(LI SHIGONG)

Confucius is one of the rare men who impacted human history by dint of his personal and intellectual gifts. So much legend and tradition whirls around this great figure that it becomes hard to clearly understand the man and his teachings.

Confucius was born in 551 B.C. in a small state called Lu, now in Shandong Province. His ancestry is uncertain, but many feel he had aristocratic ancestors; he was also largely self-taught. Because he was not wealthy, Confucius had to work to survive, and this gave him empathy for the common people.

One of the most important things that Confucius advocated concerns the concept of being a gentleman. At that time aristocratic men were deemed gentlemen by dint of their birth. Confucius changed that by asserting that anyone could be a gentleman if his conduct were noble, unselfish, just and kind. Thus, grounds of birth gave way to questions of moral conduct and character.

Confucius was also known for his frank, simple language. He did not like flowery speeches. He must have been a highly persuasive speaker, and a magnetic personality, for he convinced many men to become his disciples, and his thoughts have lasted through centuries.

In fact, we can safely say that Confucius, by gathering together these men to discuss his ideas for reforming the world, was the founder of the first school of higher education in China. Certainly, rulers and aristocrats had tutors, and men apprenticed to officials, but teaching at that time must have consisted of learning techniques to carry on traditional functions. Confucius, however, did not seek merely to train his disciples, but rather to educate them. He desired to cultivate his students mentally and morally, to expand their worldview, to strengthen them and to give them mental self-discipline.

How was his teaching different from the norms of the day? Traditionally, students wanting to become government officials were expected to conform and act as instruments to their rulers. Confucius, in contrast, desired his students to think in a more dynamic fashion, to act as innovators in government, and to serve the needs of all the people, not just the rulers.

Confucius also accepted students from all ranks and levels of society; the nobility studied along with the very poor. These poor students had to learn court etiquette, known in Chinese as "li." The original meaning of li is sacrifice; denoting the ritual used in sacrifice and the ceremony needed, as well as the courtesy or codes of conduct at court.

From the importance of sacrificing to ancestors, Confucius asked why rulers should not pay equal attention to their conduct toward court members. Moreover, courtesy at court should also be extended to the common people, he argued. In fact, wherever one went, a man should treat those he came in contact with as an "important guest." As you might guess, Confucius' ideas contrasted sharply with those of his contemporaries.

Today, in the Confucian classics one may read about elaborate rituals for behavior, for example, where to put one's fingers when picking up a ritual glass. But this was not what Confucius had in mind. For him, it was the spirit—not the ritual—that counted. Yet he did not underestimate the importance of convention.

Philosophically, Confucius examined the nature of a human being. He did not perceive individuals outside of society, nor did he think of society metaphysically, with individuals wholly absorbed by society. Instead, Confucius saw men as social creatures. They are influenced by society, and society is constructed of individuals. Thus, a man should never withdraw from society, just as he should not surrender his moral judgment to it. Confucius used the term li to represent obligations of courtesy and moral duty that a man needed to function successfully in society.

In sum, Confucius saw intellectual cultivation to be useless without a parallel cultivation of emotional balance. Learning must be disciplined by means of li. Training in li allows men to stand fast to their principles during times of crisis.

This intimate intertwining of courtesy and morality has remained consistent in Chinese education throughout the centuries. Confucius believed that education should be accessible to all, in order that the most talented people, despite their position in society, might contribute and help their country. In China, the ethical codes of individuals, and the pattern of government, are ideally based upon li—this is meant to bring out maximum well-being and self-realization for all Chinese citizens.

Confucius remained a teacher all his life. He traveled to many places and met rulers. Some treated him well; others snubbed him. But his teachings live on. His global appeal may be due to his own personal conduct. According to the Master: "Wisdom is to know men; virtue is to love men."

The writer is an American living in China