Confucius - Chinese philosopher, founder of Confucianism. The main ideas of Confucianism in brief

The culture of China attracts many with its mystery and originality. A huge eastern power, which has been developing in isolation from other countries of the world for a long time, beckons with its unpredictability and the ability to preserve cultural values and maintain traditions.

One of the main achievements of Chinese spiritual culture can rightly be considered a philosophical and religious teaching - Confucianism.

The founder and founder of this doctrine is a Chinese scientist of the fifth century BC. Kung fun tzu. His name literally translates from Chinese as "wise teacher Kun", and in European transcription it sounds like Confucius. It was under this name that the sage went down in history, who based his philosophy on the ethical and moral foundations of behavior, which have not lost their relevance to this day.

The doctrine was based on the relationship between people and the state, between people belonging to different strata of society and between all citizens of the country as a whole.

The philosophy of Confucius cannot be considered a religion in the strict sense of the word, although it was adopted during the life of the sage and became the state religion. In fact, it should be viewed as an incentive to act to normalize relations within the state, relations between the ruling forces and the people. This is a special worldview that allows you to harmonize your vision of nature and man, and society.

The life of the great sage Confucius

The 6th-5th centuries BC were a difficult time for the Chinese empire: it was a period of civil strife and a fierce struggle for power. The feudal lords, in their desire to seize lands and increase their power and influence, did not pay attention to the needs and sorrows of ordinary people. The peasants were impoverished and ruined. The future scientist Kung Fu Tzu was born into a noble family that lost all its wealth, became an orphan early, and had no means of subsistence. He lived very modestly, so he knew firsthand about the difficulties of the life of poor people, so in his early sermons he tried to open his eyes to the injustice of what was happening around him.

At a young age, he was lucky, fate gave him a chance to get into the state of Zhou, where he was hired in an old book depository, where he met a scientist, the founder of the doctrine. Of course, no one in our time knows about the essence of their conversations, but they clearly contributed to the development of a scientist and philosopher. Upon returning to his hometown of Chuifu, Confucius founded his own school. An interesting fact is that almost all of his students became prominent political figures.

What is at the core of relationships between people?

There is an ancient parable about Confucius and his disciples. Once the most inquisitive student asked the wise teacher, is there such a concept, based on which you can live your whole life without coming into conflict with others?

The sage did not think for a long time, he immediately answered: “Yes, such a concept exists. This is Indulgence. No matter how high you stand, be more condescending to those around you, no matter how low you fall, all the more so be condescending to those who are now laughing and dishonoring you. Understand that all people equally possess both noble and low qualities, and in order not to be disappointed in others, we must be indulgent to their weaknesses.

The wisdom of the book "Lun Yu"

The book written by Confucius contains all his sayings and teachings. It cannot be said that he himself collected and kept his teachings, no, his students collected them bit by bit and after the death of the scientist they placed them in a collection. But in this collection you can find answers to all questions concerning the administration of the state and the rules of conduct for any person in society.

It was the life path of the sage himself that became the basis and model for each subsequent young generation. Based on his vision of the gradual formation of an independent person, more than one noble man corrected his life.

15 years - the desire for learning and education,
30 years - the acquisition of independence,
40 years old - obtaining firm convictions, the formation of a worldview,
50 years - awareness of yourself as a person and understanding of what goals Heaven sets for you,
60 years old - you acquire the ability to read in the hearts and minds of people, no one can deceive you,
70 years - understanding the harmony of the Universe, following the Rituals sent down by Heaven.

The teachings of the great Confucius are still a model for the behavior of the citizens of the Republic of China.

Ethical principles of Confucianism

The doctrine is based on the rules of conduct for every person and citizen of a great power. Confucius understood that the very first task facing the reformer is the education of a person. That is, the human factor comes to the fore in the formation of a strong state.

The most difficult thing in this was to make people act as they should, since every person is lazy by nature, and even realizing that he lives and acts incorrectly, he does not want to re-educate himself. In addition, it is difficult to change already established views and look at the world differently.

In the matter of re-educating his compatriots, the great philosopher relied on the cult of his ancestors. In China, the cult of ancestors was preserved for a very long time, and in every family one could find an altar on which incense was smoked and in difficult times they turned to the help of ancestors, wise and understanding. The long-dead were a role model, a kind of standard of correct behavior, which is why Confucius turned to the original national religion in the matter of becoming a new citizen.

Briefly about the basic principles of Confucian teachings

The fundamental principles of the philosophy of Confucius are: love for one's neighbor, humanism and noble thinking, based on the internal and external culture of man.

What does the concept of philanthropy according to Confucius include? This is the ability to behave with dignity in any circumstances, the ability to manage people, mercy and respect for all people without exception, the ability to inspire confidence and be able to make quick decisions in difficult situations.

Confucius himself did not consider himself completely philanthropic and often told his students that throughout their lives one should strive to improve one's inner world.

