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109-534: 21°1′43″N 105°50′8″E  /  21.02861°N 105.83556°E  / 21.02861; 105.83556 The Văn Miếu is one of several temples in Vietnam which is dedicated to Confucius , sages, and scholars. The temple is located to the south of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long . The various pavilions, halls, statues, and stelae of doctors are places where offering ceremonies, study sessions, and

218-546: A perfect man . For example, the Annals would allow them to relate the moral problems of the present to past political events; the Book of Odes reflects the "mood and concerns" of the commoners and their view on government; while the Book of Changes encompasses the key theory and practice of divination. Although some Chinese people follow Confucianism in a religious manner, many argue that its values are secular and that it

327-465: A "transmitter who invented nothing". He puts the greatest emphasis on the importance of study, and it is the Chinese character for study (學) that opens the text. Far from trying to build a systematic or formalist theory, he wanted his disciples to master and internalize older classics, so that they can capture the ancient wisdoms that promotes "harmony and order", to aid their self-cultivation to become

436-400: A capital G ), and other translations that have been put forth include "authoritativeness" and "selflessness". Confucius's moral system was based upon empathy and understanding others, rather than divinely ordained rules. To develop one's spontaneous responses of rén so that these could guide action intuitively was even better than living by the rules of yì . Confucius asserts that virtue is

545-419: A considerable reputation through his teachings, while the families came to see the value of proper conduct and righteousness, so they could achieve loyalty to a legitimate government. Thus, that year (501  BCE ), Confucius came to be appointed to the minor position of governor of a town. Eventually, he rose to the position of Minister of Crime. The Xunzi says that once assuming the post, Confucius ordered

654-735: A creator of topia or "places", a Greek word that Romans also applied to fictive indoor landscapes executed in fresco . The plants used in topiary are evergreen , mostly woody , have small leaves or needles , produce dense foliage, and have compact and/or columnar (e.g., fastigiate) growth habits. Common species chosen for topiary include cultivars of European box ( Buxus sempervirens ), arborvitae ( Thuja species), bay laurel ( Laurus nobilis ), holly ( Ilex species), myrtle ( Eugenia or Myrtus species), yew ( Taxus species), and privet ( Ligustrum species). Shaped wire cages are sometimes employed in modern topiary to guide untutored shears, but traditional topiary depends on patience and

763-517: A fashion by the famous satiric essay on "Verdant Sculpture" that Alexander Pope published in the short-lived newspaper The Guardian , 29 September 1713, with its mock catalogue descriptions of In the 1720s and 1730s, the generation of Charles Bridgeman and William Kent swept the English garden clean of its hedges, mazes, and topiary. Although topiary fell from grace in aristocratic gardens, it continued to be featured in cottagers ' gardens, where

872-742: A head in 223  BCE when the Qin state conquered all of China. Li Si , Prime Minister of the Qin dynasty , convinced Qin Shi Huang to abandon the Confucians' recommendation of awarding fiefs akin to the Zhou dynasty before them which he saw as being against to the Legalist idea of centralizing the state around the ruler. Under the succeeding Han and Tang dynasties, Confucian ideas gained even more widespread prominence. Under Emperor Wu of Han ,

981-462: A loyalist official rose up with the people of Hou and forced Hou Fan to flee to the state of Qi . The situation may have been in favor for Confucius as this likely made it possible for Confucius and his disciples to convince the aristocratic families to dismantle the fortifications of their cities. Eventually, after a year and a half, Confucius and his disciples succeeded in convincing the Shu family to raze

1090-497: A mean between extremes. For example, the properly generous person gives the right amount – not too much and not too little. Confucius's political thought is based upon his ethical thought. He argued that the best government is one that rules through "rites" ( lǐ ) and morality, and not by using incentives and coercion. He explained that this is one of the most important analects: "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid

1199-549: A more ancient origin. Aphorisms concerning his teachings were compiled in the Analects , but not until many years after his death. The name "Confucius" is a Latinized form of the Mandarin Chinese Kǒng Fūzǐ ( 孔夫子 , "Master Kong"), and was coined in the late 16th century by early Jesuit missionaries to China . Confucius's family name was Kong ( 孔 , OC : *‍ kʰˤoŋʔ ) and his given name

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1308-544: A mosaic, living sculpture ) worldwide includes the impressive display at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. Living corporate logos along roadsides, green roof softscapes and living walls that biofilter air are offshoots of this technology. Artificial topiary is another offshoot similar to the concept of artificial Christmas trees . This topiary mimics the style of living versions and is often used to supply indoor greenery for home or office decoration. Patents are issued for

1417-515: A person throughout life?" The Master replied: "How about 'reciprocity'! Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself." Often overlooked in Confucian ethics are the virtues to the self: sincerity and the cultivation of knowledge. Virtuous action towards others begins with virtuous and sincere thought, which begins with knowledge. A virtuous disposition without knowledge is susceptible to corruption, and virtuous action without sincerity

1526-521: A single example of traditional forms, a ball, a tree trimmed to a cone in several cleanly separated tiers, meticulously clipped and perhaps topped with a topiary peacock, might be passed on as an heirloom. Such an heirloom, but on heroic scale, was the ancient churchward yew of Harlington, west of London , immortalized in an engraved broadsheet of 1729 bearing an illustration with an enthusiastic verse encomium by its dedicated parish clerk and topiarist. formerly shaped as an obelisk on square plinth topped with

