Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden
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0:09 - 0:11Most people recognize his name
-
0:11 - 0:16and know that he is famous
for having said something, -
0:16 - 0:20but considering the long-lasting impact
his teachings have had on the world, -
0:20 - 0:24very few people know
who Confucius really was, -
0:24 - 0:26what he really said,
-
0:26 - 0:28and why.
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0:28 - 0:31Amid the chaos of 6th Century BCE China,
-
0:31 - 0:36where warring states fought
endlessly among themselves for supremacy, -
0:36 - 0:38and rulers were frequently assassinated,
-
0:38 - 0:40sometimes by their own relatives,
-
0:40 - 0:44Confucius exemplified benevolence
and integrity, -
0:44 - 0:46and through his teaching,
-
0:46 - 0:49became one of China's
greatest philosophers. -
0:49 - 0:53Born to a nobleman but raised in poverty
from a very young age -
0:53 - 0:56following the untimely
death of his father, -
0:56 - 0:57Confucius developed what would become
-
0:57 - 1:02a lifelong sympathy
for the suffering of the common people. -
1:02 - 1:04Barely supporting his mother
and disabled brother -
1:04 - 1:07as a herder
and account keeper at a granary, -
1:07 - 1:09and with other odd jobs,
-
1:09 - 1:11it was only with
the help of a wealthy friend -
1:11 - 1:15that Confucius was able
to study at the Royal Archives, -
1:15 - 1:18where his world view would be formed.
-
1:18 - 1:21Though the ancient texts there
were regarded by some -
1:21 - 1:23as irrelevant relics of the past,
-
1:23 - 1:26Confucius was inspired by them.
-
1:26 - 1:27Through study and reflection,
-
1:27 - 1:32Confucius came to believe that
human character is formed in the family -
1:32 - 1:36and by education in ritual,
literature, and history. -
1:36 - 1:40A person cultivated in this way
works to help others, -
1:40 - 1:44guiding them by moral inspiration
rather than brute force. -
1:44 - 1:46To put his philosophy into practice,
-
1:46 - 1:51Confucius became an advisor to the ruler
of his home state of Lu. -
1:51 - 1:56But after another state sent Lu's ruler
a troop of dancing girls as a present -
1:56 - 2:01and the ruler ignored his duties
while enjoying the girls in private, -
2:01 - 2:04Confucius resigned in disgust.
-
2:04 - 2:07He then spent the next few years
traveling from state to state, -
2:07 - 2:12trying to find a worthy ruler to serve,
while holding fast to his principles. -
2:12 - 2:14It wasn't easy.
-
2:14 - 2:18In accordance with his philosophy,
and contrary to the practice of the time, -
2:18 - 2:23Confucius dissuaded rulers from relying
on harsh punishments and military power -
2:23 - 2:25to govern their lands
-
2:25 - 2:27because he believed that a good ruler
-
2:27 - 2:30inspires others
to spontaneously follow him -
2:30 - 2:33by virtue of his ethical charisma.
-
2:33 - 2:34Confucius also believed
-
2:34 - 2:38that because the love and respect
we learn in the family -
2:38 - 2:40are fundamental to all other virtues,
-
2:40 - 2:45personal duties to family sometimes
supersede obligations to the state. -
2:45 - 2:49So when one duke bragged
that his subjects were so upright -
2:49 - 2:52that a son testified
against his own father -
2:52 - 2:54when his father stole a sheep,
-
2:54 - 2:56Confucius informed the duke
-
2:56 - 3:00that genuinely upright fathers
and sons protected one another. -
3:00 - 3:03During his travels,
Confucius almost starved, -
3:03 - 3:05he was briefly imprisoned,
-
3:05 - 3:08and his life was threatened
at several points. -
3:08 - 3:10But he was not bitter.
-
3:10 - 3:13Confucius had faith that heaven
had a plan for the world, -
3:13 - 3:15and he taught that a virtuous person
-
3:15 - 3:19could always find joy
in learning and music. -
3:19 - 3:21Failing to find the ruler he sought,
-
3:21 - 3:23Confucius returned to Lu
-
3:23 - 3:26and became a teacher and philosopher
so influential, -
3:26 - 3:29that he helped shaped Chinese culture
-
3:29 - 3:33and we recognize his name worldwide,
even today. -
3:33 - 3:35For the disciples of Confucius,
-
3:35 - 3:40he was the living embodiment of a sage
who leads others through his virtue, -
3:40 - 3:41and they recorded his sayings,
-
3:41 - 3:47which eventually were edited into a book
we know in English as "The Analects." -
3:47 - 3:52Today, millions of people worldwide adhere
to the principles of Confucianism, -
3:52 - 3:56and though the precise meaning of
his words has been debated for millennia, -
3:56 - 3:59when asked to summarize
his teachings in a single phrase, -
3:59 - 4:01Confucius himself said,
-
4:01 - 4:07"Do not inflict upon others
that which you yourself would not want." -
4:07 - 4:112,500 years later, it's still sage advice.
- Title:
- Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden
- Description:
-
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/who-was-confucius-bryan-w-van-norden
Most people recognize his name and know that he is famous for having said something, but considering the long-lasting impact his teachings have had on the world, very few people know who Confucius really was, what he really said... and why. Bryan W. Van Norden reveals the man behind the mystery.
Lesson by Bryan W. Van Norden, animation by Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 04:30
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Jessica Ruby edited English subtitles for Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden | |
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Jessica Ruby edited English subtitles for Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden | |
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Jessica Ruby edited English subtitles for Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden | |
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Jennifer Cody edited English subtitles for Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden | |
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Jennifer Cody edited English subtitles for Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden |