EASTERN PHILOSOPHY - Confucius

Summary

This script delves into the life and teachings of Confucius, a Chinese philosopher born in 551 BC. It highlights his emphasis on ritual propriety, filial piety, and obedience to honorable people, as well as the cultivation of virtues like benevolence and wisdom. Despite the challenges he faced, Confucius' teachings have profoundly influenced Eastern culture, promoting moral discipline and shaping political ideas on leadership. The script suggests that his seemingly old-fashioned values offer a necessary corrective to modern society's informality and impulsiveness.

Takeaways

• 📚 Confucius, born in 551 BC, is a renowned Chinese philosopher with little known about his life, possibly being a student of Lao Tzu.
• 🏛 He served in various government roles, including Minister of Crime under Duke Ding in the state of Lu, before a disagreement led to his departure.
• 🎁 The rift with Duke Ding arose from the Duke's distraction with gifts of women and horses, which Confucius deemed inappropriate for a ruler.
• 🚶‍♂️ After leaving the court, Confucius wandered for years, reflecting on his philosophies.
• 📖 His teachings were later compiled into the 'Analects' (Lunyu), a collection of sayings recorded by his followers.
• 🌟 The Golden Rule is a prominent moral taught by Confucius: 'Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself'.
• 🤔 Some of Confucius' teachings may seem strange or old-fashioned to modern, especially Western, sensibilities, yet they offer valuable advice.
• 🏮 Confucius emphasized the importance of 'Ritual Propriety' (Li), suggesting that ceremonies have a deeper emotional significance beyond their immediate actions.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Filial piety, or revering one's parents, is a core aspect of Confucian thought, advocating for obedience, care, and respect towards one's elders.
• 🙇‍♂️ Obedience to honorable people and maintaining social hierarchies is another key teaching, promoting respect and humility towards those with greater experience or achievements.
• 🌱 Cultivated knowledge and virtues such as benevolence, ritual propriety, righteousness, wisdom, and integrity are seen as more important than spontaneous creativity.
• 🕊 Despite not achieving his goals in his lifetime, Confucius' teachings have had a lasting impact, influencing Eastern political ideas and being practiced by millions today.

Q & A

When was Confucius said to have been born and where?

Confucius is said to have been born in 551 BC in China.

Is there a possibility that Confucius was a student of Lao Tzu?

Yes, it is suggested that Confucius may have been a student of the Daoist master, Lao Tzu.

What roles did Confucius serve under Duke Ding in the state of Lu?

Confucius served many roles, including Minister of Crime, under Duke Ding in the state of Lu.

Why did Confucius leave the court of Duke Ding?

Confucius left the court after the duke received a present of 80 beautiful women and 124 horses, which led the duke to neglect his duties, something Confucius found deeply improper for a ruler.

What is the 'Analects 论语 (Lunyu)' and when was it collected?

The 'Analects 论语 (Lunyu)' is a collection of sayings of Confucius, written down by his followers, and it was collected around between the 3rd and 5th century B.C.

What is Confucius' version of the Golden Rule?

Confucius' version of the Golden Rule is 'Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself'.

Why does Confucius emphasize the importance of ceremony?

Confucius emphasizes the importance of ceremony because he believed in 'Ritual Propriety 禮 (Li)', which helps make intentions clear and guides how to behave.

What does Confucius teach about the treatment of parents?

Confucius teaches that we should obey our parents when young, care for them when old, mourn them when they die, and practice 'Filial Piety', which includes not traveling far while they are alive and covering for them if they commit wrongdoings.

How does Confucius view the relationship between superiors and inferiors?

Confucius views the relationship between superiors and inferiors as one where the inferior should practice humility and respect, likening it to the wind and the grass, where the grass must bend when the wind blows.

What does Confucius believe about the importance of cultivated knowledge over creativity?

Confucius believes that cultivated knowledge, which comes from years of hard work and reflection, is more important than sudden bursts of creativity, as it forms the foundation of wisdom and moral character.

What is the legacy of Confucius and how has it influenced Eastern thought?

Confucius' teachings have been passed along for over two thousand years, influencing millions of people as a spiritual or religious discipline and greatly affecting Eastern political ideas about morality, obedience, and good leadership.

How does the script suggest we should view Confucian virtues in the modern world?

The script suggests that while Confucian virtues may seem strange or old-fashioned, they are important as a corrective to the excesses of the modern world, which is informal, egalitarian, and full of innovation.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Life and Teachings of Confucius

This paragraph delves into the life of Confucius, a renowned Chinese philosopher born in 551 BC. It discusses his potential mentorship under Lao Tzu and his various roles in government, including Minister of Crime. The narrative highlights a conflict with Duke Ding over the duke's indulgence in gifts of women and horses, leading to Confucius' departure. The paragraph also introduces the 'Analects', a collection of Confucius' sayings recorded by his disciples, and emphasizes his version of the Golden Rule. It touches on the perceived strangeness of some of his teachings to modern and Western audiences but argues for their relevance and importance in addressing contemporary issues. The summary also lists several key pieces of advice from Confucius, such as the significance of ceremony, filial piety, obedience to authority, and the cultivation of virtues like benevolence and wisdom, which are seen as essential for personal and societal development.

