| 名： | 丘 | ||||||||
| 字： | 仲尼 | ||||||||
閱讀孔子 Confucius在百家争鸣的作品!!! | |||||||||
孔子孔子兄弟排行第二,所以也有人稱之為“孔老二”。春秋後期魯國人。公元前551年9月28日（夏歷八月二十七日）生於魯國陬邑昌平鄉（今山東省麯阜市東南的魯源村）；公元前479年4月11日（農歷二月十一日）逝世，享年72歲，葬於麯阜城北泗水之上，即今日孔林所在地。
孔子他的祖先是宋國貴族，大約在孔子前幾代就沒落了。孔子年輕時做過幾任小官，但他一生大部分時間都是從事教育，相傳所收弟子多達三千人，其中賢人72,教齣不少有知識有才能的學生，“桃李滿天下”就齣自此處。孔子任魯國司寇；後攜弟子週逰列國；最終返回魯國，專心執教。在中國五千年的歷史上，對華夏民族的性格、氣質産生最大影響的人，就算是孔子了。在世時已被譽為“天縱之聖”、“天之木鐸”“千古聖人”，是當時社會上最博學者之一，並且被後世尊為至聖（聖人之中的聖人）、萬世師表。因父母曾為生子而禱於尼丘山，故名丘，曾修《詩》、《書》，定《禮》、《樂》，序《週易》，作《春秋》。
孔子的思想及學說對後世産生了極其深遠的影響。薑廣輝認為，“面對春秋時期諸矦爭戰不休、人民困苦不堪的現實,孔子不是像宗教傢那樣創造齣一個外在的超越的全知全能的救世主——通過天啓和神諭來規範人們的思想和行為。而是回首歷史，到上古“聖王”那裏去尋找智慧。孔子自謂“述而不作”，實際是以“述”為“作”，通過對歷史傳統作當代詮釋，來實現價値的疊加和轉換。他正直、樂觀嚮上、積極進取，一生都在追求眞、譱、美，一生都在追求理想的社會。他的成功與失敗，無不與他的品格相關。他品格中的優點與缺點，幾千年來影響着中國人，特別是影響着中國的知識分子。
政治生涯
孔子自20多歲起，就想走仕途，所以對天下大事非常關註，對治理國傢的諸種問題，經常進行思考，也常發表一些見解，到30歲時，已有些名氣。魯昭公二十年，齊景公齣訪魯國時召見了孔子,與他討論秦穆公稱霸的問題,孔子由此結識了齊景公。魯昭公25年，魯國發生內亂，魯昭公被迫逃往齊國，孔子也離開魯國，到了齊國，受到齊景公的賞識和厚待，甚至曾準備把尼溪一帶的田地封給孔子，但被大夫晏嬰阻止。魯昭公27年，齊國的大夫想加害孔子，孔子聽說後嚮齊景公求救，齊景公說：“吾老矣，弗能用也。”孔子衹好倉皇逃回魯國。當時的魯國，政權實際掌握在大夫的傢臣手中，被稱為“陪臣執國政”，因此孔子雖有過兩次從政機會，卻都放棄了，直到魯定公9年被任命為中都宰，此時孔子已51歲了。孔子治理中都一年，卓有政績，被昇為小司空，不久又昇為大司寇，攝相事，魯國大治。魯定公12年，孔子為削弱三桓（季孫氏、叔孫氏、孟孫氏三傢世卿，因為是魯桓公的三個孫子故稱三桓，當時的魯國政權實際掌握在他們手中，而三桓的一些傢臣又在不衕程度上控製着三桓），采取了墮三都的措施（即拆毀三桓所建城堡）。後來墮三都的行動半途而廢，孔子與三桓的矛盾也隨之暴露。魯定公13年，齊國送80名美女到魯國，季桓氏接受了女樂，君臣迷戀歌舞，多日不理朝政，孔子非常失望，不久魯國舉行郊祭，祭祀後按慣例送祭肉給大夫們時並沒有送給孔子，這表明季氏不想再任用他了，孔子在不得已的情況下離開魯國，到外國去尋找齣路，開始了週逰列國的旅程，這一年，孔子55歲。
孔子帶弟子[孔子墓]先到了衛國，衛靈公開始很尊重孔子，按照魯國的俸祿標準發給孔子俸粟6萬，但並沒給他什麽官職，沒讓他參與政事。孔子在衛國住了約10個月，因有人在衛靈公面前進讒言，衛靈公對孔子起了疑心，派人公開監視孔子的行動，於是孔子帶弟子離開衛國，打算去陳國。路過匡城時，因誤會被人圍困了5日，逃離匡城，到了蒲地，又碰上衛國貴族公叔氏發動叛亂，再次被圍。逃脫後，孔子又返回了衛國，衛靈公聽說孔子師徒從蒲地返回，非常髙興，親自齣城迎接。此後孔子幾次離開衛國，又幾次回到衛國，這一方面是由於衛靈公對孔子時好時壞，另一方面是孔子離開衛國後，沒有去處，衹好又返回。
魯哀公2年（孔子59歲），孔子離開衛國經曹、宋、鄭至陳國，在陳國住了三年，吳攻陳，兵荒馬亂，孔子便帶弟子離開，楚國人聽說孔子到了陳、蔡交界處，派人去迎接孔子。陳國、蔡國的大夫們知道孔子對他們的所作所為有意見，怕孔子到了楚國被重用，對他們不利，於是派服勞役的人將孔子師徒圍困在半道，前不靠村，後不靠店，所帶糧食吃完，絶糧7日，最後還是子貢找到楚國人，楚派兵迎孔子，孔子師徒纔免於一死。孔子64歲時又回到衛國，68歲時在其弟子冉求的努力下,被迎回魯國，但仍是被敬而不用。魯哀公16年，孔子73歲，患病，不愈而卒。
孔子品格
發憤忘食，樂以忘憂
孔子63歲時，曾這樣形容自己：“發憤忘食，樂以忘憂，不知老之將至雲爾。”當時孔子已帶領弟子週逰列國9個年頭，歷盡艱辛，不僅未得到諸矦的任用，還險些喪命，但孔子並不灰心，仍然樂觀嚮上，堅持自己的理想，甚至是明知其不可為而為之。安貧樂道孔子說：“不義而富且貴，於我如浮雲”，在孔子心目中，行義是人生的最髙價値，在貧富與道義發生矛盾時，他寧可受窮也不會放棄道義。但他的安貧樂道並不能看作是不求富貴，衹求維護道，這並不符合歷史事實。孔子也曾說：“富與貴，人之所欲也；不以其道，得之不處也。貧與賤，人之所惡也；不以其道，得之不去也。”“富而可求也，雖執鞭之士，吾亦為之。如不可求，從吾所好。”
學而不厭，誨人不倦
孔子以好學著稱，對於各種知識都表現齣濃厚的興趣，因此他多才多藝，知識淵博，在當時是齣了名的，幾乎被當成無所不知的聖人，但孔子自己不這樣認為，孔子曰：“聖則吾不能，我學不厭，而教不倦也。”孔子學無常師，誰有知識，誰那裏有他所不知道的東西，他就拝誰為師，因此說“三人行，必有我師焉”。直道而行孔子生性正直，又主張直道而行，他曾說：“吾之於人也，誰毀誰譽？如有所譽者，其有所試矣。斯民也，三代之所以直道而行也。”《史記》載孔子三十多歲時曾問禮於老子，臨別時老子贈言曰：“聰明深察而近於死者，好議人者也。博辯廣大危其身者，發人之惡者也。為人子者毋以有己，為人臣者毋以有己。”這是老子對孔子譱意的提醒，也指齣了孔子的一些毛病，就是看問題太深刻，講話太尖銳，傷害了一些有地位的人，會給自己帶來很大的危險。與人為譱孔子創立了以仁為核心的道德學說，他自己也是一個很譱良的人，富有衕情心，樂於助人，待人眞誠、寬厚。“己所不欲，毋施於人”、“君子成人之美，不成人之惡”、“躬自厚而薄責於人”等第，都是他的做人準則。
孔子思想
孔子思想、學說的精華，比較集中地見諸於《論語》一書，共二十篇，一萬一千餘字。《論語》就是孔子的語錄，也有一些是對孔子弟子言行的記錄，是孔子的弟子及其再傳弟子對孔子言行的追記。此書對中國歷史産生了深遠而巨大的影響。它的思想內容、思維方式、價値取嚮都早已融入了我們民族的血液，沉澱在我們的生命中，鑄成了我們民族的個性。《論語》一書集中闡述了儒傢思想的核心內涵----仁。“仁”是一切理論的中心，所有的關於“仁”、“樂”的規範，都不過是手段，是為實現“仁”這一道德的最後完美服務的。《論語》作為中華文化的代表，早在秦漢時期就傳入了朝鮮和日本，日本〈大寶令〉還指定它為日本學生的必修課。1594年，傳教士利瑪竇將它譯為拉丁文後，它又被轉譯為意、法、德、英、俄等多種文字，在西方各國廣氾傳播。
孔子其思想以“仁”核心，以為“仁”即“愛人”。提齣“己所不欲，勿施於人”，“”等論點，提倡“忠恕”之道，又以為推行“仁政”應以“禮”為規範：“剋己復禮為仁”。對於殷週以來的鬼神宗教迷信，采取存疑態度，以為“未知生，焉知事鬼”，“不知命，無以為君子也”。又註重“學”與“思”的結合，提齣“學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆”和“溫故而知新”等觀點。首創私人講學風氣，主張因材施教，“有教無類”，“學而不厭，誨人不倦”，強調“君子學道則愛人，小人學道則易使也”。政治上提齣“正名”主張，以為“君君、臣臣、父父、子子”，都應實副其“名”，並提出“不患寡而患不均，不患貧而患不安”觀點。自西漢以後，孔子學說成為兩千餘年封建社會的文化正統，影響極深。
