Complied by Chen WanghengIllustrated by Ren Changhong

Translated by Mary Ng En Tzu

About the Illustrator

Ren Changhong was born in 1967 in the city of Yantai inShandong Province, China. A graduate with a degree in architecture,Ren’s forte is in drawing sci-fi illustrations. Since 1991, his workhas appeared regularly in sci-fi magazines. A national contestorganised by the magazine, In Search of UFOs , sawRen clinching the second prize. In 1994, with the influx of comicsinto China, he branched out into drawing martial arts comics with hisdebut piece, The Spirit of the Sword . This wasfollowed by titles like Challenging God: The DarwinTheory — , The KidnappedScientist and The MysteriousAttacker . He has also illustrated Asiapac titleslike Genghis Khan: The Mighty Warrior , FamousChinese Diplomats and Rise and Fall of QinDynasty .

Guide to Reading

Opening Page

Questions & Answers

ComicsEasy reading

IllustratedInformative

Prologue 1

A Sage’s Birth in a Cave 2

First Encounters with the Rites of Zhou 12

Eager Pursuit of Knowledge 26

Lecturing Under the Apricot Tree 42

Leaving Lu and Moving to Qi 58

Appointed as Great Administrator 74

Revealing His Might in the Jia Valley 90

Touring the States 106

Food Supplies Cut Off Between Chen and Cai 120

Return to the Homeland 134

Contents

1

In the final years of the Zhou Dynasty, which is also known as theMiddle Spring and Autumn Period, Zhou was weak and decadent,

quite unlike her glorious days during the reigns of King Wen, King Wuand the Duke of Zhou.All the princes and marquises in the country werearrogant and thought nothing of the Zhou kings. They schemed to replacethem and take over the Central Plains.There were countless wars andcrime was rampant.T

At this time, Confucius, a great thinker, came on the scene. During hislife, he worked to reform and create a peaceful world.

2

Confucius, or Kong Zi,was born in the state ofLu, which was at thefoot of Mount Tai on theShandong Peninsula.

A Sage’s Birth in a CaveChapter 1

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the state of Lu was themost culturally developed of the Zhou Dynasty’s vassal states. Lualso had particularly high standing because it was the fiefdom ofDuke Zhou, the younger brother of Emperor Wu of Zhou.

Duke Zhou was a key individual of the Zhou Dynasty. He assistedEmperor Wu in overthrowing the Shang Dynasty, and establishedthe customs and procedures that characterised the governance ofZhou. Later, he was also instrumental in suppressing a rebellion inZhou’s eastern territories. As a reward for his efforts, EmperorWu granted him the best land in Zhou – the state of Lu. The dukesof Lu were also given many privileges previously reserved for theemperor alone, such as the use of imperial ceremonial regalia, musicand rituals. Emperor Wu also bestowed many sacrificial vessels tothe state of Lu.

Because of these grants, Lu was the most scrupulous of the vassalstates in observing the rites and customs of Zhou. By the time ofConfucius’ birth, all the other states had abandoned ritual practices,and even the emperor’s court no longer maintained completeobservance. But the state of Lu still preserved all the original rites,and this influenced Confucius’ thinking greatly.

3

Sigh, toobad, noteven a son.

Shu Liang He tooka concubine and

had a son; but hewas a cripple.

I gained my famethrough my militaryskills. Thishandicapped childis not my idealsuccessor.

His first wife gave birthto nine daughters.

Confucius’ father, Shu Liang He,was a knight from a cornercounty in Lu.

He does not preach what he practises till he has practised what he preaches.

4

Although mymaster is over60, he is a knightfrom a noblefamily.

Ha, he’stoo old.

What aboutyou, my

youngestdaughter?

I’m willingto go alongwithFather’swishes.

Yan Zheng Zai

Then he heard that the house of Yan in Qu Fu hadthree beautiful girls. Therefore, he sent amatchmaker there.

5

I’ve heard thatthe god of MtNiqiu is veryefficacious. Whydon’t we gothere to prayfor a son?

Thus, the couple madeseveral trips to Mt Niqiuto worship and offerprayers.

Not long after, Yan ZhengZai conceived and the

couple were filled with joy.

A gentleman does not seek to satiate his appetite or demand luxurious trappings.

Sigh, two yearshave gone by,

and still no signof pregnancy...

Yan Zheng Zai marriedShu Liang He.

6

Protect us,lord deity,and let us

have a son.

On the 27th day of thelunar calendar, 551 BC,they went again to MtNiqiu to give thanksto the mountain god.

One night, Yan Zheng Zaisaw a deity in her dream.

The black king also gave her a jadesceptre on which was carved thesewords: son of water, succeedingthe failing Zhou; the future king.

7

Ah, the baby ismoving, looks

like I’m going togive birth now!

Master,there’s a cavein front, wherewe’ll be able toshelter fromthe wind.

Quick,help

Madaminside!

Waa!

Do not fret about being misunderstood but be concerned that you cannot understand others.

English chapter 1.pmd 12/29/08, 12:15 PM7

8

Quick, let metake a look at

the child.

The baby had bulging eyes,drooping eyebrows, large ears, aprotruding forehead, and a flat top.

Yan Zheng Zai gavebirth to a son.

This strange-looking newbornwould become the great thinkerand educator we now know asConfucius.

To commemorateour baby’s birthat Mt Niqiu, let’s

call him Kong Qiu,alias Zhong Ni.