Learning Confucius

Philosophy is often thought of as proceeding via elaborate conceptual systems. But sometimes, a choice phrase is all you need to get you thinking. 

We live in a society dominated by the aspiration to greatness, where the ancient ethical ideal of "the good life" is often framed in terms of wealth, fame and power. The notion that we might settle for a "good-enough life" seems oddly countercultural - but this week we're explori ... Show More

When philosophy turns its attention to music, it’s traditionally an exercise in high culture. Questions about the nature and function of music are often explored with reference to an established canon of “serious” music – while pop finds itself relegated to the margins. This week ... Show More

Confucius was an ancient Chinese philosopher, teacher and politician whose wisdom and teachings are still followed to this day. Despite chaos and war during his life more than 2500 years ago, Confucius promoted harmonious ideals that resonated with people for centuries to come. C ... Show More

曾子说：“吾日三省吾身，為人謀而不忠乎？與朋友交而不信乎？傳不習乎？”如果你喜欢中国的成语或俗语，那你得知道，这些成语、俗语有许多来自孔子、孟子及庄子的话，换句话说，是从中国古代思想来的。这一课我们要带大家从儒家思想家的话里，更加认识中国人对个人生命价值的看法 Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2852 

Melvyn Bragg examines the philosophy of Confucius. In the 5th century BC a wise man called Kung Fu Tzu said, 'study the past if you would divine the future'. This powerful maxim helped form the body of ideas, which more than Buddhism, more than Daoism, more even than Communism ha ... Show More

Confucius Says: Learning Mandarin is good for you. Confucius Says: You haven't lived till you've learned Chinese. Confucius Says: Stop being so lazy and get studying. The wisdom of Confucius is now available to us and our remedial Saved by the Gong class. Let's listen ... Show More

On this episode of the podcast, we learn about Confucius, a man whose ideas impacted China and eastern philosophy for thousands of years after his death. We find out how Confucius went from being the poor, friendless son of an ancient Chinese 'Teen Mom' to becoming one of the mos ... Show More

The Covid pandemic has robbed us of many rituals and ceremonies we took for granted - from simple handshakes to elaborate graduation ceremonies. Their loss is important - rituals contribute to our happiness in so many ways. Something the ancient Chinese teacher Confucius contempl ... Show More

Why Are Chinese Students So Shy and Lacking Confidence? 为什么中国学生这么害羞没自信？ In today's podcast, we delve into the intriguing topic of why Chinese students often appear reserved and lacking in confidence. Unpacking the cultural factors behind this phenomenon, we draw from our own ... Show More

Why is it so challenging to communicate with Chinese people? Why do Chinese people speak so indirectly and always beat around the bush? There are many factors in Chinese culture that differ from our understanding, leading to these differences. Chinese people prefer to express the ... Show More