September 28 is a Confucian Holiday celebrating the birth of
Confucius. It is also celebrated as Teachers' Day. While many confuse Confucius
ism with a religion, it is actually more of a philosophy. Confucius was not a
priest or a deity, he was a teacher.
Confucius was born
around 551 BC in the small state of Lu. He was born into an aristocratic
family, although there is debate as to whether he had any money or not. During
his life he served many influential people and his teachings became not only
fundamental to Confucian philosophy, but to the general Chinese philosophy.
The 6th century BC China was a time of political and social
disintegration. Battling officials trying to gain control led to a period of
great moral decline, when integrity and principles meant little to ruling
classes. Confucius was disgusted by this development. At the time, he was a
widely unknown teacher. He attempted to revive society by re-introducing the
great moral teachings of the past.
At the cornerstone
of his teachings was the belief that ethical considerations should be the
guiding principle of government. He did not accept the idea of a strict legal
system. He believed the primary task of a ruler was to achieve the welfare and
happiness of the people. The ruler should be a role model by monitoring his
personal behavior. His strong ethical behaviors would influence the people's
behaviors. Customs and voluntary adherence would be the best way to achieve and
maintain an orderly society.
Confucius never
wrote many of the quotations we see today. After his death, many of his
disciples gathered and compiled his teachings. Here are a few quotations:
"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two
graves."
"Forget injuries, never forget kindness."
"He who will not economize will have to agonize."
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I
understand."
"Respect yourself and others will respect you."
Throughout
history, we have seen many teachers influence the world. Jesus, Martin Luther
King, Jr., Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Buddha, and Confucius have significantly
changed the world and redefined the way many of us view right from wrong.
Who are the teachers
in your life that have influenced you the most? What qualities do they have
that make them an effective and influential teacher? If possible, please
provide a couple of your favorite sayings learned from your teachers.