05:01

🌐 The Relevance of Confucian Virtues in Modern Society

The second paragraph examines the potential strangeness and old-fashioned nature of Confucian virtues in the context of the modern, informal, egalitarian, and innovative world. It posits that these very qualities make Confucian teachings essential as a counterbalance to contemporary excesses. The summary points out that modern society's tendencies towards impulsiveness, irreverence, and thoughtlessness can be mitigated by adopting Confucius' advice on proper behavior and respect for rituals and hierarchy. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the enduring impact of Confucius' teachings, which have influenced Eastern political thought on morality, obedience, and leadership for over two millennia and continue to be practiced by millions today.

Keywords

💡Confucius

Confucius is a renowned Chinese philosopher born in 551 BC. He is the central figure of the video's theme, as his teachings and life story are the main focus. His philosophy emphasizes moral integrity and social harmony, which are discussed throughout the script.

💡Daoist

Daoism is a philosophical or religious tradition of Chinese origin that emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao, or 'the way'. In the script, it is mentioned that Confucius may have been a student of Lao Tzu, a master of Daoism, indicating a possible influence on his thought.

💡Minister of Crime

This term refers to one of the roles Confucius served in the government under Duke Ding in the state of Lu. It illustrates his involvement in the political structure of his time and the script uses it to highlight the conflict that led to his departure from the court.

💡Analects

The 'Analects', also known as 'Lunyu', is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius and his disciples, compiled in the 3rd to 5th century BC. It is central to the script as it contains the teachings that continue to influence Eastern thought and are discussed in the video.

💡Golden Rule

The Golden Rule is a moral principle found in many cultures, which Confucius expressed as 'Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself'. It is a key concept in the video, representing the universal moral teachings of Confucius.

💡Ceremony

Ceremony, in the context of the script, refers to formal acts, rituals, or the prescribed order of a ritual. Confucius emphasized the importance of ceremony, or 'Li', as a means to express respect and maintain social order, which is a recurring theme in the video.

💡Filial Piety

Filial Piety is a Confucian virtue that stresses the importance of respect and obedience towards one's parents. The script discusses this concept as a cornerstone of Confucian ethics, illustrating the traditional values that are contrasted with modern attitudes.

💡Egalitarian

Egalitarianism is the belief in the equality of all people. The script contrasts this modern societal value with Confucian teachings, which emphasize the importance of recognizing and respecting hierarchical roles and relationships.

💡Ritual Propriety

Ritual Propriety, or 'Li', is a Confucian concept that refers to the system of ritualistic behaviors that govern social interactions. The script uses this term to discuss the significance of rituals in maintaining social harmony and expressing emotions.

💡Five Constant Virtues

Confucius identified five virtues—benevolence, ritual propriety, righteousness, wisdom, and integrity—as fundamental to moral character. The script highlights these virtues as the basis for personal cultivation and societal harmony.

💡Cultivated Knowledge

Cultivated knowledge in the script refers to wisdom that is developed over time through learning and reflection, as opposed to spontaneous creativity. It is presented as a key aspect of Confucian philosophy, emphasizing the importance of continuous self-improvement.

Highlights

Confucius was born in 551 BC and may have been a student of Lao Tzu.

Confucius served as Minister of Crime under Duke Ding in the state of Lu.

A falling out with Duke Ding led to Confucius leaving the court and wandering for years.

Confucius' works were compiled into the 'Analects' around the 3rd to 5th century BC.

Confucius' Golden Rule: 'Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself'.

Confucius emphasized the importance of ceremony and ritual propriety.

Confucius valued rituals over material things, such as the offering of a sheep.

Rituals make our intentions clear and help us understand how to behave.

Confucius had strict ideas about filial piety, including obeying and caring for parents.

Confucius believed moral life begins in the family and is reflected in how we treat our parents.

Confucius advocated for obedience to honorable people and maintaining social hierarchies.

Confucius saw the importance of recognizing and obeying those with greater experience or accomplishments.

Confucius emphasized the cultivation of knowledge over spontaneous creativity.

Confucius listed benevolence, ritual propriety, righteousness, wisdom, and integrity as the five constant virtues.

Confucius believed in the inherent goodness of people and the need to cultivate virtues.

Confucius' teachings have influenced Eastern political ideas on morality, obedience, and leadership.

Confucius' emphasis on good behavior and rituals serves as a corrective to modern excesses.

Despite seeming old-fashioned, Confucian virtues are important for their potential to correct modern societal issues.

Transcripts

We know very little for certain about the life of the Chinese philosopher,

Confucius

He is said to have been born in 551 BC in China. He may have been a student of the Daoist master, Lao Tzu

According to tradition,

he began Government service, and served many roles, including: Minister of Crime,

under Duke Ding in the state of Lu.

