Chapter 57: The Life and Deeds of Confucius

Confucius's profound influence earned him the posthumous title of the "Foremost Sage." The main theme of the cultural performance at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games was the essence of Confucianism: "appreciating music, valuing ritual, being eager to learn, prioritizing the mean, and honoring harmony." This once again elevated the founder of the Confucian school to the pinnacle of history, and the establishment of Confucius Institutes across various countries further exemplifies his enduring global impact.

However, the exact origins of this great thinker and educator have never been conclusively determined. Although heroes need not be judged by their origins, as a towering figure of world culture, his birth remains a subject of considerable interest.

The first theory suggests that Confucius was an illegitimate child.

The *Records of the Grand Historian: Lineage of Confucius* records: "Confucius was born in Zou Village, Changping Township, Lu. His ancestors were people of Song, named Kong Fangshu. Fangshu sired Boxia, and Boxia sired Shuliang He. He and the daughter of the Yan family mated in the wild to give birth to Confucius, after praying at Niqiu Mountain to conceive him. Confucius was born in the twenty-second year of Duke Xiang of Lu. At birth, the crown of his head was depressed in the center, hence he was named Qiu (meaning mound)." His courtesy name was Zhongni, and his clan name was Kong. In the book *The Ideological System of Confucius*, edited under the direction of Cai Shangsi, it is mentioned that Confucius's mother, Lady Yan, consistently kept the details of his father a secret from him. Confucius himself once remarked to his disciples, "In my youth, I was in humble circumstances." From the above, we can deduce that the assertion of Confucius being an illegitimate child is not entirely baseless.

The second theory posits an "irregular union, known as a wild mating."

Confucius's father was Shuliang He (Shuliang being the courtesy name, He the given name), and his mother was Yan Zhengzai. Shuliang He was a renowned warrior in the State of Lu at the time, distinguished by his exceptional character and two military achievements. He was famous for single-handedly holding up a portcullis, allowing troops retreating from a captured city to escape safely. He once served as the magistrate of Zou Village. Shuliang He first married a woman of the Shi family, who bore him nine daughters but no son. He then took a concubine, who bore him a son named Boni, also known as Mengpi. Mengpi had a physical defect in his feet, which, according to the rituals of the time, made him unsuited to be an heir. Consequently, Shuliang He united with the young woman Yan Zhengzai to give birth to Confucius.

According to this account, Shuliang He had been married twice and fathered nine daughters and one son, implying he was already quite elderly. Yet, driven by the need to continue the ancestral lineage and produce a healthy son, he was compelled to marry again, leading him to Lady Yan and the birth of Confucius. Sima Zhen's *Commentary on the Records of the Grand Historian* notes: "The mention here of a 'wild mating' implies that Liang He was old while Zheng was young, falling outside the proper rites of the prime of life and the initial hairpin ceremony; hence it is called a 'wild mating,' meaning it did not conform to ritual propriety."

The third theory speaks of "praying for a son" and "conception through a dream."

According to the *Lunyu Zhuan Kao Chen*, Confucius was a descendant of the Black Emperor: "Shuliang He and Zhengzai prayed at Niqiu Mountain, where they were moved by the essence of the Black Dragon to give birth to Zhongni." Additionally, this text mentions the legend that Lady Yan conceived Confucius after seeing him in a dream. While these accounts are certainly not to be taken literally, they nevertheless add a profound aura of mystery to Confucius's legendary ancestry.

Regardless of whether Confucius was born out of wedlock or through an "irregular union," his childhood was fraught with hardships unimaginable to ordinary children. When Confucius was only three years old, his father, Shuliang He, passed away. His mother had been married to his father in her teens and was widowed within a few years, causing the paternal family to despise her and forbid her from attending the funeral. When Confucius grew older and wished to pay his respects at his father's grave, his mother was unable to point out the exact burial site of Shuliang He. It was only after his mother passed away that someone finally revealed the location of his father's grave, allowing him to bury his parents together.

Nevertheless, Confucius was, after all, the son of a high-ranking officer in Lu, a state renowned for its propriety, and he absorbed a certain degree of refinement. In his childhood games, unlike other children who played frivolous pastimes, he imitated the sacrificial rituals of adults, arranging sacrificial vessels and executing the ceremonies with solemn precision.

