Confucius and Confucianism

孔子與儒家

在物質生活極大豐富的今天，現在的人也許過于現實了，我們需要努力尋求物質和靈魂的平衡。所以，我們需要重新審視經典。我們在學習西方先進思想文化的同時，以孔子為代表的儒家思想文化也正在進一步走向世界，并為世界上越來越多的國家、人們所理解和接受。現在，就讓我們和老外一起聊聊神秘的孔子以及儒家思想。

Realize Confucius and Confucian classics

認識孔子和儒家經典

1孔子簡介及影響

本書精選全世界最熱議的101個流行文化主題，內容覆蓋音樂文化、影視文化、商業文化、體育文化、民族文化等多方面。每個話題都包括背景介紹、常用句子、重點詞匯以及一段情景對話。對話涵蓋生活的方方面面，有校園生活、日常生活和社會熱點問題等。語言通俗易懂，話題生動而不失深刻。本書以對話為主，注重口語，不必死記硬背、死啃書本，最后導致“啞巴英語”，在遇到外國人時仍舊張不開嘴。這本書每節都有大量地道的、原汁原味的句子，讀者可以在與“老外”的日常交流中直接運用。

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儒家經典的表達方式

（1）The Four Books四書

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大學

The Doctrine of the Golden Mean中庸

The Analects of Confucius論語

The Mencius孟子

（2）The Five Classics五經

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詩經

The Classic of History尚書

The Classic of Rites禮記

The Book of Changes周易

The Spring and Autumn Annals左傳

孔子是儒家學派的創始人，也正因為這個原因，儒家的英文表達（Confucian）與孔子（Confucius）同出一源，幾乎如出一轍。

自漢朝“罷黜百家，獨尊儒術”以來，儒學一直被歷代統治者視作正統學科，以至作為任賢用能的標準，影響綿延數千年至今。每一個中國人，對儒家經典都是耳熟能詳的。而孔子的命運，則是大起大落的。盲目地批判與尊崇孔子都是不正確的，科學地對待孔子的思想，冷靜理智地分析他的言論，恐怕與這位“圣人”的中庸思想更為接近。

Key words ＆ Sentences

關鍵詞句全知道

Confucius said that harmony was important。

孔子主張“和為貴”。

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

中國人許多基本價值觀念在孔子的《論語》中得到很好的闡述。

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

孔子不僅是偉大的教育家，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。 ”

孔夫子說過：“人無遠慮，必有近憂。”

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。

孔子實行因材施教，循循善誘的教學方法，《孔子家語》上，記載著他啟發學生子路認識學習重要性的故事。

Confucius advocated the importance to love other people。

孔子大力鼓勵人要好好地去愛人。

Confucius （Kong Zi） is one of China’s greatest thinkers and educationists。

孔子是中國最偉大的思想家、教育家之一。

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

孔子被許許多多中國人尊為自古以來最偉大的老師。

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

根據孔子的說法，仁的意思就是禮貌、忠貞以及無私。

The teachings of Confucius tell us to be humble。

孔子教導我們要謙虛。

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。

孔子最偉大的繼承者是孟珂（公元前約370－公元前約290年），他的拉丁語名——孟子更是聞名于世。他在孔子死后200年左右詳細地闡釋了儒教的道義。

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，其弟子將他的言論編輯成《論語》一書。

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

孔子死于公元前479年，死后他的聲名遠揚四方。

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。

曲阜縣是孔夫子的故鄉，他老人家在這里辦過多少年的學校，教出了許多有才干的學生，這件事是很出名的。

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，人們把這三個（孔廟、孔府、孔林）稱為“三孔”，“三”的意思是三個，“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。

孔子曾教導說，學習對一個人來說是十分重要的，不但能夠獲得知識，而且還能提高自己的品行。

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

由于生性保守，孔子特別推崇“禮”。

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

子曰：“學而時習之，不亦說乎？”

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

子曰：“溫故而知新，可以為師矣。”

Confucius was a great thinker of the past。

孔子是一位偉大的先哲。

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。

孔子認為，教育可以分為言傳和身教，君主特別要身體力行做其臣民的表率。