The native family is unhappy, humiliated by the powerful, and the job is ordinary...
What was Confucius doing before 30
September 28 is the birthday of Confucius, which is generally recognized by the mainstream society. Many places will hold a series of ceremonies to commemorate Confucius on this day.
The saint’s life-long deeds, as Zhu Xi said in the Southern Song Dynasty, “the sky does not give birth to Zhongni, and the ages are as long as night”.
Confucius was not born to be the old man with a long beard in a portrait that was circulated in later generations. He also came from his youth.
At that time, although he did not have the thrill of being a great strategist in his middle age to take charge of Lu's criminal affairs and attack the powerful "Three Huan" forces, he also did not have the hardships of traveling around the countries and promoting political ideas, and he did not revise the six classics and establish Chinese cultural orthodoxy. His brilliant achievements, but his homeland feelings for the country and the people have taken root, and the responsibility of knowing that he cannot do it is also on his shoulders.
Unhappy native family
According to some current concepts, Confucius’s original family is very problematic and belongs to the type of high driving and low driving.
His ancestors belonged to the royal family of Song Dynasty, but his family moved to Lu Kingdom.
Although his father's uncle Liang He was a declining nobleman, he was famous among the princes for his bravery and good warfare; his mother, Yan Zhengzai, was the second wife of Uncle Liang He, more than 40 years younger than Uncle Liang He; his family was the Qufu surname, so Confucius The family should belong to the local upper class.
Before Confucius, the uncle Liang He and his ex-wife Shi had 9 daughters, and his concubine had a son Mengpi who had a foot problem, and they could not inherit the incense.
Confucius was the old son of his uncle Liang He in his 60s. He was the hope of the whole family. He should have a happy childhood regarded as the jewel in his hand.
Unfortunately, when Confucius was 3 years old, his father died.
In order to avoid the complicated family conflict with Shi, his mother, Yan Zheng, took the 3-year-old Confucius away from his home in the countryside and moved to live in Queli in Qufu, the capital of the State of Lu.
Although it is a single-parent family, the mother tried her best to create a good growth environment for the young Confucius with her diligent hands, and teach in accordance with Confucius's nature.
According to Sima Qian’s "Records of the Confucius Family", Confucius’s childhood hobbies were different, "playing for children, often chanting beans, setting up polite appearances", not like ordinary children like to play, but like playing with sacrifices and banquets. Place sacrificial objects such as square and round beans, place them in accordance with the etiquette system, and then practice kowtow.
In the political culture of the time, whether or not one knew the etiquette was an important sign of distinguishing social class.
According to Zheng Huan’s "Confucius Family Test", when Yan Zheng observed his son’s interest and talent in etiquette learning, he used the money he saved to purchase standard rituals for Confucius. The instrument allows him to learn the etiquette system and make it a ladder to get rid of the decline of family status and return to the noble class in the future.
Being humiliated in public by the powerful
After Confucius and his mother depended on each other for more than 10 years, a bigger blow came.
When Confucius was sixteen or seventeen, his mother, Yan Zhengzai, died due to overwork in his prime in his 30s.
Confucius took care of his mother's funeral in strict accordance with etiquette and buried his parents together in Fangshan in the east of Qufu, winning the praise of the people around him.
The man who loved Confucius the most in the world has left and will never come back. At the age of sixteen or seven, he has to study independently to earn a living.
Soon, life taught him a lesson.
According to "Historical Records: The Family of Confucius", not long after the death of Confucius' mother, Ji Sun, the most powerful nobleman of the Lu Kingdom at that time, opened a banquet for the "seniors" and invited all the nobles of "shi" and above to participate in the banquet.
Although Confucius was still wearing filial piety for his mother at the time, and his mourning clothes were not removed, he considered that as the son of Liang He, the famous warrior uncle, he was eligible to participate in the gathering of the nobles of the Lu Kingdom and might be revitalized at the gathering. The Confucian family's voice is happy to "come with Wang."
Unexpectedly, before seeing Ji Sun, Confucius was stopped by the Ji family's vassal Yang Hu at the gate of Ji's house.
Yang Hu arrogantly scolded Confucius extremely arrogantly, "Ji family's foodie, I don't dare to eat." Ji family is banqueting nobles and celebrities today, not to invite you to Confucius.
