Confucius philosophy Essay Example For Students

Confucius philosophy Essay As Confucius philosophy still remains in the heart of many Chinese people, his images of the greatest professional teacher of all time, the greatest philosopher in Chinese history and his influence toward the future and the past 2000 years of Chinese civilization has made his thought the essence of the Chinese culture. He always said the importance of teaching could change the future of the civilization. And he also encouraged his students to explore the various things to learn, but be very selective and careful. The purpose of Confucius teaching was practical and esigned to help each person improve his character and conduct, and perhaps become prepared for an official position in the court. According to one passage in the Analects, Confucius taught four things: culture, conduct, loyalty, and truthfulness. 1 Culture consisted of literature and music. Confucius suggested the value of each: Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established in character by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music. 2 These pursuits were means by which one may achieve the higher ideal of following the Way. The gentleman extensively studies literature and restrains himself with the rules of propriety. Thus he will not violate the Way. 3 And also Set your heart upon the Way. Support yourself by its virtue. Rely on goodness. Find recreation in the arts. 4 Confucius put the moral duties before the arts as the essential activities of the gentleman. A young mans duty is to behave well to his parents at home and to in love to all, and to cultivate the friendship of the good. If, when all that is done, he has any energy to spare, then let him study the cultural arts. Confucius taught many topics around these subjects, but the most importance of these is the ropriety, ritual and the Way of being a Gentleman. From these to achieve the Jen. Confucius had one overwhelming message: if we are to achieve a state of orderliness and peace, we need to return to traditional values of virtue. These values are based entirely on one concept: Jen, which is best, translated as humaneness. This humaneness is a relatively strange concept to Western people, because it is not primarily a practicable virtue. The rules of propriety offered a code of accepted behaviour that demonstrated to themselves and others that they were cultured and proper gentlemen. For Confucius, the gentleman knew and behaved according to the rules of propriety. In the first chapter of Analects, Yu-Tzu gives the value of the rules of propriety. Among the functions of propriety the most valuable is that it establishes harmony. The Way of the ancient kings from this harmony got its beauty. It is the guiding principle of all things great and small. If things go amiss, and he who knows the harmony tries to achieve it without regulating it by the rules of propriety, they will still go amiss. 6 Confucius explains what can happen if conduct is not guided by propriety. Courtesy not bounded by the rules of propriety becomes tiresome. Caution not bounded by the rules of propriety becomes timidity, daring becomes insubordination, straightforwardness becomes rudeness. 7 Nevertheless, Confucius did not believe in over-wallowing in ceremonies, and the feelings should be proper to the situations. In ceremonies it is better to be sparing than extravagant. Funeral ceremonies should be observed in deep sorrow rather than in fear. 8 By the same mean, When substance, one becomes pedantic. When substance and refinement are properly blended, then one is a gentleman. 9 Confucius knew that the ancient routes had been reduced in his time, and that such reduction was politic. Were anyone today to serve his prince according to the full rules of propriety he would be thought a sycophant. 10 Many Confucius students were interest to become officials in government and so as Confucius himself, wanted the opportunity to advise rulers. His aim is to put his knowledge into practice. A man may be able to recite the three hundred Odes; but, if when given a post in the government, he does not know how to act, or when sent on a mission to far parts he cannot nswer specific questions, however extensive his knowledge may be, of what use is it to him. 11 Nevertheless, an official must improve himself and regulate his own conduct before he could hope to rule over others. Hence, self-improvement was prerequisite to engaging in politics. If a minister makes his own conduct correct, he will have no difficulty in assisting in government. But if he cannot rectify himself, how can he possibly rectify others? 12 Despite Confucius illustrates wisdom and Jen as essential to ruling, they still must be accomplished with dignity, and according to propriety. He explains why. He whose wisdom brings him into power, needs goodness to secure that power. Else, though he gets it, he will certainly lose it. He whose wisdom brings him into power and who has goodness to secure that power, if he has not dignity to approach the common people, they will not respects him. He whose wisdom brought him into power, who has goodness to secure that power, and dignity to approach the common people, if he handles them contrary to the rules of propriety, full excellence is not reached. 13 Confucius believed that officials political action should follow the Way. His actions will vary depending on whether the government is following the Way or not. Confucius gives this advice for the different circumstances: Have sincere faith and love learning. Be not afraid to die for pursuing the good Way. Do not enter a state that pursues dangerous courses, nor stay in a chaotic one. When the Way prevails under Heaven, then show yourself; when it does not prevail, then hide. When he Way prevails in your own land and you are poor and in a humble position, are ashamed of yourself. When the Way does not prevail in your land and you are wealthy and in an honourable osition, are ashamed of yourself. 