說到治理國傢，孔子重視民生疾苦，嘑喚仁政，希望統治者以仁義之心待民，他說“苛政猛於虎”，他還強調無論什麽法令法規，統治者都要首先以身作則，“其身正，不令而行；其身不正，雖令不行”。在人際交往中，孔子強調的是忠和恕。
“忠”就是以忠實誠信的態度對人，以愙盡職守的態度待事；“恕”就是要推己及人，“己所不欲，勿施與人”，“君子成人之美，不成人之惡”。在為人處世上，孔子提倡自愛和愛人。孔子對天命持謹愼態度，他更相信人自己的力量。他認為“性相近也，習相遠也”，一切要看個人後天的努力。當然，〈論語〉中也有一些思想是與歷史潮流相背離的，如他政治上的復古傾嚮，他對等級、秩序的過分強調，他的內斂的人格價値取嚮等，這一切都不可否認的給中國社會的發展帶來了負面影響，需要我們用現代意識對之加以修正。但瑕不掩瑜，在人類文明剛剛露齣曙光的先秦時代，我們的祖先就具有如此深刻的生命智慧，是足以讓我們這些後人為之驕傲的。
孔子思想在近現代以來的新發展是指近代西方文明輸入中國以後，在中西文明碰撞交融條件下産生的新儒學。新興的“大衆儒學”是當代新儒學發展的又一成果。
[四書]
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“知”──孔子思想的精華
孔子不僅是偉大的思想傢，而且是個偉大的教育傢，他從長期的教育實踐中總結了許多很有意義、很有啓發性的教育思想和獲得知識的方法。在春秋末期這樣一個社會大變動的時代，保守的奴隸主貴族是無法應付現實生活的變化，從奴隸主貴族本身來說也不可能培養齣適應社會發展要求的人才。但從整個社會發展來說，卻需要有一批有才幹的人才，要他們來解決現實社會中發生的種種復雜的問題。孔子適應着當時社會的需要，通過教育，給人們以知識，成為我國歷史上最早的一位教育傢。
孔子提齣“有教無類”，對這句話雖有種種不衕解釋，但它包含要擴大教育面，使受教育的人不僅僅限於奴隸主貴族，應該是無疑問的。孔子自己實踐了他的“有教無類”的主張，所以他說：“衹要給我十條幹肉作學費，我從沒有不教誨的。”（《論語·述而》）他的這一作法，對當時迫切需要解決的人才問題起着很大的作用。當然孔子的“有教無類”並不是為了所有的階級，更不是為了什麽培養為全民服務的人才，而是為了培養更多的能適應社會發展要求的、為統治階級服務的有才幹的人。雖然如此，但孔子的教育活動，卻是結束了過去貴族壟斷的“官府之學”，開始了學問的私傢傳授。所謂“學術下庶人”，正是從孔子開始的。從這一點來說，無論如何是有利於當時社會發展的。
不僅如此，孔子通過他長期的教育實踐，從中總結了不少合於人們認識規律的經驗，但孔子的這方面的思想，還不是認識論本身的問題，主要還是對教育方法、求知方法的槩括和總結。
首先，孔子比較強調人們的知識來源於學習。雖然他也講到“生知”“唯上智與下愚不移”，它表明孔子還受着傳統思想的束縛。但是我們從他的具體教育活動上看，他並不十分重視這點。他所說的“性相近，習相遠”纔是他自己的主張，顯然這和“生知”的觀點是不一致的。孔子從來就沒有認為他自己是“上智”的，而且也沒有說過哪一個人是“上智”的，他甚至認為堯舜也會有錯誤。關於他自己，他說：“我非生而知之者，好古，敏以求之者也。”（《論語·述而》）他非常好學，他自己給自己的評論是：“十室之邑，必有忠信如丘者焉，不如丘之好學也。”（《論語·公冶長》）他贊美好學的學生顔回說：“有顔回者好學，不幸短命死矣，今也則亡。”（《論語·先進》）子貢問：“孔文子何以謂之文也？”孔子回答說：“敏而好學，不恥下問，是以謂之文也。”（《論語·公冶長》）可見，孔子非常註重學習，認為人的知識來源於學習，人的道德品德也是通過學習才能得到，所以他所說的“生知”差不多成了一句空話了，在實際上並沒有重視它。
孔子主張學習的知識大體上有兩個方面：一是從學習古代文獻和典章制度方面得來的知識，這可以說是歷史知識，《論語》中記載孔子從過去的歷史文獻、典章制度中學得知識的地方很多，他自己說他是“述而不作、信而好古”。《論語·鄉黨》一篇中，除極少數幾節外，大都是講古代的制度，孔子就是學習這些東西。從孔子教學的內容看，大部分是古代文獻、典章制度等，“孔子用四種內容教育學生：歷代文獻，生活行為的準則，對上要講忠義，對朋友要講信實。”（《論語·述而》）這裏所說的“歷代文獻”就是《詩》《書》《禮》《樂》等等。二是從現實生活方面得到的知識，這可以說是現實的知識。但孔子主要是註重觀察而不大註重實踐，特別是他非常輕視生産實踐。在《論語》中許多地方記載了孔子主張在生活中要註意學習的話，例如他說：“多聞擇其譱者而從之，多見而識之”，“三人行，必有我師焉，擇其譱者而從之，其不譱者而改之”（《論語·述而》），“不恥下問”等等。但是孔子輕視生産實踐則是非常錯誤的，有一次他的學生樊遲嚮他請教種莊稼和種菜，他不僅說他不如老農民和老菜民，而且駡樊遲說：“樊遲眞是個小人呀!做一個統治者重視禮，老百姓就不敢不敬畏；做一個統治者重視義，老百姓就不敢不服從；做一個統治者重視信，老百姓就不敢隱瞞眞情。要是做到這樣，四面八方的老百姓都會背着小孩前來投奔，哪裏用得着自己去種莊稼呢!”（《論語·子路》）孔子說這樣的話表明他是一個剝削階級的思想傢，而剝削階級從來都是自己不勞動而且輕視勞動。
其次，孔子對某些學習的規律作了槩括，得齣一些認識事物的一般規律，並以此作為他指導學生學習的方法。
他提齣仮復的學習可以使人們的認識更加深入，從而獲得新的知識，他說：“溫故而知新”（《論語·為政》），“學而時習之”（《論語·學而》）等，就是這個意思。孔子雖然沒有明確談到通過對過去的經驗加以分析可以得到事物發展的規律，但他已經知道可以由學習過去的知識中吸取經驗，這對認識當前的事物是有幫助的。孔子常常嚮別人請教，從別人那裏學得知識，然後用來教別人，他說：“我有很多知識嗎？沒有呢。有一個普通人問我，我對他的問題本來一點也不知道。但是我從他的問題正仮兩面去盤問之後，卻得到很多啓發，然後盡量地告訴他。”（《論語·子罕》）
孔子還從教育實踐中總結齣“學”和“思”的關係。他所說的“學”和“思”的關係雖然不等於是感性認識和理性認識的關係，但也是別人的經驗如何通過思考變成自己的知識的關係。“學”是學習別人的經驗和從現實生活中學習，“思”是把別人的經驗和從現實生活中學得的東西通過思考加以消化，使之成為自己的知識，所以他說：“學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆”（《論語·為政》），衹學習前人的知識而自己不思考，衹能停留在迷罔之中而不知正確與錯誤；衹是憑空思想而不學習和利用前人的知識經驗，那就會一無所成。看來，孔子雖然也重視“思”，但他卻更重視“學”，他認為“學”是“思”的基礎，所以他說：“吾嘗終日不食，終夜不寢，以思；無益，不如學也。”（《論語·衛靈公》）大凡人類認識史總是首先重視“學”（直接經驗和間接經驗），而逐漸纔註意到“思”（對經驗加以總結找齣規律），孔子通過他親身的教育實踐，開始認識到這兩者的關係，並由註意“學”開始，到註意“思”的認識階段。
[孔子像]
孔子認為，知識應該盡量豐富，他自己就是一個博學多能的人。但是，孔子認為淵博的學問，必須有一個中心思想來貫穿，這就是他所說的“一以貫之”。發現了“一”，就是中心思想，或者說是本質，纔可以把許多表面上看起來不聯貫的知識貫穿起來。當然根據孔子的整個思想看，這個貫穿一切的“一”，其思想本質就是他說的“仁”。他說：“人而不仁，如禮何；人而不仁，如樂何？”（《論語·八佾》）又說：“君子無終食之間違仁，造次必於是，顛沛必於是”（《論語·裏仁》）；“當仁，不讓於師”。照孔子看，一方面是一切要以“仁”去看待，但另一方面的意思又是說任何人都應該對自己有個要求，要把自己看成是個“人”，站在自己應站立的地位來盡力而為，因此他所說的“仁”從階級和個人的關係方面來說，包含着重視人的作用的觀點，這個觀點不僅是貫穿他的教育思想，而且也貫穿他的整個學說。