1635-434: A steady hand; small-leaved ivy can be used to cover a cage and give the look of topiary in a few months. The hedge is a simple form of topiary used to create boundaries, walls or screens. European topiary dates from Roman times. Pliny's Natural History and the epigram writer Martial both credit Gaius Matius Calvinus , in the circle of Julius Caesar , with introducing the first topiary to Roman gardens , and Pliny

1744-497: A storehouse for wooden printing blocks and two sets of three 25 room dormitories. The Khải Thánh shrine was built to honour the parents of Confucius. In 1946, the courtyard was destroyed during the First Indochina War. In the year 2000, the fifth courtyard was reconstructed on grounds of the original "Imperial Academy". It honours the talents, the national traditions and the culture and education of Vietnam. The design of

1853-595: A symbol of present-day Hanoi. The Khuê Văn pavilion is built on four white-washed stone stilts. At the top is a red-coloured with two circular windows and an elaborate roof. Inside, a bronze bell hangs from the ceiling to be rung on auspicious occasions. Many poetic phrases preserved on the pavilion glorify Vietnamese traditional culture. Beside the Khuê Văn pavilion are the Súc Văn gate and the Bi Văn gate. These two gates are dedicated to

1962-492: A ten-foot ball surmounted by a cockerel, the Harlington Yew survives today, untonsured for the last two centuries. The revival of topiary in English gardening parallels the revived " Jacobethan " taste in architecture; John Loudon in the 1840s was the first garden writer to express a sense of loss due to the topiary that had been removed from English gardens. The art of topiary, with enclosed garden "rooms", burst upon

2071-426: Is based upon the idea of reciprocity. Yì can be translated as righteousness , though it may mean what is ethically best to do in a certain context. The term contrasts with action done out of self-interest . While pursuing one's own self-interest is not necessarily bad, one would be a better, more righteous person if one's life was based upon following a path designed to enhance the greater good. Thus an outcome of yì

2180-509: Is doing the right thing for the right reason. Just as action according to lǐ should be adapted to conform to the aspiration of adhering to yì , so yì is linked to the core value of rén ( 仁 ). Rén consists of five basic virtues: seriousness, generosity, sincerity, diligence, and kindness. Rén is the virtue of perfectly fulfilling one's responsibilities toward others, most often translated as "benevolence", "humaneness", or "empathy"; translator Arthur Waley calls it "Goodness" (with

2289-571: Is found in this famous anecdote: 廄焚。子退朝，曰：傷人乎？不問馬。 When the stables were burnt down, on returning from court Confucius said, "Was anyone hurt?" He did not ask about the horses. This remark was considered a strong manifestation of Confucius' advocacy in humanism. One of his teachings was a variant of the Golden Rule , sometimes called the " Silver Rule " owing to its negative form: 子貢問曰：有一言而可以終身行之者乎？子曰：其恕乎！己所不欲、勿施於人。 Zi Gong [a disciple] asked: "Is there any one word that could guide

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2398-455: Is less a religion than a secular morality. Proponents of religious Confucianism argue that despite the secular nature of Confucianism's teachings, it is based on a worldview that is religious. Confucius was considered more of a humanist than a spiritualist, his discussions on afterlife and views concerning Heaven remained indeterminate, and he is largely unconcerned with spiritual matters often considered essential to religious thought, such as

2507-462: Is not true righteousness. Cultivating knowledge and sincerity is also important for one's own sake; the superior person loves learning for the sake of learning and righteousness for the sake of righteousness. The Confucian theory of ethics as exemplified in lǐ ( 禮 ) is based on three important conceptual aspects of life: (a) ceremonies associated with sacrifice to ancestors and deities of various types, (b) social and political institutions, and (c)

2616-480: Is the horticultural practice of training perennial plants by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees , shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, whether geometric or fanciful. The term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. As an art form it is a type of living sculpture . The word derives from the Latin word for an ornamental landscape gardener , topiarius ,

2725-464: Is thought to have died as a child and one was named Kong Jiao ( 孔姣 ). Confucius was educated at schools for commoners, where he studied and learned the Six Arts . Confucius was born into the class of shi ( 士 ), between the aristocracy and the common people. He is said to have worked in various government jobs during his early 20s, and as a bookkeeper and a caretaker of sheep and horses, using

2834-726: Is to achieve an artful expression of the "natural" form of venerably aged pines, given character by the forces of wind and weather. Their most concentrated expressions are in the related arts of Chinese penjing and Japanese bonsai . Japanese cloud-pruning is closest to the European art: the cloud-like forms of clipped growth are designed to be best appreciated after a fall of snow. Japanese Zen gardens ( karesansui , dry rock gardens) make extensive use of Karikomi (a topiary technique of clipping shrubs and trees into large curved shapes or sculptures) and Hako-zukuri (shrubs clipped into boxes and straight lines). Since its European revival in

2943-472: The Analects . Confucius's disciples and his only grandson, Zisi , continued his philosophical school after his death. These efforts spread Confucian ideals to students who then became officials in many of the royal courts in China, thereby giving Confucianism the first wide-scale test of its dogma . Two of Confucius's most famous later followers emphasized radically different aspects of his teachings. In

