It seems hard to believe that a philosophy that began 2500 years ago is still the dominant influence on a major modern power. Nevertheless, that is the role that Confucianism has played in China. Confucianism affects individual morality, the roles of family members, the roles of individual in society, as well as the manner in which government must act. In short, this ancient teaching dominates almost every aspect of daily Chinese life.
             Confucius was born in 551 BC, during the Zhou dynasty. His family could be traced to noble descendants but was poor because his father died, leaving only his mother to raise him. His state, Lu, was the cultural center of China. He grew up while Lu was in a period of peace. The affairs in his state greatly influenced him and his teachings. Before beginning to teach, Confucius had many governmental roles.
             In 528 BC, his mother died. Following her death, he observed a three-year period of mourning, which is customary in China. During the period in which he was mourning, he began to study ancient history and literature. After this time, he began to teach and gained many followers. Confucius would teach only those who were eager to learn and who could learn from their own thoughts. He chose students who were known for their virtue, who were gifted in art or speech, who were distinguished in government, or those who were eminent in literature.
             Confucius ultimately achieved high rank in government. He became Chief Magistrate of a town and was quickly promoted to Minister of Justice. At the age of 56, he left the state of Lu, expressing his concern over the rulers' lack of seriousness and their lack of concern for doing the right thing for the people they ruled.
             Before Confucius, China had had some philosophical literature; but Confucius took the best points of what existed and incorporated his own ideas to create the basis for his philosophy, Confucianism. In his time, books were ...