The second principle of humanism includes respect and respect for the elders, patronage and mutual assistance to the younger ones. The main thing for a person is not education and position, not power and nobility, but the ability to properly build relationships with people around.

The great teacher himself will best say about nobility: “A noble husband thinks first of all about duty, and a petty person about his own benefit.” The philosopher believed that a person endowed with a noble soul should not think about food and money, but about the state and society.

The teacher often told his students that only an animal obeys instincts, and a person is a higher being and must be able to control his desires and instincts. The teaching itself is based on the spiritual side of human existence, leaving all physiology aside. Confucius believed that the brain and soul should control a noble person, but not the stomach.

The teachings of the great philosopher pushed everyone to choose their own path, and under no circumstances turn off it.

And today the teachings of the great Confucius have not lost their significance in the Celestial Empire. This is not just a symbol of China, it is a special ritual of life that affects the worldview and development of every citizen of the PRC.

The real name of the person who is known as Confucius in Europe is Kung Qiu, however, in the literature one can often see such variants as Kung 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 has become a significant factor in the spiritual and political development of China and East Asia; among all the thinkers of the ancient world, he has the status of one of the greatest. The basis of Confucius's teachings was the natural human need for happiness, and various issues of life well-being and ethics were considered.

Confucius was born around 551 BC. e. in Qufu (modern Shandong province) and was a descendant of an impoverished aristocratic family, the son of an elderly official and his young concubine. From childhood, he learned what hard work and need are. Diligence, curiosity and awareness of the need to be a cultured person motivated him to follow the path of self-education and self-improvement. In his youth he worked as a warden of warehouses and state lands, but his vocation 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. In the private school he opened, students were accepted without regard to their material condition and nobility of origin.

For the first time, Confucius got into public service already at a mature, 50-year-old age; in 496 BC e. served as the first adviser in Lu, however, due to intrigues, the inability to really influence state policy, he resigned to travel for 13 years in the company of students in China. During the journey, he paid visits to the rulers of different regions, trying to convey to them the ethical and political teachings, to turn them into like-minded people, but he did not achieve his goals.

The return to Lu took place in 484 BC. e. Since that time, the biography of Confucius has been entirely associated with teaching. Tradition says that the number of his students approached three thousand, of which about 70 could call themselves the closest, and 12 always relentlessly followed the mentor. According to the names, 26 people are known, who for certain were his students. In parallel with teaching, Confucius was engaged in books: he collected them, systematized, edited, distributed - in particular, the Shi-jing (“Book of Songs”), 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 the cemetery, where later it was supposed to bury only his descendants, the closest students, followers.

The new life of the teachings of Confucius began after the death of its author. The followers wrote the book "Conversations and Judgments" ("Lun-yu"), which was a recorded conversation of a teacher with like-minded people, teachers, statements of Confucius. It soon acquired the status of the canon of his teachings. Confucianism received general recognition, and after 136 BC. e. at the suggestion of Emperor Wudi acquired the status of an official dogma. Confucius was worshiped as a deity, considered the first teacher of mankind, 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.

Life path of Confucius

Confucius was born in 551 BC in the kingdom of Lu. Confucius' father Shuliang He was a brave warrior from a noble princely family. In his first marriage, he had only girls, nine daughters, and there was no heir. In the second marriage, such a long-awaited boy was born, but, unfortunately, he was a cripple. Then, at the age of 63, he decides on a third marriage, and a young girl from the Yan clan agrees to become his wife, who believes that it is necessary to fulfill the will of her father. The visions that visit her after the wedding portend the appearance of a great man. The birth of a child is accompanied by many miraculous circumstances. According to tradition, there were 49 signs of future greatness on his body.

Thus was born Kung Fu Tzu, or the Teacher of the Kun clan, known in the West under the name of Confucius.

Confucius' father died when the boy was 3 years old, and the young mother devoted her whole life to raising the boy. Her constant guidance, the purity of her personal life played a big role in shaping the character of the child. Already in early childhood, Confucius was distinguished by his outstanding abilities and talent as a soothsayer. He liked to play, imitating ceremonies, unconsciously repeating ancient sacred rituals. And this could not but surprise others. Little Confucius was far from the games of his age; his main entertainment was conversations with sages and elders. At the age of 7, he was sent to school, where it was mandatory to master 6 skills: the ability to perform rituals, the ability to listen to music, the ability to shoot a bow, the ability to drive a chariot, the ability to write, the ability to count.

Confucius was born with an infinite susceptibility to teaching, the awakened mind forced him to read and, most importantly, to assimilate all the knowledge set forth in the classic books of that era, so later they said about him: "He had no teachers, but only students." At the end of the Confucius School, one of all the students passed the most difficult exams with a 100% result. At the age of 17, he already held the position of a government official, the keeper of the barns. "My accounts must be correct - that's the only thing I have to worry about," said Confucius. Later, the cattle of the kingdom of Lu also came under its jurisdiction.

