Ancient Fact File: Confucius
By William Budd, Second Year History
Kong Qiu (孔丘), better known as Confucius, was a Chinese scholar and philosopher. Certainly the most well-known Chinese philosopher, and quite possibly the most famous Chinese figure of all time, Confucius’ teachings have permeated social structures, changing the ways in which people live their lives, and view morality not only in China, but in the broader Sinosphere, and across the world.
Born in around 551 BC in modern day Shandong province, on the Eastern coast of China, Kong Qiu was raised predominantly by his mother, as his father Kong He (孔紇) died when Qiu was only 3 years old. The Kong family was aristocratic, with Kong He tracing his lineage to notable political actors, but impoverished. The death of Kong plunged the family into dire financial straits, and Kong Qiu was forced to work from an early age. It has been suggested that this work, mostly agrarian tasks like herding animals, is what gave him his first taste of the lives of the common Chinese people. Kong was educated at a school for commoners, where he learned the Six Arts of the ancient Chinese scholarly discipline: Music, Mathematics, Calligraphy, Rites, Charity and Archery. These Arts went on to form the foundation of Confucian theory and ideals.
Kong Qiu entered the Chinese political world as a minister in the crime and works departments, where he marked himself out as a master diplomat. He was renowned for his unique ability to foresee potential difficulties on a diplomatic mission, and his wide knowledge of specific areas of interest. Throughout this period, Kong taught students as he refined his philosophical positions, but he was forced out of this role due to wider political struggles in the Zhou kingdom. Kong went into a self-imposed exile of 14 years, which would take him around the Chinese landmass to find rulers who would take advice from him. In his own words, he wanted someone to “put me to use” (Analects, 17.5).
The poor leadership of the Zhou dynasty allowed men like Kong Qiu to challenge pre-existing social hierarchies through competency and moral strength. Coupled with a firm belief that education should be accessible by all, Kong Qiu used his journey to teach any who would listen to him, and develop his theories with his followers, whilst speaking to any regional leaders he could.
In his late 60s, Kong Qiu returned home. He spent his final years away from the governmental service which had defined his early working life, instead spending his time compiling ancient texts into larger volumes and continuing to teach. He died in 479 BC, being largely unrecognised in his lifetime for his teachings, as there was no significant uptake of his ideas by his contemporaries, leaving only his disciples - with him due to his reputation as a teacher and open policy to take on any students - to continue his legacy. However, in order to consider Kong Qiu’s ultimate impact on history, we need to look not only at his actions in life, but also how people have interpreted his ideas in the 2500 years since his death.
Immediately after his death, his followers began to collate all his quotes, ideas and theories into one collection. This collection became the Analects, or 论语 (Lunyu), which still constitutes the central point of contact with Kong Qiu’s ideas today. This, in addition to his collated texts, form the scriptural body of his work. The philosopher Mencius sought to expand on Kong’s work by emphasising the innate goodness of humanity, ideas which developed through the 4th century BC. The scholar Xunzi (荀子) diverged from this theory to take a more pragmatic approach, identifying humans as being inherently self-serving, arguing that they require limitation with ritual and knowledge. This adaption allowed for a greater popular reception of Kong Qiu’s ideas, as it conformed to the realities of the time, rather than being simple idealism. Confucianism was enshrined as an official state way of thinking in the Han dynasty (202BC - 9AD; 25 - 220AD), and developed here onwards on the national stage. Whilst Confucianism never dominated national ideologies, always coexisting with Buddhist and Daoist theories, Kong Qiu’s ideas were been firmly established in a broader conscience, not just in the niche followers of an individual Chinese philosopher.
Immediately after his death, his followers began to collate all his quotes, ideas and theories into one collection. This collection became the Analects, or 论语 (Lunyu), which still constitutes the central point of contact with Kong Qiu’s ideas today. This, in addition to his collated texts, form the scriptural body of his work. The philosopher Mencius (孟軻) sought to expand on Kong’s work by emphasising the innate goodness of humanity, ideas which developed through the 4th century BC. The scholar Xunzi (荀子) diverged from this theory to take a more pragmatic approach, identifying humans as being inherently self-serving, arguing that they require limitation with ritual and knowledge. This adaption allowed for a greater popular reception of Kong Qiu’s ideas, as it conformed to the realities of the time, rather than being simple idealism. Confucianism was enshrined as an official state way of thinking in the Han dynasty (202BC - 9AD; 25 - 220AD), and developed here onwards on the national stage, with his ideas constituting a vital part of the examinations for administrators. Whilst Confucianism never dominated national ideologies, always coexisting with Buddhist and Daoist theories, Kong Qiu’s ideas were firmly established in a broader conscience, not just in the niche followers of an individual Chinese philosopher.
One man had created a set of quotes and theories which defined society in China. Even today, the Chinese government has emphasised aspects of Confucianism regarding harmony and cultural pride. The sheer adaptability of his ideas is what allowed his theories to permeate Chinese culture across history, and two and a half millennia after his death, his legacy still lives on today.
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