Confucius Argument Essay

Words: 651
Pages: 3

Who was Confucius? Well, a thinker, educator, political figure, spiritual teacher, and the greatest philosopher in Ancient Chinese. His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships and justice. He was a man, with an incredible wisdom, whose teachings even now have followers. One thing very distinctive about him was his incredible curiosity for learning. Despite the bitter circumstances that he faced in his life, he transformed them into powerful and unforgettable lessons. “Education is the meaning of life”, “People become better by being educated”- these are his quotes about education. It is easily seen his passion towards an education, how fundamental is for the person being educated. Aphorisms connected with his teachings were collected in the Analects, but many years after his death. The one distinguishing quality in the teaching of Confucius is morality. He emphasized the importance of justice, honesty and filial piety - the duty of every son to respect and serve his parents. The teachings of Confucius are focused on two interrelated areas: personal morality, which deal with the behavior of one individual in society, and Governmental morality, which deal with the art of governance and the proper relationship of the Ruler to the ruled. He viewed education as central …show more content…
He stated: Good government consists in the ruler being a ruler, the minister being a minister, the father being a father, and the son being a son (Analects 12.11) Confucius believed that rulers should not have to force or the threat of punishment to maintain power. He stated: "Your job is to govern, not to kill" (Analects XII:19) According to Confucius, the rulers should observe proper ritual in order to maintain their position and have right to rule. These rituals included giving sacrifices to the ancestors at the temples and the exchange of gifts between members of the