Level: DRA: Genre: Strategy: Skill: Word Count: Online Leveled Books HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

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1 HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

2 by George Capaccio ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: 4 Joe LeMonnier / Melissa Turk PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover Martin Norris / Alamy; 1 Tongro Image Stock; 3 Martin Norris / Alamy; 6 Bettina Strenske / Alamy; 7 Tongro Image Stock; 8 Visual Arts Library (London) / Alamy; 9 (bkgrnd) PhotoDisc / Essentials; 9 Visual Arts Library (London) / Alamy; 10 Kevin O Hara; 15 Getty Images; 16 (bkgrnd) PhotoDisc / Essentials; 17 Hemera Technologies Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers, Attn: Permissions, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida Printed in China ISBN-13: ISBN-10: If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

3 Table of Contents Who Was Confucius? An Unusual Childhood Ancient China Confucius as a Young Man A New Path in Life Looking to the Past Caught Up in Conflict Putting His Ideas to the Test Making Changes The Long Road Home The Last Days of Confucius Glossary

4 Who Was Confucius? Confucius (kuhn FYOO shuhs) loved to fish. But he never used a net. He thought a net would give him an unfair advantage over the fish. Treating others fairly was an important part of his philosophy. So was having respect for all living things. By most accounts, Confucius was a large man who stood nearly seven feet tall. He had a long beard and a distinct lump on his forehead. However, archaeologists have not excavated any images of him from his lifetime. His name at birth was Kong Qiu. When he began to teach, his students called him Kongfuzi, or Master Kong. Many centuries later, European missionaries in China referred to him as Confucius. A dignified scholar and teacher, Confucius had many interests. He enjoyed archery, horseback riding, and playing a stringed instrument called a qin (chin). He knew over 300 songs by heart and devoted part of each day to dancing with his students as another way of teaching them about life. Artists believe Confucius looked something like this. 3

5 An Unusual Childhood Shortly before Confucius was born, his mother is said to have come face to face with a mythical creature. In some tales of Confucius s life this happened in a dream. In other tales, the meeting took place while his mother was awake. The creature looked like a unicorn. To his mother, it was a sign that her child would perform great deeds. According to legend, she tied a ribbon around the animal s horn before it fled from view. Ancient China Confucius was born over 2,500 years ago. He grew up in the kingdom of Lu in what is now China. During that time, China was a patchwork of independent kingdoms often at war with each other. There was no central source of power. China During the Time of Confucius 4

6 Instead, each kingdom had its own ruler who had a private army and depended on the loyalty of the nobles who served him. Most people of ancient China did not belong to the aristocracy, or upper class. They were farmers and craftspeople who lived poor, desperate lives. Their taxes paid for the rich lifestyle of the nobles. Confucius was born into a world where government dishonesty, constant warfare, and an unjust social system were common. His father died when he was only two or three. His mother had to raise Confucius on her own. It probably wasn t easy for her. His early experiences of poverty left its mark on his character. Later in life, he taught that learning should be useful, not just a pastime for thoughtful people. Confucius understood, even as a child, that he had been born for an important purpose to honor his father s memory by performing the proper rituals. He took great pride in learning about these rituals and practicing them at home. Confucius would put this knowledge to good use when he grew up. He became highly respected as an expert in ceremonies and rituals. In China at the time, the business of government was conducted according to strict rules of etiquette, or manners. For instance, meetings with foreign diplomats had to follow these rules exactly. Later in his life, Confucius served as a government advisor. He would make sure things ran smoothly and that all the rules were observed. 5

7 Confucius as a Young Man When he was 19, his mother arranged for him to marry. After the couple had their first child, Confucius went to work in a grain warehouse. He had to keep track of how much grain was coming in and going out. With his knack for numbers and his eye for detail, Confucius mastered the task easily. Confucius later worked as a civil servant, or official, in the government. He and his wife had two more children. The Chinese have celebrated the Lantern Festival for centuries. 6

8 The couple did not get along and eventually parted ways. Confucius soon began to attract the attention of the ruling class. They admired his skill as a master of ceremonies. They also noticed that he was becoming a first-rate collector of traditional songs and poems. In ancient China, a great deal of knowledge was passed down by word-of-mouth from one generation to the next through songs and poems. Books were rare. Chinese books are often written in columns and read from top to bottom. 7