Yang Hu's words were equivalent to expelling Confucius from the ranks of nobles on behalf of the Ji family.
Confucius didn't even recognize the qualifications of the lowest "scholars", "retired" and turned to leave the Ji family's house.
Yanghu's arrogance could not kill Confucius, but made him stronger.
The mission of revitalizing the family is called forward, and the most important thing right now is to make a living.
Be conscientious in ordinary jobs
According to "The Analects of Confucius: Zihan", after Confucius became famous, Dazai, who was in charge of the affairs of the monarch's court, once said to his disciple Zi Gong, "The Master and the Holy One? How capable is it." Confucius is simply a sage. Why can he master so many skills? !
Zi Gong, a deified teacher, replied, "The heavens and the sacred, and the sage is multi-talented." This is because the heaven arranged for Confucius to become a saint so that he could possess extraordinary skills.
Confucius heard from Zi Gong’s answer, he disapproved of it, he did not deify himself, but told the truth, “Dazai knows me? I’m too cheap, so I can despise more.” This is all forced by life in the past, and every skill is A bitter but inspirational past.
According to "Records of the Confucius Family" and "Mencius: Wanzhangxia", even though Confucius, who was "poor and lowly", was humiliated by the Ji family, he had to endure the humiliation and bow his head to the Ji family in order to earn a living. After all, the Ji family almost monopolized the state of Lu. Most industries.
Confucius once served as a "commissioner" for Ji's family. His responsibilities were to manage the warehouse, increase the volume of materials, and accountant and teller.
Confucius calculated and registered all income and expenditure accounts clearly and clearly, "accounting is just the thing."
Confucius later became a "manager" or "taking the field" to manage cattle and sheep husbandry affairs.
Confucius raised them in the morning and evening, and took care of them. "The cattle and sheep grow strong."
Confucius knew that whether it was managing warehouses or raising cattle and sheep, they could only solve the most basic survival problems at the moment. He had to master more skills and "open more skill trees" for further development.
In the aristocratic education system and political and social etiquette at that time, scholars must possess six types of "six arts", namely etiquette (etiquette), music (music), shooting (archery), imperialism (driving), calligraphy (calligraphy), and number (calculation). skill.
Confucius had already laid the foundation of etiquette at an early age, and developed the skill of "numeracy" when managing warehouses. Later, through self-study and seeking advice from others, he successively mastered the other four arts.
Although the "six arts" are well-connected, Confucius is rather humble.
According to "The Analects of Confucius, Zihan", after Confucius became famous all over the world, people in a place called Daxiang Party heard that he was excellent in "six arts" and praised "Great Confucius! Known but not famous". Confucius was a learned generalist. The name of an expert cannot be used to limit his talent.
Confucius heard it and said to his disciples, "How can I hold on? How can I hold on shooting? I can hold on shooting?" How can I be a teacher, can I shoot arrows, can I drive a car, just know a little driving skills.
To be a gentleman, not to follow the trend
No matter how humble and low-key the later Confucius was, his talent in his youth has gradually become known.
Such a talented person naturally needs a beautiful woman to accompany him.
According to "Confucius Family Talk", when Confucius was 19 years old, he married Song Qiguan as his wife.
The wife's family, like the Kong family, moved from the Song State to the Lu State in the early years, so Yun Song Qiguan clan.
At that time, Confucius was already famous in Lu, and the monarchs also heard about it.
One year after Confucius was married, he was about 20 years old, and his wife gave him a son.
When the monarch of Lu State heard that Confucius was pleased with his precious son, he sent someone to send a carp to congratulate him.
Confucius gave his son the name carp, the name Boyu, to thank the monarch for his appreciation.
The monarch is highly valued by the people, and when Confucius has a bright future, he has chosen a path that few people take.
According to the "Zuo Zhuan", in the seventeenth year of Lu Zhaogong (525 before 525), the autumn of the year when Confucius was 27, Tanzi, a small country attached to Lu, came to meet the monarch of Lu.
Doctor Zhaozi of the State of Lu asked Tanzi about the official system in the ancient Shaohao clan, and Tanzi answered the ins and outs in detail.
Confucius "hears it" and immediately "sees it in Tanzi and learns it", learning from him the history of the changes in the ancient official system.