3052-651: The French protectorate , the Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám was registered as a Monument historique in 1906. During the period of 1945–1954, the French demolished parts of the temple to make additional room for the Saint Paul Hospital since hospital capacity was full during times of war. Campaigns of restoration were pursued in 1920 and 1947 under the responsibility of École française d'Extrême-Orient (French School of

3161-601: The Warring States period , but experienced setback immediately following the Qin conquest . Under Emperor Wu of Han , Confucius's ideas received official sanction, with affiliated works becoming mandatory readings for career paths leading to officialdom. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Confucianism developed into a system known in the West as Neo-Confucianism , and later as New Confucianism . From ancient dynasties to

3270-523: The works attributed to Confucius were made the official imperial philosophy and required reading for civil service examinations in 140  BCE which was continued nearly unbroken until the end of the 19th century. As Mohism lost support by the time of the Han, the main philosophical contenders were Legalism, which Confucian thought somewhat absorbed, the teachings of Laozi , whose focus on more spiritual ideas kept it from direct conflict with Confucianism, and

3379-707: The 16th century during the late Ming dynasty . The first known effort was by Michele Ruggieri , who returned to Italy in 1588 and carried on his translations while residing in Salerno . Matteo Ricci started to report on the thoughts of Confucius, and a team of Jesuits— Prospero Intorcetta , Philippe Couplet , and two others—published a translation of several Confucian works and an overview of Chinese history in Paris in 1687. François Noël , after failing to persuade Clement   XI that Chinese veneration of ancestors and Confucius did not constitute idolatry , completed

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3488-870: The 16th century, topiary has been seen on the parterres and terraces of gardens of the European elite, as well as in simple cottage gardens ; Barnabe Googe , about 1578, found that "women" (a signifier of a less than gentle class) were clipping rosemary "as in the fashion of a cart, a peacock, or such things as they fancy." In 1618 William Lawson suggested Traditional topiary forms use foliage pruned and/or trained into geometric shapes such as balls or cubes, obelisks , pyramids, cones, or tiered plates and tapering spirals. Representational forms depicting people, animals, and man-made objects have also been popular. The royal botanist John Parkinson found privet "so apt that no other can be like unto it, to be cut, lead, and drawn into what forme one will, either of beasts, birds, or men armed or otherwise." Evergreens have usually been

3597-521: The Analects, Confucius described the importance of the poetry in the intellectual and moral development of an individual: The Master said, "My children, why do you not study the Book of Poetry ? " The Odes serve to stimulate the mind. "They may be used for purposes of self-contemplation. "They teach the art of sociability. "They show how to regulate feelings of resentment. "From them you learn

3706-773: The British Arts and Crafts revival of topiary among roses and mixed herbaceous borders , characterised generally as "the old-fashioned garden" or the "Dutch garden" was to be found in Topiary: Garden Craftsmanship in Yew and Box by Nathaniel Lloyd (1867–1933), who had retired in middle age and taken up architectural design with the encouragement of Sir Edwin Lutyens . Lloyd's own timber-framed manor house, Great Dixter , Sussex, remains an epitome of this stylised mix of topiary with "cottagey" plantings that

3815-589: The Confucian canon at Prague in 1711, with more scholarly treatments of the other works and the first translation of the collected works of Mencius . It is thought that such works had considerable importance on European thinkers of the period, particularly among the Deists and other philosophical groups of the Enlightenment who were interested by the integration of the system of morality of Confucius into Western civilization . Topiaries Topiary

3924-598: The Emperor and Queen. A bell can be found in all of the pagodas in Vietnam. The first courtyard extends from the Great Portico to the Đại Trung, which is flanked by two smaller gates: the Đạt Tài gate and the Thành Đức gate. The second courtyard is known as the great central courtyard or sometimes the courtyard of great success. It features the Khuê Văn pavilion ( 奎 文 閣 ), a unique architectural work built in 1805 and

4033-403: The English gardening public with the mature examples at Elvaston Castle , Derbyshire, which opened to public viewing in the 1850s and created a sensation: "within a few years architectural topiary was springing up all over the country (it took another 25 years before sculptural topiary began to become popular as well)". The following generation, represented by James Shirley Hibberd , rediscovered

4142-638: The Far East). The temple layout is similar to that of the temple at Qufu , Shandong , Confucius' birthplace. It covers an area of over 54,000 square metres (580,000 sq ft), including the Văn lake, Giám park and the interior courtyards which are surrounded by a brick wall. In front of the Great Gate are four tall pillars. On either side of the pillars are two stelae commanding horsemen to dismount. The gate opens onto three pathways which continues through

4251-626: The Imperial Academy). In the centre of the fourth courtyard is the House of Ceremonies ( Đại Bái Đường ). The next building is the Thượng Điện , where Confucius and his four closest disciples Yanhui, Zengshen, Zisi and Mencius are worshipped. The sanctuary also hosts altars to ten honoured philosophers. These pavilions reflect the style of the early 19th century. A small museum displays ink wells, pens, books and personal artefacts belonging to some of

