Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and educator who lived from 551-479 B.C. He promoted political peace and orderliness and his teachings stressed the importance of perfecting oneself through learning. Confucius publicly expressed his thoughts on the power of virtuous social interaction to encourage political calm. He also shared his beliefs on learning as a means of personal development. Confucius developed a following and influenced the lives of many.
Philosophy
Confucius believed in honoring the traditional value of benevolence as a means of achieving peace and order. He encouraged his followers to be virtuous according to these values, taking responsibility for their own actions and treating others well. Developing humility and self-restraint were important to Confucius, as was honoring the ancient spirits. According to Confucius, respecting the traditional concept of heaven and recognizing the patterns of the past made rituals and the practice of virtuous action, even on occasions when it seemed impractical, essential to living a good life.
Teachings
Although Confucius was an ordinary Chinese citizen who briefly worked in politics, he gained followers who listened to him speak on his beliefs, engaged in discussions with him, observed his actions and later recorded what they learned. His beliefs in the necessity of respecting tradition, espousing compassionate moral values and developing positively through learning have been shared with many.
According to a document created by his students, “Lunyu,” Confucius said, “He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” He expected his students to put their own effort into learning rather than relying on their teacher to do all the work. He encouraged the disciplined pursuit of knowledge and of the ideal ways of living.
Confucius’s sayings and beliefs have continued to influence modern ways of thinking, and there remains interest in his ideas. Many courses have been developed to explore his school of thought and Confucius Institutes, such as Confucius Institute Australia, have arisen to promote Chinese culture, of which Confucius’s philosophies have become an integral part. By adhering to and encouraging the continuation of ancient Chinese traditions and values, Confucius and his philosophies on learning and living well have become recognized as an important part of China’s cultural influence.