9 A New Path in Life It wasn t only the nobles who were impressed with Confucius s wide-ranging knowledge. Young men who were eager to learn found Confucius to be a masterful teacher. One of his first students was a teenager named Zilu. He was only a few years younger than Confucius. As the years passed, Zilu became one of his most loyal followers and friends. Confucius continued to study, teach, and serve in the government. Because of his loyal service and dedication to learning, the chief minister in charge of the government officials allowed Confucius to travel to the kingdom s capital city. He also granted the The emperor rides young scholar a yearly income. In return, in his chariot. Confucius was expected to occasionally advise the ruler of the kingdom, whose title in English was the Shining Duke. When Confucius traveled to the capital, the highlight of his visit was his meeting with the keeper of the royal library. The keeper s name was Li Er. He counseled Confucius to pay less attention to China s past and more to the world around him. He also warned Confucius that if he continued in politics he was bound to create enemies. Li Er may have sensed the dangers that lay in store for the young man. 8

10 The Beginning of TAOISM Today Li Er is known as Lao-tzu (low dzuh), the founder of Taoism (DOW iz um). According to legend, Li Er gave up his position at the royal library after meeting Confucius. Already an old man, he spent the rest of his life living as a hermit. He left behind a written record of his teachings called the Tao Te Ching. This book is the basis of Taoism, a philosophy of life very different from what Confucius taught. Taoism encourages people to stay in touch with nature and to look inside themselves to find what is true and good. Li Er was a well-known scholar and thinker. 9

11 The Jinci Temple was built to commemorate Tang Shu Yu, a prince during the Zhou Dynasty. Looking to the Past Confucius understood what it was like to be poor. While most of the people lived in poverty, their rulers enjoyed all sorts of privileges. Many who held powerful positions in government abused their power. Members of the ruling class inherited their wealth and status. They could not be removed from office. And crime was common at all levels of society. 10

12 To Confucius, this was intolerable. In response to the disorder and inequality around him, he chose to look to China s past. He hoped to find lessons from the past that could help China in the present. Confucius believed that China s earliest rulers, who had preceded the current ones, had ruled honorably. There had been peace, and these rulers were worthy of respect and admiration. At least this is how Confucius imagined what early Chinese civilization was like! He believed ways had to be found to restore China to what it once had been. In order to bring about reforms, Confucius wanted the rulers of China s warring kingdoms to put his ideas into practice. Today his ideas may not sound very remarkable. But 2,500 years ago, they were considered revolutionary, even dangerous. Confucius argued that citizens have a duty to criticize those government officials who abuse their power. He also taught that a person s right to govern should depend on ability not on whether he came from a noble family. Government ministers could acquire the skill and knowledge they needed through education. And education, he said, should be open to all, rich or poor. Confucius s attempts to have his ideas adopted put him at odds with those in power. The rulers of these kingdoms were not about to give up their privileges without a fight. 11

13 Caught Up in Conflict When Confucius returned home, a civil war was about to erupt. Nobles from rival families got into a fight at a rooster contest. But the fight masked a much deeper conflict namely, which family would succeed the Shining Duke as ruler, whose death was near. During the argument, someone insulted the Shining Duke. When the Duke learned of this, he led his army against one of the families. But a second family came to its aid. The combined armies of the two families were able to defeat the Shining Duke. To save himself, he fled to a nearby kingdom. Confucius soon joined him. He had been a supporter of the Shining Duke. If he had remained behind, the new rulers might have imprisoned or even killed him. On their journey, he and his companions came upon a woman weeping beside a grave. A tiger had killed her entire family. When Confucius asked why she didn t leave, she answered that she would rather face a tiger than live under a cruel government. Confucius did not stay long in this other kingdom. At first, he was welcomed at court and enjoyed the confidence of the Honorable Duke, the ruler there. But one of the ministers plotted against Confucius. This minister resented Confucius s influence, and cautioned the Honorable Duke to keep his distance. The Duke listened. When Confucius found himself shut out from the goings on at court, he decided to return home. 12

14 Putting His Ideas to the Test A new government was now in power. Confucius could see how badly the leaders were performing their duties. He feared that people s needs were not being met. Rather than work in the government, he devoted himself to teaching. Confucius welcomed students from every background. He taught his students all the rules they would need to know to become good government officials. He also encouraged them to think for themselves. One of his favorite students was a young man named Yan Hui. Like Confucius, he had come from a poor family. But his temperament was different. Yan Hui was shy. When he spoke, the other students had to lean forward to hear him. Confucius s students were expected to know about China s most famous kings. They had to learn the elaborate ceremonies that honored the gods. These were believed to prevent natural disasters such as floods, fires, and famine. By now, one of Confucius s first students became a government minister. You may remember him: His name was Zilu. Because of Zilu s new position, he was able to offer Confucius a job as the mayor of a small town. At last, Confucius could test his theories. He lost no time in getting the townspeople to change their ways. He insisted they show respect for their ancestors and behave politely toward one another. 13