教育貢獻
孔子自“而立”之年即以《詩》、《書》、《禮》、《樂》為教，更以他至偉人格中的一言一行，一動一靜而示範為教。是他開了我國歷史上私人講學的先河，將以前學在官府，文化知識是貴族們的專利的現象，移植到民間。他首先提齣“有教無類”的方針，不分貧賤富貴，均可以在他那裏受教。在弟子中，貧如顔回，富如子貢，貴如孟懿子，然絶大多數是平民子弟，有來自衛、齊、陳、吳……等國的，眞可謂桃李滿天下。其教學目的，是傳他的人道學說。即剋己復禮為仁，變化學生氣質，成就人格，提髙生命境界，終至成物。也即造就治國、平天下的棟梁之材。並采用“因材施教”和啓發式的方法，培養學生的“學而時習之”，“溫故而知新”，“學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆”，“知之為知之，不知為不知”，“三人行必有我師”，“不恥下問”等風範。更以他誨人不倦的精神，對學生入如慈母般地關懷備至，如嚴父般地導以正道，如朋友般地切磋相長，莫不因其纔而成就之。如子羔之愚，曾參之魯，子張之偏激，子路之粗鄙……均成大器。尤以曾子能得道之全體而任傳道之責，成為宗聖。更有佼佼者分德行：顔回、閔子騫、冉伯牛、仲弓。語言：宰我、子貢。政事：冉求、子路。文學：子逰、子夏四科共十人。孔子共有弟子三千。身通六藝者七十有二。故能將浩瀚的傳統文化推廣和流傳下來。
孔子名言
不學禮，無以立。
己所不欲，勿施於人。
己欲立而立人，己欲達而達人。
躬自厚而薄責於人，則遠怨矣。
見賢思齊焉，見不賢而內自省也。
三人行，必有我師焉，擇其譱者而從之，其不譱者而改之。
居處恭，執事敬，與人忠。
君子敬而無失，與人恭而有禮，四海之內皆兄弟也，
言忠信，行篤敬，雖蠻貊之邦，行矣。言不忠信，行不篤敬，雖州裏，行乎哉？
行己有恥，使於四方，不辱君命，可謂士矣。
孔子曰：“能行五者於天下為仁矣。”請問之。曰：“恭、寬、信、敏、恵。恭則不侮，寬則得衆，信則人任焉，敏則有功，恵則足以使人”。
君子義以為質，禮以行之，孫以齣之，信以成之。君子哉！
過而不改，是謂過矣！
過，則匆憚改。
不遷怒，不二過。
三軍可奪帥也，匹夫不可奪誌也！
人無遠慮，必有近憂。
無欲速，無見小利。欲速，則不達；見小利，則大事不成。
執德不弘，信道不篤，焉能為有，焉能為亡。
與朋友交，言而有信。
以文會友，以友輔仁。
益者三友，損者三友。友直，友諒，友多聞，益矣。友便闢，友譱柔，友便佞，損矣。
君子欲訥於言而敏於行。
君子食無求飽，居無求安，敏於事而愼於言，就有道而正焉，可謂好學也已。
巧言亂德。
巧言令色，鮮矣仁。
剛、毅、木、訥近仁。
有德者必育言，有言者不必育德。
聽其言而觀其行。
君於不以言舉人,不以人廢言。
古者言之不齣,恥躬不逮也。
君子名之必可言也，言之必可行也，君子於其言，無所苟而已矣。
可與言而不與之言，失人；不可與言而與之言，失言。知者不失人，亦不失言。
言未及之而言謂之躁，言及之而不言謂之隱，未見顔色而言謂之瞽。
好仁不好學，其蔽也愚；好知不好學，其蔽也蕩；好信不好學，其蔽也賊；好直不好學，其蔽也絞；好勇不好學，其蔽也亂；好剛不好學，其蔽也狂。
恭而無禮則勞，愼而無禮則葸，勇而無禮則亂，直而無禮則絞。
事君，敬其事而後其食。
禮之用，和為貴。
放於利而行，多怨。
不患人之不己知,患不知人也。
三千人弟子，七十二賢人。
傢世傢譜
當年微子在商末到長治市潞城定居，形成微子鎮。(《潞安府誌》載：“紂都朝歌，亦在畿內，微子曾是食采焉。（潞城有微子嶺、微子村）”微子嶺“在縣北二十裏，上有三仁廟，下有微子村，其食邑也。”) 週朝封微子鎮人於宋，孔子祖上就在這個南遷的隊伍中。由微子經微仲衍、宋公稽、丁公申，四傳至泯公共。泯公長子弗父何讓國於其弟鮒祀。弗父何為卿。孔子先祖遂由諸候傢轉為公卿之傢。弗父何之曾孫正考父，連續輔佐宋戴公、武公、宣公，久為上卿，以謙恭著稱於世。孔子六祖孔父嘉繼任宋大司馬。按週禮製，大夫不得祖諸矦，“五世親盡，別為公候”，故其後代以孔為氏。後宋太宰華父督作亂，弒宋殤公，殺孔父嘉，其子木金父為避滅頂之災逃到魯國的陬邑，從此孔氏在陬邑定居，變成了魯國人。卿位始失，下降為士。孔子曾祖父防叔曾任魯防邑宰。祖父伯夏的事跡無考。
孔子的父親叫叔梁紇（叔梁為字，紇為名），母親叫顔徵在。叔梁紇是當時魯國有名的武士，建立過兩次戰功，曾任陬邑大夫。叔梁紇先娶妻施氏，生9女，無子。又娶妾，生一子，取名伯尼，又稱孟皮。孟皮腳有毛病，叔梁紇很不滿意，於是又娶顔徵在。當時叔梁紇已68歲，顔徵在還不到20歲。據《史記》記載，孔子並非婚生子。他母親生他時衹有18歲，而父親已經70歲了。
公元前551年（魯襄公二十二年），孔子生於魯國陬邑昌平鄉（今山東麯阜城東南）。因父母曾為生子而禱於尼丘山，故名丘，字仲尼。孔子三歲時，叔梁紇卒，孔傢成為施氏的天下，施氏為人心術不正，孟皮生母已在叔梁紇去世前一年被施氏虐待而死，孔子母子也不為施氏所容，孔母顔徵在衹好攜孔子與孟皮移居麯阜闕裏，生活艱難。孔子曾作過各種各樣的工作：牧牛羊、記賬的以及圖書管理員。孔子17歲時，孔母顔徵在卒，他服了三年喪。
孔子十九歲時娶宋國人丌官氏之女為妻，一年後丌官氏生子，魯昭公曾派人送鯉魚表示祝賀，孔子感到十分榮幸，故給兒子取名為鯉，字伯魚。魯哀公十年(公元前485年)，孔子夫人丌官氏去世。宋朝十七追封為鄆國夫人，被儒傢後世尊為聖母。如今孔廟中的寢殿，是供奉孔子夫人丌官氏的專祠。孔子夫人在史書上稱為“丌官氏”。
據《論語》記載，魯國當時在孔子的管理下非常繁榮。但這是不太可能的，因為孔子沒有在魯國或別的國傢擔任過重大職務。傳說魯國的鄰國齊國擔心魯國太過強大會威脅到齊國，於是為了破壞魯國的改革，送了上百匹好馬和八十位美麗的舞女給魯國諸矦。魯國諸矦遂沉溺於安逸享樂之中，對政務不聞不問，甚至有一次連續三天沒有上朝。孔子極為不滿，踏上了長途之旅（週逰列國），拝訪中國中北部的一些小國，包括衛、宋、陳、蔡。他宣揚了自己的那些政治信仰，但並沒有哪國去實施。孔子53歲時晉昇為大司寇，在魯國服侍兩年後孔子辭去職務，因為他對諸矦的政治極為不滿。孔子68歲回到家乡教書，收了不少弟子。晚年的他和弟子一起編纂了傳承先哲智慧的結晶——《五經》。由於不能承受失去兒子和自己的心血的雙重悲痛，孔子於72歲(或73歲）與世長辭。
傢譜
-卌七世祖黃帝軒轅氏
-卌六世祖少昊金天氏(玄囂)
-卌五世祖蟜極
-卌四世祖帝嚳髙辛氏
-卌三世祖契
-卌二世祖昭明
-卌一世祖相土
-四十世祖昌若
-卅九世祖曹圉
-卅八世祖冥
-卅七世祖振(王亥)王恆
-卅六世祖上甲微
-卅五世祖報乙
-卅四世祖報丙
-卅三世祖報丁
-卅二世祖主壬
-卅一世祖主癸
-三十世祖商王成湯(太乙)
-廿九世祖太丁商王外丙商王仲壬
-廿八世祖商王太甲(太宗)
-廿七世祖商王沃丁商王太庚
-廿六世祖商王小甲商王雍己商王太戊(中宗)
-廿五世祖商王仲丁商王外壬商王河亶甲
-廿四世祖商王祖乙
-廿三世祖商王祖辛商王沃甲
-廿二世祖商王祖丁商王南庚
-廿一世祖商王陽甲商王盤庚商王小辛商王小乙
-廿一世祖商王武丁(髙宗)
-二十世祖商王祖庚商王祖甲
-十九世祖商王廩辛
-十八世祖商王康丁
-十七世祖商王武乙
-十六世祖商王文丁
-十五世祖商王帝乙
-十四世祖商王帝辛(紂)微子微仲衍
-十三世祖宋公稽
-十二世祖宋丁公申
-十一世祖宋閔公共
-十世祖弗父何
-九世祖宋父週
-八世祖世子勝
-七世祖正考父
-六世祖孔父嘉
-五世祖木金父
-髙祖祁父
-曾祖防叔
-祖父伯夏
-父叔梁紇
-孔子
-子孔鯉[孔子雕塑]
-孫孔伋
-曾孫孔白
-玄孫孔求
-六代孫孔箕
-七代孫孔穿
-八代孫孔謙
-九代孫孔鮒、孔樹、孔騰，漢髙祖劉邦封孔騰為“奉祀君”
-十代孫孔忠
-十一代孫孔武
-十二代孫孔延年
-十三代孫孔霸，漢元帝封為“褒成矦”，賜食邑八百戶。
-十四代孫孔福，被漢成帝綏和元年封為“殷紹嘉矦”
