Confucius and His Teachings, or How One Man's Philosophy Influenced Thousands of

Generations

Therefore, in order to understand Confucius and the essence of Confucianism, we

must ask ourselves a few fundamental questions. Why is he considered the most influential
Chinese philosopher who ever lived? What did he want to achieve, what was his philosophy?
What effect did the era in which he was born have on his attitudes?
Set in the 5th century BC, China is plagued by heavy fighting. We are in the midst of a
time of chaos and bloodshed, with 14 Chinese states at war with each other, each trying to
control the entire country. At this time, a boy will be born who will change the history of
China. He is Confucius, he will come with a moral and political philosophy, he places great
emphasis on the observance of traditions and the family, with which he wants to bring China
to the two things it lacks so much: HARMONY and ORDER. However, he will not succeed in
his lifetime, his ideas are rejected. They will see success only with the accession of Emperor
Qin, who will succeed in uniting China and accept Confucius' teachings, thus influencing not
only the running of the state but also the functioning of the family.
Confucius was born in the small state of Lu, which was in danger of being absorbed
by a larger neighboring state. His father was a retired warrior who longed for a full-fledged
heir. At an advanced age, he therefore marries a seventeen-year-old girl, with whom he will
have the longed-for son. Due to his parents' age difference, the family is looked down upon
and lives in poverty after his father's death. But thanks to his father's position, he has the
right to an education, which he will use.
Later, therefore, he founds a school to spread his ideas. Teaching was done orally and
good thoughts were recorded by the disciples. These were mainly aristocrats who wanted to
become good rulers in the future. Confucius himself hoped to bring order to China through
them. Above all, it is thanks to them that his most important work, called Conversations, is
created. It was his disciples who wrote this set of questions and answers. At the turn of the
century, this work is incorporated into the state administration and is carved into stone and
placed in the Imperial Academy so that scholars can draw from it. This will ensure eternity
and create a canonical version.
There is a period of collective inculcation and recitation of the Talks in schools. The
main goal was to achieve the harmony of soul and body. A person who succeeds in this is
called Jin-tzu, or a noble person. Confucius tried to start from the history when the Chou
dynasty was in power, he looked up to it very much, because it ruled with honor and
kindness. Like him, this dynasty was based on rules and rituals. Confucius believed that
rituals lead to the unification of society. We currently refer to this principle as Li. It applies
not only to national holidays but also to common customs, such as saying hello to my family
in the morning. It is also related to ancestor worship and the overall functioning of the
family. Each family member has a clearly defined position. The man provides the spirit and
the woman takes care of the household. Girls are of lower status than boys and that is why
they were killed in the past. He also says that I have to be considerate of others, in case of
wrongdoing, the whole family would be punished.
 Another important principle is Siao, which means respect for elders. He says that
children should show respect to their parents, and respect to those in higher positions also
applies when the position of a man is always higher than the position of a woman.
Nowadays, it manifests itself, for example, in the fact that children contribute to their
parents' pensions.
The principle of Ren is mainly about kindness and humanity. It is mainly about good
behavior in various human relationships, for example being the best teacher. And finally, the
Shu principle, which is related to empathy and compassion. Confucius argued that one
should always have understanding for others. He should try to understand the context and
never judge. He should also give others the opportunity to save face. E.g. Don't blame the
liar, rather give him a chance to correct his actions.
Confucianism now determines all aspects of Chinese life. The principles of Ren and
Siao are currently widely used in the work environment. They increase the morale and
performance of the company. Emphasis on cooperation, discipline and education was
therefore very important in China's economic development. Perhaps that is why it is the
biggest trading power in the world today.
Westerners can think what they want about Confucius. Most probably do not agree
with all his positions and have reservations about some Chinese practices. Whether we try to
respect them is entirely up to us. However, everyone should take one rule to heart, i.e. "Do
not do to others what you do not want to do to yourself".