairs of his ancestors. So he came to a deep conviction of the need to take a worthy place in life for his family.

In the bureaucratic field

The education received will allow Kong Tzu to serve the Ji clan in the kingdom of Lu. He first received the position of barn manager, and later was responsible for livestock and managing farms. At first, the young official perceived his work as a kind of sacred matter - he tried to delve into all the details, constantly talked, wanted to master all the intricacies of the matter. “My accounts must be correct - that is the only thing I should care about,” Confucius asserted.

But the more the scientist penetrated into the essence of the issue, the more he became convinced of the corruption and abuses of officials. These were difficult times for the country, when the Zhou Empire was in deep crisis, and the authority of the emperor had fallen greatly. All this led to the strengthening of local kings, who surrounded themselves with humble and greedy officials. The philosopher comes to the conclusion that only a return to the precepts of antiquity can save the situation.

Origins of philosophy

In 528 BC. his mother dies. According to an old but long-forgotten rule, on the occasion of mourning, an official had to leave his service for three years. Confucius decided to follow the law that had sunk into oblivion. He devoted his free time to in-depth study of Chinese history. While reading the sources, an image of an ideal state is born in his head, in which the ruler is wise and fair, the warriors are honest and brave, the peasants are hardworking, and the women are devoted to their husbands. It is possible to create such a society on the basis of returning to forgotten orders. Getting acquainted with the history of the country, the philosopher paid great attention to its traditions and customs, gradually becoming a deep expert on them.

One day he took part in a sacrifice ceremony in the main temple of the kingdom of Lu. By this time, Kung Tzu was widely known as a highly educated man. However, during the performance, he constantly asked about every detail, causing many to doubt that he knew the rituals well. In response, the philosopher wisely remarked: “In such a place, asking is a ritual.” This principle will key method his training, based on the need to talk about what you know or don’t know.

At about 25 years old, Confucius was invited to the capital of the Celestial Empire. This was a definite recognition of his merits in the spread of ancient traditions. However, things did not go further than this, and for 13 years the philosopher unsuccessfully tried to persuade the rulers of the country to accept his teachings. As legend has it, during a visit to Zhou he talked with the founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu, who criticized his somewhat idealistic views. But this did not bother Kung Tzu at all. He countered the unkind review with his important mission - to use his knowledge to serve the people.

Teacher and mentor

Around 518 BC. one of the important nobles advised his sons to learn the ancient rules and ceremonies from Confucius, indirectly confirming the great authority of the philosopher that had developed by that time. Together with his students, whose number, according to Chinese scientists, was about 3 thousand, of which 70 were the closest, he read ancient manuscripts, interpreted sources and explained the nature of ancient rituals. He also shared his thoughts about a better society and state. At the same time, he did not like being considered a preacher of a new teaching. The philosopher argued that he was only explaining the ancient heritage for the sake of pacifying the people.

Confucius took a purely symbolic fee for his studies, and subsequently lived on the funds of several wealthy students. He never promised to open them absolute truth and present some secret knowledge. The philosopher taught earthly science, which he selflessly shared.

Philosophical teaching

The depravity of officials, incessant internecine wars, the weakness of the rulers and other visible signs of the crisis of society and the state led the scientist to the idea of ​​​​creating a new moral philosophy based on the original good that every person has. He saw a certain prototype of a correct social order in respectable family traditions based on the veneration of elders by younger ones, filial duty and loyalty to one’s ancestors. Thus, a wise ruler, according to Confucius, should instill in his subjects respect for the moral law, resorting to force only in extreme cases. Relations in the state must be built like family ones, where everyone knows their place.

The philosopher did not separate knowledge and virtue, and therefore considered human life as part of his teaching. His belief system was not isolated from society, but closely intertwined with it. Discussing the role of the state, the sage said that it must certainly achieve the trust of the people. An educated and morally worthy ruler will help with this.

Personal qualities

Sources report Confucius as a very well-mannered and courteous person. He was always welcoming and friendly to people, regardless of their social status. He presented himself naturally among his students, trying not to overwhelm them with his authority. Being a very educated man, he never showed it off and always accepted good advice. This often happened during interactions with students who could prove to the mentor that they were right.

Confucius's daily behavior was based on old, traditional norms, which he thus tried to revive.

Literary heritage

Confucius personally did not leave written sources containing his teachings. However, his followers and students recorded the statements of their mentor, which became the basis of the treatise “Lun Yu” (“Conversations and Judgments”). Over time, it became the most authoritative work among Confucians.

Among the classic books, the works of Kunzi include Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn). It was a chronicle in which the author planned to describe in detail the entire period of bloody civil strife. He also edited the Books of Poems, an ancient monument of Chinese literature dating from the 11th to 6th centuries. BC. In it the great philosopher left best works, many of which he liked to quote from memory.

