5.Confucius and The Analects

Confucius (551 BC 479 BC，孔子)was born in Zouyi (陬邑) in the State of Lu (present-day Qufu, Shandong Province)during the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时期).He was the founder of Confucianism, as well as a great thinker and educator.Since the Han Dynasty, Confucianism has become dominant in the ideology of the Chinese society and taken deep root in the minds of the Chinese people, thus becoming an integral part of the Chinese nation.Therefore, it may be justifiably claimed that Confucius has exerted a great individual influence on Chinese culture.Like many outstanding characters throughout human history, Confucius lived a difficult life drifting from place to place though he enjoyed supreme glory after death.Yet canonization by later emperors and scholars is most probably not what Confucius sought after.

Legend has it that Confucius had 3,000 disciples, and 72 of them were outstanding.The Analects (《论语》)passed down to us contains 20 pieces, all of which record fragments of Confucius' discourses, in a language close to the oral tongue and easy to understand.Reading between the lines, we may find a scholar who was devoted to his ideals, who strove constantly to become stronger, and who was an eager learner.We may also grasp his profound understanding of life and society.Concise in wording and comprehensive in meaning, The Analects reads vividly and some chapters resemble more a literary text.However, this unusual small-size book exerts a profound influence beyond any literary works.As a Confucian classic, it has been a requirement on any reading list of ancient Confucian scholars and even of all intellectuals, greatly influencing their values and attitude towards life.It may be said that every Chinese is a reader of The Analects, directly of indirectly, and a student of Confucius, voluntarily or involuntarily.

New Words

Exercise One

Directions:Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1.Confucius was a great thinker and educator.

2.From the Tang Dynasty onwards, Confucianism became to rule the ideology of Chinese society.

3.Confucius has exerted a great individual influence on Chinese culture.

4.The Analects by Confucius has exerted a great influence beyond any literary works.

5.Confucius enjoyed great honor though traveling from one place to another.

Exercise Two

Directions:Answer the following questions.

1.When was Confucius born?

2.How many disciples did Confucius have?

3.What can we find when we read between lines in The Analects?