At the age of twenty-five, Confucius was noted for his undeniable merits by the entire cultural society. One of the highlights of his life was the invitation of a noble ruler to visit the capital of the Celestial Empire. This journey allowed Confucius to fully recognize himself as the heir and custodian of the ancient tradition (as many of his contemporaries considered him to be). He decided to create a school based on traditional teachings, where a person would learn to cognize the Laws of the surrounding world, people and discover their own abilities. Confucius wanted to see his students as "holistic people" useful to the state and society, so he taught them various areas of knowledge based on different canons. With his students, Confucius was simple and firm.

His fame spread far beyond the neighboring kingdoms. The recognition of his wisdom reached such an extent that he took the post of Minister of Justice - in those days the most responsible position in the state. He did so much for his country that neighboring states began to fear a kingdom that brilliantly developed through the efforts of one person. Slander and slander led to the fact that the ruler of Lu ceased to heed the advice of Confucius. Confucius left his native state and went on a journey around the country, instructing rulers and beggars, princes and plowmen, young and old. Wherever he went, he was begged to stay, but he invariably answered: “My duty extends to all people without distinction, for I consider all who inhabit the earth to be members of one family, in which I must fulfill the sacred mission of the Instructor.”

Philosophy was for him not a model of ideas put forward for human consciousness, but a system of precepts inseparable from the behavior of the philosopher. In the case of Confucius, one can safely put an equal sign between his philosophy and his human destiny.

The sage died in 479 BC; he predicted his death to his disciples in advance.

Confucius did not like to talk about himself and described his entire life path in a few lines:

“At the age of 15, I turned my thoughts to teaching.

At the age of 30, I found a solid foundation.

At the age of 40, I managed to free myself from doubts.

At the age of 50 - I knew the will of Heaven.

At the age of 60, I learned to distinguish truth from lies.

At the age of 70 - I began to follow the call of my heart and did not violate the Ritual.

Teachings of Confucius

Emphasizing his adherence to tradition, Confucius said: “I transmit, but do not create; I believe in antiquity and love it.” Confucius considered the first years of the Zhou Dynasty (1027-256 BC) to be the golden age for China. One of his favorite heroes was Zhou-gun. Once he even remarked: “Oh, how weak I have long been, I no longer dream of Zhou-gong” (Lun Yu, 7.5). On the contrary, modernity was presented as a realm of chaos. Endless internecine wars, ever-increasing turmoil led Confucius to the conclusion about the need for a new moral philosophy, which would be based on the idea of \u200b\u200bprimordial good inherent in every person. Confucius saw the prototype of a normal social structure in good family relations, when the elders love the younger ones and take care of them (jen, the principle of "humanity"), and the younger ones, in turn, respond with love and devotion (and, the principle of "justice"). The importance of fulfilling filial duty (xiao - "filial piety") was especially emphasized. A wise ruler should govern by instilling in his subjects a sense of reverence for the "ritual" (li), that is, the moral law, resorting to violence only as a last resort. Relations in the state in everything should be similar to relations in a good family: "The ruler should be the ruler, the subject - the subject, the father - the father, the son - the son" (Lun Yu, 12.11). Confucius encouraged the cult of ancestors, traditional for China, as a means of remaining faithful to parents, clan and state, which, as it were, included all the living and the dead. The duty of any "noble man" (junzi) Confucius considered the fearless and impartial denunciation of any abuse.

The teachings of Confucius can be divided into three closely related conditional parts, united by the idea of the centrality of man in all Confucianism.

The first and most important thing in all three teachings is the Teaching about Man itself.

The doctrine of man

Confucius created his teachings on the basis of personal experience. On the basis of personal communication with people, he deduced a pattern that morals in society are falling over time. Divide people into three groups:

1. Loose.

2. Restrained.

3. Fools.

Giving examples characterizing the behavior of people belonging to a certain group, he proved this statement and tried to find the causes of this phenomenon, and, as a result, the forces that move people in the process of life. Analyzing and drawing conclusions, Confucius came to the idea expressed in one saying: “Wealth and nobility - this is what all people strive for. If the Tao is not established for them in achieving this, they will not achieve it. Poverty and contempt - that's what all people hate. If the Tao is not established for them to get rid of it, they will not get rid of it.” Confucius considered these two basic aspirations to be inherent in a person from birth, that is, biologically predetermined. Therefore, these factors, according to Confucius, determine both the behavior of individual individuals and the behavior of large groups, that is, the ethnos as a whole. Confucius had a negative attitude towards natural factors, and his statements on this subject are very pessimistic: "I have never met a person who, having noticed his mistake, would have decided to condemn himself." Based on the far from ideal nature of natural factors, Confucius even came into conflict with the ancient Chinese teachings, which took the ideality of natural creations as an axiom.

