"RISE OF CONFUCIUS" - читать интересную книгу автора (Douglas R K)

RISE OF CONFUCIUS, THE CHINESE SAGE
Douglas, R. K.

Part I: Early Teachings

B.C. 550
Introduction
Confucius is the Latinized name of Kung Futusze, or "Master Kung," whose work
in China did much to educate the people in social and civic virtues. He began as a
political reformer at a time when the empire was cut up into a number of petty and
discordant principalities. As a practical statesman and administrator, he urged the
necessity of reform upon the princes whom one after another he served. His advice
was invariably disregarded, and as he said "no intelligent ruler arose in his time." His
great maxims of submission to the emperor or supreme head of the state he based on
the analogous duty of filial obedience in a household, and his very spirit of piety
prevented him from taking independent measures for redressing the evils and
oppressions of his distracted country.

His moral teachings are not based on any specific religious foundation, but they
have become the settled code of Chinese life, of which submissiveness to authority,
industry, frugality, and fair dealing as prescribed by Confucian ethics are general
characteristics. The political doctrines of this great reformer were eventually adopted,
and his teaching and example brought about a peaceful and gradual, but complete
revolution, in the Chinese Empire, whose consolidation into a simple kingdom was the
practical result of this sage's influence.

Rise Of Confucius, The Chinese Sage

At the time of which we write the Chinese were still clinging to the banks of the
Yellow River, along which they had first entered the country, and formed, within the
limits of China proper, a few states on either shore lying between the 33d and 38th
parallels of latitude, and the 106th and 119th of longitude. The royal state of Chow
occupied part of the modern province of Honan. To the north of this was the powerful
state of Tsin, embracing the modern province of Shanse and part of Chili; to the south
was the barbarous state of Ts'oo, which stretched as far as the Yang-tsze-kiang; to the
east, reaching to the coast, were a number of smaller states, among which those of
Ts'e, Loo, Wei, Sung, and Ching were the chief and to the west of the Yellow River
was the state of Ts'in, which was destined eventually to gain the mastery over the
contending principalities.

On the establishment of the Chow dynasty, King Woo had apportioned these
fiefships among members of his family, his adherents, and the descendants of some of
the ancient virtuous kings. Each prince was empowered to administer his government
as he pleased so long as he followed the general lines indicated by history; and in the
event of any act of aggression on the part of one state against another, the matter was
to be reported to the king of the sovereign state, who was bound to punish the
offender. It is plain that in such a system the elements of disorder must lie near the
surface; and no sooner was the authority of the central state lessened by the want of
ability shown by the successors of kings Woo, Ching, and K'ang, than constant strife
broke out between the several chiefs. The hand of every man was against his