Personal life

Confucius married at the age of 19 a girl from the Qi clan, who bore him a son. To commemorate this, King Zhang Gong sent a live carp as a gift. As a thank you, the boy was named Li, which means “carp.” The boy will also receive the nickname Bo Yu (eldest of the brothers), but the philosopher will make a mistake in this, since he will remain his only son.

A number of sources confirm that Confucius was not happy in family life, once expressing himself on this matter: “The most difficult thing is to deal with women: if you bring them closer, they become obstinate, if you move them away, they grumble.”. And in the book “Lun Yu” he appears in the form of a lonely teacher, surrounded not by caring women, but by devoted students.

The end of life's journey

After long wanderings around the Celestial Empire, Confucius in 497 BC. returns to his homeland. They were very happy with him, and the ruler appointed the philosopher as the head of the city of Zhongdu. Now the sage has real opportunity bring your ideas to life. He tried to restore order by depriving those who had obtained it by dishonest means of land and property. To the horror of his students, the philosopher ordered the execution of one of his political opponents, explaining his harsh decision evil intentions.

Many people did not like this policy, and the opposition began its activities against Kun Tzu. Unable to resist her, he left Lu. The master still believed that he could explain to the rulers the correctness of his ideas and sometimes did this in very dubious ways. Once he even agreed to be a servant of a court nobleman in order to get to the palace, but this attempt failed again.

Confucius was about 70 when his wife died. Although she was not spiritually close to him, the philosopher interpreted his widowhood as a sign of imminent death. Once standing on the bank of a river, he likened time to the flow of a river that never stops.

Soon his son died, and then his beloved disciple Yan Yuan. At this time, Kung Tzu was intensely studying literary creativity, wanting to complete his chronicle work “Chongqiu”, but his strength was running out. In 479 BC. the great philosopher was gone. He died reflecting on the moral problems of society, and last words were concerned about who would continue his teaching.

The real name of the person known in Europe as Confucius is Kun Qiu, however, in literature one can often see such variants as Kun Tzu, Kung Fu Tzu or simply Tzu, which means “teacher”. Confucius is a great ancient Chinese philosopher, thinker, sage, founder of a philosophical system called “Confucianism.” His teaching became a significant factor in the spiritual, political development China, East Asia, among all the thinkers ancient world he holds the status of one of the greatest. The teachings of Confucius were based on the natural human need for happiness; various issues of life well-being and ethics were considered.

Confucius was born around 551 BC. e. to Qufu ( modern province Shandong) and was a descendant of an aristocratic impoverished family, the son of an elderly official and his young concubine. From childhood, he knew what hard work and need were. Hard work, curiosity and awareness of the need to be a cultured person encouraged him to follow the path of self-education and self-improvement. In his youth he worked as a caretaker of warehouses and state lands, but his calling was different - to teach others. He started doing this at the age of 22, became the first private Chinese teacher, and subsequently gained fame as the most famous teacher in the Middle Kingdom. The private school he opened accepted students without regard to their financial status or noble origin.

On public service Confucius first arrived at the mature age of 50; in 496 BC e. held the position of first adviser in Lu, but due to intrigues and the inability to really influence state policy, he retired to travel in the company of students around China for 13 years. During the trip he paid visits to the rulers different areas, trying to convey to them the ethical and political teaching, to turn them into like-minded people, but did not achieve his goals.

The return to Lu took place in 484 BC. e. From that time on, the biography of Confucius was entirely connected with teaching. Tradition says that the number of his students was close to three thousand, of which approximately 70 could call themselves closest, and 12 always closely followed their mentor. By name, 26 people are known who were truly his students. In parallel with his teaching, Confucius was engaged in books: he collected them, systematized them, edited them, distributed them - in particular, the Shi-ching (“Book of Songs”) and the I-ching (“Book of Changes”). Death overtook the great Chinese sage around 479 BC. e., as the legend says, on the bank of a river quietly carrying its waters, under the canopy of foliage. The philosopher was buried in a cemetery, where it was subsequently planned to bury only his descendants, his closest students and followers.

A new life for the teachings of Confucius began after the death of its author. The followers wrote the book “Conversations and Judgments” (“Lun-yu”), which consisted of recorded conversations between the teacher and like-minded people, teachers, and the sayings of Confucius. It soon acquired the status of a canon of his teaching. Confucianism gained universal recognition, and after 136 BC. e. At the instigation of the Emperor, Wu Di acquired the status of an official creed. Confucius was worshiped as a deity, considered the first teacher of mankind, and temples were built in his honor. The cult of the great Chinese sage ceased to be supported with the beginning of the bourgeois Xinhai Revolution (1911), but the authority of Confucius is still great and is not subject to revision.