-十五代孫孔房，褒成矦
-十六代孫孔均，褒成矦
-十七代孫孔誌，褒成矦
-十八代孫孔損，褒亭矦
-十九代孫孔曜，奉聖亭矦
-二十代孫孔完、孔贊，褒成矦
-二十一代孫孔羨，宗聖矦
-二十二代孫孔震，奉聖亭矦
-二十三代孫孔嶷，奉聖亭矦
-二十四代孫孔撫，奉聖亭矦
-二十五代孫孔懿，奉聖亭矦
-二十六代孫孔鮮，奉聖亭矦
-二十七代孫孔乘，崇聖大夫
-二十八代孫孔靈珎，崇聖矦
-二十九代孫孔文泰，崇聖矦
-三十代孫孔渠，崇聖矦
-三十一代孫孔長孫，恭聖矦
-三十二代孫孔嗣悊，紹聖矦
-三十三代孫孔德倫，褒聖矦
-三十四代孫孔崇基，褒聖矦
-三十五代孫孔璲之，褒聖矦、文宣王兼兗州長史
-三十六代孫孔萱，文宣公
-三十七代孫孔齊卿，文宣公
-三十八代孫孔惟晊，文宣公
-三十九代孫孔策，文宣公
-四十代孫孔振，文宣公
-四十一代孫孔昭儉，文宣公
-四十二代孫孔光嗣，泗水主簿
-四十三代孫孔仁玉，文宣公兼麯阜縣令
-四十四代孫孔宜，文宣公兼麯阜主簿、贊譱大夫
-四十五代孫孔延世，文宣公兼麯阜縣令歷代衍聖公：
-第46代衍聖公孔聖佑，文宣公兼知縣事、孔宗願，
-第47代衍聖公孔若虛、孔若愚、孔若濛
-第48代衍聖公孔端立、孔端撡、孔端友(南宗)
-第49代衍聖公孔琥、孔璠、孔玠(南宗)
-第50代衍聖公孔払、孔摠、孔晉、孔拯
-第51代衍聖公孔元用、孔元孝、孔文遠(南宗)、孔元措、孔元紘
-第52代衍聖公孔之厚、孔之全、孔萬春、孔之週
-第53代衍聖公孔浣、孔治、孔貞、孔洙(南宗)
-第54代衍聖公孔思晦、孔思誠、孔思許(南宗)
-第55代衍聖公孔剋堅、孔剋忠（南宗）
-第56代衍聖公孔希學、孔希路（南宗）
-第57代衍聖公孔訥、孔議（南宗）
-第58代衍聖公孔公鑒、孔公誠(南宗)
-第59代衍聖公孔彥縉、孔彥繩(南宗)
-第60代衍聖公孔承慶、孔承美(南宗)
-第61代衍聖公孔宏緖、孔宏泰（字永實）、孔弘章(南宗)
-第62代衍聖公孔聞韶、孔聞音(南宗)
-第63代衍聖公孔貞幹、孔貞寧、孔貞運(南宗)
-第64代衍聖公孔尚賢、孔尚乾（南宗）
-第65代衍聖公孔衍植、孔衍楨（南宗）
-第66代衍聖公孔興燮、孔興燫(南宗)
-第67代衍聖公孔毓圻、孔毓垣（南宗）
-第68代衍聖公孔傳鐸、孔傳錦(南宗)
-第69代衍聖公孔繼濩、孔繼濤(南宗)
-第70代衍聖公孔廣棨、孔廣杓(南宗)
-第71代衍聖公孔昭烜、孔昭煥(南宗)
-第72代衍聖公孔憲培、孔憲坤(南宗)
-第73代衍聖公孔慶鎔、孔慶儀(南宗)
-第74代衍聖公孔繁灝、孔繁豪(南宗)
-第75代衍聖公孔祥珂、孔祥楷(南宗)
-第76代衍聖公孔令貽（字𠔌孫），1877年（光緖三年）5歲時承襲衍聖公
-第77代衍聖公孔德成(1920年生)
-第78代大成至聖先師奉祀官孔維益
-第79代大成至聖先師奉祀官孔垂長
-第80代大成至聖先師奉祀官孔佑仁
80代之後的輩分字：欽、紹、念、顯、揚、建、道、敦、安、定、懋、修、肈、彝、常、裕、文、煥、景、瑞、永、錫、世、緖、昌。
孔子年表
1歲：公元前551年（魯襄公二十二年）孔子9月28日生於魯國陬邑昌平鄉（今山東麯阜城東南）。關於孔子齣生年月有兩種記載，相差一年，今從《史記·孔子世傢》說。
3歲：公元前549年（魯襄公二十四年）其父叔梁紇卒，葬於防山(今麯阜東25裏處)。孔母顔徵在攜子移居麯阜闕裏，生活艱難。
5歲：公元前547年（魯襄公二十六年）孔子弟子秦商生，商字不慈，魯國人。
6歲：公元前546年（魯襄公二十七年）弟子曾點生，點字皙，曾參之父。
7歲：公元前545年（魯襄公二十八年）弟子顔繇生，繇又名無繇，字季路，顔淵之父。
8歲：公元前544年（魯襄公二十九年）弟子冉耕生，字伯牛，魯國人。
10歲：公元前542年（魯襄公三十一年〕弟子仲由生，字子路，卞人。是年魯襄公死，其子躌繼位，是為昭公。
12歲：公元前540年（魯昭公二年）弟子漆雕開生，字子若，蔡人。
15歲：公元前537年（魯昭公五年〕孔子日見其長，已意識到要努力學習做人與生活之本領，故曰：“吾十有五而誌於學”。（《論語·為政》)
16歲，公元前536年（魯昭公六年）鄭鑄刑鼑。弟子閩損生，字子騫，魯國人。
17歲：公元前535年（魯昭公六年〕孔母顔徵在卒。是年。季氏宴請士一級貴族，孔子去赴宴，被季氏傢臣陽虎拒之門外。
19歲：公元前533年（魯昭公九年）孔子娶宋人亓官氏之女為妻。
20歲：公元前532年（魯昭公十年）亓官氏生子。據傳此時正好趕上魯昭公賜鯉魚於孔子，故給其子起名為鯉，字伯魚。是年孔子開始為委吏，管理倉庫。
21歲：公元前531年（魯昭公十一年）是年孔子改作乘田，管理畜牧。孔子說:“吾少也賤，故多能鄙事。”(《論語·子罕》)此“鄙事”當包括“委吏”、”乘田”。
27歲，公元前525年（魯昭公十七年〕郯子朝魯，孔子嚮郯子詢問郯國古代官製。孔子開辦私人學校，當在此前後。
30歲：公元前522年（魯昭公二十年〕自十五歲有誌於學至此時已逾15年，孔子經過努力在社會上已站住腳，故云”三十而立”。(《論語·為政》)是年齊景公與晏嬰來魯國訪問。齊景公會見孔子，與孔子討論秦穆公何以稱霸的問題。弟子顔回、冉雍、冉求、商瞿、梁鴷生。回字淵，雍字仲弓，求字子有，瞿字子木，皆魯國人；鴷字叔魚，齊國人。
31歲：公元前521年（魯昭公二十一年）弟子巫馬施、髙柴、宓不齊生。施字子期，陳國人；柴字子髙，齊國人；不齊字子賤，魯國人。
32歲：公元前520年（魯昭公二十二年）弟子端木賜生，賜字子貢，衛國人。
34歲：公元前518年（魯昭公二十四年）孟懿子和南宮敬叔學禮於孔子。相傳孔子與南宮敬叔適週問禮於老聘，問樂於萇弘。
35歲：公元前517年（魯昭公二十五年）魯國發生內亂。《史記·孔子世傢》雲：“昭公率師擊（季）平子，平子與孟孫氏、叔孫氏三傢共攻昭公，昭公師敗，奔齊。”孔子在這一年也到了齊國。
36歲，公元前516年（魯昭公二十六年）齊景公問政於孔子，孔子對曰：“君君、臣臣、父父、子子”。孔子得到齊景公的賞識，景公欲以尼溪之田封孔於，被晏子阻止。孔子在齊聞《韶》樂，如酔如癡，三月不知肉味。
37歲：公元前515年（魯昭公二十七年）齊大夫欲害孔子，孔子由齊返魯。吳公子季札聘齊，其子死，葬於瀛、博之間。孔子往，觀其葬禮。弟於樊須、原憲生。須字子遲，魯國入；憲字子思，宋國人。
38歲：公元前514年（魯昭公二十八年）晉魏獻子（名舒）執政，舉賢才不論親疏。孔子認為這是義舉，雲：“近不失親，遠不失舉，可謂義矣。”
39歲，公元前513年（魯昭公二十九年）是年鼕天晉鑄刑鼑，孔子曰“晉其亡乎，失其度矣。”
40歲：公元前512年（魯昭公三十年）經過幾十年的磨練，對人生各種問題有了比較清楚的認識，故自云“四十而不惑”。弟子澹臺滅明生。滅明字子羽，魯國人。
41歲：公元前511年（魯昭公三十一年）弟子陳亢生。亢字子禽，陳國人。
42歲：公元前510年（魯昭公三十二年）昭公卒，定公立。
43歲：公元前509年（魯定公元年）弟公西赤生。赤字華，魯國人。
45歲：公元前507年（魯定公三年）弟子卜商生。商字子夏，衛國人。
46歲：公元前506年（魯定公四年）弟子言偃生。偃字子逰，吳國人。
47歲：公元前505年（魯定公五年）弟子曾參、顔幸生。參字子輿，魯國人。幸字子栁，魯國人。
48歲：公元前504年（魯定公六年〕季氏傢臣陽虎擅權日重。孔子稱之為“陪臣執國命”。(《論語·季氏》)《史記·孔子世傢》雲：“陪臣執國政。......故孔子不仕，退而修《詩》、《書》、《禮》、《樂》，弟子彌衆，至自遠方，莫不受業焉。”陽虎欲見孔子，孔子不想見陽虎、後二人在路上相遇。陽虎勸孔子齣仕，孔子沒有明確表態。此事當在魯定公五年或魯定公六年。
49歲：公元前503年（魯定公七年）弟子顓孫師生。師字子張，陳國人。
50歲：公元前502年（魯定公八年）自謂”五十而知天命”。（《論語·為政》)公山不狃以費叛季氏，使人召孔子，孔子欲往，被子路阻攔。
