The
name Confucius is one well-known to Westerners but his teachings (beyond a few
comically-portrayed sayings) and, more importantly, his impact on East Asian
culture is a mystery to most of us. Indeed, there is substantial
evidence that Confucius left an indelible mark on the cultures of China,
Korea, Japan and most of East Asia and is largely responsible for the deeply
ingrained social ethics of the area, most clearly characterized by a
disciplined mind and a strong empathy for others.
Confucius (K'ung Fu-Tzu in
Chinese, Kung the Master) lived from 551 BCE (before the common era, or BC)
until 479 BCE during the otherwise somewhat underachieving Chou Dynasty.
As a minister to various regional governments, his mission in life
became that of turning a then-current trend toward social anarchy
("what's in it for me?") into a centuries-lasting emphasis on
deliberate tradition that stressed human-heartedness and respect for others.
This project will seek not to
provide new narrative on Confucius and Confucianism, but rather to collect a
compendium of information culled (with reference) from the e-literature.
Our intent here is to capture the interest of the visitor and while doing so
provide sufficient information as a reasonably comprehensive
introduction to the man and the religion. The reader can simply follow
the various topics (Confucius, Quotes, etc) in order or, as desired, jump
between topics.
Wayne A. McClelland
Incline Village, NV USA
waynemcc@wamware.com
