The man who is known in Europe as Confucius has always been called Kun Qiu in China. However, the peculiarities of Chinese pronunciation lead to several types of transcription: Kung Fu-Tzu, Kun Tzu or Zi simply. The latter, by the way, translates as "teacher." Confucius, whose biography is now one of the most authoritative spiritual sources for the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, was the greatest ancient Chinese thinker, sage and founder of the philosophical system that received his name. The main provisions of this teaching were the ethical ideas of the ancient Chinese and the natural human need for happiness and prosperity.
Confucius: a brief biography
This man was born around 551 BC. e. in the modern province of Shandong (then Qufu). Confucius, whose biography has been studied as carefully as historical sources have come to us, was a descendant of an impoverished aristocratic family. His father was an elderly official. From childhood, the boy knew hard work and need. However, curiosity, natural industriousness and the desire to break out into people pushed him to constant self-education and self-improvement.
Confucius, whose biography is full of adversity and difficult trials, in his youth worked as a caretaker of state lands and warehouses. However, already at the age of 22, he began to engage in what was later defined as his vocation - private education. We must not forget that education has always been highly regarded in China. Promotion through the career ladder was unthinkable without passing special exams. Soon the young man became famous throughout the Middle Kingdom. The private school he founded was open to all, regardless of material wealth or noble origin. Confucius, whose biography is filled with many parables and stories about the relationship between teacher and students, did not do any other business until a very respectable age. Only at the age of 50 does he fall into public service. However, soon intrigues force him to leave this business, after which he has been traveling around China for thirteen years accompanied by his students. During his travels, he made constant visits to the rulers of various areas, bringing to them his own ethical, moral, and political teachings. However, the ideas of Confucius in those years were not as popular as they were yet to become. In 484 BC e. he settles in the city of Lu. Since that time, the great thinker was engaged only in teaching.
Tradition about him says that the philosophy of Confucius is becoming more and more popular in China. The number of his students is approaching three thousand. Of these, about seventy were approximate. The twelve have always relentlessly followed their mentor. Even twenty-six students of the great thinker are known by name. In parallel with this case, Confucius was engaged in the distribution of books. In 479 BC e. the great philosopher overtook death. According to legend, this happened on the banks of a quiet river, in the shadow of branches and foliage of a sweeping tree.
