Confucius: Thinking Deeply

The Golden Rule, five centuries before everyone else · 先行五百年的金律

Every culture produces men and women with sharp minds who spend their days thinking about the world and how to live a good and happy life. They are the philosophers.

One famous philosopher, Kong Zi, lived and worked in China from 551 BC to 479 BC. In English, this great philosopher is called Confucius. He gave China and the world some deep insights into life and how to live it well. His philosophical ideas are known far and wide. His work is studied in philosophy departments at major world universities.

Philosophers have opinions about almost everything. Confucius identified three main truths about how to live a good life. First, he said we should respect the king. Next, we should do everything possible to respect each other. Finally, he believed that we can have a really good and happy life if we learn to live in harmony. This means that we should try to find a way to live peacefully both with each other, and with the natural world.

During his lifetime, Confucius travelled throughout China, working as a teacher and a government administrator. Wherever possible, he tried to put his ideas into action. None of his wise sayings were written down while he was alive. His friends and followers collected them after his death. Slowly, people everywhere were exposed to his wisdom. His ideas took root. People could see that Confucius knew what he was talking about.

It is interesting to note that many of his sayings are quite similar to those of other great philosophers. For example, his Golden Rule says: "What you do not want others to do to you do not do to others." Hundreds of years after the death of Confucius, the religious philosopher, Jesus, said nearly the same thing with his Golden Rule. It advises us to: "Do unto others as we want others to do unto us."

The two men lived in different eras and grew up in different cultures. However, they both came to many similar conclusions.

That's how it is with philosophers. They think deeply about life. Much of their advice is true no matter where you are in the world.

Confucius: Thinking Deeply — The Golden Rule, five centuries before everyone else

Every culture p(1)__________ men and women with sharp minds who spend their days thinking about the world and how to live a good and happy life. They are the philosophers.

One f(2)__________ philosopher, Kong Zi, lived and worked in China from 551 BC to 479 BC. In English, this great philosopher is called Confucius. He gave China and the world some deep insights into life and how to live it well. His philosophical ideas are known far and wide. His work is studied in philosophy departments at m(3)__________ world universities.

Philosophers have opinions about almost everything. Confucius i(4)__________ three main truths about how to live a good life. First, he said we should respect the king. Next, we should do everything possible to respect each other. Finally, he believed that we can have a really good and happy life if we learn to live in h(5)__________. This means that we should try to find a way to live peacefully both with each other, and with the natural world.

During his l(6)__________, Confucius travelled throughout China, working as a teacher and a government administrator. Wherever possible, he tried to put his ideas into action. None of his wise sayings were written down while he was alive. His friends and followers c(7)__________ them after his death. Slowly, people everywhere were e(8)__________ to his wisdom. His ideas took root. People could see that Confucius knew what he was talking about.

It is interesting to note that many of his sayings are quite s(9)__________ to those of other great philosophers. For example, his Golden Rule says: "What you do not want others to do to you do not do to others." Hundreds of years after the death of Confucius, the religious philosopher, Jesus, said nearly the same thing with his Golden Rule. It advises us to: "Do unto others as we want others to do unto us."

The two men lived in different eras and grew up in different cultures. However, they both came to many similar c(10)__________.

That's how it is with philosophers. They think deeply about life. Much of their advice is true no matter where you are in the world.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

📜 文化拓展 · The Rule Everyone Wrote Twice

孔子（前 551—前 479），名丘字仲尼，鲁国陬邑人。文章说的三大真理，对应他思想里「礼」（尊重秩序与君上）、「仁」（仁者爱人、推己及人）、「和」（和而不同、天人合一）。他周游列国十四年想「put his ideas into action」，政治上不算得志，作为老师却弟子三千、贤者七十二——教师这个身份，才是他影响中国两千五百年的真正起点。

文中那句 Golden Rule「己所不欲，勿施于人」出自《论语·颜渊》。有趣的是，耶稣的金律「Do unto others as we want others to do unto us」（你们愿意人怎样待你们，你们也要怎样待人）出自《马太福音》，比孔子晚约五百年——这正是文章的主题：不同文明殊途同归（convergent thinking）。1993 年《走向全球伦理宣言》就把这两条金律并列为全人类伦理的公共底线。

「None of his wise sayings were written down while he was alive」说的是《论语》的成书方式：弟子及再传弟子辑录编纂，并非孔子亲笔。中国先秦经典几乎都是这种「述而不作」的传统。《论语》二十篇一万五千余字，却是公认「半部论语治天下」——文章结尾那句 Much of their advice is true no matter where you are in the world，放在孔子身上，一点也不夸张。