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Searching For Confucius
The Chinese philosopher Cofucius died broken and despondent, convinced that his life's work had been in vain. Little did he realize that his ideas would survive some 2,500 years. Who was Confucius, and why do his writings continue to inspire men and women to this day?
In the documentary Searching for Confucius, Canadian novelist Wayson Choy voyages to China on a quest to understand the great philosopher's life and legacy. VisionTV presents the film's world television premiere on Tuesday, March 29 at 10 p.m. ET, 2005, as part of its "History, Mystery, Travel & Treasure" documentary series.
Choy, author of the award-winning novel The Jade Peony, fell gravely ill while working on the 2004 sequel, All That Matters. The experience left him determined to learn more about his past. He was intrigued, in particular, by the way Confucianism had shaped the worldview of his immigrant parents. "My life has been lived in the shadow of Confucius," he says.
In the hour-long documentary, Choy travels to the city of Qufu, the home of Confucius and the site of a massive temple built in his honour. There, the author meets with China's foremost Confucian scholars, as well as some of the philosopher's present-day descendants.
Born in 551 B.C., Confucius grew up in humble circumstances and sought to better himself through diligent study. He eventually became a minor government official in the state of Lu, now part of Shandong Province.
China in those days was a land of constant turmoil, as nobles waged an endless series of wars among themselves. Confucius longed to bring order to politics, society and culture, and believed education to be the key. He became a teacher, gathering students together in open spaces like orchards and fields. Where education had before been a privilege of the nobility, he made it available to anyone willing to learn.
Confucius emphasized moral education: he believed that raising a person's moral standards would make them more compassionate and bring light to dark times. Some 500 years before the birth of Christ, he articulated the essence of the Golden Rule: "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire."
At the heart of his philosophy lies compassion or benevolence, tempered by self-discipline. Confucius taught that a ruler governs successfully by demonstrating virtue. But he had a hard time selling this concept to China's feudal lords. For more than a decade he traveled the country, trying to persuade the ruling class to adopt his philosophy of enlightened leadership, only to be greeted with open hostility.
At the time of his death in 479 B.C., Confucius believed his life to have been a failure. But devoted disciples kept his ideas alive. (His teachings were compiled in a posthumous volume called the Analects.) And ordinary people embraced his vision of a peaceful society and a meaningful life. Eventually, many of China's ruling dynasties would adopt Confucianism as their guiding philosophy.
Through the centuries, Confucianism has passed in and out of favour. It came under attack most recently during the Cultural Revolution. But interest is growing again, particularly as China opens up its economy to the outside world. This Choy discovers when he visits the headquarters of Confucius Family Liquor, a firm whose business practices are based on the philosophy of its namesake.
Confucius desired nothing less than to change the world. He succeeded. His philosophy has influenced millions, from great emperors to the parents of Wayson Choy. His ideas, says professor of fine arts Dr. Gao Yi Qing, endure because "they are full of the wisdom of life."
Searching for Confucius was directed by Trevor Grant, who wrote the script with Carrie-May Siggins. Gerald P. Sperling was the executive producer. The film was produced by 4 Square Productions in association with VisionTV.
-- VisionTV
In the documentary Searching for Confucius, Canadian novelist Wayson Choy voyages to China on a quest to understand the great philosopher's life and legacy. VisionTV presents the film's world television premiere on Tuesday, March 29 at 10 p.m. ET, 2005, as part of its "History, Mystery, Travel & Treasure" documentary series.
Choy, author of the award-winning novel The Jade Peony, fell gravely ill while working on the 2004 sequel, All That Matters. The experience left him determined to learn more about his past. He was intrigued, in particular, by the way Confucianism had shaped the worldview of his immigrant parents. "My life has been lived in the shadow of Confucius," he says.
In the hour-long documentary, Choy travels to the city of Qufu, the home of Confucius and the site of a massive temple built in his honour. There, the author meets with China's foremost Confucian scholars, as well as some of the philosopher's present-day descendants.
Born in 551 B.C., Confucius grew up in humble circumstances and sought to better himself through diligent study. He eventually became a minor government official in the state of Lu, now part of Shandong Province.
China in those days was a land of constant turmoil, as nobles waged an endless series of wars among themselves. Confucius longed to bring order to politics, society and culture, and believed education to be the key. He became a teacher, gathering students together in open spaces like orchards and fields. Where education had before been a privilege of the nobility, he made it available to anyone willing to learn.
Confucius emphasized moral education: he believed that raising a person's moral standards would make them more compassionate and bring light to dark times. Some 500 years before the birth of Christ, he articulated the essence of the Golden Rule: "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire."
At the heart of his philosophy lies compassion or benevolence, tempered by self-discipline. Confucius taught that a ruler governs successfully by demonstrating virtue. But he had a hard time selling this concept to China's feudal lords. For more than a decade he traveled the country, trying to persuade the ruling class to adopt his philosophy of enlightened leadership, only to be greeted with open hostility.
At the time of his death in 479 B.C., Confucius believed his life to have been a failure. But devoted disciples kept his ideas alive. (His teachings were compiled in a posthumous volume called the Analects.) And ordinary people embraced his vision of a peaceful society and a meaningful life. Eventually, many of China's ruling dynasties would adopt Confucianism as their guiding philosophy.
Through the centuries, Confucianism has passed in and out of favour. It came under attack most recently during the Cultural Revolution. But interest is growing again, particularly as China opens up its economy to the outside world. This Choy discovers when he visits the headquarters of Confucius Family Liquor, a firm whose business practices are based on the philosophy of its namesake.
Confucius desired nothing less than to change the world. He succeeded. His philosophy has influenced millions, from great emperors to the parents of Wayson Choy. His ideas, says professor of fine arts Dr. Gao Yi Qing, endure because "they are full of the wisdom of life."
Searching for Confucius was directed by Trevor Grant, who wrote the script with Carrie-May Siggins. Gerald P. Sperling was the executive producer. The film was produced by 4 Square Productions in association with VisionTV.
-- VisionTV
Submitted on February 3, 2005 in By David.