4360-574: The Ji's palace complex and ascended the Wuzi Terrace. Confucius ordered two officers to lead an assault against the rebels. At least one of the two officers was a retainer of the Ji family, but they were unable to refuse the orders while in the presence of the duke, viscounts, and court. The rebels were pursued and defeated at Gu. Immediately after the revolt was defeated, the Ji family razed the Bi city walls to

4469-537: The Masses", who was also the "Prime Minister"; the Meng family held the position "Minister of Works"; and the Shu family held the position "Minister of War". In the winter of 505  BCE , Yang Hu—a retainer of the Ji family—rose up in rebellion and seized power from the Ji family. However, by the summer of 501  BCE , the three hereditary families had succeeded in expelling Yang Hu from Lu. By then, Confucius had built up

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4578-566: The Mean " (Trung Dung, 中庸), " The Analects " (Luận Ngữ, 論語) and " Mencius " (Mạnh Tử, 孟子); Five Pre-Confucian Classics ( Ngũ Kinh , 五經): " Classic of Poetry (Kinh Thi, 經詩), " Book of Documents " (Kinh Thư, 經書), " Book of Rites " (Kinh Lễ, 經禮), " Book of Change " (Kinh Dịch, 經易) and " Spring and Autumn Annals " (Kinh Xuân Thu, 經春秋); ancient poetry and Chinese history among others. The students enrolled for three to seven years. They had minor tests each month and four major tests per year. Success in

4687-553: The Temple. Most students ( Giám sinh ) had passed the regional exam (Hương Examination - Thi Hương ) before enrolling at the academy. During the course of study at the academy, the students focused on discussion of literature and wrote poetry as well. The students learned Chinese, Chinese philosophy, and Chinese history. They had textbooks printed on paper which were in both Chinese and Vietnamese. They read The Four Books ( Tứ thư , 四書): " The Great Learning " (Đại Học, 大學), " Doctrine of

4796-537: The World Register in 2011. One enters the fourth courtyard through the Đại Thành gate. On either side are two smaller gates: Kim Thanh gate and the Ngọc Chấn gate. This courtyard is the ceremonial heart of the complex. On each side of the ceremonial fourth courtyard stand two halls. Their original purpose was to house altars to the seventy-two most honoured disciples of Confucius and Chu Văn An (a rector of

4905-702: The Younger describes in a letter the elaborate figures of animals, inscriptions, cyphers and obelisks in clipped greens at his Tuscan villa (Epistle v.6, to Apollinaris). Within the atrium of a Roman house or villa , a place that had formerly been quite plain, the art of the topiarius produced a miniature landscape ( topos ) which might employ the art of stunting trees, also mentioned, disapprovingly, by Pliny ( Historia Naturalis xii.6). The clipping and shaping of shrubs and trees in China and Japan have been practised with equal rigor, but for different reasons. The goal

5014-473: The basis of their moral merits instead of lineage. These would be rulers devoted to their people, striving for personal and social perfection , and such a ruler would spread his own virtues to the people instead of imposing proper behavior with laws and rules. While Confucius supported the idea of government ruling by a virtuous king, his ideas contained a number of elements to limit the power of rulers. He argued for representing truth in language, and honesty

5123-479: The beauty of literature, both its content and its form. In the first and second courtyards there are topiaries (bushes that are cut into particular shapes) that represent the 12 zodiac animals. One enters the third courtyard from the Khuê Văn pavilion. In the third courtyard is the Thiên Quang well. On either side of the well stand two great halls which house the treasures of the temple. The construction of

5232-407: The centuries after his death, Mencius ( 孟子 ) and Xunzi ( 荀子 ) both composed important teachings elaborating in different ways on the fundamental ideas associated with Confucius. Mencius (4th century  BCE ) articulated the innate goodness in human beings as a source of the ethical intuitions that guide people towards rén , yì , and lǐ , while Xunzi (3rd century  BCE ) underscored

5341-410: The charm of topiary specimens as part of the mystique of the "English cottage garden ", which was as much invented as revived from the 1870s: It may be true, as I believe it is, that the natural form of a tree is the most beautiful possible for that tree, but it may happen that we do not want the most beautiful form, but one of our own designing, and expressive of our ingenuity The classic statement of

5450-410: The complex. The centre path was reserved for the monarch and above the center path there is a big bronze bell, The path to the left is for the administrative Mandarins and the path to the right is for military Mandarins. The interior of the site is divided into five courtyards. The first two courtyards are quiet areas with ancient trees and trimmed lawns, where scholars would relax away from the bustle of

5559-508: The courts of these states, he expounded his political beliefs but did not see them implemented. According to the Zuozhuan , Confucius returned home to his native Lu when he was 68, after he was invited to do so by Ji Kangzi, the chief minister of Lu. The Shiji depicts him spending his last years teaching 3000 pupils, with 72 or 77 accomplished disciples that mastered the Six Arts . Meanwhile, Confucius dedicated himself in transmitting

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5668-437: The destruction of the Meng family. Even though Viscount Meng Yi gave his word not to interfere with an attempt, he went back on his earlier promise to dismantle the walls. Later in 498  BCE , Duke Ding of Lu personally went with an army to lay siege to Cheng in an attempt to raze its walls to the ground, but he did not succeed. Thus, Confucius could not achieve the idealistic reforms that he wanted including restoration of

