K‘UNG FU-TZŬ.
Latinized into CONFUCIUS.
b.c. 551-479.
[Confucius was the Socrates of China. He taught virtue for its own sake, unsupported by reference to the supernatural, any reliance upon which he steadily, though indirectly, condemned. He seems, however, to have thoroughly believed in a God; but whether as a force physical, or a force moral, or both, it is quite impossible to decide. Under no circumstances can he be regarded as the founder of a “religion” in the ordinary sense of the term, with a priesthood, sacraments, dogmas, etc.; though what is now called “Confucianism” was actually based in pre-Confucian days on revelation.
Confucius held several official appointments, and finally rose to be chief Minister of Justice in his native State. He “became the idol of the people, and flew in songs through their mouths.” But by the intrigues of a neighbouring prince, he found himself compelled to resign office, and went into voluntary exile, wandering from place to place, and employing himself in literary pursuits, until at length he returned home, where death came upon him in the seventy-third year of his age.
He was an editor rather than an author. He collected and edited the ancient national songs now known as the Odes. He arranged and edited those old records which form the Canon of History. It is claimed by Mencius that he compiled the annals of his own State (but see Yüan Mei), dating from some 200 years previous to the times in which he lived. His discourses were treasured up in the hearts of his disciples, and were committed to writing in later years.]
EXTRACTS FROM THE DISCOURSES.
THE Master said―
A plausible tongue and a fascinating expression are seldom associated with true virtue.
A youth should be filial at home, respectful abroad. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, but cultivate the friendship of the good. Then, whatsoever of energy may be left to him, he should devote to the improvement of his mind.
Let loyalty and truth be paramount with you. Have no friends not equal to yourself. If you have faults, shrink not from correcting them.
Learning without thought is labour lost. Thought without learning is intellectual death.
The study of the supernatural is injurious indeed.
Yu! shall I teach you in what true knowledge consists? To know what you do know, and to know what you do not know―that is true knowledge.
A man without truthfulness!―I know not how that can be.
In mourning, it is better to be sincere than to be punctilious.
He who offends against God[1] has none to whom he can pray.
- ↑ Understood down to a.d. 1200 by the masses as an anthropomorphic Being, resident in the sky and in control of the four elements; but subsequently explained by Chu Hsi, the most famous of all commentators, as “abstract Right.”
