 Who is a truly educated person and at what point in our life do we become well educated? Is it after we earn a college degree or get a high paying job in a large corporation or get elected to political office? All of these things are within the reach of an educated person but they do not define a well educated person. Education should not be confused with related concepts such as knowledge and schooling. Education sometimes happens in school and knowledge can be a sign of education but neither of them is education itself. Across cultures philosophers have articulated the meaning and purpose of education. In fact the foundations of our civilization and the progress of individuals depends on the quality of education. The way we preserve and transmit our traditions, values and religious beliefs is through education. This video is about the teachings of Confucius who emphasize that education is a lifelong process. Learning is the way to acquire virtues in life and education is the path to moral excellence which is central for building a harmonious society. So who was Confucius and what did he teach? Confucius is China's most revered master and his teachings for harmonious living are deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. Confucius was born in 551 BCE in Chufu in northeastern China. According to Sima Chen's account his father belonged to a noble clan in Lü that was known for their modesty and ritual mastery. Confucius lost his father at an early age. Many biographies of Confucius begin their description of his life with the story of Confucius at an early age performing rituals and demonstrating his mastery of ritual and music. As an adult Confucius held several public positions in his home state of Lü and even travelled to several neighbouring states to teach. His ideas were widely circulated through his teachings of disciples who in turn taught their student Confucian ideas. Sima Chen's account identifies about 77 direct disciples. Confucius died in 479 BCE at the age of 72. His significance is not in the details of his personal life but in his teachings. Even though there are dozens of sources that recorded the teachings of Confucius, all of them were produced after his death. Confucius did not write any texts. Perhaps in his day writing was not the most effective means of communication. Or more important, writing was essentially incomparable with his most important lesson that people need to think for themselves. He never determined what was right or wrong and he deliberately avoided full exposition of his ideas. A key feature of Confucianism is that it refrains from absolutism. Confucianism is not a static system of ideas. It is alive and continuously evolving. Before we get to the core teachings of Confucius, let's quickly review the historical context. The Zhou dynasty was the longest ruling dynasty in the history of China. It followed the Shang dynasty. Although the Zhou dynasty lasted longer than any other in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Zhou kings only lasted during the first half of the period called the Western Zhou. This was a time of relative peace. Around 770 BCE, the Western Zhou period came to a sudden end when a group of invaders and rebels attacked the capital, Haoxing, and killed the Zhou king. The king's son escaped to Luoyang, which was further east and ruled from there. This event marked a major transition from the Western Zhou to the Eastern Zhou. The first part of the Eastern Zhou is called the spring and autumn period. It gets its name from the spring and autumn annals, the title of the first chronological history of the state of Lu, where Confucius lived. Although Luoyang was the center of culture, the Zhou kings were not very powerful. In the absence of an effective centralized authority, China was fragmented among numerous competing states. The Eastern Zhou kings were too weak to control the power of the territorial princes. This situation led to the warring states period, which was a time of violence, civil wars, assassinations of rulers, and intrigues among aristocratic families. Eventually, at the end of this period, the leader of the Qin state, Qin Shi Huangdi, conquered the other six states and crowned himself as the emperor of a united China. The Zhou dynasty ended in 256 BCE, when the Qin army killed the last Zhou king. Although the period of the Eastern Zhou was marked by political turmoil, social disorder, and moral decay, it was also a time of intellectual and artistic awakening. Confucius lived during the spring and autumn period. He looked for a way to restore the moral integrity of the state and establish harmony in social life. His teachings provided a model for Chinese education. Passages in the analytics describe Confucius as a person who found great joy in studying history and poetry. Unlike today's utilitarian society which regards education merely as a tool for social mobility or vocational training, Confucius believed that human beings acquire virtue through learning. That's why learning is so important for him. Learning is the path to moral excellence. In the analytics, his students describe him as a very caring and virtuous teacher. Confucius devoted his life in the field of education for the public good. For Confucius, teaching was not a means to securing a livelihood or material gains. It was an end in itself, a way of life. In this video, I use the term Confucianism to refer to the teachings of Confucius, his disciples, and the several intellectuals who regarded themselves as followers of Confucius. This definition is restrictive enough to distinguish Confucianism from other philosophies that flourished during the period of the warring states. Like any vibrant and long-lived tradition, the teachings of Confucius have been reinterpreted throughout Chinese history and that process continues even today. There have been times in Chinese history when Confucianism was criticized, condemned, and even forbidden. The first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, adopted a legalist ideology for governance and ordered all Confucian texts to be burned and many Confucian scholars were buried alive. But the succeeding Han emperors used Confucian teachings to legitimize their rule. During the Shui dynasty, Confucianism became a guide for good governance. Confucianism was fully integrated into the Chinese civil service as an ideology when the imperial exam system was created. The purpose of the imperial exam system was to select people for different levels of civil service. Under the Tang dynasty, Confucius became a cultural hero among the masses. Under the Song dynasty, Confucian scholars institutionalized the study of the analytics as one of the four books required for the redesigned imperial civil service exams. In the 1950s, Mao rejected Confucianism because it was seen as an obstacle to modernization. But in recent times, the communist government has spent a great deal of money on the restoration of old Confucian temples and constructed new statues of Confucius into response. Our knowledge about Confucius and his teachings comes from texts that were written at least a few decades after his death. These texts vary in character and function. One of the main sources are the analytics of Confucius. After Confucius died, some of his students began to compile what they remembered the master said to them. So the analytics include the teachings of Confucius as well as the discussions he held with his students. The analytics were not compiled by an individual, but it was the collective effort of