The Analects of Confucius is the main work to understand his thoughts.
[Editor] Ideological core
[Editor] Metaphysics
Zi Gong said, "The nature of Confucius' words and the nature of heaven are unknown. "This seems to give people the impression that Confucius avoids metaphysics. When he asked Luz, "If you don't know life, how can you know death? When he told Fan Chi to "stay away from ghosts and gods", Confucius really paid more attention to the world and the coast. At this point, he is like a moderate skeptic. However, "the unity of heaven and man" is a very important proposition of early Confucianism, which can be described as the origin of the discussion on the relationship between heaven and man in later generations. Many people think that Confucius' way of life has been integrated into Yi Zhuan, but it is still inconclusive whether Yi Zhuan was written by Confucius.
[Editor] Life realm
Benevolence is a proposition repeatedly discussed by Confucius and his disciples. Once, Fan Chi asked about this, and Confucius said, "Love." Many scholars have pointed out that benevolence is not indiscriminate love, but the so-called love is different. However, many people insist that the principle of charity lies in fraternity. Yan Yuan once asked Ren, and Confucius told him that "self-denial is benevolence". The explanation of this sentence is also controversial, but at least it shows the importance of courtesy. However, Confucius also said, "If people are unkind, what is a gift?" It can be seen that propriety is the external norm and benevolence is the internal virtue. According to the principle of benevolence, people spread and strengthen the natural kinship, push themselves and others, and get along with others from near to far. So Confucius attached great importance to filial piety. He said, "If you are filial, what is the basis of benevolence?" ? ! "When Zhong Gong asked Ren, Confucius said," When you go out, you will meet a big guest and make the people like a big sacrifice. Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you. "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you" is exactly what Confucius said to Zi Gong, and he can abide by it all his life. Forgiveness is a basic principle. Confucius said to Zeng Shen, "My way is consistent", and Ceng Zi understood: "The only way for a master is loyalty and forgiveness. "
Although a gentleman and a villain are distinguished by their status, Confucius does not think that this is the only difference, but more importantly, it lies in cultivation and realm. Confucius has many explanations for this. For example, he said, "A gentleman is moderate, but a villain is anti-moderate." The doctrine of the mean ("impartiality, no fault") is the highest realm of self-cultivation, and it is also a subtle method with rich connotations. In the past hundred years, many people hate the golden mean, which is probably misunderstood as a hypocrite's collusion with evil, flattering the world and unprincipled behavior. In fact, this kind of homesickness is exactly what Confucius hates. He said: "Homecoming is also a thief of virtue." In his view, if we can't reach the golden mean, madness is the second best realm. After all, "crazy people make progress, and stubborn people make a difference." Confucius said again:
"A gentleman is figurative, and a villain is figurative."
"A gentleman is knowledgeable in writing, but he makes an appointment with courtesy."
"Quality is better than literature, literature is better than history, gentle, and then a gentleman." (balance between simplicity and literary talent)
"Sentence magnanimous, a petty man is anxious and worried.. (Be swayed by considerations of gain and loss) "
"A gentleman doesn't worry about not having enough to eat, living a peaceful life, being sensitive, being cautious and being honest. It can be said that he is eager to learn. "
"Scholar's way three: the benevolent is not worried, the knower is not confused, and the brave is not afraid."
"A gentleman doesn't attract people with words, and he doesn't waste words with others."
"A gentleman is Thai (comfortable) but not arrogant (arrogant), and a villain is arrogant but not Thai."
[Editor] Political order
Correcting the name is the most important political proposition of Confucius. At first, Qi Jinggong asked Confucius about politics, and he replied, "Jun Jun, minister, father and son." Later, in Wei, he took pains to talk about: "If the name is not correct, the words are not smooth, then things are not smooth, then things are not smooth, then music is not smooth, then the punishment is not correct, and the people are not happy." It can be seen that the purpose of rectifying names is to maintain a well-ordered society so that people can follow certain norms instead of living in an unpredictable state. Many people think that Confucius wants to restore the rites and music of the Western Zhou Dynasty, while others think that he only advocates a new world order in the name of restoring the past.
For Confucius, faith is not only a personal virtue, but also a basic political principle. When Zigong asked about the main points of politics, Confucius said, "Eat enough and have enough soldiers, and the people will believe." The most important thing is the third point. He said: "Death has existed since ancient times, and people cannot stand without faith."
[Editor] Teaching and educating people
[Editor] 3000 Disciples 72 Sages
According to historical records, Confucius had 3,000 disciples, of whom 72 were proficient in six arts, called "seventy-two sages".
Outstanding virtues are: Yan Hui, Min Loss, Ran Geng and ran yong.
Prominent in politics are: Ran Qiu and Zhong You.
Highlights of the speech are: kill me, stop talking.
Outstanding writers in literature are: Shang Bo, Shi Chuansun, Zeng Shen, Tan Taiming, Yuan Xian, Zhang Gongye, You Ruo and Gong Xichi.
After the death of Confucius, "seventy disciples wandered around the princes, the eldest son was Qing Xiang, the master, and the second son was a friend of the literati." In this way, it broke the aristocratic monopoly of Shi Qingshilu system politically, and created conditions for the autocratic monarch to freely appoint and dismiss the bureaucratic system of Buyi Qing Xiang.
[Editor] Collation and revision of ancient books
According to legend, The Spring and Autumn Annals was written by Confucius (Mencius Teng Wengong: "Confucius wrote The Spring and Autumn Annals, and traitors are afraid"). It uses the brushwork of Spring and Autumn Annals to express meaning and entrust Confucius' political ideal. (Now it is generally believed that the Spring and Autumn Annals is a new work that Confucius entrusted with his political ideals after editing Lu's original national historical materials, and a few scholars think that the Spring and Autumn Annals was not compiled by Confucius. The time recorded in the book Spring and Autumn Annals (722 BC to 48 BC1year) is called the Spring and Autumn Period. Confucius' disciples and their disciples compiled their theories into a book in order to study the Analects, the most important document in Confucius' thought. The Book of Rites, which was finalized in the Han Dynasty, also recorded Confucius' thoughts (such as Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean). ), and the book Confucius' Family Tales, which records Confucius' thoughts, is traditionally considered to be false, and has gradually gained academic attention in recent years. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu combined The Analects of Confucius with The Book of Rites, Daxue and The Doctrine of the Mean to write Mencius, which reflected the thought of Yasheng, the greatest representative of Confucianism after that. Four Books, together with The Book of Songs, Shangshu, Book of Rites, Yijing and Chunqiu, are the core classics of Confucianism.