Biography of Confucius

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In the early 20th century, Confucianism once again fell out of favor. It was harshly criticized by the New Cultural Movement for its age and gender-based hierarchies, which had become quite rigid during the Ming and Qing dynasties. After the Communists took power their anti-Confucian rhetoric only increased. In addition to their professed opposition to social hierarchies, they viewed Confucianism as a "feudal ideology”.The harshest repression came during the "Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" of 1966-1976, which was initiated by Mao Zedong in order to purge the party of potential opposition. Schools and universities were closed and young people were urged to join the "Red Guards" who destroyed temples and violently punished anyone suspected of being sympathetic to Western or traditional Chinese culture. The 1973-1974 movement, known as the “Campaign against Lin Biao and Confucius”, claimed that Confucius’s teachings kept China trapped in a feudal state for millennia.

In 1979, leadership of the state fell to Deng Xiaoping, who began a process of liberalization and opening to the West. This included the gradual rehabilitation of temples and monasteries, and gave permission to scholars to study Confucianism again not as a feudal ideology but as a legitimate philosophical system that was an essential part of traditional Chinese culture. In the 1990s, China’s astounding economic growth arose what was called "Confucius fever." Hundreds of books, both scholarly and popular, were written on Confucius and the Confucian tradition. Today, Confucius is back in favor, as his emphasis on harmonious societal relations is a good fit with the modern Communist Party leadership desire for stability and social harmony. In 2006, Hu Jintao called on government officials to return to Confucian moral ethics as a way to counter corruption and growing inequality. He also approved funding for over 100 Confucius Institutes to be established around the world to offer classes and resources about Chinese language and culture. Today the Confucius Institutes all over the world, allowing China’s to project its “soft power”.

We can conclude that, despite Confucius’ great influence and fame today, he didn’t always enjoy this celebrity status throughout Chinese history. In fact, he was even mocked by his contemporary Lao Zi, who took a more egalitarian and less artificially-imposed view of societal relations. It was only in the second century B.C., during China’s first Han Dynasty, that his ideas became the foundation of the state ideology. Confucianism impacted Ancient China in numerous ways, bringing stability into a country which had been affected from previous changes in dynasties. Today Confucius is widely considered as one of the most influential teachers in Chinese history. Confucianism has also a lot of influence in other parts the world. Indeed, Confucius is frequently quoted by foreign dignitaries in their speeches or talks.

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