Confucius (551?-478 B.C.) was born in Lu, a small state in western Shandong that had been able to hold its own in the wars between the states by staying neutral most of the time. His father, a minor aristocrat & military officer, died when he was four. Though this left his family in poverty, he had such a good education that at the age of twenty-two he began to teach. While giving instruction to the pupils who in increasing numbers came to him, he continued his own study of history, literature, music and ancient customs (especially ritual, in which he early acquired the reputation of an expert), and at thirty, he tells us, he "stood firm," that is, had formed the opinions that did not change for the rest of his life.

An incident of considerable importance in his life was a visit, in 517 B.C., to Luoyang, the royal capital, where he had a long-desired opportunity to see the places where the great sacrifices to Heaven and Earth were offered, to inspect all the arrangements of the ancestral temple of the reigning dynasty of Zhou and its court, and perhaps to pursue researches in the archives. The following years were a period of great disorder in the state of Lu. At first Confucius followed his exiled sovereign to the neighboring state of Qi, but, finding the duke of Qi little disposed to profit by his counsels, soon returned to his native country, where he kept steadfastly aloof from the strife of factions, declining public employment. This was probably the period in which took place the collecting and editing of the ancient literature with which his name is inseparably connected. In the year 501, however, he was appointed chief magistrate of a city named Zhongdu, and put his theories of administration into practice with such effect, we are told, that in twelve months Zhongdu was a model town. This transformation was noted with surprise by the duke, who asked Confucius whether the same principles could be applied to the government of a state, and being assured that they could, he made Confucius assistant superintendent of public works, and shortly after minister of justice; whereupon, according to his biographers, laws against crime fell into disuse, because there were no more criminals. He strengthened the ducal house and weakened the private families; loyalty and good faith became the characteristics of the men, and chastity and docility of the women. Strangers came in crowds from other states. Confucius became the idol of the people, and they made up songs that praised him.

This utopian Lu got the attention of its stronger neighbors, particularly Qi. When the duke of Qi invited the duke of Lu to a peace conference, Confucius warned of possible treachery and persuaded his lord to bring armed guards. Despite this, the meeting proceeded nicely until the duke of Qi provided some musical entertainment. At this point Confucius leaped to his feet and furiously (but politely) told the two lords that this was music fit only to be heard in a palace, and any musician who would play this in an outdoor setting was a barbarian who deserved to die. The duke of Qi was so embarrassed by this musical gaffe that he carried out the suggested punishment, and later gave back to Lu three cities that had been captured in a previous war; the grateful duke of Lu promoted Confucius to prime minister.

Unfortunately he was too thin-skinned to keep the job. One day Qi sent a present of 80 horses and 120 dancing-girls. The duke found this more interesting than the counsel of the sage and declared a three-day holiday for the government. In response Confucius quit his job, and sadly--but slowly, hoping that the duke might repent--shook the dust of the ungrateful state from his feet. Thus ended Confucius' one brief experience as a practical statesman. For thirteen years, accompanied by a band of disciples, he wandered from court to court, offering his counsel and exhortations to princes and ministers. Sometime they asked him for advice, but never gave him a permanent job; still, he never lost confidence that if one of them would hire him, "I would effect something considerable in the course of twelve months, and in three years the government would be perfected."

At one point he seemed to have a solid job offer from the king of Chu, but before he could claim it, the enemies of Chu sent troops to surround the master and his followers, nearly starving them to death in the process. After a few more narrow escapes Confucius returned to Lu (483 B.C.), where he spent his last years writing down what he learned from his studies of the ancient literature, and thinking that his life had been a failure. Recognition would come in full for Confucius, but not in his lifetime. Confucius was a man both behind and ahead of his time; he glorified the virtues of China's past when the kings had actual authority, and it would be more than 250 years after his death before a united China tried what he taught.

*Posted by Berosus on Feb. 4, 2001