The purpose of his teachings Confucius set the comprehension of the meaning of human life, the main thing for him was to understand the hidden nature of man, what drives him and his aspirations. According to the possession of certain qualities and partly the position in society, Confucius divided people into three categories:

1. Jun-tzu (noble man) - occupies one of the central places in the whole teaching. He is assigned the role of an ideal person, an example to follow for the other two categories.

2. Ren - ordinary people, crowd. Average between Jun Tzu and Slo Ren.

3. Slo Ren (insignificant person) - in the teachings it is used mainly in combination with Jun-tzu, only in a negative sense.

Confucius expressed his thoughts on the ideal person when he wrote: “A noble husband thinks first of all of nine things - to see clearly, to listen clearly, to have a friendly face, to speak well. sincere, about acting with caution, about asking others when in doubt, about the need to remember, about the consequences of one's anger, about the need to remember, about justice when there is an opportunity to benefit.

The meaning of the life of a noble person is to achieve the Tao, material well-being fades into the background: "A noble husband worries only about what he cannot comprehend the Tao, he does not care about poverty." What qualities should Junzi have? Confucius distinguishes two factors: "ren" and "wen". The hieroglyph denoting the first factor can be translated as "benevolence". According to Confucius, a noble person should treat people very humanely, because humanity in relation to each other is one of the main provisions of the teachings of Confucius. The cosmogonic scheme compiled by him considers life as a feat of self-sacrifice, as a result of which an ethically full-fledged society arises. Another translation option is "humanity". A noble person is always truthful, does not adapt to others. "Humanity is rarely combined with skillful speeches and touching facial expressions."

To determine the presence of this factor in a person is very difficult, almost impossible from the outside. As Confucius believed, a person can strive to achieve "jen" only according to the sincere desire of the heart, and only he himself can determine whether he has achieved this or not.

"Wen" - "culture", "literature". A noble husband should have a rich inner culture. Without spiritual culture, a person cannot become noble, this is unrealistic. But at the same time, Confucius warned against excessive enthusiasm for "wen": "When the properties of nature prevail in a person, it turns out to be savagery, when education is only learning." Confucius understood that a society cannot consist of "jen" alone - it will lose viability, will not develop, and, in the end, regress. However, a society that includes only "wen" is also unrealistic - there will be no progress in this case either. According to Confucius, a person must combine natural passions (i.e., natural qualities) and acquired learning. This is not given to everyone and only an ideal person can achieve this.

How to find out, determine whether a person belongs to a certain category? The principle of “he” and its opposite “tun” is used here as an indicator. This principle can be called the principle of truthfulness, sincerity, independence in views.

“A noble man strives for he, but does not strive for tong, a small person, on the contrary, strives for tong, but does not strive for he.”

The nature of this principle can be more fully understood from the following sayings of Confucius: “A noble person is polite, but not flattering. The little man is flattering, but not polite."

The owner of the he is a person devoid of a hard heart, the owner of the tong is a person overwhelmed by flattering intentions.

A noble husband strives for harmony and harmony with others and with himself, it is alien to him to be with his company. A small person strives to be at one with his company, harmony and harmony are alien to him.

He is the most important value criterion of the Noble Husband. By acquiring he, he acquired everything that wen and ren could not give him: independent thinking, activity, etc. This is what made it an important, integral part of the theory of government.

At the same time, Confucius does not condemn the little man, he simply talks about the division of their spheres of activity. Slo ren, according to Confucius, should perform functions inappropriate for noble people, engage in rough work. At the same time, Confucius used the image of a little man for educational purposes. By giving him almost all the negative human properties, he made Slo Ren an example of what a person will slide into if he does not try to cope with his natural passions, an example that everyone should avoid imitating.

Tao appears in many sayings of Confucius. What it is? Tao is one of the main categories of ancient Chinese philosophy and ethical and political thought. The famous Russian orientalist Alekseev tried to reveal this concept best of all: “Tao is an essence, there is something statically absolute, it is the center of a circle, an eternal point beyond cognition and measurements, something the only right and true ... It is a spontaneous nature It is for the world of things, poet and inspiration is the True Lord... Heavenly machine, sculpting forms... Higher Harmony, Magnet, attracting the human soul that does not resist it. Such is Tao as the highest substance, the inert center of all ideas and all things.” Thus, Tao is the limit of human aspirations, but not everyone can achieve it. But Confucius did not believe that it was impossible to achieve the Tao. In his opinion, people can fulfill their aspirations and even get rid of hateful states if they steadily follow "the Tao established for them." Comparing Tao and man, Confucius emphasized that man is the center of all his teachings.

The doctrine of society

Confucius lived during the introduction of a system of denunciations into Chinese society. Wise by experience, he understood what danger the spread of denunciation carried, especially to close relatives - brothers, parents. Moreover, he understood that such a society simply had no future. Confucius grasped the need to urgently develop a framework that strengthens society on moral principles, and to ensure that society itself rejects denunciation.

