What You Need to Know About the Analects of Confucius

Confucius is a well-known Chinese philosopher up to this modern days. One of his popular book is the “Analects of Confucius.” It is the collection of sayings and Confucius ideas about the reality in life. No doubt, lots of people followed his course and inspired by his works. Though the date when Confucius written is book is still not proven, it was concluded that it was written back the Warring States period in 475-221 BC and finished during the time of mid-Han dynasty in 206 BC-220 AD. Analects was considered as the central texts of Confucianism when the Han Dynasty near ended unlike the first years of Han Dynasty wherein the Analects was just a mere commentary on the Five Classics.

Did you know. . .

• That for the last 2,000 years, the Analects was one of the most influential, widely read and studied books?

The influence of Analects is not only for Chinese people, but for East Asian countries as well. From Confucius philosophy, he believed that the maturity and development of one country depends on cultivation of the morals status of its people that was initiated by leader of the country.

According to Confucius, every person should inculcate ren – which is talking about altruism or selflessness of one person. To make a person cultivate all sense of virtue, he must have this ren inside of him. The first thing to do is the devotion towards your parents and siblings. Concluded to this, Confucius want to cultivate to people the virtue of giving respect to people and just to receive respect. That is said to be the most important attitude of one leader of the country.

• That the Analects was the collection of conversations between Confucius’s disciples and their Master?

The Analects was finished after the death of Confucius in 479 BC. The work of Analects was called as Lunyu which means “selected speech” or “edited conversations.” After later generation of scholars, Zhu Xi – a neo-Confucian, the scholar in the Song Dynasty believed and informed people that the Analects was done by the second-generation pupils of Confucius Though, some argued with this idea. They proposed and agreed that the compilation of Confucius books was on 140 BC.

• That the Analects became well-known to the schoolchildren in Han Dynasty and Eastern Han?

Although the Analects is not the primary work of Confucius, it became influential to people through different dynasties. Those students who want to train themselves into literacy read Confucius’s Analects. More than school that taught the Analects to students, is the private tutors that taught the heirs from Easter Han Dynasty.

• That there were several commentaries of the book of Analects?

Starting from the Han Dynasty, many influential and intelligent Chinese people studied the Analects, and some of them produced the book that relates in the work of Confucius. The most popular well-read commentaries by people are the “Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu Jijie)” written by He Yan from the year 195 to 249 and the “Collected Commentaries of the Analects (Lunyu Jizhu)” written by Zhu Xi from the year 1130 to 1200. Before He Yan proceeded in writing the book, he began to make researches regarding other commentaries starting from the early years of Han and Wei Dynasty. He did not accept all the ideas and commentaries of the early years, instead he guided by his faith in Daoism and Confucianism. On the other hand, Zhu Xi made a different way of researching about the work of Confucius. According to the work of Zhu Xi, he also had a research of the early commentaries from the Song Dynasty. What Zhu Xi had done that He Yan failed to do was that he used theories that was elaborated in Four Books. He also believed and stated that every book of Confucius related to each other and the book of Analects has a unity.

• That Analects talked about the belief in ghosts?

The focus of the book of Analects is about moral and social philosophy. Though, one part of his book stated that he believed that ghosts and spirits should be respected, but they should be keep in distance from human beings.

• That the book focuses more on moral philosophy, tradition, and natural love from others?

The book of Analects focuses on the idea of ren wherein stating about selfishness of one person which is true until this day. He also stated about the golden rule "Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourself” wherein he said that those people who wants to reach success should also help other people to reach success.

Up to these modern times, the philosophy of Confucius through his book of Analects still applies today to help people reach the happiness we desire.

References:
http://www.gradesaver.com/the-analects-of-confucius/study-guide/summary
http://www.supersummary.com/analects-of-confucius/summary/
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