14 These was someone misunderstand how to put the Way into practice. Chi Kang-tzu asked Confucius if it would be a good idea to kill those who had not the Way in order to help those who had the Way. Of Mice and Men Essay ThesisThe collection began with the songs of Chi and Houchi, covered the great period of the Shang and Chou kings and carried it down to the times of the tyrants Yu and Li. It begins with a song of marital love, and therefore it is said the song Kuan-chih heads the collection of Feng; Luming heads the collection of the Little ya; and Chingmiao heads the collection of the Sung. Confucius personally sang all the three hundred and five songs and played the music on a string nstrument to make sure that it fitted in with the score of hsiao, wu, ya, and sung. Through his efforts, the tradition of ancient rites and music was therefore rescued from oblivion and handed down to posterity, that they might help in the carrying out of this ideal of a kings government and in the teaching of the Six Arts. 27 Lin Yutang tells us that the six Arts could not only refer to the six classics mentioned above but also to the six branches of study practised during these times, namely propriety, music, archery, carriage-driving, reading, and mathematics. 8 Also in considering these later accounts, we must be aware of the tendency to glorify and expand on what Confucius did. Although Ssu-ma Chien often went against orthodox Confucian beliefs, he was susceptible to exaggeration, as can be seen from this: Confucius taught poetry, history, propriety, and music to 3,000 pupils of whom 72, like Yen Tutsou, had mastered the Six Arts. 29 There is one more marvellous anecdote from Ssu-ma Chien concerning Confucius playing of music. Confucius was once learning to play on chin (a string instrument) from the music master Hsiang-tzu, and did not seem to make much progress for ten days. The music master said to him, You may well learn something else now, and Confucius replied, I have already learned the melody, but have not learned the beat and rhythm yet. After some time, the music master said, You have now learned the beat and rhythm, you must take the next step. I have not learned the expression, said Confucius. After a while, the music master again said, Now you have learned the expression, you must take the next step. And Confucius replied, I have not yet got an image in my mind of the personality of the composer. After some time the music master said, Theres a man behind this music, who is occupied in deep reflection and who sometimes happily lifts his head and looks far away, fixing his mind upon the eternal. Ive got it now, said Confucius. He is a tall, dark man and his mind seems to be that of an empire builder. Can it be any other person than King Wen himself? The music master rose from his seat and bowed twice to Confucius and said, It is the composition of King Wen. 30 The term Gentleman, chun-tzu, is mean to be the member of the upper class by Confucius, the man of virtue and propriety. The Analects appears to be the earliest work in which chun-tzu was used to imply high moral standards in a person; here it denotes the ideal man whom all men should cultivate their characters to imitateSuch a man, noble in virtue, was not necessarily a noble in social status. 31 This is an indication of the tremendous influence Confucius must have had. Ssu-ma Niu once asked Confucius what the term gentleman meant. Confucius said that a gentleman has no distress or fear. Ssu-ma Niu then asked if this is meant by being a gentleman. The master said, On looking within himself he iscovers nothing wrong. What is there for him to anxious about of fear? 32 A gentleman is not worried by what others think of him, only that he corrects himself. There are three things, which a gentleman must watch out for certain main inclination. There are three things which a gentleman guards against. In his youth when his physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. In his prime when his physical powers are full of vigour, he guards against strife. In old age when his physical powers are decaying, he guards against avarice. 33 Confucius gives his students an laborate catalogue of the concerns of a gentleman as guidelines for their behaviour. The gentleman has nine cares. In seeing he is careful to see clearly; in hearing he is careful to hear distinctly; in his looks he is careful to be kind, in his manner to be respectful, in his words to be sincere, in his work to be diligent. When in doubt he is careful to ask for information; when angry he has a care for the consequences; and when he sees a chance for gain, he thinks carefully whether the pursuits of it would be right. 34 The essential purpose of Confucius philosophy was to help people to become good. The propriety, ritual, and the Way to be a Gentleman are just the first step of the Confucius theory. Self-improve, unionize family, rule the state, and conquer the world. 35 These are the levels a superior man must go through. In order to become the superior man, self-improvement is the fundamental part of the success. Although Confucius might be not a modern Master, but his sayings and his encouragement of personality development will never be forget. As the Chinese people and the world stepping into the next millennium, Confucius will be in the minds of many people, as they think of the greatest teacher in Chinese history.