That is why the decisive thought in the teaching is concern for elders, for relatives. Confucius believed that this was supposed to establish a connection between generations, ensure the complete connection of modern society with its previous stages, and therefore ensure the continuity of traditions, experience, etc. Also an important place in the teaching is a sense of respect and love for people living nearby. A society imbued with such a spirit is very cohesive, and therefore capable of rapid and effective development.

The views of Confucius were based on the moral categories and values of the then Chinese village community, in which the main role was played by the observance of traditions laid down in ancient times. Therefore, antiquity and everything connected with it was set by Confucius as an example for contemporaries. However, Confucius also introduced a lot of new things, for example, the cult of literacy and knowledge. He believed that every member of society is obliged to strive for knowledge, first of all, of his own country. Knowledge is an attribute of a healthy society.

All the criteria of morality were united by Confucius into a common behavioral block "li" (translated from Chinese - rule, ritual, etiquette). This block was firmly associated with jen. "Overcome yourself to return to li - jen." Thanks to "li" Confucius managed to tie together society and the state, connecting two important parts of his teaching.

Confucius believed that the prosperous material condition of society was unthinkable without educational jurisprudence. He said that noble people should protect and spread moral values among the people. In this, Confucius saw one of the most important components of the health of society.

In the relationship of society with nature, Confucius was also guided by concerns about people. In order to prolong its existence, society must rationally treat nature.

Confucius derived four fundamental principles of the relationship between society and nature:

1. To become a worthy member of society, you need to deepen your knowledge of nature. This idea follows from the conclusion of Confucius about the need for an educated society, especially the development of knowledge about the surrounding world, and complements it.

2. Only nature is able to give a person and society vitality and inspiration. This thesis directly echoes the ancient Chinese teachings that promote non-interference of man in natural processes and only contemplation of them in search of inner harmony.

3. Careful attitude, both to the living world and to natural resources. Already at that time, Confucius warned mankind against a thoughtless wasteful approach to the use of natural resources. He understood that in the event of a violation of the balances existing in nature, irreversible consequences could arise both for humanity and for the entire planet as a whole.

4. Regular thanksgiving to Nature. This principle is rooted in ancient Chinese religious beliefs.

confucius teaching man society

Doctrine of the State

Confucius expressed several of his wishes about the structure and principles of leadership of an ideal state.

All state administration should be based on "li". The meaning of "li" here is very voluminous. Ren here includes love for relatives, honesty, sincerity, striving for self-improvement, courtesy, etc., and courtesy, according to Confucius, is an indispensable element for people performing public functions.

According to the scheme of Confucius, the ruler rises above the head of his family by only a few steps. Such a universal approach turned the state into an ordinary family, only a larger one. Consequently, the same principles should rule in the state as in society, that is, the attitudes of humanity, universal love and sincerity preached by Confucius.

Proceeding from this, Confucius reacted negatively to the fixed laws introduced at that time in some kingdoms of China, believing that the equality of all before the law is based on violence against the individual and, in his opinion, violates the foundations of government. There was another reason for Confucius's rejection of laws, he believed that everything forcibly imposed on a person from above would not reach the soul and heart of the latter, and therefore, unable to function effectively. The frame of the model of government proposed by Confucius is the Rules. The principle that gives them viability is the principle of "he".

In addition, according to Confucius, all members of society took part in their creation. In conditions when the government of the state and the people was supposed to be based on "li", these Rules performed the role of law.

The ruler is obliged to monitor the implementation of the Rules, and also to see that the society does not deviate from the true path. The concept of givens with an orientation towards antiquity had a huge impact on the further course of development of Chinese political thought. Politicians looked for solutions to pressing problems in the "ideal" past.

Confucius divided people in relation to government into two groups:

1. Managers.

2. Managed.

The greatest attention in this part of the Teaching is given to the first group of people. According to Confucius, these should be people with the qualities of Jun Tzu. It is they who should exercise power in the state. Their high moral qualities should be an example for all others. Their role is to educate the people, to guide them on the right path. When compared with the family, a clear analogy is seen between Jun Tzu in the state and the father in the family. Managers are the fathers of the people.

For managers, Confucius deduced four Tao:

1. Feeling of self-respect. Confucius believed that only self-respecting people are able to show respect for the people when making any decisions. This is simply necessary, given the unquestioning obedience of the people to the ruler.

2. Sense of responsibility. The ruler must feel responsible for the people he rules. This quality is also inherent in Jun Tzu.

3. Feeling of kindness in the education of the people. A ruler with a sense of kindness is better able to educate the people, improve their moral qualities, education, and therefore ensure the progress of the whole society.

4. Sense of justice. This feeling should be developed especially in people on whose justice the well-being of society depends.

Even being a supporter of an authoritarian system, Confucius was opposed to the excessive absolutization of royal power, and in his model he limited the rights of the king, attaching great importance to the fact that the main decisions were made not by one person, but by a group of people. According to Confucius, this ruled out the possibility of a subjective approach to the development of various problems.

