Philosophy - Who Was Confucius, And Why Do People Still Quote Him?
Who was Confucius, and why do people still quote him?
Confucius (551–479 B.C.) was a Chinese philosopher and founder of the Confucian school of thought, which greatly influenced political and social life in China. Hundreds of millions of people still rely on Confucius's writings as a guide to living because they are able to relate to his teachings. Until the twentieth century, Confucianism was the state religion of China.
Confucius (real name K'ung Ch'iu), who had grown up in humble circumstances, worked as a tax collector for the Chinese government. Eventually he became disenchanted with leaders who put personal desires above the needs of the common people, many of whom suffered from intense poverty. Confucius finally quit his post and became a traveling sage (teacher), preaching that good leaders must be ethical. Although he hoped to put his teachings into practice by working as an adviser to...
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