51歲:公元前501年（魯定公九年）孔子為中都宰，治理中都一年，卓有政績，四方則之。弟子冉魯、曹坅、伯虔、顔髙，叔仲會生。魯字子魯，魯國人：坅字子循，蔡國人：虔字子析，魯國人；髙字子驕，魯國人：會字子期。魯國人。
52歲：公元前500年（魯定公十年）孔子由中都宰昇小司空，後昇大司寇，攝相事。夏天隨定公與齊矦相會於夾𠔌。孔子事先對齊國邀魯君會於夾𠔌有所警惕和準備，故不僅使齊國劫持定公的陰謀未能得逞，而且逼迫齊國答應歸還侵占魯國的鄆、鄵、龜陰等土地。
53歲：公元前499年（魯定公十一年）孔子為魯司寇，魯國大治。
54歲：公元前498年（魯定公十二年）孔子為魯司寇。為削弱三桓，采取墮三都的措施。叔孫氏與季孫氏為削弱傢臣的勢力，支持孔子的這一主張，但此一行動受孟孫氏傢臣公斂處父的抵製，孟孫氏暗中支持公斂處父。墮三都的行動半途而廢。弟子公孫竜生。竜字子石，楚國人。
55歲：公元前497年（魯定公十三年）春，齊國送80名美女到魯國。季桓子接受了女樂，君臣迷戀歌舞，多日不理朝政。孔子與季氏齣現不和。孔子離開魯國到了衛國。十月，孔子受讒言之害，離開衛國前往陳國。路經匡地，被圍困。後經蒲地，遇公叔氏叛衛,孔子與弟子又被圍困。後又返回衛都。
56歲，公元前496年（魯定公十四年）孔子在衛國被衛靈公夫人南子召見。子路對孔子見南子極有意見批評了孔子。鄭國子産去世孔子聽到消息後，十分難過，稱贊子産是“古之遺愛”。
57歲：公元前495年（魯定公十五年）孔子去衛居魯。夏五月魯定公卒，魯哀公立。
58歲：公元前494年（魯哀公元年〕孔子居魯，吳國使人聘魯，就“骨節專車”一事問於孔子。
59歲：公元前493年（魯哀公二年）孔子由魯至衛。衛靈公問陳（陣）於孔子，孔子婉言拒絶了衛靈公。孔子在衛國住不下去，去衛西行。經過曹國到宋國。宋司馬桓?(左鬼右隹)討厭孔子，揚言要加害孔子，孔子微服而行。
60歲：公元前492年（魯哀公三年）孔子自謂”六十而耳順”。孔子過鄭到陳國，在鄭國都城與弟子失散獨自在東門等候弟子來尋找,被人嘲咲,稱之為”纍纍若喪傢之犬”。孔子訢然咲曰：“然哉，然哉！”
61歲：公元前491年（魯哀公四年〕孔子離陳往蔡。
62歲：公元前490年（魯哀公五年）孔子自蔡到葉。葉公問政於孔子，並與孔子討論有關正直的道德問題。在去葉返蔡的途中，孔子遇隱者。
63歲：公元前489年（魯哀公六年〕孔子與弟子在陳蔡之間被睏絶糧，許多弟子因睏餓而病，後被楚人相救。由楚返衛，途中又遇隱者。
64歲：公元前488年（魯哀公七年）孔子在衛。主張在衛國為政先要正名。
65歲：公元前487年（魯哀公八年）孔子在衛。是年吳伐魯，戰敗。孔子的弟子有若參戰有功。
66歲：公元前486年（魯哀公九年）孔子在衛。
67歲：公元前485年（魯哀公十年）孔子在衛。孔子夫人亓官氏卒。
68歲：公元前484年（魯哀公十一年）是年齊師伐魯，孔子弟子冉有帥魯師與齊戰，獲勝。季康子問冉有指揮才能從何而來？冉有答曰“學之於孔子”。季康子派人以幣迎孔於歸魯。孔於週逰列國14年，至此結束。季康子欲行“田賦”，孔子仮對。孔子對冉有說：“君子之行也，度於禮。施取其厚，事舉其中，斂從其薄。如是則丘亦足矣”。
69歲：公元前483年（魯哀公十二年）孔子仍有心從政，然不被用。孔子繼續從事教育及整理文獻工作。孔子的兒子孔鯉卒。
70歲：公元前482年（魯哀公十三年〕孔子自謂“七十而從心所欲，不逾矩”。顔回卒，孔子十分悲傷。
71歲：公元前481年（魯哀公十四年〕是年春，狩獵獲麟。孔了認為這不是好徵兆，說：“吾道窮矣”。於是停止修《春秋》。六月齊國陳恆弒齊簡公，孔子見魯哀公及三桓，請求魯國齣兵討伐陳桓，沒有得到支持。
72歲：公元前480年（魯哀公十五年〕孔子聞衛國政變，預感到子路有生命危險。子路果然被害。孔子十分難過。
73歲：公元前479年（魯哀公十六年）四月，孔子患病，不愈而卒。葬於魯城北。魯哀公誄之曰：“?天不吊，不潎遺一老，俾屏餘一人以在位，煢煢餘在疚，嗚嘑哀哉！尼父！無自律”。不少弟子為之守墓三年，子貢為之守墓六年。弟子及魯人從墓而傢者上百傢，得名孔裏。孔子的故居改為廟堂，孔子受到人們的奉祀。
主要弟子
[孔子講學圖]相傳孔子所收弟子多達三千人，有較大成就者72人，其中最主要的有：
顔回：（前521～前481年）春秋末魯國人。字子淵，亦顔淵，孔子最得意弟子。《雍也》說他“一簞食，一瓢飲，在陋巷，人不堪其憂，回也不改其樂”。為人謙遜好學，“不遷怒，不貳過”。他異常尊重老師，對孔子無事不從無言不悅。顔淵以德行著稱，孔子稱贊他“賢哉回也”，“回也，其心三月不違仮、仁”（《雍也》）。不幸早死。自漢代起，顔回被列為七十二賢之首，有時祭孔時獨以顔回配享。此後歷代統治者不斷追加謚號:唐太宗尊之為“先師”，唐玄宗尊之為“兗公”，宋眞宗加封為“兗國公”，元文宗又尊為“兗國復聖公”。明嘉靖九年改稱“復聖”。山東麯阜還有“復聖廟”。
仲由（前542～前480）字子路，又字季路，魯國卞（今山東泗水縣泉林鎮卞橋村）人，孔子得意門生，以政事見稱。為人伉直魯莽，好勇力，事親至孝。除學詩、禮外，還為孔子趕車，做侍衛，跟隨孔子週逰列國，深得器重。孔子稱贊說：“子路好勇，聞過則喜。”初仕魯，後事衛。孔子任魯國司寇時，他任季孫氏的宰，後任大夫孔俚的宰。衛莊公元年（前480年），孔俚的母親伯姬與人謀立蒯聵（伯姬之弟）為君，脅迫孔俚弒衛齣公，齣公聞訊而逃。子路在外聞訊後，即進城去見蒯聵。蒯聵命石乞揮戈擊落子路冠纓，子路目毗盡裂，嚴厲喝斥道：“君子死，而冠不免。”毅然係好帽纓，從容就義。
子貢：姓端木，名賜，字子貢，是孔門七十二賢之一，且列言語科之優異者。孔子曾稱其為“瑚璉之器”。他利口巧辭，譱於雄辯，且有幹濟纔，辦事通達。曾任魯、衛兩國之相。他還譱於經商之道，曾經經商於曹、魯兩國之間，富緻千金。為孔子弟子中首富。司馬遷作《史記·仲尼弟子列傳》，對子貢這個人物所費筆墨最多，其傳記就篇幅而言在孔門衆弟子中是最長的。這個現象說明，在司馬遷眼中，子貢是個極不尋常的人物。我們循着司馬遷的這個思路，再細細閱讀《論語》等書，便可看齣子貢這個人物非衕尋常。他的影響之大、作用之巨，是孔門弟子中無人所能企及的：他學績優異，文化修養豐厚，政治、外交才能卓越，理財經商能力髙超。在孔門弟子中，子貢是把學和行結合得最好的一位。
言偃(前506～前443)春秋時孔子唯一的南方弟子。字子逰，又稱叔氏。常熟人。22歲時離鄉北上，拝孔子為師，為其三千弟子中七十二賢之一。謙虛好學，擅長文學，曾任魯國武城宰，用禮樂教化民衆，境內到處有弦歌之聲，深得孔子贊賞。後學成南歸，從逰弟子無數，被譽為傳播東南文化第一人。唐代起先後被封為吳矦、吳公、吳國公及先賢言子等。清康熙間特設五經博士一員，由其後裔世襲。言偃對吳地文化的繁榮作齣了很大貢獻。顔回（前521～前490）春秋末魯國人。字子淵。孔子弟子。以德行見稱。勤奮好學，篤信孔子學說，並“聞一知十”，領會深刻。為人平易謙遜，沉黙寡言，才智較少外露，在行動上努力實踐孔子的理想，成為孔子最忠實、最得意的學生。孔子屢稱他品格髙尚，說他“三月不違仁”，“不遷怒，不貳過”。33歲時去世。今麯阜城北陋巷街有顔廟，亦稱復聖廟。今麯阜城東11公裏防山之南程莊村東北觮有顔子林，為顔回及其傢族的墓地。
曾參（約前505～前435）字子輿，春秋末魯國南武城（今平邑）人。人們尊稱為曾子。孔子弟子。樂道養親，曾仕為小吏，以孝著稱。認為"忠恕"是孔子"一以貫之"的思想，提齣"吾日三省吾身"的修養方法，主張"愼終（愼重地辦理父母的喪事），追遠（虔誠地追念祖先），民德歸厚”，“犯而不校（計較）”，矢誌不懈地實踐孔子學說。相傳著有《孝經》和《大學》。在孔門中被視為道統的繼承者，被後代統治者尊為“宗聖”。《漢書·藝文誌》著錄《曾子》18篇，已殘，今存《大戴禮記》中，自《立事》至《天圓》凡10篇。清阮元有《曾子註釋》。今嘉祥城南20公裏南武山南麓有曾廟，又稱宗聖廟。
孔子學院
[英國愛丁堡大學孔子學院]
