Tag Archives: Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius

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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Jingzi

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Meng Jingzi (孟敬子) was the son of Meng Wubo (孟武伯), who first appeared in Chapter 6 of Book 2 of the Analects. Like his father he became a high-ranking minister of the state of Lu, but gained a reputation for micromanagement and an inability to focus on the big picture.

Zengzi, a follower of Confucius, scolds Meng for this from his deathbed in Meng’s only appearance in the Analects. He also upbraids Meng for failing to pay attention to how he appeared and acted towards other people.
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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Duke Zhao of Lu

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Duke Zhao (昭公) was the predecessor of Duke Ding (定公) as the ruler of Confucius’s home state of Lu. He spent much of his reign from 541–510 BCE struggling to prevent his power being undermined by the Three Families, Jisun 季孫, Mengsun 孟孫, and Shusun 叔孫, that dominated the state. Ultimately, he failed in his attempts to control them and spent the last part of his life in exile in the states of Qi and Jin. Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Duke Zhao of Lu →

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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Huan Tui

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Huan Tui (桓魋) was a powerful minister in charge of military affairs in the small state of Song. He felt so threatened by Confucius that he engineered an attempt to assassinate the sage when he visited the state in 492 BCE during his exile from Lu in order to prevent him from meeting with the titular ruler Duke Jing.  Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Huan Tui →

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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Zhifan

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Meng Zhifan (孟之反) was a minister of the state of Lu who was known for his modesty and self-deprecating humor. 

According to an account in the Chronicle of Zuo (左傳/ Zuǒzhuán), in 485 BCE he led an army that was soundly defeated by a force from the state of Qi in a battle that took place near to Qufu, the capital of Lu. During the retreat he showed great valor by fighting off the enemy in an effective rearguard action that allowed his surviving soldiers to escape. Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Zhifan →

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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Wubo

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Meng Wubo (孟武伯) was the son of Meng Yizi (孟懿子). He is featured in Chapter 6 of Book 2 of the Analects, in which he asks Confucius about filial devotion, and Chapter 8 of Book 5, in which he asks the sage for his opinions of three of his followers. Meng Wubo was a minister of the state of Lu, as was his son Meng Jingzi (孟敬子), who is featured in Chapter 6 of Book 8 of the Analects. Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Wubo →

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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Yizi

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Meng Yizi (孟懿子) is said to have been one of two young nobles from the state of Lu who were entrusted by their father Meng Xizi (孟僖子) to Confucius for tutoring when he was starting out as a teacher. Meng subsequently rose to become head of the Mengsun (孟孙) clan, one of the notorious Three Families that were the real power in behind the throne of the state of Lu. In Chapter 5 of Book 2, Confucius criticizes him obliquely for holding over-elaborate ceremonies that violated the conventions of ritual. Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Meng Yizi →

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Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Zhu Tuo

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Zhu Tuo (祝鮀) was a minister of the state of Wei responsible for the administration of its ancestral temple and other ritual matters. Confucius probably met him when he visited Wei after leaving his home state of Lu for exile in 496 BCE. 

Although Confucius voices his suspicion of of Zhu Tuo’s “smooth tongue” in Chapter 16 of Book 6 of the Analects, he does go on to commend him in Chapter 19 of Book 14 of for the vital role he played along with two other ministers in keeping Wei functioning while it was under the capricious rule of rule of the louche Duke Ling of Wei (衛靈公) and his scheming consort Nanzi (南子). Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Zhu Tuo →