many over several generations. Many passages are presented in the form of dialogue between Confucius and his students. And some sections include students' observations about Confucius. The analytics consist of about 20 chapters. Although the chapters are grouped by individual name, they are not arranged according to any specific theme. The analytics depict Confucius as a transmitter of the Tao. Confucius considered himself as the guardian of tradition rather than an innovator. Let's take a look at some of the core teachings. Confucius systematically studied Chinese history and culture and developed a coherent system of ideas applicable to individuals, families, institutions and governments. Confucianism lays out an epistemology that explains how society and government operate. Humanism is the central feature of Confucianism, which revolves almost entirely around issues related to the family, morals and the role of a good ruler. It stresses the need for benevolent rulers, the importance of inner moral harmony as well as its connection with harmony in the physical world. Filial piety and ancestor worship, which are traditional Chinese values, are also important components of Confucianism. Confucius believed in the perfectibility of all human beings. He rejected the idea that some people are born superior to others. In ancient China, education was traditionally only available to the wealthy. Confucius changed them. He promoted the idea of education for all, regardless of one's social status. Confucius thought that all human beings are born with the capacity to develop morally and gave every person the opportunity to earn the recognition of the ruling elite. That was a revolutionary concept at that time. Confucius wanted to promote social harmony by creating a moral structure for society based on relationships. Confucius regarded personal development of oneself as the first step for social harmony. In ancient Chinese society, people who perfected themselves and contributed to social harmony were called sages. Confucius made a distinction between two types of persons in terms of their developed potential, the Xiaogen and the Zhenci. The Xiaogen literally means a small person or petty person. This term is used to describe a person who is petty in mind and heart, a person who is narrowly self-interested, greedy, materialistic and thinks only of earning a salary. Such a person constantly seeks external guidance and approval. In contrast, a Zhenci is a person of high moral accomplishment. Zhenci literally means son of a prince. This term is used to refer to an exemplary person, one who is virtuous and strives for moral excellence. A Zhenci looks within for guidance and has strong discipline. A Zhenci is not born with perfection, but unlike the Xiaogen, a Zhenci does not merely focus on material gains. A Zhenci acquires moral accomplishment through continual learning and practice. Throughout the analytics, different expressions are used to describe the various aspects of moral excellence. In this video, I am going to focus on three essential virtues of a Zhenci. Zhen or benevolence, Yi or righteousness and Xiaofilial piety. Among all these virtues, Zhen is the most important moral quality a Zhenci should possess. Sometimes the analytics defines Zhen, generally as love, kindness and caring for others. It means interacting with other people without being selfish or self-centered. Zhen is not any one virtue but the source of all virtues. The Chinese character literally represents the relationship between two persons or co-humanity, the potential to live together without conflict. Confucius advocated for true justice and compassion on the part of the ruler because this virtue would enable the ruler to retain the mandate of heaven. One of the most repeated and significant teachings is what is known as the rule of reciprocity. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not want. The second virtue Yi or righteousness is often described in the analytics relative to situations involving public responsibility. Humanness and righteousness often work together to define morality and to guide actions. In the analytics, righteousness refers to a kind of cultivated sense of what is right and morally proper. Yi represents the highest moral principles underlying Confucianism. For Confucius, the paramount example of harmonious social order seems to be Shao or filial piety. Respect and reverence for one's parents and ancestors. It also extends to other relationships such as those between husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, between teacher and student, between government and the masses. Who we are and who we become is based on our progression of relationships with other people. Each of us is someone's child, sibling, friend, colleague, parent, student or teacher and the list continues. Each of those relationships helps us define who we are and influences our behavior in any given situation. The analytics refer to five cardinal relationships, ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, elder and younger brother, between friends. Family is central in Confucian thought. The term Shao appears several times in the analytics. Shao means filial piety, which is the virtue of being a dutiful and respectful son or daughter. The respect is not established by any shallow ritual but sincerely built on love. Love becomes the drive to treat our parents and family well, no matter even if we are tired, busy or stressed. The valuable lesson here is not regulating the family or harmonizing the family relations but self-realization. In that sense, Shao is regarded as the origin of Zhen or benevolence. For Confucius, Shao implies not only giving parents physical care but also emotional attention and spiritual reverence. Therefore, filial love towards parents can be expressed in different ways. What drives a Zhunzi? To such a high degree of accomplishment. A Zhunzi is driven by a strong sense of mission. According to Confucius, intellectuals have a responsibility to maintain social and political order. This clearly suggests that those who are educated have the responsibility to take the role of official service to serve the community. For Confucius, education is not a social ladder or an economic instrument for personal advancement. Instead, education gives an opportunity for people to learn and then to serve others. Confucius believes that political leaders should be moral leaders. According to Confucius, leaders who are educated are altruistic. The notion of altruism, filled with a moral obligation, is deeply rooted in the traditional Confucian leadership. Rulers and teachers are important models for society. A good government should rule by virtue and moral example rather than by punishment or force. Students often ask, is Confucianism a religion? The answer to that depends on how we define a religion. Confucianism is taught in religious studies departments at some universities in the United States but most Asians do not consider Confucianism as a religion. Confucianism certainly has strong moral expectations of individuals and governments, follows strict rituals and even has temples. But unlike the Abrahamic religions, there are no priests or supreme leaders and there is no single scripture like the Bible or Quran. And most important, Confucianism does not promote belief in a god or afterlife. It is not an institutionalized or proselytizing faith that revolves around a transcendental god. I hope you found this video useful. Please feel free to subscribe, share and comment. Thank you.