Confucius loved learning from a young age and possessed exceptional intelligence and sharpness, which quickly brought him widespread renown. Meng Lizi, a high minister of the State of Lu, on his deathbed instructed his heir, Meng Yizi: "Confucius is a descendant of the sage Shang Tang, and his ancestors included many famous ministers and virtuous scholars. I have heard that the descendants of sages, even if they do not become rulers, are bound to produce prominent individuals. Now Kong Qiu is young yet proficient in the rites; is he not such a prominent person? After I die, you must surely take him as your teacher." Following Meng Lizi's death, Yizi indeed took his younger brother Nangong Jingshu to study ritual under Confucius. Later, Nangong Jingshu even accompanied Confucius on a study tour to Luoyi, the capital of the Zhou Dynasty.

Although Confucius experienced poverty and low social status in his youth, he never slackened his pursuit of learning across various fields. Historical records state: "Confucius stood nine cubits and six inches tall, and people all regarded him as a 'tall man' and considered him unusual." A foot in the pre-Qin period was equivalent to about 0.66 of a modern foot, which means Confucius stood at least around two meters tall. Equipped with such superior physical stature, Confucius broadly studied the Six Arts of aristocratic education in the Zhou Dynasty: rites, music, archery, charioteering, history/writing, and mathematics. Among these, archery and charioteering were skills utilized in fierce battlefield combat. Confucius was renowned throughout the world for his mastery of the Six Arts, and it is certain that he was highly proficient in both archery and chariot driving.

Beyond this, Confucius was well-versed in military strategy. He remarked, "To send the people to war without prior instruction is to abandon them," meaning that failing to train the common people militarily in peacetime while hastily summoning them to the battlefield in times of crisis is tantamount to leading them to useless deaths. Therefore, although he advocated benevolence, championed peace, and opposed war, Confucius deeply understood that in a turbulent era, formidable military strength served as the foundational bedrock for a state and an individual. Consequently, he placed great emphasis on "sufficient food and sufficient military forces." The Ji family was a powerful clan in Lu, and Confucius's disciple Ran You once commanded troops in battle for them. Upon returning victoriously, the head of the Ji family asked Ran You, "Where did you learn your military strategy?" Ran You replied, "Naturally from my master." From this perspective, Confucius was likely a profound master of military strategy.

To impart his extensive learning to all who were willing to learn, Confucius broke the aristocratic monopoly on school education by founding private academies and broadly recruiting students from all strata of society. Among his disciples were aristocrats and high officials like the brothers Meng Yizi and Nangong Jingshu, ordinary commoners, and even former outlaws who had mended their ways. For instance, Zilu was originally an uncultivated rustic ignorant of ritual, Zhonggong's father was of lowly status, Zizang hailed from the remote borders of Lu, and Yan Zhuoju was once a notorious bandit of Liangfu.

Through Confucius's meticulous teaching tailored to each student's aptitude, these disciples of diverse backgrounds and varying talents mostly achieved success, culminating in the magnificent pedagogical achievement of "three thousand disciples, with seventy-two worthies." To commemorate Confucius's outstanding contributions to education, later generations honored him as the "Great Consummate Sage and Foremost Teacher" and the "Teacher of Ten Thousand Ages." After Emperor Wu of Han "dismissed the hundred schools of thought and revered only Confucianism," virtually all scholars and intellectuals became disciples of the Confucian school. Confucian ideology eventually spread far overseas, leaving a profound and enduring impact on East Asia and the entire world.

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Confucius lived during the late Spring and Autumn period, an era when political power in the Central Plains states was usurped by high ministers, who in turn lost control to their own domestic retainers. Internal strife sparked by power struggles erupted ceaselessly across the states. The State of Jin, manipulated by its high ministers, frequently provoked wars to the east, while the brutal and bloodthirsty King Ling of Chu repeatedly launched invasions from the south. The State of Lu was small, weak, and situated dangerously close to the powerful State of Qi, placing it in an extremely precarious geopolitical dilemma: to align with Chu meant offending Jin, to align with Jin meant inviting an attack from Chu, and to lower its guard against Qi even slightly meant inviting Qi to encroach upon its territory.

It was precisely against this backdrop that Confucius entered official life. His initial position was that of a *weili*, a minor official in charge of grain storehouses, and he later served as a minor official in charge of livestock. One could say the starting point of Confucius's official career was not high. However, opportunity quietly knocked when he reached the age of thirty.

In the twentieth year of Duke Zhao of Lu (522 BC), Duke Jing of Qi and Yan Ying visited the State of Lu. By this time, Confucius had already gained considerable renown in Lu and had gathered numerous disciples. Hearing of Confucius's reputation, Duke Jing specifically consulted him on the principles of state governance, citing the example of the State of Qin to ask: "Formerly, the State of Qin was small and situated in a remote place; how did it achieve hegemony?" Confucius replied: "Although Qin was a small state, its ruler possessed grand aspirations; although located in a remote area, his actions were upright, and he excelled at employing talented individuals. Duke Mu of Qin conversed with Baili Xi for three full days, listening to the principles of government. With a ruler like that, even conquering the realm was not impossible; achieving hegemony was merely a minor result." Finding great wisdom in these words, Duke Jing formed a very favorable impression of this insightful and visionary young man from Lu.