Allocating the main place in his system to man, Confucius, nevertheless, recognized the will higher than people, the Will of Heaven. In his opinion, Jun Tzu is able to correctly interpret the earthly manifestations of this will.

Focusing on the ruling people, Confucius emphasized that the main factor in the stability of the state is the trust of the people. The government, which is not trusted by the people, is doomed to a distance from it, and therefore to the inefficiency of management, and in this case, the regress of society is inevitable.

Alexander Potemkin proposed to the world community a new version of intelligence assessment - HIC (“Higher Intelligence Consciousness”, the highest expression of consciousness). It is associated with the intellectual contribution to the development of world civilization of outstanding personalities, including Confucius, Aristotle, Newton, Kant, Beethoven, Dostoevsky, Mendeleev, Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Dali and Ginsburg. Their contribution to the development of scientific, creative, philosophical thought corresponds to the maximum indicator - 200 HIC.
We bring to your attention an article about the great Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius.

Thus was born Kung Fu Tzu, or the Teacher of the Kun clan, known in the West under the name of Confucius.

Confucius was born with an infinite susceptibility to teaching, the awakened mind forced him to read and learn all the knowledge set forth in the classic books of that era, so later they said about him: "He had no teachers, but only students." At the end of the school, Confucius, one of all the students, passed the most difficult exams with a 100% result. At the age of 17, he already held the position of a government official, the keeper of the barns. "My accounts must be correct - that's the only thing I have to worry about," said Confucius. Later, the cattle of the kingdom of Lu also came under its jurisdiction.

The sage died in 479 BC; he predicted his death to his disciples in advance.

Confucius did not like to talk about himself and described his entire life path in a few lines:

“At the age of 15, I turned my thoughts to teaching.

At the age of 30, I found a solid foundation.

At the age of 40, I managed to free myself from doubts.

At the age of 50 - I knew the will of Heaven.

At the age of 60, I learned to distinguish truth from lies.

At the age of 70 - I began to follow the call of my heart and did not violate the Ritual.

Emphasizing his adherence to tradition, Confucius said: “I transmit, but do not create; I believe in antiquity and love it.” Confucius considered the first years of the Zhou Dynasty (1027-256 BC) to be the golden age for China. One of his favorite heroes was Zhou-gun. Once he even remarked: “Oh, how weakened [my virtue, if] I have not dreamed of Zhou Gong for a long time” (Lun Yu, 7.5). On the contrary, modernity was presented as a realm of chaos. Endless internecine wars, ever-increasing turmoil led Confucius to the conclusion about the need for a new moral philosophy, which would be based on the idea of \u200b\u200bprimordial good inherent in every person. Confucius saw the prototype of a normal social structure in good family relations, when the elders love the younger ones and take care of them (jen, the principle of "humanity"), and the younger ones, in turn, respond with love and devotion (and, the principle of "justice"). The importance of fulfilling filial duty (xiao - "filial piety") was especially emphasized. A wise ruler should govern by instilling in his subjects a sense of reverence for the "ritual" (li), that is, the moral law, resorting to violence only as a last resort. Relations in the state in everything should be similar to relations in a good family: "The ruler should be the ruler, the subject - the subject, the father - the father, the son - the son" (Lun Yu, 12.11). Confucius encouraged the cult of ancestors, traditional for China, as a means of remaining faithful to parents, clan and state, which, as it were, included all the living and the dead. The duty of any "noble man" (junzi) Confucius considered the fearless and impartial denunciation of any abuse.

The teachings of Confucius can be divided into three closely related conditional parts, united by the idea of the centrality of man in all Confucianism.

The first and most important thing in all three teachings is the Teaching about Man itself.

The doctrine of man

Confucius created his teachings on the basis of personal experience. On the basis of personal communication with people, I came to the conclusion that morals in society are falling over time. Divide people into three groups:

Dissolute.

Restrained.

Giving examples characterizing the behavior of people belonging to a certain group, he proved this statement and tried to find the causes of this phenomenon, and, as a result, the forces that move people in the process of life. Analyzing and drawing conclusions, Confucius came to the idea expressed in one saying: “Wealth and nobility - this is what all people strive for. If the Tao is not established for them in achieving this, they will not achieve it. Poverty and contempt - that's what all people hate. If the Tao is not established for them to get rid of it, they will not get rid of it.” Confucius considered these two basic aspirations to be inherent in a person from birth, that is, biologically predetermined. Therefore, these factors, according to Confucius, determine both the behavior of individual individuals and the behavior of large groups, that is, the ethnos as a whole. Confucius had a negative attitude towards natural factors, and his statements on this subject are very pessimistic: "I have never met a person who, having noticed his mistake, would have decided to condemn himself." Based on the far from ideal nature of natural factors, Confucius even came into conflict with the ancient Chinese teachings, which took the ideality of natural creations as an axiom.

