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Informationen zum Autor Michael Burgan has written more than two dozen biographies for young readers, including Who Is Richard Branson? , Who Was Henry Ford? , Who Was H. J. Heinz?, and Who Was Theodore Roosevelt? Klappentext Learn more about China's most famous teacher and philosopher, whose ideas are still influential today. Born in 551 BC, Confucius was a young man when he set his heart and mind on learning as much as he could. By his thirties, he'd become a brilliant teacher who shared his knowledge of several subjects, including arithmetic, history, and poetry, with his students. Confucius wanted to make sure that everyone in China had access to an education and devoted his whole life to learning and teaching so he could transform and improve society. His lessons--now known as Confucianism--are practiced by over six million people in the world. They focus on loving humanity, worshiping ancestors, respecting elders, and self-discipline. Confucianism has become the system that governs a total way of life in East Asia. Leseprobe Who Was Confucius? Some people in the city of Qufu might have been a little puzzled by the young boy named Kong Qiu. He lived there almost 2,600 years ago, and even then, children enjoyed playing with toys. Kong Qiu, though, was different. Starting at a very young age, he seemed to always consider the best way to behave. He also closely followed religious teachings and the traditions that went along with them. Kong Qiu was said to take dishes from his mother’s kitchen and pretend they were the sacred bowls used in the religious ceremonies that he saw adults performing. In Kong Qiu’s time, Qufu was the capital of an independent state called Lu, one of many small states in what is now China. Across the country, people believed that they should honor their parents and the relatives who came before them. That belief was a main part of the religious traditions of the day. Like many children at that time, Kong Qiu began to learn all he could about the religious practices. He also learned songs that taught him about the plants and animals that were native to his region. Other songs described historical events or shared moral lessons. They helped Kong Qiu learn how to tell right from wrong. The boy believed he should always try to do what was right and speak up when others did something wrong. He thought everyone should behave this way. As he grew older, Kong Qiu wanted to learn even more about religion, history, and how to behave in the most respectable way. He then set out to teach others about the importance of knowing right from wrong. He especially wanted to explain his beliefs to the rulers of the states around Lu. But as he did so, Kong Qiu learned that dukes and government officials of the smaller regions within the empire did not always want to listen to what he had to say! They often chose to do what was best for themselves instead of what was good for all their citizens. Still, Kong Qiu found students who were eager to learn. They started to call him Kong Fuzi—-that’s Chinese for “Master Kong.” His students later became teachers, too, and their students helped spread Kong Fuzi’s teachings across China. Over the centuries, his ideas reached other parts of Asia as well. Today, Kong Fuzi is also known as Confucius. He is considered one of the greatest thinkers and teachers ever. His ideas are rooted in the history of ancient China, but millions of people still embrace them as wise words. His teachings explain how to treat others well and live a good life. Chapter 1: A Willing Student Shuliang He Kong was a great warrior. Stories about his life say he was more than six feet tall, which would have made him seem like a giant in ancient China. He was also very strong. Once, he saved the lives of fellow soldiers by holding up a heavy...