However,

Confucius and the duke fell out, after the duke received a present from a neighboring ruler:

80 beautiful women, and 124 horses.

The duke spent all of his time riding the horses, and being entertained by the woman.

Which Confucius found deeply improper for a ruler.

So he left the court, and wandered for years.

Around between the 3rd, and 5th century B.C,

Confucius' works were collected into

the "Analects 论语 (Lunyu)", a collection of sayings, written down by his followers.

Some of the morals Confucius taught, are easily recognizable.

Most notably, his version of the Golden Rule:

"Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself"

But, some of them also sound very strange, or old-fashioned to modern ears.

especially to western ones

But we need his advice all the more for this.

It serves as an antidote to the troubles we currently face.

Here are a few examples, of what Confucius helps us to remember:

One: Ceremony is important.

The Analects are filled with strange conversations between Confucius and his disciples,

like this one:

Tsze-kung wished to do away with the offering of a sheep.

Confucius said, "Ts'ze, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony."

At first, this is baffling,

If not also humorous.

Why not save the sheep?

But, Confucius is reminding Tsze, and us, about the importance of ceremony.

In the modern world, we tend to shun ceremony,

and see this as a good thing, a sign of intimacy, or lack of pretension.

But, Confucius believed in the value of ceremonies over sheep,

because he valued what he called "Ritual Propriety 禮 (Li)"

This might seem a very outdated and conservative idea

but, in fact, many of us long for particular rituals.

That meal mum cooked for us whenever we were sick,

or the yearly birthday outing.

Or our wedding vows.

We understand that certain premeditated, deliberate, and precise gestures

stir our emotions deeply.

Rituals make our intentions clear

and they help us to understand how to behave.

2 : We should treat our parents with reverence.

In particular, Confucius had a very strict idea about how we should behave towards our parents

He believed that we should obey them when we are young,

care for them when they are old,

mourn at length when they die

and make huge sacrifices in their memory thereafter.

He even said that we shouldn't travel far away while our parents are alive,

and should cover for them if they steal a sheep

This attitude is known as "Filial Piety"

This sounds strange now when many of us leave our parents' home as teenagers

and rarely return to visit.

We may even see them as strangers arbitrarily thrust upon us by fate.

After all our parents are so out of touch,

so pitifully human in their shortcomings,

so difficult, so judgmental, and they have such bad taste in music.

Yet Confucius recognised that in many ways moral life begins in the family.

We cannot truly be caring, wise, grateful and conscientious

unless we remember mum's birthday and meet dad for lunch.

3 : we should be obedient to honorable people

Modern societies are very egalitarian - we believe that we are all born equal

and should ultimately be able to say and do whatever we like.

We reject many rigid hierarchical roles

Yet Confucius told his followers: "Let the ruler be a ruler,

the subject a subject, a father a father and a son a son".

This might sound jarring but it is in fact important to realise

that there are people worthy of our deep veneration

even our simple and humble obedience.

We need to be modest enough to recognise the people

whose experience or accomplishments outweigh our own

We should also practise peaceably doing

what these people need, ask or command

Confucius explained: "the relation between superiors and inferiors

is like that between the wind and the grass:

the grass must bend when the wind blows across it."

Bending gracefully is, in fact, not a sign of weakness

but a gesture of humility, and respect

4. Cultivated knowledge can be more important than creativity.

Modern culture places a lot of emphasis on creativity

unique insights that come to us suddenly

but Confucius was adamant about the importance of the universal wisdom

that comes from years of hard work and reflection

He listed: benevolence, ritual propriety, righteousness, wisdom, integrity

as the five constant virtues

While Confucius believed that people were inherently good,

he also saw the virtues like these must be constantly cultivated

just like plants in a garden

He spoke about moral character and wisdom

as the work of a lifetime

We can see now why he had such reverence

for his elders

Of course, a burst of inspiration may well be

what we need to start out business or redo our

rough draft or reinvent our life.

But if we're being very honest with ourselves,

we'll have to admit that we also need to devote more

energy to slowly changing our habits.

This, more than anything else,

is what prevents us from becomming

truly intelligent, accomplished and wise.

Confucius died without reforming

the decadent officials

But after his death his follwers created

schools and tempels in his honor across East Asia,

passing his teachings along for over

two thousand years.

Today millions of people still follow Confucius' teachings

as a spiritual or religious discipline

And his thought has been a huge influence on

Eastern political ideas about morality

obedience and good leadership.

We might find Confucian virtues a bit strange

or oldfashioned, but this is what

ultimately makes them all the more important.

We need them as a corrective to our own excesses.

The modern world is almost surprisingly

totally un-confucian,

informal, egallitarian and full of innovation.

So we're conversely at risk of becomming

impulsive, irreverent and thoughtless

without a little advice from Confucius

about good behavior and sheep.