Several years later, the three powerful noble clans wielding authority in Lu united to attack Duke Zhao of Lu. Duke Zhao was defeated and fled to the State of Qi, where Duke Jing settled him in the town of Qianhou. Amidst the political turmoil in Lu, Confucius also fled to Qi to seek refuge. He entered the service of the Qi high minister Gao Zhaoxi as a domestic retainer, hoping through him to gain an audience with Duke Jing, who had previously praised him.

Before long, Duke Jing indeed summoned Confucius and asked him how to govern a state. Confucius replied succinctly: "Let the ruler be a ruler, the minister a minister, the father a father, and the son a son." At that time, supreme power in Qi was usurped by the high minister Tian Chang, and Duke Jing was deeply troubled by this disorder of roles. Delighted by Confucius's words, he exclaimed, "Well said! Indeed, if the ruler is not a ruler, the minister not a minister, the father not a father, and the son not a son, even if there is food, how can I hope to eat it?"

A few days later, Duke Jing again asked Confucius about governance. Confucius replied, "The key to governing a state lies in frugality." Impressed, Duke Jing intended to enfeoff Confucius with the lands of Nixi, but Yan Ying dissuaded him. Yan Ying argued that Confucian teachings were ornate and impractical, incapable of instructing others in ministerial duty, unsuited for reforming customs, and certainly inappropriate for governing a state. Consequently, in subsequent meetings with Confucius, Duke Jing no longer asked about the ritual systems in which Confucius excelled.

Several days later, Duke Jing said to Confucius, "I cannot grant you a status as exalted as that of the Ji family in Lu, but I can offer you a position comparable to the Meng family of Lu." Of the three noble families in Lu, the Ji family was the senior minister holding the highest authority, while the Meng family was the junior minister with no real power. Even so, for Confucius—an expatriate who had just arrived—to be granted the status of a junior minister in Qi naturally provoked the jealousy of Qi's high ministers. Plotting to frame Confucius together, they forced him to seek help from Duke Jing. Sighing, Duke Jing said, "I am old; I am unable to employ your great talents." Hearing this, Confucius had no choice but to leave Qi and return to Lu.

Although his journey to Qi failed to secure him a prominent position in a major state, the high regard shown to him by Duke Jing spread his fame far and wide across the various states, gradually drawing the attention of the authorities in Lu. Several years later, Duke Ding of Lu appointed Confucius as the Magistrate of Zhongdu. Confucius's administration proved remarkably effective, and within a year, neighboring states were emulating his methods. Consequently, Confucius was soon promoted to Minister of Works, and later to Minister of Crime. By this time, Confucius had surpassed the age of fifty—the age of knowing the mandate of Heaven.

At that time, the southern State of Wu was powerful and harbored ambitions to march north into the Central Plains and assert hegemony among the feudal lords. To counter the threat from Wu, Qi rallied the states and invited Duke Ding of Lu to a diplomatic alliance meeting at Jiagu, on the border between Qi and Lu. The Qi high minister Li Chu told Duke Jing, "Lu is employing Kong Qiu; I fear it will soon flourish and inevitably pose a threat to Qi." Duke Jing thus planned to test Lu's posture during the summit.

As the date of the alliance approached, Duke Ding intended to travel by carriage and bring Confucius along to participate. Confucius advised: "Your servant has heard that those who engage in civil affairs must be prepared for military contingencies, and those who engage in military affairs must possess civil preparedness. In antiquity, feudal lords leaving their own territory invariably brought along their officials and retainers. Please bring along your left and right Marshals to safeguard your security." Deeming this advice sound, Duke Ding brought along the Marshals, ordering each to lead five hundred war chariots at a distance to provide escort and protection, while also commanding the high minister Zi Wuhuan to conceal three hundred war chariots near Jiagu in reserve.

Upon the arrival of the Lu delegation in Qi, the two sides greeted one another according to ritual and ascended the ceremonial platform. The Qi master of ceremonies stepped forward and announced: "Please perform the music of the four quarters." Thereupon, dancers from Lai in Qi, adorned with feather ornaments and wielding weapons, rushed forward beating drums and shouting loudly. At this, the Qi high minister Li Mi whispered to Duke Jing: "Kong Qiu understands ritual but lacks courage. If we order the Lai dancers to seize Duke Ding amidst the musical performance, Lu will grant whatever we demand." Duke Jing quietly gave the order for the dancers to capture Duke Ding in the ensuing chaos.

