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1. a) 0 b) 1 c) 2
Confucius' fundamental virtue is ren, to "love others." He teaches us to have a regard for the welfare of others and to help others in need.

2. a) 1 b) 2 c) 0
The traditional Chinese concept of filial piety demands honor, duty, and respect towards one's parents and elders. Often, this may mean putting their wishes (coming home on time) above your own (staying out later with friends).

3. a) 0 b) 2 c) 1 (pity point)
Confucius encouraged his students to pursue virtue above beauty.

4. a) 1 b) 2 c) 0
Confucius said, "I know not what a man without trustworthiness may accomplish." (Analects II:22) Though the promise in this question seemed to be a small one, it is important to keep all promises that we make to our friends.

5. a) 1 b) 0 c) 2
Confucius' Golden Rule: "What you don't want done to yourself, don't do to others."

6. a) 2 b) 0 c) 1
Confucius said, "Action takes precedence over words." (Analects II:13) Merely saying "I love you" to your parents without doing anything to show that love would be almost meaningless.

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HOW MANY TOTAL POINTS DID YOU GET?

(10 to 12 points)
Way to go! If Confucius were still alive and teaching, he would probably accept you as one of his students, or disciples. You have followed Confucius' ideals of studying hard and examining yourself to reflect on your values and actions. You are now on your way to becoming a person of virtue, good manners, and who is committed to learning, just as Confucius strove to be. Furthermore, Confucius' style of teaching by posing questions to make his students think and learn seems to be working well for you.

Vocabulary virtue - moral excellence, goodness, righteousness disciples - follower, one who is a pupil of the doctrines of another

(5 to 9 points)
You appear to incorporate some of Confucius' values in your actions but perhaps you are not sure that they are Confucian in origin. It's time to clear up some of the mystery about who Confucius was and what his teaching was all about. Confucius, called Kung Fu Zi in Chinese, was a philosopher living around 500 B.C. who spent much of his life wandering around China, trying to reform and reorder the society he lived in. He saw the problems that corruption and power struggles were causing to his society and tried to gain a high government post in order to give advice to Chinese rulers on how to organize and run their states. Even though Confucian thought did not receive wide recognition until after his death in 479 B.C., Confucius continued to study and teach throughout his entire life.

Confucius Click here to learn more.

(0 to 4 points)
Where are you from? Obviously not from China, where Confucian thought has been, and continues to be, an immensely influential political and moral philosophy. In fact, during the Han Dynasty, Confucianism became the official state religion of China. Later on, Confucius came to be called the "Supreme Sage and Foremost Teacher." Although Confucianism is more a set of moral teachings than a religion, it has had a deep impact on Chinese thought and culture for more than 2000 years. So, it's time to get past all the one-liner "Confucius said" jokes and spend some more time studying the original teachings. Start with the Analects of Confucius, a book of all the sayings and deeds of Confucius as collected and recorded by his disciples after his death. In the opening pages, Confucius said, "To learn and to practice what is learned time and again is pleasure, is it not?" (Analects I:1)

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