5777-411: The duke and the three viscounts together at the court. Zhong You was one of the disciples of Confucius and Confucius had arranged for him to be given the position of governor by the Ji family. When Confucius heard of the raid, he requested that Viscount Ji Huan allow the duke and his court to retreat to a stronghold on his palace grounds. Thereafter, the heads of the three families and the duke retreated to

5886-464: The duke neglected to send to Confucius a portion of the sacrificial meat that was his due according to custom, and Confucius seized upon this pretext to leave both his post and the Lu state. After Confucius's resignation, he travelled around the principality states of north-east and central China including Wey , Song , Zheng , Cao , Chu , Qi , Chen , and Cai (and a failed attempt to go to Jin ). At

5995-406: The duke of Lu. The duke indulged himself in pleasure and did not attend to official duties for three days. Confucius was disappointed and resolved to leave Lu and seek better opportunities, yet to leave at once would expose the misbehavior of the duke and therefore bring public humiliation to the ruler Confucius was serving. Confucius therefore waited for the duke to make a lesser mistake. Soon after,

6104-418: The etiquette of daily behavior. Some believed that lǐ originated from the heavens, but Confucius stressed the development of lǐ through the actions of sage leaders in human history. His discussions of lǐ seem to redefine the term to refer to all actions committed by a person to build the ideal society, rather than those conforming with canonical standards of ceremony. In the early Confucian tradition, lǐ

6213-536: The exams, certified by the Ministry of Rites (Bộ Lễ, 部禮) qualified them to sit the national exam (Hội Examination - Thi Hội ). Success at the Hội Examination qualified the student to sit the royal exam, the Đình Examination ( Thi Đình ), held at court. At this exam, the monarch himself posed the questions, responded to the candidate's answer and then ranked those who passed into different grades. The Imperial Academy

6322-401: The execution of Shaozheng Mao , another Lu state official and scholar whose lectures attracted the three thousand disciples several times except Yan Hui . Shaozheng Mao was accused of 'five crimes', each worth execution, including 'concealed evilness, stubborn abnormality, eloquent duplicity, erudition in bizarre facts and generosity to evildoers'. Confucius desired to return the authority of

6431-475: The family from Song to Lu. Not all modern scholars accept Confucius's descent from Song nobility. Kong He died when Confucius was three years old, and Confucius was raised by his mother Yan Zhengzai ( 顏徵在 ) in poverty. His mother later died at less than 40 years of age. At age 19, he married Lady Qiguan ( 亓官氏 ), and a year later the couple had their first child, their son Kong Li ( 孔鯉 ). Qiguan and Confucius later had two daughters together, one of whom

6540-451: The fashion was established for more complicated topiary designs; this Franco-Dutch garden style spread to England after 1660, but by 1708-09 one searches in vain for fanciful topiary among the clipped hedges and edgings, and the standing cones and obelisks of the aristocratic and gentry English parterre gardens in Kip and Knyff's Britannia Illustrata . In England topiary was all but killed as

6649-420: The first choice for Early Modern topiary, however, with yew and boxwood leading other plants. Topiary at Versailles and its imitators was never complicated: low hedges punctuated by potted trees trimmed as balls on standards, interrupted by obelisks at corners, provided the vertical features of flat-patterned parterre gardens. Sculptural forms were provided by stone and lead sculptures. In Holland, however,

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6758-435: The front building as are scientific activities and cultural events. The rear building has two levels. The ground floor has a statue of Chu Văn An (a rector of the academy) and shows exhibits of the temple and the academy with a display on Confucian education in Vietnam. The upper floor is dedicated to the three monarchs who contributed most to the foundation of the temple and the academy: Lý Thánh Tông (1023–1072), who founded

6867-457: The ground. The attackers retreated after realizing that they would have to become rebels against the state and their lord. Through Confucius' actions, the Bi officials had inadvertently revolted against their own lord, thus forcing Viscount Ji Huan's hand in having to dismantle the walls of Bi—as it could have harbored such rebels—or confess to instigating the event by going against proper conduct and righteousness as an official. Dubs suggests that

6976-447: The incident brought to light Confucius' foresight, practical political ability, and insight into human character. When it was time to dismantle the city walls of the Meng family, the governor was reluctant to have his city walls torn down and convinced the head of the Meng family not to do so. The Zuo Zhuan recalls that the governor advised against razing the walls to the ground as he said that it made Cheng vulnerable to Qi, and cause

7085-586: The legitimate rule of the duke. He had made powerful enemies within the state, especially with Viscount Ji Huan, due to his successes so far. According to accounts in the Zuo Zhuan and the Records of the Grand Historian , Confucius departed his homeland in 497  BCE after his support for the failed attempt of dismantling the fortified city walls of the powerful Ji, Meng, and Shu families. He left

7194-489: The merits of the monarch and cite the reason for holding royal exams. They also record the mandarins who were tasked with organising the exams. It used to be common to rub the stone turtles' heads, but now there is a fence that is meant to prevent people from doing this in order to preserve the turtles. They are a valuable historical resource for the study of philosophy history, culture, education, society and sculpture in Vietnam. The stelae were inscribed on UNESCO 's Memory of

