age of establishment (the age of 30) age of freedom from delusion (the age of 40) age of knowing one’s own destiny (the age of 50)
His early life

The teacher of teachers, “the Greatest and Foremost Teacher”
A benevolent government official
1. His life purpose: to take up a government post to put his ideas into practice 2. Appointed the Minister of Justice 3. Success in the position; “People need not lock their doors at night.” 4. His resignation and 14-year travel among other states
Founder of Confucianism The foremost sage, a national ideal and example Likened to China’s Socrates, Plato or in a sense Jesus Christ
Confucius’ Chinese names
II. Confucius’ Teachings
1. A believer of Heaven but not a religious founder and leader, often avoiding talking about religious subjects
2. Confucianism, though treated by some people as a sort of religion, having nothing to do with religion 3. A great, wise teacher on personal and public morality and virtue
1) What is ren? What is its meaning?
Chinese character of ren:
a. Ren, denoting good relationship between two persons or among people, harmonious human relations.
Confucius on ren:
“Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you. This is ren.” (cf. Kant’s saying)
“Ren is to love other men, to love the people extensively.” “I would describe ren like this: If you wish to establish yourself you should also assist others to establish. If you wish to be successful you should also help others to be successful.” “My aspiration to attain ren is that the aged live an easy life, friends have faith in each other and children be well cared.”
I. Confucius’ Life
Confucius’ own comment on his life:

The Master said, “At fifteen I bent my mind on learning. At thirty, I was firmly established. At forty, I was free from delusion. At fifty, I knew my destiny. At sixty, I was able to tell right from wrong in everything I heard. At seventy, I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping the rules of propriety.” —The Analects
2. Confucius’ teachings on li（礼）
1. English words for li
2. What is li?
3. The importance of li in one’s moral cultivation and conduct 4. The ideal combination and embodiment of ren and li: Junzi
The fundamental quality of man, the highest standard of one’s morals
3) How to acquire ren?
Confucius said, “Is ren far away? No. If I aspire for ren it is right here!” The achievement of ren is in our own hand.
Confucius: the name having nothing to do with “confuse”; a man not confusing at all; his teachings never difficult to understand. Not an abstract philosopher but a teacher of easy moral lessons Confucius, Latinized form of Kong Fuzi in Chinese. Kong, his family name; Fuzi or Zi, meaning Great Master, honorific titles in ancient China for famous scholars, statesmen or teachers. His original name, Kong Qiu, which common Chinese people never use. Not respectful to call the Master by it. Kong Zi: the most common reference in China
1. Confucius’ teachings on ren（仁）
Ren, the most important concept in Confucius’ thought, the central core of his philosophy
English words for ren: love, goodness, kindness, friendliness, human-heartedness, benevolence (benevolent), humanity
His final days
1. His return to his native state, respected as the Father of the State 2. Continuing his teaching career while editing several ancient classics 3. His death in 479 B. C. at the age of 73
3. Confucius’ teachings on junzi（君子）
1. Junzi：a righteous man, a man in whom ren is harmoniously blended with li 2. Junzi vs. petty man 3. Junzi, the most important basis for a harmonious country and society 4. How can a man become a junzi? 5. Four steps by which a man becomes a full junzi: cultivating oneself for goodness, managing one’s family well, run one’s state well and bringing peace to the whole country
The first private school teacher
Established as a famous scholar around 30 Founding the first private school in the history of Chinese education Opening the door of school to ordinary people and breaking the monopoly of education by the nobles. “In my classroom there is no class distinction.”
His works
1. “I’m not an inventor of new ideas but a transmitter of ancient wisdom”, no writAnalects, edited by his disciples after his death, the most reliable book for studying Confucius 3. Chinese people’s Bible, one of the most quoted book in Chinese classics, the richest source of Chinese mottos and proverbs