zengzi

zengzi's Introduction

Zengzi (505 BC - 435 BC), surnamed Si and styled Ziyu, was born into the Zeng clan and named Shen. He was later revered as the "Sage of the Lineage" and hailed from Nanwucheng, the State of Lu (today's Pingyi County in Shandong Province, alternatively Jiaxiang County). As a descendant of the Yellow Emperor and King Yu of Xia, he was the son of Zeng Dian and a disciple of Confucius. A thinker and a prominent figure in Confucianism during the late Spring and Autumn period, Zengzi was one of the representatives of the Confucian school, one of the Seventy-Two Sages, one of the Five Saints of Confucianism, and one of the Four Companions in Confucius Temple.

In his youth, Zengzi often studied poetry and books with his father, earning the reputation of being "deeply engrossed in his studies." In the fifth year of the reign of Duke Ai of Lu (490 BC), he was sent to Chu by his father to study under Confucius. He later accompanied Confucius on his travels through Chu, Wei, and back to Lu. After the death of Yan Hui, Zengzi became the main inheritor of Confucian doctrines. In the eleventh year of the reign of Duke Dao of Lu (456 BC), he was offered the position of prime minister by Qi, the position of chief minister by Chu, and the position of high minister by Jin, but he declined all offers. He later taught in the Xihe region along with his colleagues such as Zixia and Duan Ganmu. In the thirty-second year of the reign of Duke Dao of Lu (435 BC), Zengzi passed away at the age of 71 and was buried at the foot of Xuanwu Mountain southwest of Nanwu Mountain in Jiaxiang County.

Zengzi participated in compiling The Analects and authored works such as The Great Learning, The Book of Filial Piety, and Ten Chapters of Zengzi. His political philosophy of self-cultivation, family harmony, governance, and peace formed a complete system of feudal ethical and moral politics. His views on introspection, self-discipline in solitude, and filial piety based on respect have had a profound impact on later generations. Renowned for his filial piety and integrity, Zengzi left behind well-known stories such as "Biting the Finger with Grief" (one of the "Twenty-Four Filial Piety Stories") and "Zengzi Kills the Pig."