7303-583: The moat surrounding the house precluded the addition of wings for servants, guests and the servants of guests that the Astor manner required. He accordingly built an authentically styled Tudor village to accommodate the overflow, with an "Old English Garden" including buttressed hedges and free-standing topiary. In the preceding decade, expatriate Americans led by Edwin Austin Abbey created an Anglo-American society at Broadway, Worcestershire , where topiary

7412-516: The modern era, Confucianism has integrated into the Chinese social fabric and way of life. Traditionally, Confucius is credited with having authored or edited many of the ancient texts including all of the Five Classics . However, modern scholars exercise caution in attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself, for at least some of the texts and philosophy associated with him were of

7521-524: The more immediate duty of serving one's father, and the remoter one of serving one's prince. "From them we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants." Confucius frowned upon globalization encroaching on China, especially with music, and he preached against musical influences from Persians , Greco-Bactrians , and Mongols . Confucius's teachings were later turned into an elaborate set of rules and practices by his numerous disciples and followers, who organized his teachings into

7630-619: The nature of souls . One of the deepest teachings of Confucius may have been the superiority of personal exemplification over explicit rules of behavior. His moral teachings emphasized self-cultivation, emulation of moral exemplars, and the attainment of skilled judgment rather than knowledge of rules. Confucian ethics may, therefore, be considered a type of virtue ethics . His teachings rarely rely on reasoned argument, and ethical ideals and methods are conveyed indirectly, through allusion , innuendo , and even tautology . His teachings require examination and context to be understood. A good example

7739-620: The new Buddhist religion, which gained acceptance during the Southern and Northern Dynasties era. Both Confucian ideas and Confucian-trained officials were relied upon in the Ming dynasty and even the Yuan dynasty , although Kublai Khan distrusted handing over provincial control to them. During the Song dynasty , Confucianism was revitalized in a movement known as Neo-Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism

7848-457: The new fifth courtyard were based on the traditional architecture in harmony with the surrounding sights of the temple. Several buildings were constructed including the front building, the rear building, the left and right buildings, a bell house and a drum house. The Thái Học courtyard occupies 1530 sq.m. of the temple's total area of 6150 sq.m. The front building has a number of functions. Ceremonies in memory of cultural scholars are organised from

7957-724: The north of Qufu City in Shandong Province. Starting as a humble tomb, the cemetery of Confucius had been expanded by emperors since the Han Dynasty. To date, the Cemetery of Confucius (孔林) covers an area of 183 hectares with more than 100,000 graves of the Kong descendants, it is included in the World Heritage List for its cultural and architectural value. In the Analects , Confucius presents himself as

8066-462: The old wisdom by writing or editing the Five Classics . During his return, Confucius sometimes acted as an advisor to several government officials in Lu, including Ji Kangzi, on matters including governance and crime. Burdened by the loss of both his son and his favorite disciples, he died at the age of 71 or 72 from natural causes. Confucius was buried on the bank of the Sishui River , to

8175-400: The opportunity to put his principles into practice but he gave up on the idea in the end. Confucius disapproved the use of a violent revolution by principle, even though the Ji family dominated the Lu state by force for generations and had exiled the previous duke. Creel states that, unlike the rebel Yang Hu before him, Gongshan may have sought to destroy the three hereditary families and restore

8284-424: The outside world. The bell located above the main gate was used to signify that an important person was coming through and was added to the Văn Miếu in the 19th century. The bell was made out of Bronze and could only be touched by monks. On the bell several patterns can be found including an outline of a phoenix, which represents beauty, and a dragon, which represents power. Both of these symbols are used to represent

8393-426: The people. Because his vision of personal and social perfections was framed as a revival of the ordered society of earlier times, Confucius is often considered a great proponent of conservatism, but a closer look at what he proposes often shows that he used (and perhaps twisted) past institutions and rites to push a new political agenda of his own: a revival of a unified royal state, whose rulers would succeed to power on

8502-483: The philosophy and teachings of Confucius. His philosophical teachings, called Confucianism , emphasized personal and governmental morality, harmonious social relationships , righteousness, kindness, sincerity, and a ruler's responsibilities to lead by virtue. Confucius considered himself a transmitter for the values of earlier periods which he claimed had been abandoned in his time. He advocated for filial piety , endorsing strong family loyalty, ancestor veneration ,

8611-492: The plants eventually extend as they grow. The frame, which remains as a permanent trimming guide, may be either stuffed with sphagnum moss and then planted, or placed around shrubbery. The sculpture slowly transforms into a permanent topiary as the plants fill in the frame. This style has led to imaginative displays and festivals throughout the Disney resorts and parks , and mosaiculture (multiple types and styles of plants creating

8720-402: The power of the duke. However, Dubs is of the view that Gongshan was encouraged by Viscount Ji Huan to invade the Lu capital in an attempt to avoid dismantling the Bi fortified walls. Whatever the situation may have been, Gongshan was considered an upright man who continued to defend the state of Lu, even after he was forced to flee. During the revolt by Gongshan, Zhong You had managed to keep

8829-425: The proceeds to give his mother a proper burial. When his mother died, Confucius (aged 23) is said to have mourned for three years , as was the tradition. In Confucius's time, the state of Lu was headed by a ruling ducal house. Under the duke were three aristocratic families , whose heads bore the title of viscount and held hereditary positions in the Lu bureaucracy. The Ji family held the position "Minister over