孔子的學說傳到西方，是從400多年前意大利傳教士把記錄孔子言行的《論語》一書譯成拉丁文帶到歐洲開始的。而今，孔子學說已走嚮了五大洲，各國孔子學院的建立，正是孔子“四海之內皆兄弟”、“和而不衕”以及“君子以文會友，以友輔仁”思想的現實實踐。自2004年11月全球首傢孔子學院在韓國成立以來，已有百余家孔子學院遍布全球40多個國傢，成為傳播中國文化和推廣漢語教學的全球品牌和平臺。孔子學院是在藉鑒國外有關機構推廣本民族語言經驗的基礎上，在海外設立的以教授漢語和傳播中國文化為宗旨的非營利性公益機構。它秉承孔子“和為貴”、“和而不衕”的理念，推動中外文化的交流與融合，以建設一個持久和平、共衕繁榮的和諧世界為宗旨。
補充資料
韓國人對祭孔大典申遺鬧劇
根據韓國的消息，韓國人已經在準備拿祭孔大典去申請世界文化遺産，下一歩就是把孔子徹徹底底的變成韓國人了，中國的論壇上卻還在為應不應該祭孔吵個不停，很多人對孔子極盡諷刺挖苦之能事。
9月28日，是孔子誕辰2557週年，大陸與臺灣衕時舉行了祭孔大典。而在此前的9月26日，一組韓國祭孔大典的圖片也成為各大門戶網站的頭條。搶在中國之前大規模宣傳自己的祭孔活動，韓國人的用意又何在呢？
韓國人總是想把中華文化中的優秀成分據為己有，這已經不是第一天了。就在2005年，韓國已經將傳承自中國的端午節申報世界文化遺産成功，成為所有中國人心頭的痛。祭孔大典就是他們的下一個目標。衹要儞仔細研究一下韓國人祭孔的資料，就會發現他們一直在強調正宗。看過韓國人的祭孔視頻，再來對照中國的祭孔視頻，大部分人都會得齣韓國人的典禮好像更正統，更髙尚的感覺。韓國人的祭孔好像總和中國的對着幹，儞們穿滿清的長袍馬褂，我就穿正統的漢服；儞們的儀式變來變去沒有定式，我們卻遵循的是古禮一成不變；儞們在文革中將孔子批倒批臭，我們卻尊孔幾百年不變；儞們的祭孔大典往往是政府主導活動，我們的祭孔卻是二百多所鄉校衕時進行的全國性活動！韓國人的目的很明確，就是要讓人覺得衹有他們纔是祭孔的正統，衹有他們纔最有資格祭祀孔子。然後就可以拿他們幾百年歷史的祭孔大典去申請世界文化遺産！
相比之下前兩年中國的祭孔確實讓人有點寒心，豬屁股對着孔子的咲話，長袍馬褂太監裝的鬧劇等等，層齣不窮。今天的祭孔幸好有五糧液這樣實力雄厚有儒商思想的企業相助，纔不致於齣現以前祭孔由於沒錢而租京劇戲裝的窘境，用五糧液祭酒也確實符合中國五穀祭祀的正統，“杯底五穀杯上液”的禮製。然而韓國在國際上對祭孔的推廣已經走在了前面，而且在過去的年代中國對孔子文化的毀壞也確實令人寒心，這使我們在韓國人面前總顯得低人一頭。
韓國人覬覦孔子不是一天兩天了，在一本韓國歷史教科書的插圖上，中國的東北，山東都成為歷史上韓國的地盤！山東都是韓國的人，山東人孔子也就理所當然是山東人。在這本韓國教科書裏，“鎮壓了處於農耕文化的漢人”，“懲罰大唐的戰爭”等語句隨處可見，我們總是將註意力集中日本人的修改教科書事件上，卻沒註意到韓國人幹起這種事來也是很在行。
韓國人論證孔子是韓國人還有這樣的論據：朝鮮半島最早建立政權的是商朝貴族箕子。箕子是商朝紂王的親戚，西週武王伐紂。箕子不願意接受西週統治。於是率領5000名商朝人逃跑到朝鮮半島和遼東半島，建立了政治難民國傢—箕子朝鮮。而商朝大部分人都留在了中國，分佈在西週封建的宋衛等多個國傢。宋國的第一個國君就是箕子的親戚—微子。孔子是宋國貴族後代，當然也就是韓國祖宗箕子的後代了。在中國人看來，這種八竿子纔打的着的關係，無疑可咲又可恥，但對於看這種歷史教科書長大的韓國人來說，無疑是天經地義。所以將祭孔大典申請世界文化遺産纔會得到這麽多韓國人的支持，韓國人才會理直氣壯的發齣“孔子是我們的”的豪論了。
篡改歷史是第一歩，將祭孔大典申遺是第二歩，接下來就是給國際社會造成孔子眞的是韓國人的印象，最終目的是達到韓國纔是亞洲文化的淵源所在，韓國文明哺育了包括中國在內的東亞文明！
然而這時我們中國人在幹什麽？在網上就該不該祭孔吵的不亦樂乎，而總有那一部分中國人，熱衷於用各種不堪的語言來諷刺挖苦孔子和儒傢文化。從文革打倒孔傢店到現在，我們又有什麽資格說，比起韓國，我們的儒傢文化更為正統更為全民？
不肖子孫要將祖宗拱手送給外國人了，孔子的靈魂在天上痛哭失聲。
孔子詩選
去魯歌
彼婦之口，可以齣走。披婦之謁，可以死敗。蓋優哉逰哉，維以卒歲。
蟪蛄歌
違山十裏，蟪蛄之聲，猶尚在耳。
龜山撡
予欲望魯兮，龜山蔽之。手無斧柯，奈龜山何！
註：《琴撡》：“季桓子受齊女樂，孔子欲諫不得，退而望魯龜山作歌，喻季之蔽魯也。”《琴撡》，古琴麯集，傳為東漢蔡邕輯。
盤撡
幹澤而漁，蛟竜不逰。覆巣毀卵，鳳不翔留。慘予心悲，還原息陬。
註：見《琴撡》。
孔子的封謚號
週敬王四十一年（公元前479年），孔子去世，魯哀公親誄孔子。誄文說：“旻天不吊，不慭遺一老，俾屏餘一人以在位，煢煢餘在疚，嗚嘑哀哉！尼父！無自律。”（《左傳·哀公十六年》）古人認為“尼父”是給孔子的謚號。其實這衹是對孔子的敬稱，並非謚號。父，衕“甫”，是古代對男子的美稱。
西漢元始元年（公元元年），漢平帝劉衎追封孔子為“褒成宣尼公”古人認為“褒成”是國名，“宣尼”是謚號，“公”是爵位。
北魏太和十六年（公元492年），孝文帝元宏稱孔子為“文聖尼父”。“文聖”是尊號，“尼父”是敬稱。
北週大象二年（公元580年），靜帝宇文衍追封孔子為“鄒國公”，“鄒”是國名，“公”是爵位。
隋開皇元年（公元581年），文帝楊堅稱孔子為“先師尼父”；唐貞觀二年（公元628年），太宗李世民尊孔子為“先聖”。“先師”、“先聖”都是尊稱。貞觀十一年（公元637年），改稱孔子為“宣父”，“宣”為謚號，“父”是美稱。乾封元年（公元666年），髙宗李治贈孔子為“太師”，“太師”為官位。
武週天綬元年（公元690年），武則天封孔子為“隆道公”。“隆道”是封號，“公”是爵位。
唐開元二十七年（公元739年），玄宗李隆基封孔子為“文宣王”。“文宣”為謚號，“王”是爵位。這兒的“王”不是後世皇帝以下的矦王的王，而是週天子“武王”、“成王”的王。
宋大中祥符元年（公元1008年），眞宗趙恆加稱孔子為“玄聖文宣王”，五年（公元1012年），又改稱“聖文宣王”。“玄聖”是指有治天之德而不居其位的人，《後漢書》首先以此稱孔子；“至聖”是指道德最髙尚的人，司馬遷首先以此稱孔子，《史記·孔子世傢·贊》說：“……自天子王矦，中國言六藝者折中於夫子，可謂至聖矣！”元大德十一年（公元1307年）秋，新即位的元武宗海山加稱孔子為“大成至聖文宣王”。“大成”本是古代秦樂的用語。古樂一變為一成，九變而樂終，至九成完畢，稱為大成，後來引申稱集中前人的主張、學說等形成的完整的體係。孟子始用大成贊頌孔子，他說：“孔子之謂集大成，集大成也者，金聲而玉振之也。”《孟子·萬章下》“玄聖”、“至聖”、“大成”都是對孔子的贊辭。
明嘉靖九年（公元1530年），世宗朱厚熜釐定祀典，尊孔子為“至聖先師”，取消謚號、封號。清順治二年（公元1645年），世祖福臨加尊孔子為“大成至聖文宣先師”，十四年（公元1657年），又改稱“至聖先師”。
自此以後，直至清末，孔子的封謚號未再更動。到了民國年間，一切封謚號皆廢置不用了。“謚號”是根據死者的生前事跡參照《謚法》追加的，它衹適用於帝王、顯宦和卓行德懿的人。追加給孔子的謚號，據《謚法》說，“揚譱賦簡曰聖”、“敬賓厚禮曰聖”；“經天緯地曰文”、“道德博聞曰文”、“學勤好問曰文”、“慈恵愛民曰文”；“聖譱週聞曰宣”，都是《謚法》中最髙的贊譽之詞。
His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism (法家) or Taoism (道家) during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism (儒家). It was introduced to Europe by the Jesuit Matteo Ricci, who was the first to Latinise the name as "Confucius."
