Confucius is one of history’s great philosophers. His teachings have influenced China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan. All he wanted was a government job. He never got it and thought his life a failure.
Confucius lived in an unstable time in Chinese history. It was a period of corruption and endless warfare. He wanted to return China to a golden age. So, he pushed for conservative reforms. The Chinese sage emphasized governmental morality, justice, and correct social etiquette.
His rules for behavior were strict. They dealt with personal morality and ethics. He also believed in merit and learning. His thoughts slowly gained strength and were ascendant about 300 years after his death. In the 20th century, the Maoists attempted to eliminate all Confucian thinking from China. They believed it antiquated. They failed and Confucius remains important to China and the Far East to this day.
Important writings include: Analects and The Five Classics.
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