Realizing the perilous situation, Confucius hastily escorted Duke Ding backward, summoned the Lu soldiers to form a defensive cordon, and sternly rebuked the Qi side: "This is no longer the era when Qi dominated the feudal lords. The rulers of Qi and Lu are meeting here in friendly alliance; why perform such barbarian music and send captive barbarians brandishing weapons to dance in disorder? Such an act is inauspicious toward the spirits, a violation of virtue toward righteousness, and a breach of propriety toward men. Your esteemed state surely cannot condone this!"

Seeing that Confucius's defenses were airtight and the dancers could not succeed, Duke Jing ordered them to withdraw. Shortly afterward, the Qi master of ceremonies stepped forward again to request: "Please perform the court music." This time, a troupe of dwarfs and jesters was ordered out to perform. Angered, Confucius denounced the Qi delegation: "These people have come to confound our senses and insult the rulers of states! Their crime deserves death!" He promptly ordered the execution of the performers. Terrified and realizing that their actions lacked the integrity of Lu, Duke Jing rebuked his ministers upon returning home: "The high ministers of Lu assist their ruler with the Dao of gentlemen, whereas you instructed me with the ways of barbarians, causing me to offend the ruler of Lu. What is to be done now?" A minister suggested returning the territories of Yun, Wenyang, and Guiyin—which Qi had previously seized from Lu—as an apology. Recovering these lost lands, Lu specially built a city there to commemorate Confucius's achievement.

In his middle years, Confucius served as the Magistrate of Zhongdu in Lu, later ascending to Minister of Works and Minister of Crime. At the time, three powerful noble clans monopolized power within Lu. To curb their influence, Confucius proposed to Duke Ding the policy of "demolishing the fortifications of the three capitals," which ultimately failed. This defeat dealt a heavy blow to Confucius. In the Lu of that period, the ruler neglected state affairs while the Ji family intervened in government. Recognizing that his political ideals could no longer be realized in Lu, Confucius had no alternative but to leave his homeland, embarking on a fourteen-year odyssey of traveling among the various states.

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The first stop for Confucius and his disciples was the State of Wei. Duke Ling of Wei was then on the throne, and owing to effective administration, Wei presented a relatively peaceful appearance. Observing this, Confucius articulated his political philosophy. As recorded in the *Analects*:
When Confucius went to Wei, Ran You acted as his driver. Confucius observed, "How populous it is!" Ran You asked, "Since the population is so large, what next should be added?" Confucius replied, "Enrich them." Ran You asked, "Once they are enriched, what next should be added?" Confucius replied, "Educate them." (*Book of Zilu*)

In Wei, Confucius was received with great courtesy. Duke Ling asked Confucius, "How much emolument did you receive while in Lu?" Confucius replied, "I received sixty thousand measures of grain." The people of Wei accordingly presented him with sixty thousand measures of grain. However, good times did not last. Influenced by slanderous instigations, Duke Ling sent Gongsun Yujia to monitor Confucius. Fearing that he might incur trouble, Confucius quietly departed after residing in Wei for ten months—marking his first departure from the state.

***

Leaving Wei, Confucius and his disciples arrived at Kuang, where they unexpectedly encountered trouble. The people of Kuang had previously been attacked by Yang Hu. Because Confucius bore a striking physical resemblance to Yang Hu, the locals mistook him for Yang Hu and besieged him. Confucius and his party were trapped for a full five days before managing to leave Kuang. Afterward, they reached Pu, and more than a month later, they returned once more to Wei.

At this juncture, Duke Ling’s favored consort, Lady Nanzi, sent someone to summon Confucius, demanding that he pay her a visit. Though deeply reluctant, Confucius complied. The meeting was far from pleasant, leaving Confucius with an even lower opinion of Lady Nanzi. Furthermore, Duke Ling was at that time indulgent in pleasures and excessively devoted to Lady Nanzi, both of which disgusted Confucius. Consequently, after staying in Wei for just over a month, Confucius departed once more, setting off for the State of Cao. That very year coincided with the death of Duke Ding of Lu.

Confucius and his party did not linger in Cao, proceeding instead to the State of Song, where Confucius encountered another major mishap. Just as they were practicing ritual ceremonies under a large tree, Huan Tuizi, the Minister of War of Song, out of a personal grudge, ordered the tree cut down. To escape persecution, Confucius was forced to flee to the State of Zheng. Along the road, his disciples urged him to quicken his pace, but Confucius calmly responded, "Heaven has endowed me with virtue; what can Huan Tuizi do to me?"

