The moral education mentioned in the last section runs through the teaching of various subjects and is also reflected in every word and deed in daily life. He carried out a comprehensive reform of teaching materials, enabling students to acquire multidisciplinary knowledge. The textbook he edited is:
Poetry (The Book of Songs): A collection of poems of ancient songs, which belongs to literature. By studying poetry, we can cultivate sentiment, observe life, understand customs and people's feelings, increase our knowledge of society and nature, and improve our language expression ability.
Book (Shangshu): Historical archives of three generations (Xia, Shang and Zhou). Reading books can learn from ancient political experience and belongs to ancient history and politics textbooks.
Yi (Zhouyi): It was originally a general book for divination in the Zhou Dynasty, but Confucius disapproved of divination. He discovered its philosophical connotation. It is said that some articles in the Book of Changes are his handouts, and he interprets the Book of Changes as a philosophical work that studies the development and changes of things.
"Book of Rites" ("Book of Rites"): It records the 17 etiquette prevailing at that time. It belongs to legal education to cultivate the concept of obeying the law and discipline and maintain the etiquette system and social behavior norms through learning etiquette. Students can also be emcees after graduation.
Yue (): The music score and music theory are lost, which belongs to music art education.
Spring and Autumn Annals: Modern history of Confucius' era, with emphasis on modern political history.
His six textbooks, including political literature, ancient history, modern history, philosophy, law, literary language, art and other disciplines, are much richer than the teaching contents of ancient aristocratic schools. He carried out a major textbook innovation under the conditions at that time, and the textbook he compiled was a traditional textbook of China people for two thousand years.
We can't think that Confucius only taught these six kinds of textbooks. He didn't abandon the "six arts" of traditional education, but kept or reformed them. The traditional "six arts" are etiquette, music, archery, martial arts, calligraphy and mathematics.
Li: Confucius copied 17 common etiquette and taught it to students. In The Analects of Confucius, Confucius took his students around the world and rested under a big tree on the way. He also instructed them to practice etiquette for their future courtesy. Learning etiquette in this way is like having a etiquette practice class.
Music: Confucius chose classical and elegant music to inspire peace of mind and enterprising spirit. He loves music, is proficient in piano art, likes singing and studies music theory. His students also attach importance to music. For example, one of his disciples served as a butcher in Wucheng, and he took his students to visit. "Confucius came to Wucheng to listen to the sound of string songs" (Confucius came to Wucheng to listen to the sound of string songs in the whole city), which shows that his disciples also learned music and mastered skills.
Shooting: Archery, originated from primitive clan society, is an important skill that must be mastered in hunting and fighting, and it is also a survival skill that every youth must have. Confucius himself can shoot arrows. When running a school, he held an archery competition (similar to a sports meeting), and his disciples also mastered this skill. Their teachers and students are surrounded by Kuang people, and they can resist for a few days, which proves that they are not weak scholars with no hands.
Royal: Driving and riding. Cars and horses were the main means of transportation in ancient times. The ancients also used military vehicles and cavalry in combat, so defense is also a skill that must be mastered. Confucius was driven away by others when he was young. Although he always drives by his disciples when he travels around the world, he sometimes drives by himself. Most disciples can drive. Like archery, bending is a sport.
Book: The word "book" refers to writing. From aristocratic schools to modern schools, there are subjects to practice calligraphy. Later, some students of Confucius became officials, some taught, or wrote for others, all of whom had to practice calligraphy. Books belong to practical subjects.
Number: refers to mathematics. Some of Confucius' students are in business, and some are officials and tax collectors. Of course, they must study math. Some of Confucius' students are 44 years younger than Confucius, and they are still very young when they worship Confucius as a teacher. Of course, these elementary practical subjects are to be learned.
Confucius' teaching is not just the Six Classics. Yan Yuan, a Qing Dynasty man, said: "Confucius' study of rites, music, shooting and bending can promote people's bones and muscles, and coordinate people's blood and humanity. "Confucius not only teaches humanities and social sciences, but also teaches elementary practical subjects, as well as physical education and aesthetic education. Confucius' aesthetic education includes the following contents:
Poetry and music is a literary discipline and belongs to aesthetic education.
Confucius' aesthetic education also requires starting with personal appearance. He believes that people's appearance should be "gentle":
Confucius said: quality is better than literature, and literature is better than quality. Gentle, then a gentleman. (Chapter 18 of "Eternal Night") Confucius said: It is rude than literary talent, and it is vanity than literary talent. A gentleman is a combination of literary talent and simplicity. Confucius believes that a person should be simple in heart and elegant in expression, that is, the beauty of mind and appearance should be combined. He pays attention to solemn and gentle appearance, simple and tidy clothes, proper color matching, modest and polite manners and open-minded; These are the combination of spiritual beauty and image beauty.
Confucius spoke politely (the official language at that time) and was "cautious", but he didn't speak casually. In the fourth chapter of Taber, it is recorded that his students once expressed their own experience on this point: "If you say it, you will be far more contemptible than others" (when you speak, you can avoid rudeness and mistakes by considering more words and tone). These are all requirements for the beauty of language.
Confucius not only requires students to develop morally, intellectually, physically and aesthetically, but also requires students to be knowledgeable and versatile. He has a famous saying:
Confucius said: a gentleman is not a tool. (Chapter 12 of Politics) Confucius said: A gentleman cannot be like a vessel. ) as a device solution. Generally speaking, an instrument has only one fixed purpose. "A gentleman is not a tool" means that a gentleman should not be only suitable for one job like a tool, but should learn all kinds of knowledge and master all kinds of talents. A well-read and versatile person can adapt to all kinds of jobs, have more opportunities to contribute to society, and have broader career choices and development prospects. Many of Confucius' students are generalists.
The famous saying that "a gentleman is not a tool" can also be explained in another way, that is, a gentleman is not a tool to be used, but should have his own thoughts and spirit, be able to play his own subjective initiative, and decide what can and cannot be done through his own judgment. This explanation is also desirable, but traditional annotations are mostly explained by erudition.