One of Confucius students wanted to eliminate a goat from an ancient sacrificial ceremony that has lost its significance. Confucius replied "You care about the goat. I care about the ceremony."

The goat & the ceremony

Confucius was a Chinese minister during the Zhou Dynasty. Originally from Lu, he served many local lords and developed a philosophy of ethics and politics that influenced China for thousands of years.Although focused on politics, Confucianism is also a philosophy of education. Confucius advocates a way to create competent, intelligent, sympathetic, moral leaders.

Confucius

250 years into the Zhou dinastry social norms began to break. New philosophies cryatalized to face the challenge: <ul><li>Confucianism - focused on creating a flourishing society to cultural education in strong moral leadership. </li><li>Daoism - focused on getting as close as possible to the natural way of things. </li><li>Legalism - focused on efficient governing. </li><li>Military Strategism - based on Sun Tzu's the Art of War, it focuses is on gaining competitive advantage in war. </li></ul>

The Battle of the Hundred Schools 

Confucius says you should critique yourself in 3 ways on a daily basis:<ul><li>Did I somehow fail to work conscientiously for others? </li><li>Did I somehow let my friends down? </li><li>Did I somehow fail to practice what I had learned? </li></ul>

Self Critique

According to the great Chinese philosopher the steps for a elevating yourself are:<ul><li>Investigation of things</li><li>Extension of knowledge</li><li>Sincerity of thought </li><li>Rectification of the mind</li><li>Cultivation of the person</li><li>Regulation of the family</li><li>Order in the state</li><li>Pace ☮️ through the land </li></ul>

Confucius 8 steps to learning & self cultivation

A student asked Confucius about benevolence. He replied:<ul><li>"When interacting with people in society treat them as you would an important guest.</li><li>When employing people do so with the same gravity as you would while performing an important ceremony. </li><li>Do not treat others how you don't like to be treated.</li><li>In this way you not provoke grievances no matter what you work."</li></ul>The Golden Rule can be found in almost all philosophies, ethical systems or religions. It is a universal idea.

The Golden Rule

Confucius said: "I transmit ideas rather than creating them. I believe in the principles of the ancient sage's and take delight in their culture. And I privately emulate the great minister of the Shang dynasty."For Confucius, culture was more about understanding and respecting the classics rather than revolutionary creativity.

Transmitting ideas

Study without reflection is folly. Reflection without study is risky. ﻿

If governing is done through laws & penalties, people will refrain from crimes, but it will be out of fear of punishment, not out of shame.If governing is done through virtue and proper behaviour, people will have a sense of shame and will behave themselves.

Ruling through virtue

Most of Confucius' ideas need these prerequisites for understanding their context:<ul><li>Culture. A set of practices and traditions that enrich everyday life and create stability in society.</li><li>Hierarchy. But Confucius views them as dynamic, not static. There are a lot of ideas about social mobility in Confucius. But it all depends on meritocracy, rule by the able.</li></ul>

Foundational Ideas in Confucianism

A gentleman puts his words into action before putting his actions into words.

<ol><li>Wisdom</li><li>Benevolence</li><li>Courage</li></ol>These could be learned through the mastery of the 6 arts: ☕ ceremony, 🪕 music, 🏹 archery, 🐴charioteering, 🖋️ calligraphy and 🧮 math.

Confucianist 3 Virtues

For the first time in one volume, The Analects illustrated by bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai C. C. Tsai is one of Asia's most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai's delightful graphic adaptation of The Analects, one of the most influential books of all time and a work that continues to inspire countless readers today. Tsai's expressive drawings bring Confucius and his students to life as no other edition of the Analects does. See Confucius engage his students over the question of how to become a leader worth following in a society of high culture, upward mobility, and vicious warfare. Which virtues should be cultivated, what makes for a harmonious society, and what are the important things in life? Unconcerned with religious belief but a staunch advocate of tradition, Confucius emphasizes the power of society to create sensitive, respectful, and moral individuals. In many ways, Confucius speaks directly to modern concerns--about how we can value those around us, educate the next generation, and create a world in which people are motivated to do the right thing. A marvelous introduction to a timeless classic, this book also features an illuminating foreword by Michael Puett, coauthor of The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach Us about the Good Life. In addition, Confucius's original Chinese text is artfully presented in narrow sidebars on each page, enriching the books for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the self-contained English-language cartoons. The text is skillfully translated by Brian Bruya, who also provides an introduction.

philosophy

Philosophy

books

Books

politics

Politics

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

In this gem-like translation by Simon Leys, Confucius speaks with clarity and brilliance. He emerges as a man of great passion and many enthusiasms, a man of bold action whose true vocation is politics. Confucius (551-479 B.C.) lived in an age of acute cultural and political crisis. Many of his observations mark a world sinking into violence and barbarity. Unable to obtain the leading political role he sought, he endeavored to reform society and salvage civilization through ethical debate, defining for ages to come the public mission of the intellectual.

The goat & the ceremony

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The Inner Citadel

Olympic torch lighting ceremony