Confucius

Confucius:

Confucius, born in 551 B.C. was given birth to in a noble but poor family. He lost his mother at a young age and grew up in a time of war and hardship. This made him disapprove of society at that time. He felt that the leaders of China were unjust, selfish and only interested in gaining power and riches for themselves.

Like all the other philosophers of his time, Confucius wanted to develop a peaceful country. He believed that a ruler should treat his subjects and his people with care as if they were part of a family; and the people in turn should respect their rulers. Within the family, he believed that the parents should be loving to their children and the children respectful to their parents. Confucius also believed that everyone had a part to play in society, and that he/she should therefore perform his duties well as to contribute to helping the country attain peace and harmony.

During his lifetime, he travelled to various parts of China trying to convince rulers and lords to follow his teachings. Although most of the rulers treated him with respect and courtesy, few paid heed to his words for they were to busy fighting one another.

A few hundred years later however, the Chinese realised the good sense of his teachings and made them into compulsory subject for everyone who went ot school. His teachings even became an important part of the imperial examinations later under the rule of Han Wudi. All his ideas were put into a book called the 'Analects', and Confucius became known as 'the Master'. (Today, although few, there are people who still celebrate the birthday of Confucius.)