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Article: The Years of WANDERING.(Confucius)
- Article from:
- Calliope
- Article date:
- October 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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At an age when most men wish to retire and settle down, Confucius set out on a journey that was to last almost 14 years. As had happened before, his desire to teach rulers how to follow the customs of li to the letter, and his complete honesty, conflicted with the realities of everyday life.
This period of his life is called the "time of wandering," and Confucius was determined to discover a leader who would follow his teachings. He met many princes, ministers, and court officials who were eager to have the great master at their side and to question him about government, but none were willing to follow his policies and practices. He said to his followers, "Unable ...