第2章 Confucius and Confucianism孔子与儒家

Part 1 Introduction of China Cultures介绍中国文化

在物质生活极大丰富的今天，现在的人也许过于现实了，我们需要努力寻求物质和灵魂的平衡。所以，我们需要重新审视经典。我们在学习西方先进思想文化的同时，以孔子为代表的儒家思想文化也正在进一步走向世界，并为世界上越来越多的国家、人们所理解和接受。现在，就让我们和老外一起聊聊神秘的孔子以及儒家思想。

Realize Confucius and Confucian classics

认识孔子和儒家经典

1 孔子简介及影响

Confucius, literally “Master Kong” （traditionally 28 September 551 BC-479 BC） , was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.

The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism or Taoism during the Han Dynasty （206 BC-AD 220）. Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism.

Because no texts survive that are demonstrably authored by Confucius, and the ideas most closely associated with him were elaborated in writings that accumulated over the period between his death and the foundation of the first Chinese empire in 221 BC, many scholars are very cautious about attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself. His teachings may be found in the Analects of Confucius, a collection of aphorisms, which was compiled many years after his death. For nearly 2,000 years he was thought to be the editor or author of all the Five Classics, such as the Classic of Rites （editor）, the Spring and Autumn Annals （author）.

Confucius' principles had a basis in common Chinese tradition and belief. He championed strong familial loyalty, ancestor worship, respect of elders by their children （and, according to later interpreters, of husbands by their wives）, and the family as a basis for an ideal government. He expressed the well-known principle, “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself”, one of the earlier versions of the Golden Rule.

2 儒家经典的表达方式

（1）The Four Books 四书

The Four Books is an abbreviation for “the Books of the Four Philosophers” because The Analects of Confucius, The Mencius, The Doctrine of the Golden Mean and The Great Learning are respectively attributed to four great Confucian philosophers, namely Confucius, Mencius, Zisi （the grandson of Confucius）, Tsang Shan （a disciple of Confucius）. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties the Four Books were made the core of the official curriculum for the civil service examinations, which endowed them with the superior status in China.

The Great Learning 大学

The Doctrine of the Golden Mean 中庸

The Analects of Confucius 论语

The Mencius 孟子

（2）The Five Classics 五经

The Five Classics is a corpus of five ancient Chinese books used by Confucianism as the basis of studies. The Five Classics refer to The Book of Songs, The Classic of History, The Classic of Rites, The Book of Changes, and The Spring and Autumn Annals, all of which are said to be compiled or revised by Confucius.

The Book of Songs 诗经

The Classic of History 尚书

The Classic of Rites 礼记

The Book of Changes 周易

The Spring and Autumn Annals 左传

孔子是儒家学派的创始人，也正因为这个原因，儒家的英文表达（Confucian）与孔子（Confucius）同出一源，几乎如出一辙。

自汉朝“罢黜百家，独尊儒术”以来，儒学一直被历代统治者视作正统学科，以至作为任贤用能的标准，影响绵延数千年至今。每一个中国人，对儒家经典都是耳熟能详的。而孔子的命运，则是大起大落的。盲目地批判与尊崇孔子都是不正确的，科学地对待孔子的思想，冷静理智地分析他的言论，恐怕与这位“圣人”的中庸思想更为接近。

Key words & Sentences

关键词句全知道

Confucius said that harmony was important.

孔子主张“和为贵”。

Many basis values of the Chinese are well explained in the Analects of Confucius.

中国人许多基本价值观念在孔子的《论语》中得到很好的阐述。

Confucius was not only a great educator but also a well-known thinker.

孔子不仅是伟大的教育家，也是著名的思想家。

As Confucius said, “People who do not think far enough ahead inevitably have worries near at hand. ”

孔夫子说过：“人无远虑，必有近忧。”

All his students he taught patiently and systematically according to their individual innate abilities. In the book Confucius' Precepts to his Family, there is the story of how he once tried to make his student Zilu see the importance of learning.

孔子实行因材施教，循循善诱的教学方法，《孔子家语》上，记载着他启发学生子路认识学习重要性的故事。

Confucius advocated the importance to love other people.

孔子大力鼓励人要好好地去爱人。

Confucius （Kong Zi） is one of China's greatest thinkers and educationists.

孔子是中国最伟大的思想家、教育家之一。

Confucius is respected by most Chinese as the greatest teacher of all time.

孔子被许许多多中国人尊为自古以来最伟大的老师。

According to Confucius, benevolence means courtesy, loyalty and unselfishness.

根据孔子的说法，仁的意思就是礼貌、忠贞以及无私。

The teachings of Confucius tell us to be humble.

