English Original
Confucius, a preeminent teacher in Chinese history, was born in 551 B.C. He dedicated himself to learning from a young age and began teaching in his early twenties, quickly attracting many disciples. While a scholar, he also pursued political ideals, holding several offices to implement them. When unsuccessful, he resigned.
After leaving government, he spent his final years teaching and editing ancient texts. Concerned that literature might be lost in his turbulent era, he compiled earlier works into the Five Classics. His disciples later assembled his sayings into the Analects, a comprehensive record of his thoughts.
Born shortly after the Buddha, Confucius differed by seeking earthly happiness rather than escape. He believed in innate human goodness, positing that proper thought and action could eliminate most evils. His teachings emphasized virtues like kindliness, tolerance, and respect for elders and ancestors. In governance, he likened the ruler to a family father: directing yet responsible for the people's welfare. He also stressed education, propriety, and tradition.
He championed education for all, becoming the first to extend knowledge previously reserved for the elite to common people. His ideas, highly valued, formed the foundation of Confucianism. This philosophy has provided China with a practical system of ethics, exerting profound influence to this day.
中文翻译
孔子，中国历史上杰出的教育家，出生于公元前551年。他自幼潜心向学，二十出头便开始教学，很快吸引了许多门徒。他不仅是学者，也怀有政治理想，曾担任数职以践行其理念。当理想无法实现时，他选择了辞官。
离开政坛后，他的晚年致力于教学和编纂古籍。因担忧所处动荡时代的文献失传，他将前人著作整理成《五经》。其门徒后来将他的言论辑录成《论语》，全面记录了他的思想。
孔子出生于佛陀之后不久，但与寻求超脱的佛陀不同，他致力于探寻人间的幸福之道。他相信人性本善，认为端正的思想和行为能消除大多数罪恶。他的教诲强调仁爱、宽容、尊敬长者和祖先等美德。在治国方面，他将统治者比作一家之父：既领导政府，又对百姓福祉负责。他还强调教育、礼仪和传统的重要性。
他倡导有教无类，首次将先前仅限于贵族的知识传播给平民。他的思想备受推崇，奠定了儒家学说的基础。这一哲学为中国提供了一套实用的伦理体系，其影响延续至今。