Confucius

The Influence of Confucius on Education and Culture

• Confucius greatly influenced education systems and cultural values in China and East Asia.
• The core of Confucius's teachings is his ethic of ren, which emphasizes goodness and compassion.
• Confucian doctrines promote seeking harmony in relationships through filial piety and obedience to elders.
• Confucius's ethical teachings were coded into much of the imperial rule, education system, and culture of China after the Han Dynasty.
• Confucius did not write down his philosophy, but his teachings were passed down through extant texts written by his students and disciples.
• The historical accuracy of aspects of Confucius's life and teachings remains shrouded in mystery.
• Confucius's teachings are detailed in the Analec ts, the Lunyu, the Mencius, and the Zuozhuan, each providing a slightly different glimpse into his teachings.
• Confucius revived the classical beliefs and writings of the Zhou Dynasty and broke the elitist mold of education by teaching pupils from poorer social classes.
• Confucius lived during the Axial Age, a period that saw the rise of other significant philosophers and religious leaders.
• Scholars search and continue to make archaeological discoveries that reveal small truths about Confucius's existence.
• Confucius founded a school at approximately 30 years of age to teach the precepts of the religious and ethical code of the earlier Zhou Dynasty.
• Confucius instructed about three thousand people during his lifetime and advocated differentiated instruction, emphasizing the importance of morality and scholarship.