Confucius

Confucius was born in the State of Lu, in the District of Ch'ang P'ing, in the city of Chou. His ancestor was from the State of Sung and was called K'ung Fang-shu. Fang-shu begat Po-hsia. Po-hsia begat Shu-Liang Ho. Late in life, Ho was united in matrimony with the daughter of the man, Yen, and begat Confucius. His mother prayed to the hill, Ni, and conceived Confucius. It was in the twenty-second year of Duke Hsiang of Lu that Confucius was born ( 551 B.C.). At his birth, he had on his head a bulging of the skull, whence he is said to have received the name "Hill" (Ch'iu). His style or appellation was Chung Ni, his family name K'ung. When he was born, his father, Shu-Liang Ho, died. He was buried on the mountain Fang. The mountain Fang lies eastward from Lu. Therefore Confucius was in doubt as to the place of the grave of his father; for his mother kept silence toward him regarding it.

Confucius was always wont to set up sacrificial vessels in his childish play, and to imitate ceremonial gestures. When the mother of Confucius died, he buried her temporarily near the Way of the Five Fathers, so great was his circumspection. When the mother of Wan Fu of Chou later instructed Confucius concerning the place of the grave of his father, he went thither and buried the two bodies together on the mountain of Fang.

While Confucius was still wearing mourning, Baron Chi gave a banquet for the notables. Confucius also attended. Then Yang Hu took him to task, and said: " BaronChi has prepared a banquet for the notables; he has not the honour of inviting you." Thereupon, Confucius withdrew.

When Confucius was seventeen years old, the Minister Meng Hsi-tze of Lu fell ill, and was nigh unto death. Then 'he summoned his heir, I-tze, and said: " K'ung Ch'iu is the descendant of a philosopher who was slain in Sung. His ancestor, Fu Fu Ho, had the first claim to the throne of Sung, and as heir he yielded to Duke Li. Cheng Ch'ao-fu was then serving the Dukes Tai, Wu, and Hsuan. Thrice he received ever higher honours, and became therefrom but the more modest.

In the same year, Baron Chi Wu died, and P'ing Tze was put in his place. Confucius was poor and of low estate, and when he grew older he served as a petty official of the family Chi, and while he was in office his accounts and the measures were always correct. Thereupon, he was made Chief Shepherd; then the beasts grew in numbers and multiplied.

Therefore he was appointed Minister of Public Works. Finally he left Lu, was abandoned in Ch'i, was driven out of Sung and Wei, suffered want between Ch'in and Ts'ai. Thereupon he returned to Lu. Confucius was nine feet six inches tall.

When Confucius took leave of Lao Tze, the latter, in parting, spoke to him as follows: "I have heard that rich and noble persons make parting gifts; but good people give words in farewell. I am neither rich nor noble, but I am held a good man, so I should like to give you these words upon your way: Shrewd and clever people are near to death, for they love to pass judgment on others. Those who know a great deal and do things on a large scale endanger their persons, for they disclose the mistakes of mankind. He who is the son of another has nothing for himself; he who is the official of another has nothing for himself."

After Confucius returned from Chou to Lu, his pupils gradually became more numerous. At this time, Duke P'ing of Chin had given himself over to dissipation, and thus the six noble families had gained control of the government, and were fighting the princes of the land in the east. King Ling of Ch'u possessed a military force with which he oppressed the Middle Kingdom. Ch'i was large and close to Lu. Lu was small and weak. If it yielded to Ch'u, Chin became angry.

When Confucius was thirty-five years old ( 517 B.C.), Baron P'ing of Chi fell into disfavour with Duke Chao of Lu because of a cock fight with Hou Shao Po.