The suburban citizen., 1900-09-08
CHINA'S FAMED SAGE.
REMARKABLE CAREER OF coNFU.
Gus, POET AND POLITICIAN.

complete, ancient teacher and perfect
sage" first felt the light in the dis
trict of Chinese Tsow. His father
was Shuh-leang Heih, whose profess
was as large as his stature, and his
valor greater than both. His mother,
consort of Heih's senility, and his sec
ond wife, was Ching-tsae, youngest
daughter OF the family of Yen. The
usual miraculous episodes encluster
his birth. When Confuclus was only
three years old his father, Scholar
Heih, died.
OF his early schooling little that is
trustworthy has been preserved. Ger
tain it is that his house knew full well
the pinch of poverty. At fifteen Con-
fuclus, Kew, or Confuse, had versed
himself in studies far beyond his
years. At nineteen he contracted an
alliance with a lady of the house of
Keen-kwan. In the following year the
stork visited his dwelling. Ching-tsae
gave birth to q son. lie.
Confucius was made keeper of grain
Il
and lands. Even then his humblest
duties-the fabric of much rich para.
BILE and similc-were discharged with
an uncommon thoroughness and con-
scientious devotion. At two-and-twen-
ty he flashed forth into public teach
er; his house became tine rallyng
ground of thoughtful, ardent youths.
In 52S B. G. his mother joined her hus-
band In the valley of the shadow.
Five years afterward, when Confu-
clus, a man of north, south. east and
west" was twenty-nlne, we find him
studying music under n famous prin-
cipal named Seang. b. c. 517 saw him
signaled out as teacher of prOprieties
to the son of one Of the chief members
of Loo. A later date discovers him,
a musical acolyte, student Of poetry,
history, ceremonies, antiquity and eth
les, imbbing wisdom at the court of
Chow. Here so entrancingly did a
sage's music appeal 20 him that for
three full months flesh food and he
were strangers.
Now occurs a much-debatedi incident,
the rumored diyOrcng of his wife.
B. c. 500 in the early twilight of his
years, he was appointed chief maeis-
trate of Chung-tOo, and in this capac-
ity proved himself a manners retOrmer
of no mean prcwess. Next he was re-
spectively assistant superintendent of
works under Duke Ting; then Minister
of Crime During this last tenure Of
| office-pOpularized by defererce to the
verdict of one from among hh coln-
selors, whichever was most cOgent-
such became of his sway that no Of
tenders showed themselves.
Confuse was now the darling of the
populace. Delegates of his admins
tration sped far afleid, pilgrims tIocked
in shoals from other States In the
heyday Of his prosperity, at the tur.
ret Of ais power, arrived that tragic
throwback which, from a worldly
viewpoint, was his undoing BY the
Vaccinations of enviOus States it was
contriyed that cargo Of eignty peer.
! less damoZels should be presented to
his sovereign. These were sent Osten-
sihly as the portion of a goodwill of.
! ferlng, in reality to scduce the King
from the teachiugs OF his Minister.
| The YenOmous plot succeeded only too
| well For detected Confucius began
at iifty-six a cycle Of weary Wanler
| Jugs which were to last for thirteen
| years Through all his hardships- and
perilous adventures belief in a divine
| mission sustained him.
| OF those trayails and travels, in all
likelihood, were born his most con
! summate maXims. Probably TO that
| period we owe his uplifting of ances-
tor worship into a religion many Of
his compilations his immortal Ana
lects, his Rules of Propriety and the
contiguous Five Relations Of Society
to be Observed. Throughout his ex-
istence, from the Alpha of his adoles-
! cence to the Omega of his Obsequies,
he seems TO have been characterized
by lofty nobility, grand independ-
ence of thought and speech, a trans
cendent purity Of living. Upon some
alleged stains on his escutcheon, such
as the breaking Of a forced oath, the
praising of a gallant lie the present
writer has not sufficient knowledge or
| presumption to pronounce.
Charitable, Confuse acknowledged
! the vital need of education for rich
and poor alike. Narrow as to the
functions of woman, he was quick to
see the influence of right examples and
to insist upon their practice by those
in authority. TO secure the common
veal he realized that good rulers and
good leaders - benevolent despots, If
you will-wero Indispensable. Alive
before his time, posterlty awarded this
| matchless cOnserver and transmitter
Il glorious recognition. For 1000 years
countless emperors made and still
make adoring pllgrimages to his
/ shrine. To-day all native colleges
raise side temples TO his honor: his
disciples may be measured by the hun
dred million.
b. G. 4S3, by a fortunate twist Of
fate, the wanderer could return to
! Loo. Confuse was now slxty-nine,
[ Ahn-,t-. l., 4g,,,. ,.,.1 f...--...r -..,.,