After finishing school, Confucius said to people, "I heard that,'The emperor has lost his official position, he learned from the four barbarians', and he still believes." I often hear people say that the royal power is declining and the officials responsible for cultural and academic affairs are scattered around; I didn't believe it before. , I saw it with my own eyes and verified it with my own ears.
Confucius saw the decline of culture and academic decline, and he was determined to reverse this decline.
When he was 15 years old, he was "aspiring to learn", but before that, what he learned was just for Daoliang to work for his family's survival. As he later said to his student Zi Xia, it was for "little Confucianism" and "six arts". It's just a way to make a living.
After that, Confucius was to be a "junzi Confucian", and he would learn the specific skills of the "six arts" to explore its origins and changes, right and wrong, and meaning, so as to transcend the times and connect the past and the present.
He learned the piano from Lu Guo music officials and learned from the music of "Wen Wang Cao" Zhou Wen Wang's personality and feelings of saving the world.
The purpose of Confucius' learning is no longer to "as far as the valley", that is, to obtain a high-ranking official and rejuvenate the family, but to understand the way and walk the way as his ethics, take the common people of the world as his own responsibility, and rely on the rivers and lakes and temples.
Confucius began to study all kinds of laws and regulations eagerly, not letting go of any opportunity to ask for advice.
According to the "The Analects of Confucius: Eight Yis", Confucius entered the Taimiao where Lu State offered sacrifices to his ancestor Zhou Gong, "asking everything" and asking everything clearly.
Someone sarcastically said, "Which is the son of the Huren knows the rituals? When entering the Taimiao, everything is asked", they say "The Huren", that is, the son of the uncle Liang He, Confucius is the authority of the etiquette system, but after he enters the Taimiao, everything Ask others.
After Confucius heard this, he didn't take it seriously. He said, "It's ritual." If you don't understand something, it's "li" to ask. My approach is in line with the academic attitude of "knowing it for knowing, not knowing it for not knowing".
Of course, some scholars such as Qian Mu believe that this dialogue has another meaning. It is that Confucius used rhetorical tone to ridicule that many sacrifices in the Taimiao of Lu State do not conform to the real etiquette. He deliberately asks others for advice to awaken people to all kinds of rituals in Taimiao. "Attention to behavior.
Some scholars also believe that when Confucius was young, he went to Luoyang where Zhou Tianzi was to study Zhou rituals and ancient documents.
The monarch of the State of Lu gave Confucius a child servant, a car, and two horses to help him travel thousands of miles to Los Angeles.
Confucius also met with Laozi in Luoyang to discuss scholarship.
Of course, the specific age of Confucius when he went to Luoyang and whether he really saw Laozi are also controversial in academic circles.
Establish a civilian education and have a lifelong ambition
In the process of studying, Confucius began to care about the education of the people at the bottom.
As the lowest aristocratic "scholar", he can ask Tanzi, Shixiang, Laozi and others for advice when in doubt. However, in the education pattern of "studying in the government" and the aristocracy monopolizing academic culture, the children of ordinary people did not Opportunity to receive education.
The 30-year-old Confucius was determined to change this unfair situation. He started to set up private schools, teaches apprentices, and enrolls civilian children with the concept of "education without class", breaking the moat established by the declining aristocracy on the issue of education. , Thus became the first vocational educator in Chinese history, and was honored as the most sacred teacher by the later world.
As stated in "The Analects of Confucius and Shuer", "I am not trying to fix the above by myself." As long as a small gift of dried meat is given as a tuition fee, you can go to Confucius for education.
Confucius, who founded civilian education, had a lifelong ambition, taught people how to stand up, cultivated family and country feelings, and early disciples such as Zilu, Yanlu, and Zeng Dian came here one after another.
The nobleman of the Lu Kingdom Meng Xizi also sent his two sons, Meng Yizi and Nangong, to worship Confucius as his teacher and learn from him.
There are stars ahead, ray of light in your eyes, love in your heart, and a long way under your feet.
Standing at thirty, Confucius, who is gradually approaching the 40-year-old threshold, is no longer confused. He has the confidence and calmness to face all the unknowns, censures, and incomprehensibility in the future. Light up the eternal night.
(The author of Wu Peng is a Doctor of History, Renmin University of China)