Jun-tzu (noble man) - occupies one of the central places in all teachings. He is assigned the role of an ideal person, an example to follow for the other two categories.

Ren - ordinary people, crowd. Average between Jun Tzu and Slo Ren.

Slo Ren (an insignificant person) - in the teachings it is used mainly in combination with Jun-tzu, only in a negative sense.

"Wen" - "culture", "literature". A noble husband should have a rich inner culture. Without spiritual culture, a person cannot become noble, this is unrealistic. But at the same time, Confucius warned against excessive enthusiasm for "wen": "When the properties of nature prevail in a person, it turns out to be savagery, when education is only learning." Confucius understood that a society cannot consist of "jen" alone - it will lose viability, will not develop, and, in the end, regress. However, a society that includes only "wen" is also unrealistic - there will be no progress in this case either. According to Confucius, a person must combine natural passions (i.e., natural qualities) and acquired learning. This is not given to everyone and only an ideal person can achieve this.

“A noble man strives for he, but does not strive for tong, a small person, on the contrary, strives for tong, but does not strive for he.”

The nature of this principle can be more fully understood from the following sayings of Confucius: “A noble person is polite, but not flattering. The little man is flattering, but not polite."

The owner of the he is a person devoid of a hard heart, the owner of the tong is a person overwhelmed by flattering intentions.

Tao appears in many sayings of Confucius. What it is? Tao is one of the main categories of ancient Chinese philosophy and ethical and political thought. The famous Russian orientalist Alekseev tried to reveal this concept best of all: “Tao is an essence, there is something statically absolute, it is the center of a circle, an eternal point beyond cognition and measurements, something the only right and true ... It is a spontaneous nature It is for the world of things, poet and inspiration is the True Lord... Heavenly machine, sculpting forms... Higher Harmony, Magnet, attracting the human soul that does not resist it. Such is Tao as the highest substance, the inert center of all ideas and all things.” Thus, Tao is the limit of human aspirations, but not everyone can achieve it. But Confucius did not believe that it was impossible to achieve the Tao. In his opinion, people can fulfill their aspirations and even get rid of hateful states if they steadily follow "the Tao established for them." Comparing Tao and man, Confucius emphasized that man is the center of all his teachings.

The doctrine of society

The views of Confucius were based on the moral categories and values of the then Chinese village community, in which the main role was played by the observance of traditions laid down in ancient times. Therefore, antiquity and everything connected with it was set by Confucius as an example for contemporaries. However, Confucius also introduced a lot of new things, for example, the cult of literacy and knowledge. He believed that every member of society is obliged to strive for knowledge, first of all, of his own country. Knowledge is an attribute of a healthy society.

All the criteria of morality were united by Confucius into a common behavioral block "li" (translated from Chinese - rule, ritual, etiquette). This block was firmly associated with jen. "Overcome yourself to return to li - jen." Thanks to "li" Confucius managed to tie together society and the state, connecting two important parts of his teaching.

Confucius believed that the prosperous material condition of society was unthinkable without educational jurisprudence. He said that noble people should protect and spread moral values among the people. In this, Confucius saw one of the most important components of the health of society.

In the relationship of society with nature, Confucius was also guided by concerns about people. In order to prolong its existence, society must rationally treat nature.

Confucius derived four fundamental principles of the relationship between society and nature:

To become a worthy member of society, you need to deepen your knowledge of nature. This idea follows from the conclusion of Confucius about the need for an educated society, especially the development of knowledge about the surrounding world, and complements it.

Only nature can give man and society vitality and inspiration. This thesis directly echoes the ancient Chinese teachings that promote non-interference of man in natural processes and only contemplation of them in search of inner harmony.

Careful attitude, both to the living world and to natural resources. Already at that time, Confucius warned mankind against a thoughtless wasteful approach to the use of natural resources. He understood that in the event of a violation of the balances existing in nature, irreversible consequences could arise both for humanity and for the entire planet as a whole.

Regular Thanksgiving to Nature. This principle is rooted in ancient Chinese religious beliefs.

Doctrine of the State

Confucius expressed several of his wishes about the structure and principles of leadership of an ideal state.

The ruler is obliged to monitor the implementation of the Rules, and also to see that the society does not deviate from the true path. The concept of predestination with an orientation toward antiquity had a huge impact on the further course of development of Chinese political thought. Politicians looked for solutions to pressing problems in the "ideal" past.

Confucius divided people in relation to government into two groups:

Managers.

Managed.

The greatest attention in this part of the Teaching is given to the first group of people. According to Confucius, these should be people with the qualities of Jun Tzu. It is they who should exercise power in the state. Their high moral qualities should be an example for all others. Their role is to educate the people, to guide them on the right path. When compared with the family, a clear analogy is seen between Jun Tzu in the state and the father in the family. Managers are the fathers of the people.

