Level: W

DRA: 60
Genre:
Informational
Strategy:
Question
Skill:
Fact and Opinion
Word Count: 2,106

6.4.17

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books

1032811
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN
 by George Capaccio

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: 4 Joe LeMonnier / Melissa Turk

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 Table of Contents

Who Was Confucius? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Confucius as a Child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Confucius as a Young Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

A New Path in Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Looking to the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Conflict in the Kingdom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

A Chance to Use His Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Making Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Long Road Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

The Last Days of Confucius. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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 Who Was Confucius?
Confucius (kuhn FYOO shuhs) was a great teacher. He was
born more than 2,500 years ago in China. Confucius wanted
people to treat others fairly and to respect all living things.
Today, people still admire his ideas.
How do we know about Confucius? Some scientists
excavate, or dig up, ancient cities. These workers are called
archeologists. They help us learn about Confucius and others
who lived a long time ago.
Archeologists think that Confucius was nearly
seven feet tall. He had a long beard and a lump
on his forehead. But the pictures they found of
Confucius were all painted after he died. So, we
are not exactly sure what he looked like.
We do know that Confucius was a serious
and dignified teacher. Yet he also danced
with his students! He thought dancing
was a good way to teach. Confucius
also enjoyed music. He played a
stringed instrument called a qin
(chin). He knew over 300 songs.

This statue was made after Confucius died.

No one is sure if he really looked like this.

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 Confucius as a Child
Confucius’s mother believed he would do special things.
She told a story about something that took place before he was
born. She said she met a mythical creature that looked like a
unicorn. She tied a ribbon around the creature’s horn. Then it
ran away. Some people thought she was dreaming about this
creature. Other people thought the creature was real.
Confucius grew up in a kingdom called Lu. At the time,
China was made up of many small kingdoms. Each kingdom
had its own ruler, or leader. Each ruler had an army. But each
ruler also needed help from the nobles. The nobles were very
powerful people.

Confucius grew up when China was divided into many small kingdoms.

China During the Time of Confucius

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 There were only a few nobles. Most people were farmers.
They were very poor. But they still had to pay taxes. The nobles
used these taxes to become rich. They lived in large houses, ate
fancy meals, and wore fine clothes.
Confucius grew up in a poor family. His father died when
he was very young. Confucius’s mother raised him with little
help from others.
As Confucius grew up, he saw distinct, or clear, problems.
In his opinion, rulers were always at war. Their governments
were dishonest.
At that time, special ceremonies were very important to all
Chinese people. For example, Chinese children had to honor
their fathers in a certain way, following specific rules. Confucius
was proud to learn these ceremonies, or rituals. After he grew
up, Confucius became an expert on Chinese ceremonies. He
made sure that all the rules were followed.

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 Confucius as a Young Man
Confucius was 19 when he got married. Soon after,
Confucius and his wife had their first child. They had two more
children before Confucius was thirty. But Confucius and his
wife did not get along well. Later, they parted ways.

Special ceremonies were important in Confucius’s time.

They are still important in China today.

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 Confucius’s first job was in a grain warehouse. He had to
keep track of how much grain came in and went out. Confucius
was good with details. People in the government knew about
Confucius. They admired his work and how he performed
Chinese ceremonies. They also liked that he knew so many
songs and poems. In ancient China, people often used songs
and poems for learning.

Chinese books were rare when Confucius was alive.

Chinese writing

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 A New Path In Life
Confucius was a very good teacher. One of his first
students was named Zilu. Zilu believed strongly in Confucius’s
ideas. Years later, Zilu became a close friend of Confucius.
After his mother died, Confucius still
worked as a teacher. He also worked for
the government. One of the top people in
government respected Confucius. He gave
Confucius a new job.
Confucius then went to the kingdom’s
capital, or main city. He could study there.
But he also had to advise the ruler of the
kingdom, giving him words of wisdom. The
ruler’s name was Shining Duke.
Confucius worked for Later, Confucius met Li Er in the city.
Chinese rulers, like the
one shown here. Li Er was much older than Confucius. Li
Er told Confucius to stop working for the
government. He said that if Confucius did not stop, Confucius
would make many enemies. Li Er was right. For much of his
life, Confucius had many enemies — people who did not like
his ideas.

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 Li Er and a New Religion

Li Er was also a famous teacher. Today, he is known as

Lao-tzu (low dzuh). He helped create a new religion called
Taoism (DOW iz um).

A legend, or story, says that Confucius and Li Er met when Li

Er was an old man. After they met, Li Er quit his job to write
a book. His book guides people in the ways of Taoism.

Taoism is not like the teachings of Confucius.

Taoism teaches people to stay close to
nature. It teaches people to enjoy a simple
life. If they do, they can learn what is true
and good.

Li Er, or Lao-tzu, began a new

religion. It is called Taoism.

9
 Confucius studied Chinese history. He wanted to learn about China’s ancient
rulers, like the one shown here.

Looking to the Past

Confucius knew what it was like to be poor. Most people
at the time were poor. The nobles were rich, but only because
they were born into powerful families. Many nobles held the
best government jobs. Often, they cheated people. But the
nobles could not be fired from their jobs.
To Confucius, this kind of life was not fair. He wanted to
make life better for the poor people. He studied China’s past
for ideas. He learned about rulers who had come before, or
preceded, the current rulers. He hoped to learn from the past,
so he could help China in the present.

10

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 Confucius believed that only people who had good
leadership skills should be rulers. He believed that anyone
could learn how to become a good ruler. The way to do that,
he said, was through education. Confucius also said to speak up
about people in government who did not act fairly.
Today, Confucius’s ideas are accepted by many people. But
2,500 years ago, his ideas were new. Confucius tried to get the
government to change. But the nobles were against him. They
would not give up their power without a fight.