Upon reaching Zheng, Confucius inadvertently became separated from his disciples and was left standing dazed near the east gate of the city, while Zigong and the others frantically searched for him. A citizen of Zheng told Zigong: "There is a man standing by the east gate whose forehead resembles Yao's, whose neck resembles Gaotao's, and whose shoulders resemble Zipan's; yet from the waist down, he falls short of Yu's height by three inches. In his weary and dejected state, he looks like a homeless stray dog." When Zigong reached the east gate, he saw that it was indeed his master. Zigong faithfully reported the words of the Zheng citizen to Confucius. Confucius smiled happily and said, "The description of my physical appearance is not necessarily accurate, but to say I look like a homeless stray dog—that is so! That is so!"

Departing from Zheng, Confucius and his followers arrived in the State of Chen, where they resided for three years. The ruler of Chen greatly admired the erudite and knowledgeable Confucius and consulted him on numerous historical precedents. However, Chen possessed a weak military force and was periodically harassed and invaded by major powers such as Wu and Chu; the doctrines of benevolence and ritual advocated by Confucius proved incapable of reversing the critical situation. Consequently, Confucius had no choice but to lead his disciples away from the precarious State of Chen and head toward Cai.

Hearing that Confucius was a man of wisdom and virtue, and learning that he had reached the borders of Chen and Cai, the King of Chu decided to dispatch envoys to formally invite him. Chu was a major power at the time, and Confucius believed that leveraging Chu's influence to propagate his doctrines would undoubtedly be a positive step. Thus, he readily accepted the invitation of the King of Chu.

Just as Confucius had finished packing and was preparing to set out for Chu with his disciples, the high ministers of Chen and Cai gathered to hatch a malicious plot. They reasoned: "Confucius is a man of virtue and wisdom. He has resided here for three years, and our conduct has consistently run counter to the principles he propagates. Now a great state like Chu has invited him; if he attains high office and influence in Chu, we ministers will be in mortal danger."

Consequently, these officials dispatched troops to encircle Confucius and his disciples in the wilderness, far from any village or town. After several days, the provisions carried by Confucius's party were completely exhausted, and several frail disciples collapsed one after another. Fulfilling this desolate scene, Confucius did not alter his aspirations, continuing to strum his lute and sing unceasingly. Everyone urged Confucius to abandon the journey to Chu and return home early so as to escape hunger and freezing. Zilu asked with a hint of reproach, "Does even the gentleman experience destitution and hardship?"

Confucius replied, "It is entirely natural for the gentleman to encounter hardship. Are we to abandon our ideals and fail to propagate our Dao simply because we face adversity? The gentleman cultivates his Dao, yet he is not necessarily accommodated by the common world. It seems your aspirations are not far-reaching!"

Confucius then asked Yan Hui: "The *Classic of Poetry* says: 'Neither rhinoceros nor tiger, yet they roam the desolate wilderness.' Is my Dao incorrect? Why have I been brought to this pass?" Yan Hui replied, "The Master propagates his great Dao, so what does it matter if the world does not accommodate it? To fail to cultivate the Dao and yet encounter destitution—that would be our shame."

To propagate his moral ideals, Confucius remained undaunted despite being trapped for days between Chen and Cai, refusing to relinquish his plan to visit Chu. Eventually, King Zhao of Chu dispatched an army to escort Confucius, bringing an end to the perils of Chen and Cai.

Upon arriving in Chu, Confucius initially believed he would finally have the opportunity to properly propagate his political propositions, especially since the King of Chu "intended to enfeoff Confucius with a territory yielding revenues from a thousand households." Unexpectedly, the plan was aborted due to the strong opposition of the Prime Minister, Zixi. Deeply frustrated, Confucius had no choice but to return once more to Wei. Several years later, through the efforts of his disciple Ran Qiu, Confucius was welcomed back to Lu, thereby concluding his fourteen-year journey of exile.

Throughout his travels among the states, spanning thousands of li, enduring hardships, and facing rejections on all sides, Confucius invariably maintained his self-assurance and steadfast commitment to his political doctrines.

Upon returning to Lu, Confucius was still treated with outward respect by the rulers but left un-employed. Recognizing that advanced age prevented him from making a major political impact, he devoted his remaining years to educating students while editing and collating ancient texts. Tradition holds that the *Classic of Poetry*, the *Classic of History*, the *Book of Rites*, the *Book of Changes*, and the *Spring and Autumn Annals* were all compiled and edited by Confucius.