8938-436: The punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of the shame, and moreover will become good." ( Analects 2.3, tr. Legge). This "sense of shame" is an internalization of duty. Confucianism prioritizes creating a harmonious society over the ruler's interests, opposes material incentives and harsh punishments, and downplays

9047-611: The realistic and materialistic aspects of Confucian thought, stressing that morality was inculcated in society through tradition and in individuals through training. In time, their writings, together with the Analects and other core texts came to constitute the philosophical corpus of Confucianism . This realignment in Confucian thought was parallel to the development of Legalism , which held that humanity and righteousness were not sufficient in government, and that rulers should instead rely on statecrafts, punishments, and law. A disagreement between these two political philosophies came to

9156-529: The respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives. Confucius recommended a robust family unit as the cornerstone for an ideal government. He championed the Silver Rule , or a negative form of the Golden Rule , advising, "Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself." The time of Confucius's life saw a rich diversity of thought , and was a formative period in China's intellectual history. His ideas gained in prominence during

9265-578: The role of institutions in guiding behavior as in Legalism , emphasizing moral virtues instead. Confucius looked nostalgically upon earlier days, and urged the Chinese, particularly those with political power, to model themselves on earlier examples. In times of division, chaos, and endless wars between feudal states, he wanted to restore the Mandate of Heaven ( 天命 ) that could unify the "world" ( 天下 , "all under Heaven") and bestow peace and prosperity on

9374-410: The starting point for each individual and that these sacred social functions allow each person's human nature to be harmonious with reality. Given this, Confucius believed that "music is the harmonization of heaven and earth; the rites is the order of heaven and earth". Thus the application of music in rites creates the order that makes it possible for society to prosper. The Confucian approach to music

9483-409: The state of Lu without resigning, remaining in self-exile and unable to return as long as Viscount Ji Huan was alive. The Shiji stated that the neighboring Qi state was worried that Lu was becoming too powerful while Confucius was involved in the government of the Lu state. According to this account, Qi decided to sabotage Lu's reforms by sending 100 good horses and 80 beautiful dancing girls to

9592-410: The state to the duke by dismantling the fortifications of the city—strongholds belonging to the three families. This way, he could establish a centralized government. However, Confucius relied solely on diplomacy as he had no military authority himself. In 500  BCE , Hou Fan—the governor of Hou—revolted against his lord of the Shu family. Although the Meng and Shu families unsuccessfully besieged Hou,

9701-636: The stone stelae began in 1484 under the Emperor Lê Thánh Tông . He erected 116 steles of carved blue stone turtles with elaborate motifs to honour talent and encourage study. The Turtle (Quy, 龜) is one of the nation's four holy creatures - the others are the Dragon (Long, 龍), the Unicorn (Lân, 麟) and the Phoenix (Phượng, 鳳). The turtle is a symbol of longevity and wisdom. The shape and size of

9810-522: The strict exams of the Đại Việt took place. The temple is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese đồng banknote. Just before the Tết Vietnamese New Year celebration, calligraphists will assemble outside the temple and write wishes in Chữ Hán . The art works are given away as gifts or are used as home decorations for special occasions. The Văn Miếu was founded and first built in 1070 and

9919-525: The students that studied at the temple. In 1077 , Emperor Lý Nhân Tông ordered the construction of an imperial academy as a fifth courtyard. Literate mandarins were selected as students. In 1236, the academy was enlarged and named Quốc Tử Viện and later Quốc Học Viện . In the Lê dynasty it was called Thái Học Viện and was developed further. This development included the Minh Luân house, west and east classrooms,

10028-413: The subordinates must advise their superiors if the superiors are considered to be taking a course of action that is wrong. Confucius believed in ruling by example, if you lead correctly, orders by force or punishment are not necessary. Confucius heavily promoted the use of music with rituals or the rites order. The scholar Li Zehou argued that Confucianism is based on the idea of rites. Rites serve as

10137-598: The temple during the reign of Lý Nhân Tông to educate Vietnam's bureaucrats , nobles, royalty, and other members of the elite. The university remained open from 1076 to 1779. In 1802, the Nguyễn dynasty 's monarchs founded the Huế capital where they established a new imperial academy. The academy at the Hanoi temple lost its prominence and became a school of the Hoài Đức District . Under

10246-519: The temple in 1070, Lý Nhân Tông (1066–1127), who founded the Imperial Academy, and Lê Thánh Tông (1442–1497), who ordered the erection of the turtle stone stelae of doctor laureates in 1484. On either side of the rear building are square buildings which hold a drum and a bronze bell. The drum is 2.01 metres (6 ft 7 in) wide, 2.65 metres (8 ft 8 in) high, has a volume of 10 m and weighs 700 kilograms (1,500 lb). The bell

10355-462: The topiary maze at the Governor's Palace, Colonial Williamsburg , in the 1930s. American portable style topiary was introduced to Disneyland around 1962. Walt Disney helped bring this new medium into being - wishing to recreate his cartoon characters throughout his theme park in the form of landscape shrubbery. This style of topiary is based on a suitably shaped steel wire frame through which