孔子教导我们要谦虚。

The greatest disciple of Confucius, Meng Kb （370 BC-290 BC）, better known by his Latinized name, Mencius, expounded Confucianism about 200 years after the death of Confucius.

孔子最伟大的继承者是孟珂（公元前约370-公元前约290年），他的拉丁语名——孟子更是闻名于世。他在孔子死后200年左右详细地阐释了儒教的道义。

After Confucius' death in 479 BC, his students collected his sayings in the Lun Yu （ The Analects）.

公元前479年孔子死后，其弟子将他的言论编辑成《论语》一书。

After the death of Confucius in 479 BC, his fame spread.

孔子死于公元前479年，死后他的声名远扬四方。

Qufu County is Confucius' home town where the old man ran a school for many years and trained a good number of capable disciples, a fact that is quite well known.

曲阜县是孔夫子的故乡，他老人家在这里办过多少年的学校，教出了许多有才干的学生，这件事是很出名的。

In Chinese, the three are collectively called San Kong wherein san means three and Kong is the surname of Confucius in Chinese.

在中文里，人们把这三个（孔庙、孔府、孔林）称为“三孔”，“三”的意思是三个，“孔”是孔子的姓。

It was important for a man to study, taught Confucius, not merely to gain knowledge but rather to improve his character.

孔子曾教导说，学习对一个人来说是十分重要的，不但能够获得知识，而且还能提高自己的品行。

Innately conservative, Confucius was fascinated by the last of these disciplines.

由于生性保守，孔子特别推崇“礼”。

Confucius said: “Isn't it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned? ”

子曰：“学而时习之，不亦说乎？”

Confucius said: “Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.”

子曰：“温故而知新，可以为师矣。”

Confucius was a great thinker of the past.

孔子是一位伟大的先哲。

In Confucius' opinion, teaching could be done either by advice or by example. In particular, a king must set a good example to his people.

孔子认为，教育可以分为言传和身教，君主特别要身体力行做其臣民的表率。

Now, more and more Chinese and foreigners start studying Confucian culture.

现在，越来越多的中国人和外国人开始学习儒家文化。

The thoughts of using rites and music to educate people received plenty of explanation among works of later Confucian scholars.

礼乐教化思想在后世儒家学说中得到了充分的表述。

Mencius was the most famous scholar of the Confucian School after Confucius.

孟子是我国古代继孔子之后最著名的儒家学者。

The most obvious feature of the Confucian culture structurally is ethic centrality.

儒家文化在结构上最大的特点是伦理中心主义。

Ancient people-oriented doctrines are often associated with the Confucian School.

一提到古代民本主义，人们往往会把它与儒家联系起来。

Let's Talk！

开始交流吧！

Emily: How about traditional Chinese culture?

艾米丽：中国传统的文化怎么样？

Mike: The 5000-year-long civilization is the source of pride of every Chinese.

麦克：中国人以五千年的文明为骄傲。

Emily: I know Confucius and Dr. Sun Yatsen are the representatives.

艾米丽：我知道孔子和孙中山的思想。

Mike: Yes, we can see the traditional Chinese culture presents many precious ideas and qualities.

麦克：是的，我们看到中国传统的文化呈现出许多宝贵的思想和品质。

Emily: They lay stress on the importance of kindness and the idea that the world is for all.

艾米丽：他们提出仁爱和天下为公的思想。

Mike: These thoughts have survived many vicissitudes.

麦克：这些思想历经沧桑。

Emily: I've been told Confucius was a great philosopher in ancient China!

艾米丽：我听说孔子是中国古代伟大的哲学家。

Mike: Thought of Confucius in Chinese history of great significance, has already affected more than two thousand years in China, Confucius's position in history is also very high.

孔子的思想在中国历史上具有重大意义，已经影响了中国两千多年，孔子在历史上的地位也很高。

Emily: I heard that Confucius was 196.8 cm tall.

艾米丽：听说孔子身高196.8cm。

Mike: It is rare for such a height in ancient times.

麦克：古时候的人这样的身材很少见啊。

Emily: Are there some historic records?

艾米丽：有史料记载吗？

Mike: There was a history record in Confucius of Sima Qian.

麦克：司马迁的《孔子世家》里有记载。

Emily: May be the measuring tools at that time were different.

艾米丽：可能古代的测量工具与今天的不同吧。

Mike: In any case, Confucius was a typical strong man of Shangdong.

麦克：但不管怎样，孔子肯定是个典型的山东大汉。

Emily: Maybe.

艾米丽：也许吧。