Confucius Studies Rituals
When Confucius was three years old, his father, Shuliang He, passed away. His mother, Yan Zhengzai, came from a prominent family in Qufu, so she took Confucius and his elder brother, Mengpi, to live in Queli, within the capital of the Lu State. The State of Lu, originally the fiefdom of Boqin, the eldest son of the Duke of Zhou (Ji Dan) during the early Western Zhou Dynasty, was renowned for preserving the cultural artefacts and classical texts of the Zhou Dynasty, earning it the reputation as the “Land of Rituals and Music.”
In the 29th year of Duke Xiang of Lu (544 BCE), Ji Zha, a prince of the State of Wu, visited Lu to observe its music and was utterly amazed. In the 2nd year of Duke Zhao of Lu (540 BCE), Han Xuanzi, a senior official of the State of Jin, visited Lu and, after examining its classical texts, exclaimed, “The Zhou rituals are all preserved in Lu!” This culturally rich environment greatly influenced Confucius’s later education and development.
Unlike most children, Confucius was not fond of playful activities in his youth. From an early age, he took a keen interest in rituals, partly due to his natural inclination and partly because he worked as a ceremonial drummer in his teens, frequently witnessing formal rituals. After careful consideration, he ultimately chose to study the “Ru” tradition—the profession of mastering rituals.
According to Records of the Grand Historian: The Hereditary House of Confucius, “As a child, Confucius would often arrange sacrificial vessels (such as the square zu and round dou) and mimic ceremonial postures in play.” At the time, aristocratic society placed great emphasis on sacrificial rites, making such behaviour quite natural. Yan Zhengzai hoped Confucius would master these rituals as a means to reintegrate into the noble class.
Strictly educated by his mother and growing up in a family that had fallen into decline after his father’s early death, Confucius “set his heart on learning at the age of fifteen.” When he was fifteen, his mother leveraged her late husband’s connections to arrange for him to study rituals under the Grand Tutor of Lu. There, Confucius learned about the different types of ritual implements, their proper usage, and the procedures for various ceremonies. This was one aspect of his ritual studies—combining theory with practice.
Another aspect was hands-on participation. Confucius sought guidance from those knowledgeable in rituals, remaining composed and persistent even when mocked. He famously said, “When walking in a group of three, there is always a teacher for me. I select their good qualities to follow and correct myself where they fall short.” This philosophy expanded his learning beyond formal instruction.
Before long, his reputation for mastering rituals spread throughout the capital of Lu. Many nobles sought him out to learn from him, and some fathers even urged their sons on their deathbeds to become Confucius’s disciples. At the time, Confucius was only seventeen years old.
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