China’s Wise Teacher

When we studied India, we read about a prince who left his palace to wander through the world and look for the secret of happiness. He was named Siddhartha, but he became known as the Buddha.

The Buddha taught that a good, virtuous man could be happy, even if he were poor. He taught his followers to be peaceful, honest and kind, and to avoid doing any kind of violence, even to animals or insects.

At the same time that the Buddha was teaching people in India, another man in China was teaching the Chinese people that they too could learn to be happy, even if they were poor. His name was Confucius.

Confucius was born to a noble Chinese family. He had the chance to go to school, where he learned music and archery. But his family was poor. And all around him, Confucius saw war and turmoil. He lived during the Period of the Warring States, before the Qin made China into one country.

Confucius hated war. He wanted the Chinese people to live in peace. He offered to work for the government of his own Warring State. He wanted to help the rulers make peace. But the rulers rejected his advice.

So Confucius became a teacher. He told all those around him his ideas for bringing peace and happiness. More and more people listened to his teachings.

Confucius taught his followers that each person should respect the authority of those who are greater. Children ought to listen to and obey their parents. Women should obey their husbands. Husbands should do whatever the rulers tell them to do. Rulers should obey the laws of the gods.

He also taught that people in authority should be kind to those who are beneath them! So rulers should be kind to men, men should treat their wives well, and parents should take care of their children.

Confucius told his followers that if they behaved properly, their lives would be peaceful.

Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do to you.

Can you think of something you would not want done to you? Should you do it to someone else? Here is another saying:

If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.

This means that, whenever you make a mistake, you should try to fix it. If you don’t, you have actually made two mistakes! Can you think of a mistake you made recently? Did you try to fix it?

It is the wiser person who gives rather than takes.

Giving is more fun than getting! Do you enjoy watching other people open the gifts that you give them?

He who aims to be a man of complete virtue does not seek to gratify his appetite in his food.

Good people are not greedy! Eating whatever you want whenever you want it shows that you don’t have self control.

Note to parent: Confucius lived around 551–479 BC/BCE.