10464-518: The turtle changed with the passage of time. The doctors' steles are a valuable historical resource for the study of culture, education and sculpture in Vietnam. 82 stelae remain. They depict the names and birthplaces of 1307 graduates of 82 triennial royal exams. Between 1442 and 1779, eighty-one exams were held by the Lê dynasty and one was held by the Mạc dynasty . The ancient Chinese engravings on each stele praise

10573-478: The walls of Hou, the Ji family in razing the walls of Bi, and the Meng family in razing the walls of Cheng. First, the Shu family led an army towards their city Hou and tore down its walls in 498  BCE . Soon thereafter, Gongshan Furao, a retainer of the Ji family, revolted and took control of the forces at Bi. He immediately launched an attack and entered the capital Lu. Earlier, Gongshan had approached Confucius to join him, which Confucius considered as he wanted

10682-514: Was Qiu ( 丘 , OC : *‍ [k]ʷʰə ). His courtesy name , a capping ( guan : 冠 ) given at his coming of age ceremony , and by which he would have been known to all but his older family members, was Zhongni ( 仲尼 , OC : *‍ N-‍truŋ-‍s nr[əj] ), the "Zhòng" indicating that he was the second son in his family. It is thought that Confucius was born on 28 September 551 BCE, in Zou ( 鄒 , in modern Shandong ). The area

10791-539: Was a revival of Confucianism that expanded on classical theories by incorporating metaphysics and new approaches to self-cultivation and enlightenment, influenced by Buddhism and Daoism. The most renowned scholar of this period was Zhu Xi (1130-1200CE). There are clear Buddhist and Daoist influences in the Neo-Confucian advocacy of "quiet sitting" (meditation) as a technique of self-cultivation that leads to transformative experiences of insight." In his life, Zhu Xi

10900-592: Was cast in 2000, with dimensions of 2.1 by 0.99 metres (6 ft 11 in by 3 ft 3 in). The organization of instruction and learning at the Imperial Academy began in 1076 under the Lý dynasty and was further developed in the 15th century under the Le dynasty. The academy was headed by a rector ( Tế tửu ) and a vice-rector ( Tư nghiệp ). The professors of the academy held different titles: Giáo thụ , Trực giảng , Trợ giáo and Bác sĩ . Many students lived and studied at

11009-428: Was doing the proper thing at the proper time; balancing between maintaining existing norms to perpetuate an ethical social fabric, and violating them in order to accomplish ethical good. Training in the lǐ of past sages, cultivates virtues in people that include ethical judgment about when lǐ must be adapted in light of situational contexts. In Confucianism, the concept of li is closely related to yì ( 義 ), which

11118-530: Was heavily inspired by the Classic of Poetry and the Classic of Music , which was said to be the sixth Confucian classic until it was lost during the Han dynasty . The Classic of Poetry serves as one of the current Confucian classics and is a book on poetry that contains a diversified variety of poems as well as folk songs. Confucius is traditionally ascribed with compiling these classics within his school. In

11227-444: Was largely ignored, but not long after his death, his ideas became the new orthodox view of what Confucian texts actually meant. Modern historians view Zhu Xi as having created something rather different and call his way of thinking Neo-Confucianism . Neo-Confucianism held sway in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam until the 19th century. The works of Confucius were first translated into European languages by Jesuit missionaries in

11336-541: Was notionally controlled by the kings of Zhou but effectively independent under the local lords of Lu , who ruled from the nearby city of Qufu. His father Kong He (or Shuliang He) was an elderly commandant of the local Lu garrison. His ancestry traced back through the dukes of Song to the Shang dynasty which had preceded the Zhou. Traditional accounts of Confucius's life relate that Kong He's grandfather had migrated

11445-420: Was of paramount importance. Even in facial expression , truth must always be represented. Confucius believed that if a ruler is to lead correctly, by action, that orders would be unnecessary in that others will follow the proper actions of their ruler. In discussing the relationship between a king and his subject (or a father and his son), he underlined the need to give due respect to superiors. This demanded that

11554-545: Was one of the elements of a "Cotswold" house-and-garden style soon naturalised among upper-class Americans at home. Topiary, which had featured in very few 18th-century American gardens, came into favour with the Colonial Revival gardens and the grand manner of the American Renaissance , 1880–1920. Interest in the revival and maintenance of historic gardens in the 20th century led to the replanting of

11663-551: Was practised by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens in a fruitful partnership. The new gardening vocabulary incorporating topiary required little expensive restructuring: "At Lyme Park , Cheshire, the garden went from being an Italian garden to being a Dutch garden without any change actually taking place on the ground," Brent Elliot noted in 2000. Americans in England were sensitive to the renewed charms of topiary. When William Waldorf Astor bought Hever Castle , Kent, around 1906,

11772-455: Was reconstructed during the Trần dynasty (1225–1400) and in the subsequent dynasties. For nearly two centuries, despite wars and disasters, the temple has preserved ancient architectural styles of many dynasties as well as precious relics. Major restorations have taken place in 1920, 1954 and 2000. In 1076, Vietnam 's first university, the "Quốc Tử Giám" or Imperial Academy , was established within

11881-523: Was the largest centre in the country. Confucius Confucius ( 孔子 ; pinyin: Kǒngzǐ ; lit.   ' Master Kong ' ; c.  551  – c.  479 BCE ), born Kong Qiu ( 孔丘 ), was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Much of the shared cultural heritage of the Sinosphere originates in

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