For managers, Confucius deduced four Tao:

Feeling of self-respect. Confucius believed that only self-respecting people are able to show respect for the people when making any decisions. This is simply necessary, given the unquestioning obedience of the people to the ruler.

Sense of responsibility. The ruler must feel responsible for the people he rules. This quality is also inherent in Jun Tzu.

The feeling of kindness in the education of the people. A ruler with a sense of kindness is better able to educate the people, improve their moral qualities, education, and therefore ensure the progress of the whole society.

Sense of justice. This feeling should be developed especially in people on whose justice the well-being of society depends.

Even being a supporter of an authoritarian system, Confucius was opposed to the excessive absolutization of royal power, and in his model he limited the rights of the king, attaching great importance to the fact that the main decisions were made not by one person, but by a group of people. According to Confucius, this excluded the possibility of a subjective approach to solving various problems.

Leaving the main place in his system to man, Confucius, nevertheless, recognized the will higher than people, the Will of Heaven. In his opinion, Jun Tzu is able to correctly interpret the earthly manifestations of this will.

Hello dear readers! In the article "Confucius: a brief biography, interesting facts, video" about the famous Chinese thinker and philosopher.

Amazing China has always been an attractive mystery for people around the world. The continuing interest in the culture and heritage of this unique country, periodically with bright force, flares up again and again, exciting the cognitive minds and the fascinating imagination of scientists, historians and ordinary people.

Even before our era, at the dawn of the birth of the first great celestial empire, philosophers and thinkers made attempts to theoretically substantiate its deep social status.

Biography of Confucius

Kung Fu Tzu (Latinized version of Confucius) - the founder of the doctrine, was born in 551 BC in the town of Qufu.

His father was a military commander from a noble but impoverished family. From his first wife he had 9 daughters. From the second - a sickly son, and, having taken as his wife a seventeen-year-old beautiful concubine at a fairly respectable age, he was guided by the only goal - to get a worthy heir.

When the father died, the older wives, hating the rival, drove her away with her little son Konzutsiy. The woman returned to her parents, but began to live separately, working hard to feed herself.

Confucius grew up as a hardworking, sympathetic and intelligent child. Since the family was limited in funds, the boy had to educate himself. In China at that time great importance was attached to the study of art.

Being engaged in education, the mother cultivated, in a truly extraordinary child, thoughts about his rare talents and features, about his great mission for people. As a young man, Confucius is left alone, his mother dies.

A literate young man gets a job as a grain accountant, then livestock. The first time he married at the age of 19, he had a son.

Confucius had a successful career in the civil service, but retired and took up other activities. He traveled a lot, traveled all over the kingdoms and provinces of China, torn apart by internecine wars.

Thoroughly studying the life of people of all classes, he always had many listeners, students and followers. The teacher wrote many books, the most basic in philosophy is his treatise called "Conversations and Judgments."

Confucius and his teachings

Historians call a close circle of his students, which consisted of 70 people. To date, the names of 26 of them have been precisely established. In total, during the life of the thinker, 3 thousand young people were his students. Many books were completed not by the founder of the doctrine himself, but by his followers.

There are known facts of selfless devotion to Confucianism, when students for not renouncing their ideas were massively buried alive in the ground, boiled in huge cauldrons.

Confucius himself was a modest man. He outlined his personal biography, rather long and rich in life events, in a few lines.

The virtues formulated, described in detail and propagated by him are:

philanthropy,
Justice,
prudence,
Sincerity.

To this day, observance of customs plays an important role in the education of young people, the creation of a harmonious society, where each person has his own functions. Confucius dreamed of the loyalty of his superiors to his subordinates, and from the latter, in his opinion, loyalty was required.

The modern clan of Confucius, respected in the homeland of the sage, has more than 30 thousand members. The eldest descendant in a straight line bears the title of prince, bestowed on the ancient thinker. He has the honorable duty of looking after the famous tomb and temple in Qufu City, where Confucius was born and died.

Temple of Confucius in the city of Qufu, the birthplace of the philosopher

Confucianism

The great legacy of the schools of this unique country is that the most basic of them received the common name "Hundred Schools". Among them, Confucianism took shape and took its rightful place. It has taken root in China so much that it has become a state ideology and represents a religious doctrine, competing with Buddhism and Taoism.

The prescribed virtues of Confucianism are at the heart of modern Chinese education. World leading politicians and businessmen use translated quotations from the doctrine in their fiery speeches. What is the secret of the longevity of the ancient direction of Chinese philosophy? Is its adapted version suitable for other countries?

During the Middle Ages, Confucian ideas on social philosophy and ethics became known in the West. They were received ambiguously. Some considered them an introduction to Christian values, admired and called Confucius "Chinese bell".

Hegel argued that "it would be better if they were not translated." Realists and skeptics say that in order to understand the teaching, you need to become a little Chinese and take it in doses.

In this video, additional and interesting information "Confucius: a short biography"