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Secondary sourceBook1905

Rise of Confucius, the Chinese Sage

R. K. Douglas · 1905

An early 20th-century historical account by R. K. Douglas describing Confucius's career as a political reformer and moral teacher.

A historian's later account describing Confucius's life, career as a reformer, and lasting influence on Chinese ethics.

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About this source

What it is

This is a chapter titled "Rise of Confucius, the Chinese Sage," written by R. K. Douglas and published in 1905 as part of a collection called The Great Events by Famous Historians. It is a later historical account, not written by Confucius himself.

Why it matters

The text describes Confucius as a political reformer who advised rulers during a time when China was divided into competing states. It explains how his ideas about duty, obedience, and moral conduct, though ignored by rulers in his own lifetime, later became central to Chinese social and civic life.

Look closer

  • According to the author, why did Confucius's advice go unheeded during his own life?
  • How does Douglas connect Confucius's teaching to family duties like filial obedience?
  • Since this account was written centuries after Confucius lived, what might it get right or wrong about him?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Confucius on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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