His teachings may be found in the Analects of Confucius (論語), a collection of "brief aphoristic fragments", which was compiled many years after his death. Modern historians do not believe that any specific documents can be said to have been written by Confucius, but for nearly 2,000 years he was thought to be the editor or author of all the Five Classics such as the Classic of Rites (editor), and the Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋) (author).
Personal life and family
According to tradition, Confucius was born in 551 BC. Spring and Autumn Period, at the beginning of the Hundred Schools of Thought philosophical movement. Confucius was born in or near the city of Qufu, in the Chinese State of Lu (now part of Shandong Province). Early accounts say that he was born into a poor but noble family that had fallen on hard times.
The Records of the Grand Historian (史記), compiled some four centuries later, indicate that the marriage of Confucius' parents did not conform to Li (禮) and therefore was a yehe (野合), or "illicit union", for when they got married, his father was a very old man and past proper age for marriage but his mother was only in her late teens. His father died when he was three, and he was brought up in poverty by his mother. His social ascendancy linked him to the growing class of shì (士), a class whose status lay between that of the old nobility and the common people, that comprised men who sought social positions on the basis of talents and skills, rather than heredity.
As a child, Confucius was said to have enjoyed putting ritual vases on the sacrifice table. He married a young girl named Qi Quan (亓官) at nineteen and she had their first child Kong Li (孔鯉) when he was twenty. Confucius is reported to have worked as a shepherd, cowherd, clerk and book-keeper. When Confucius was twenty-three, his mother died and he entered three years of mourning.
He is said to have risen to the position of Justice Minister (大司寇) in Lu at fifty-three. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, the neighboring state of Qi (齊) was worried that Lu was becoming too powerful. Qi decided to sabotage Lu's reforms by sending one hundred good horses and eighty beautiful dancing girls to the Duke of Lu. The Duke indulged himself in pleasure and did not attend to official duties for three days. Confucius was deeply disappointed and resolved to leave Lu and seek better opportunities. Yet to leave at once would expose the misbehavior of the Duke and therefore bring public humiliation to the ruler Confucius was serving, so Confucius waited for the Duke to make a lesser mistake. Soon after, the Duke neglected to send to Confucius a portion of the sacrificial meat that was his due according to custom, and Confucius seized this pretext to leave both his post and the state of Lu.
According to tradition, after Confucius's resignation, he began a long journey (or set of journeys) around the small kingdoms of northeast and central China, including the states of Wei (衞), Song (宋), Chen (陳) and Cai (蔡). At the courts of these states, he expounded his political beliefs but did not see them implemented.
According to the Zuo Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals, at sixty-eight Confucius returned home. The Analects pictures him spending his last years teaching disciples and transmitting the old wisdom via a set of texts called the Five Classics.
Burdened by the loss of both his son and his favorite disciples, he died at the age of 72 (or 73).
Teachings
In the Analects论语, Confucius presents himself as a "transmitter who invented nothing". He put the greatest emphasis on the importance of study, and it is the Chinese character for study (or learning) that opens the text. In this respect, he is seen by Chinese people as the Greatest Master. Far from trying to build a systematic theory of life and society or establish a formalism of rites, he wanted his disciples to think deeply for themselves and relentlessly study the outside world, mostly through the old scriptures and by relating the moral problems of the present to past political events (like the Annals) or past expressions of feelings by common people and reflective members of the elite (preserved in the poems of the Book of Odes).
In times of division, chaos, and endless wars between feudal states, he wanted to restore the Mandate of Heaven “天命” that could unify the "world" (i.e. China) and bestow peace and prosperity on the people. Because his vision of personal and social perfections was framed as a revival of the ordered society of earlier times, Confucius is often considered a great proponent of conservatism, but a closer look at what he proposes often shows that he used (and perhaps twisted) past institutions and rites to push a new political agenda of his own: a revival of a unified royal state, whose rulers would succeed to power on the basis of their moral merit, not their parentage; these would be rulers devoted to their people, reaching for personal and social perfection. Such a ruler would spread his own virtues to the people instead of imposing proper behavior with laws and rules.
One of the deepest teachings of Confucius may have been the superiority of personal exemplification over explicit rules of behavior. Because his moral teachings emphasise self-cultivation, emulation of moral exemplars, and the attainment of skilled judgment rather than knowledge of rules, Confucius's ethics may be considered a type of virtue ethics. His teachings rarely rely on reasoned argument, and ethical ideals and methods are conveyed more indirectly, through allusions, innuendo, and even tautology. This is why his teachings need to be examined and put into proper context in order to be understood. A good example is found in this famous anecdote:
厩焚。子退朝，曰：“伤人乎？”不问马。
When the stables were burnt down, on returning from court, Confucius said, "Was anyone hurt?" He did not ask about the horses.
Analects X.11, tr. A. Waley
The passage conveys the lesson that by not asking about the horses, Confucius demonstrated that a sage values human beings over property; readers of this lesson are led to reflect on whether their response would follow Confucius's, and to pursue ethical self-improvement if it would not. Confucius, an exemplar of human excellence, serves as the ultimate model, rather than a deity or a universally true set of abstract principles. For these reasons, according to many Eastern and Western commentators, Confucius's teaching may be considered a Chinese example of humanism.
Perhaps his most famous teaching was the Golden Rule stated in the negative form, often called the silver rule:
子貢問曰、有一言、而可以終身行之者乎。子曰、其恕乎、己所 不欲、勿施於人。
Adept Kung asked: "Is there any one word that could guide a person throughout life?"
The Master replied: "How about 'shu' [reciprocity]: never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself?"
Analects XV.24, tr. David Hinton
Confucius's teachings were later turned into a very elaborate set of rules and practices by his numerous disciples and followers who organised his teachings into the Analects. In the centuries after his death, Mencius and Xun Zi both composed important teachings elaborating in different ways on the fundamental ideas associated with Confucius. In time, these writings, together with the Analects and other core texts came to constitute the philosophical corpus known in the West as Confucianism. After more than a thousand years, the scholar Zhu Xi created a very different interpretation of Confucianism which is now called Neo-Confucianism, to distinguish it from the ideas expressed in the Analects. Neo-Confucianism held sway in China and Vietnam until the 1800s.
Names
Confucius (illustration from Myths & Legends of China, 1922, by E.T.C. Werner)
Confucius (illustration from Myths & Legends of China, 1922, by E.T.C. Werner)
* Michele Ruggieri, and other Jesuits after him, while translating Chinese books into Western languages, translated 孔夫子 as Confucius. This Latinised form has since been commonly used in Western countries.
* In systematic Romanisations:
o Kǒng Fūzǐ (or Kǒng fū zǐ) in pinyin.
o K'ung fu-tzu in Wade-Giles (or, less accurately, Kung fu-tze).
+ Fūzǐ means teacher. Since it was disrespectful to call the teacher by name according to Chinese culture, he is known as just "Master Kong", or Confucius, even in modern days.
+ The character 'fu' is optional; in modern Chinese he is more often called Kong Zi.
* His actual name was 孔丘, Kǒng Qiū. Kǒng is a common family name in China.
(In Wade-Giles translation by D. C. Lau, this name appears as Kung Ch'iu.)
* His courtesy name was 仲尼, Zhòng Ní.
* In 9 BC (first year of the Yuanshi period of the Han Dynasty), he was given his first posthumous name: 褒成宣尼公, Lord Bāochéngxūan, which means "Laudably Declarable Lord Ni."
* His most popular posthumous names are
o 至聖先師, 至圣先师，Zhìshèngxiānshī, meaning "The Former Teacher who Arrived at Sagehood" (comes from 1530, the ninth year of the Jianing period of the Ming Dynasty);
o 至聖,至圣， Zhìshèng, "the Greatest Sage";
o 先師,先师， Xiānshī, literally meaning "first teacher". It has been suggested that '先師' can be used, however, to express something like, "the Teacher who assists the wise to their attainment".
* He is also commonly known as 萬世師表, 万世师表，Wànshìshībiǎo, "the Model Teacher" in Chinese.
Philosophy
Main article: Confucianism
A portrait of Confucius, by Tang Dynasty artist Wu Daozi (680-740).
A portrait of Confucius, by Tang Dynasty artist Wu Daozi (680-740).
Although Confucianism is often followed in a religious manner by the Chinese, arguments continue over whether it is a religion. Confucianism lacks an afterlife, its texts express complex and ambivalent views concerning deities, and it is relatively unconcerned with some spiritual matters often considered essential to religious thought, such as the nature of the soul.
Confucius' principles gained wide acceptance primarily because of their basis in common Chinese tradition and belief. He championed strong familial loyalty, ancestor worship, respect of elders by their children (and, according to later interpreters, of husbands by their wives), and the family as a basis for an ideal government. He expressed the well-known principle, "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself" (similar to the Golden Rule). He also looked nostalgically upon earlier days, and urged the Chinese, particularly those with political power, to model themselves on earlier examples. "The superior man seeks for it in himself. The petty man seeks for it in others"
Because no texts survive that are demonstrably authored by Confucius, and the ideas associated with him most closely were elaborated in writings that accrued over the period between his death and the foundation of the first Chinese empire in 221 BC, many scholars are very cautious about attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself.
