The Great Teachers
On September 28th we celebrate both the symbolic birth of Confucius. In his memory we also celebrate ‘Teachers Day’ and their contributions to society, especially in regions with Confucian cultures.
In parts of Asia this day is marked by various ceremonies to remember the legacies of Confucius – with activities to express gratitude and appreciation towards teachers, such as giving flowers, cards, gifts, or awards. Students also conduct cultural performances or volunteer services for their teachers.
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher, a teacher from the 5th/6th Centuries BCE, and the founder of Confucianism – a system of moral and ethical teachings that has influenced the culture and society of China and other East Asian countries for more than two millennia. He emphasized the importance of personal cultivation, social relationships, political governance, and education – and taught that teachers play a vital role in shaping the character and morality of their students; therefore to be respected and honored.
The Golden Rule of Confucius: ‘Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself,’ is one of his most famous principles – expressing the idea of reciprocity and empathy for others – a principle that is found in many religions and cultures around the world.
Confucius taught further that we should cultivate the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, proper etiquette, wisdom, and integrity. He taught of Five Great Relationships in a society: ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, elder brother and younger brother, and friend and friend – each with its own duties and obligations, based on loyalty, respect, love, and trust. According to Confucius, only by fulfilling these roles can humans achieve social order and harmony.
The stories we write are chock-full of gurus, mentors, angels and others who tread in the path of Confucius to teach, guide and offer lessons-learned to Adam and thereby to our readers. In Adam in Taoland and Homeland Rescued, others teach our heroes, Adam and Tariana, the principles including those taught by Confucius. They in turn guide others in this same light. We have embedded his Five Great Relationships in the relationships between our characters and the ways in which they interact and learn from each other.
Confucius also taught that we should be well-rounded and skilled in music, the arts, writing, and mathematics – as representative of physical and mental disciplines required for self-cultivation. In our books, we share the artistic and scientific skills of our characters – in our own way – as each seeks self-awareness and true purpose.
Teachers like Confucius and countless others who have followed in his footsteps are blessings in the lives of every human being. They are special gifts – with knowledge, passion, creativity and enthusiasm for their subject matter – and patience, respect, understanding and compassion for their students. They are amongst the most treasured blessings of human history.
While we would never dare compare our own modest teachings in our Dreaming Dreams trilogy to those of Confucius, we most certainly celebrate him and all the teachers in our own lives, inside and well-outside of the classrooms – and invite you to recall and do likewise on this day.
