2. The Life of Confucius
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Lived from 551-479 B.C.E.
He was born at Shang-ping in the country of Lu
He was actually called “Kung fu tzu” by his people
Shuliang He, father of Confucius, was an officer of in the Lu military, he died when
Confucius was 3 years old.
• Yan Zhengai, mother of Confucius,
• At age 19 he married his wife, Qui Quan and a year later the couple had their first
child, Kong Li.
3. • In Chinese, his name was Kong
Qiu. Kong was the family name
while Qiu was his given name.
This was because his parents had
prayed for a son at Niqiu Hill and
'Qiu' was an appropriate token of
their thanks and joy at having
their prayers answered.
Kong He, and his mother, Yan, had prayed at the Niqiu
Mountain
4. • He has nine sisters and one brother and he was the youngest.
• Confucius was born into the class of shi (士), between the
aristocracy and the common people. He is said to have worked as a
shepherd, cowherd, clerk, and a book-keeper. When his mother
died, Confucius (aged 23) is said to have mourned for three years
the tradition.
5. Education
• He studied religion
with Daoist Master
Lao Dan.
• Learn music with
Chang Hong and
music
master
Xiang.
Lao Dan
Taoism (modernly Daoism) is a
philosophical, ethical, and religious
tradition of
Chinese origin that
emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao
(also romanized as Dao). The term Tao
means "way", "path" or "principle", and
can also be found in Chinese philosophies
and religions other than Taoism. In
Taoism, however, Tao denotes something
that is both the source and the driving
force behind everything that exists. It is
ultimately ineffable: "The Tao that can be
told is not the eternal Tao."
7. • During 484BCE he worked as a teacher.
• He had gained some fame by the time he was 30 but it was not
until he was 51 that his official life really assumed great
importance. This eventful career was to last for only four years
as he was forced to resign when he found it impossible to agree
with the authorities. Such was the opposition to his ideas that he
was obliged to leave his country and to travel around the states.
• During these 14 years, he was in danger on many occasions and
even risked his life. At the age of 68 he was welcomed back to
Lu but he was set up as a respected gentleman without any
authority.
8. • He died of illness at the age of 73.
• Zigong, one of the famous disciples, set up a cabinet near his tomb and
stayed there for six years to mourn his beloved teacher.
11. Confucius is commonly known as Kong Qiu—
Kong being his surname and Qiu his given name.
He was also given the courtesy name of Zhong Ni.
Confucius’ father