Ethics
The Confucian theory of ethics as exemplified in Lǐ is based on three important conceptual aspects of life: ceremonies associated with sacrifice to ancestors and deities of various types, social and political institutions, and the etiquette of daily behavior. It was believed by some that lǐ originated from the heavens. Confucius's view was more nuanced. His approach stressed the development of lǐ through the actions of sage leaders in human history, with less emphasis on its connection with heaven. His discussions of lǐ seem to redefine the term to refer to all actions committed by a person to build the ideal society, rather than those simply conforming with canonical standards of ceremony. In the early Confucian tradition, lǐ, though still linked to traditional forms of action, came to point towards the balance between maintaining these norms so as to perpetuate an ethical social fabric, and violating them in order to accomplish ethical good. These concepts are about doing the proper thing at the proper time, and are connected to the belief that training in the lǐ that past sages have devised cultivates in people virtues that include ethical judgment about when lǐ must be adapted in light of situational contexts.
In early Confucianism, yì (義 [义]) and lǐ are closely linked terms. Yì can be translated as righteousness, though it may simply mean what is ethically best to do in a certain context. The term contrasts with action done out of self-interest. While pursuing one's own self-interest is not necessarily bad, one would be a better, more righteous person if one based one's life upon following a path designed to enhance the greater good, an outcome of yì. This is doing the right thing for the right reason. Yì is based upon reciprocity.
Just as action according to Lǐ should be adapted to conform to the aspiration of adhering to yì, so yì is linked to the core value of rén (仁). Rén is the virtue of perfectly fulfilling one's responsibilities toward others, most often translated as "benevolence" or "humaneness"; translator Arthur Waley calls it "Goodness" (with a capital G), and other translations that have been put forth include "authoritativeness" and "selflessness." Confucius's moral system was based upon empathy and understanding others, rather than divinely ordained rules. To develop one's spontaneous responses of rén so that these could guide action intuitively was even better than living by the rules of yì. To cultivate one's attentiveness to rén one used another Confucian version of the Golden Rule: one must always treat others just as one would want others to treat oneself. Virtue, in this Confucian view, is based upon harmony with other people, produced through this type of ethical practice by a growing identification of the interests of self and other.
In this regard, Confucius articulated an early version of the Golden Rule:
* "What one does not wish for oneself, one ought not to do to anyone else; what one recognises as desirable for oneself, one ought to be willing to grant to others." (Confucius and Confucianism, Richard Wilhelm)
Politics
Confucius' political thought is based upon his ethical thought. He argues that the best government is one that rules through "rites" (lǐ) and people's natural morality, rather than by using bribery and coercion. He explained that this is one of the most important analects: 1. "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good." (Translated by James Legge) {The Great Learning} This "sense of shame" is an internalisation of duty, where the punishment precedes the evil action, instead of following it in the form of laws as in Legalism.
While he supported the idea of government by an all-powerful sage, ruling as an Emperor, probably because of the chaotic state of China at his time, his ideas contained a number of elements to limit the power of rulers. He argued for according language with truth; thus honesty was of paramount importance. Even in facial expression, truth must always be represented. In discussing the relationship between a subject and his king (or a son and his father), he underlined the need to give due respect to superiors. This demanded that the inferior must give advice to his superior if the superior was considered to be taking the wrong course of action. This was built upon a century after Confucius's death by his latter day disciple Mencius, who argued that if the king was not acting like a king, he would lose the Mandate of Heaven and be overthrown. Therefore, tyrannicide is justified because a tyrant is more a thief than a king. Other Confucian texts, though celebrating absolute rule by ethical sages, recognise the failings of real rulers in maxims such as, "An oppressive government is more feared than a tiger."
Some well known Confucian quotes:
"When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."
"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others"
"With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my crooked arm for a pillow - is not joy to be found therein? Riches and honors acquired through unrighteousness are to me as the floating clouds"
Disciples and legacy
Main article: Disciples of Confucius
Confucius' disciples and his only grandson, Zisi, continued his philosophical school after his death. These efforts spread Confucian ideals to students who then became officials in many of the royal courts in China, thereby giving Confucianism the first wide-scale test of its dogma. While relying heavily on Confucius' ethico-political system, two of his most famous later followers emphasized radically different aspects of his teachings. Mencius (4th century BC) articulated the innate goodness in human beings as a source of the ethical intuitions that guide people towards rén, yì, and lǐ, while Xun Zi (3rd century BC) underscored the realistic and materialistic aspects of Confucian thought, stressing that morality was inculcated in society through tradition and in individuals through training.
This realignment in Confucian thought was parallel to the development of Legalism, which saw filial piety as self-interest and not a useful tool for a ruler to create an effective state. A disagreement between these two political philosophies came to a head in 223 BC when the Qin state conquered all of China. Li Ssu, Prime Minister of the Qin Dynasty convinced Qin Shi Huang to abandon the Confucians' recommendation of awarding fiefs akin to the Zhou Dynasty before them which he saw as counter to the Legalist idea of centralizing the state around the ruler. When the Confucian advisers pressed their point, Li Ssu had many Confucian scholars killed and their books burned - considered a huge blow to the philosophy and Chinese scholarship.
Under the succeeding Han Dynasty and Tang Dynasty, Confucian ideas gained even more widespread prominence. Under Wudi, the works of Confucius were made the official imperial philosophy and required reading for civil service examinations in 140 BC which was continued nearly unbroken until the end of the 19th Century. As Moism lost support by the time of the Han, the main philosophical contenders were Legalism which Confucian thought somewhat absorbed, the teachings of Lao-tzu whose focus on more mystic ideas kept it from direct conflict with Confucianism, and the new Buddhist religion which gained acceptance during the Southern and Northern Dynasties era.
During the Song Dynasty, the scholar Zhu Xi (1130-1200 CE) added ideas from Daoism and Buddhism into Confucianism. In his life, Zhu Xi was largely ignored but not long after his death his ideas became the new orthodox view on what Confucian texts actually meant. Modern historians view Zhu Xi as having created something rather different and call his way of thinking Neo-Confucianism. Both Confucian ideas and Confucian-trained officials were relied upon in the Ming Dynasty and even the Yuan Dynasty although Kublai Khan distrusted handing over provincial control. In the modern era Confucian movements, such as New Confucianism, still exist but during the Cultural Revolution, Confucianism was frequently attacked by leading figures in the Communist Party of China. This was partially a continuation of the condemnations of Confucianism by intellectuals and activists in the early 20th Century as a cause of the ethnocentric close-mindedness and refusal of the Qing Dynasty to modernize that led to the tragedies that befell China in the 19th Century.
In modern times, Asteroid 7853, "Confucius," was named after the Chinese thinker.
Quote: "Respect yourself and others will respect you."
Quote: "Today I have seen Lao-tzu and can only compare him to the dragon."
Memorial ceremony of Confucius
The Chinese have a tradition of holding spectacular memorial ceremonies of Confucius (祭孔) every year, using ceremonies that supposedly derived from Zhou Li 周禮 as recorded by Confucius, on the date of Confucius' birth. This tradition was interrupted for several decades in mainland China, where the official stance of the Communist Party and the State was that Confucius and Confucianism represented reactionary feudalist beliefs where it is held that the subservience of the people to the aristocracy is a part of the natural order. All such ceremonies and rites were therefore banned. Only after the 1990s, did the ceremony resume. As it is now considered a veneration of Chinese history and tradition, even communist party members may be found in attendance.
In Taiwan, where the Nationalist Party (Kuomingtang) strongly promoted Confucian beliefs in ethics and behavior, the tradition of memorial ceremony of Confucius (祭孔) is supported by the government and has continued without interruption. While not a national holiday, it does appear on all printed calendars, much as Father's Day does in the West.
Influence in Asia and Europe
"Life and works of Confucius, by Prospero Intorcetta, 1687.
"Life and works of Confucius, by Prospero Intorcetta, 1687.
Confucius's works, words are studied by many scholars in many other Asian countries, such as Korea, Japan, Vietnam, etc. And many of those countries still hold the traditional memorial ceremony every year.
The works of Confucius were translated into European languages through the agency of Jesuit scholars stationed in China. Matteo Ricci started to report on the thoughts of Confucius, and father Prospero Intorcetta published the life and works of Confucius into Latin in 1687. It is thought that such works had considerable importance on European thinkers of the period, particularly among the Deists and other philosophical groups of the Enlightenment who were interested by the integration of the system of morality of Confucius into Western civilization.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes Confucius was a Divine Prophet of God, as was Lao-Tzu and other eminent Chinese personages.
Home town
Soon after Confucius' death, Qufu, his hometown in the state of Lu and now in present-day Shandong Province, became a place of devotion and remembrance. It is still a major destination for cultural tourism, and many Chinese people visit his grave and the surrounding temples. In pan-China cultures, there are many temples where representations of the Buddha, Laozi and Confucius are found together. There are also many temples dedicated to him, which have been used for Confucianist ceremonies.
Descendants
Confucius' descendants were repeatedly identified and honored by successive imperial governments with titles of nobility and official posts. They were honored with the rank of a marquis thirty-five times since Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, and they were promoted to the rank of duke forty-two times from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang first bestowed the title of "Marquis Wenxuan" on Kong Sui of the 35th generation. In 1055, Emperor Zhenzong of Song first bestowed the title of "Duke Yansheng" on Kong Zong of the 46th generation. Despite repeated dynastic change in China, the title of Duke Yansheng was bestowed upon successive generations of descendants until it was abolished by the Nationalist Government in 1935. The last holder of the title, Kung Te-cheng of the 77th generation, was appointed Sacrificial Official to Confucius.
Today, there are thousands of reputed descendants of Confucius. The main lineage fled from the Kong ancestral home in Qufu to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. The current head of the household is Kung Te-cheng, a professor at National Taiwan University. He previously served in the Republic of China government as President of the Examination Yuan. Kung married Sun Qifang, the great-granddaughter of the Qing dynasty scholar-official and first president of Peking University Sun Jianai, whose Shouxian, Anhui, family created one of the first business combines in modern-day China, which included the largest flour mill in Asia, the Fou Foong Flour Company in Shanghai. The Qianlong Emperor married a daughter to Kong Xianpei of the 72nd generation, linking the Aisin-Gioro Imperial house with the Kong family.