15 Making Changes Confucius changed public ceremonies to make them measure up to the highest standards. He chose songs he thought would educate the people. His reforms were a big success. The crime rate fell. It was said that if something was lost in the street, it would stay there until the rightful owner claimed it. Thanks to this success, Confucius was next appointed as the Minister of Justice of the kingdom. He could exercise even greater control over how the government was run. A major obstacle to his reforms, however, remained the nobles. They decided which laws to obey. Whenever they didn t get their way, they threatened to ruin the government. Confucius was determined to limit their power. He wanted them to give up their private armies and tear down the walls that protected their land. Confucius convinced the new ruler, the Decisive Duke, to go along with his plans. One noble family surrendered. Others did not. The Duke s followers soon found themselves in a standoff. His ministers grew more and more unhappy with Confucius as the conflict went on. Soon, Confucius found that the Decisive Duke wouldn t listen to him. Confucius was outraged by the behavior of the Duke, his ministers, and the nobles. So he quit his post and left the kingdom once again. Confucius may have walked through a lush landscape like this one as he traveled from one kingdom to another. 14

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17 The Long Road Home For the next 13 years, Confucius and his most devoted followers wandered from one kingdom to another. He tried to find a ruler who would put his ideas to use. He never did. Feeling like a failure, he returned home. Now in his late sixties, he dedicated his final years to revising the history of the kingdom, called The Spring and Autumn Annals. Some Sayings of Confucius Do not be concerned about others not appreciating you. Be concerned about your appreciating others. <Verse 16, Chapter 1> Conduct guided by profit is cause for much complaint. <Verse 12, Chapter 4> In serving parents, make suggestions tactfully, and if your aspirations are not pursued, still respect and do not disobey, bear burdens and do not complain. <Verse 18, Chapter 4> 16

18 The Last Days of Confucius One day Confucius learned that a strange creature had been captured. According to legend, when Confucius saw the creature he began to weep. It had a lustrous horn in the middle of its forehead. A faded ribbon was tied to its horn. Was it the same animal his mother had seen or dreamed of many years ago? Or was it a replica? Confucius believed it was the same one and that it was a sign that his life was nearly over. A few years later, Confucius was dead. His ideas were not. Some future rulers of China, such as the first emperor, Qin Shihuang (chin shir hwong), would try to stop the spread of Confucius s ideas. But other rulers, such as those of China s Han Dynasty, did put his ideas into practice. So Confucius s ideas did not disappear. Honoring one s parents and ancestors; caring for the young and the elderly; and treating others with respect these are some of the principles that guided Confucius s life. Today, his teachings still influence people all over the world. Although Confucius wrote with a brush, people today use calligraphy pens to make Chinese characters. 17

19 Glossary aristocracy (ayr ih STOK ruh see) n. the upper class of a society civil servant (SIV uhl SURV uhnt) n. a government official qin (chin) n. a stringed instrument Taoism (DOW iz um) n. a philosophy of life that teaches people to be in touch with nature and to look inside themselves to find what is good and true warehouse (WAYR hows) n. building where goods and products are stored 18

20 Responding TARGET SKILL Fact and Opinion Which statements in Confucius are facts? Which are opinions? Copy and complete the chart below. Fact Confucius was raised by his mother.? Opinion It probably wasn t easy for her.? Write About It Text to Self Write a paragraph that explains the information on Pages 4 and 5 about what China was like in Confucius s time. Be sure to include the main ideas. 19

21 TARGET VOCABULARY archaeologists dignified distinct elaborate excavate lustrous mythical precede replicas temperaments TARGET SKILL Fact and Opinion Decide whether an idea can be proved or is a feeling or belief. TARGET STRATEGY Question Ask questions about a selection before you read, as you read, and after you read. GENRE Informational Text gives facts and examples about a topic. Write About It In a famous quotation, Aung San Suu Kyi said, Please use your freedom to promote ours. What freedoms do you value most? Why? Write a letter to the editor of a Burmese newspaper explaining the freedoms you have and why they are important to you. 20

22 Level: X DRA: 60 Genre: Informational Text Strategy: Question Skill: Fact and Opinion Word Count: 2, HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books