Conflict in the Kingdom

Confucius left the capital. Shining Duke was still the ruler,
but he was an old man. Nobles from different families wanted
to be the next ruler. The nobles, their families, and Shining
Duke met together. They got into an argument. One family
insulted Shining Duke.
Shining Duke had to punish the family who had made
fun of him. If he didn’t, everyone would think he was weak.
Shining Duke’s army attacked the family. But Shining Duke
was defeated. He had to go to a nearby kingdom to escape.

11

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 Confucius was a friend of Shining Duke. He feared that
the new rulers would put him in jail, or even kill him. Confucius
followed Shining Duke to the new kingdom.
Confucius learned an important lesson on his way to the
new kingdom. He came upon a woman, crying beside a grave. A
tiger had killed her family. Confucius asked why she didn’t leave
such a dangerous place. She answered, “I would rather face a
tiger than live under a cruel government.” The woman’s answer
showed Confucius that people needed good rulers.
At first, the ruler in the new kingdom welcomed
Confucius. The ruler, called Honorable Duke, listened to
Confucius. But a friend of Honorable Duke’s became angry
with Confucius. He talked secretly to Honorable Duke. He
told Honorable Duke that Confucius was dangerous.
Honorable Duke believed his friend. Soon, Confucius
could not talk with Honorable Duke. Confucius decided to
return home.

12

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 A Chance to Use His Ideas
When Confucius returned home, new rulers were in
power. Confucius saw that they were not doing a good job. He
didn’t want to work for them. He decided to work as a teacher.
Confucius had students who were rich and poor. He taught
them how to become good government workers. He told his
students to think for themselves.
Confucius’s students learned about China’s most famous
kings. They also learned elaborate, or complicated, ceremonies
to honor the gods. People believed that these gods could
prevent natural disasters. Natural disasters are events such as
floods, fires, and famine (a lack of food).
Yan Hui was a favorite student of Confucius. Yan Hui
came from a poor family, just like Confucius. But their
temperaments were very different. Unlike Confucius, Yan Hui
was shy. When he talked, other students had to lean forward to
hear him.
One of Confucius’s first students became a govern-
ment leader. You may remember him: His name was Zilu.
Zilu offered Confucius a job as the mayor of a small town.
Confucius’s new job gave him a chance to try out his ideas.

13

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 Making Changes
As mayor of the town, Confucius worked hard. He
helped the townspeople show respect for the past. He asked
them to behave politely. Confucius also changed some of the
ceremonies. People could now understood them better.
The changes Confucius made worked very well. There
were few crimes in the town. The rulers saw that Confucius’s
ideas worked. They gave Confucius a new job. His new job
was to decide how the government could do its job better.
Confucius wanted to take away most of the power of the
nobles. He wanted them to give up their armies. Confucius
talked to the new ruler, called Decisive Duke. He tried to get
the duke to go along with his plans. But the nobles were still
too powerful. They did not like Confucius’s ideas. They started
a fight against Decisive Duke.
Other government leaders grew very unhappy with
Confucius. They thought Confucius had caused this conflict.
Soon, Decisive Duke wouldn’t talk to Confucius anymore.
Confucius decided to quit his government job. Again, he left
the kingdom.

14

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 Confucius traveled all around China.
He may have walked along this waterfall.

15

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 The Long Road Home
For the next 13 years, Confucius and his followers lived
in one kingdom and then another. He still worked as a teacher.
He still tried to get other rulers to use his ideas. But no ruler
would try his ideas. Confucius felt like a failure. He was now
a very old man. He decided to go back home. In his last years
of life, he worked on a book. He revised the written history of
the kingdom.

A Few of Confucius’s Ideas

Confucius thought that people who were greedy, or always

trying to get more money, caused problems:

“ Conduct guided by profit

is cause for much complaint.
”
He thought that children should listen to their parents:

“ Respect and do not disobey, bear

burdens and do not complain.
”

16

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 The Last Days of Confucius
One day, Confucius saw a strange creature. It had a
lustrous, or shiny, horn in the middle of its forehead. A faded
ribbon was tied to the horn.
Confucius wondered about this creature. Was it the same
one his mother had seen? Or was it just a copy, or replica?
Confucius believed that it was the same one his mother saw
long ago. He thought this creature was a sign. This sign told
him that his life was nearly over.
A few years later, Confucius died. But his ideas didn’t
die. Some rulers of China tried to stop the spread of his
ideas. However, other rulers did use his ideas. Confucius’s
ideas helped the rulers improve their governments.
So Confucius’s ideas did not disappear. He said
that people should honor their parents and care for
the young and the old. He believed people should
treat others the same way they wanted to be treated.
Confucius used his ideas to lead a good life.
Today, people all over the world use his ideas.
In many ways, Confucius is still a great teacher!

People in China use a pen like the one shown here for
writing. In Confucius’s time, they wrote with brushes.

17

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 Glossary
grain (grayn) n. Grains are crops, such as wheat, corn, and rice.

noble (NO buhl) n. A noble in ancient China was a person

from a rich and powerful family.

qin (chin) n. A qin is a stringed instrument, like a guitar.

Taoism (DOW iz um) n. Taoism is a philosophy of life and a

religion. It teaches people to respect nature. It guides people
in life, so they can learn what is good and true.

warehouse (WAYR hows) n. A warehouse is a big building

where goods and products are stored.

18
 Responding
TARGET SKILL Fact and Opinion A
statement that can be proved is a fact. An
opinion cannot be proved. Find 2 facts and 2
opinions in A Teacher Named Confucius. Then
copy and complete the chart below.

Fact Opinion

Confucius was nineteen Today, people still

when he got married. admire his ideas.
? ?
? ?

Write About It
Text to Self Write a paragraph that explains
what China was like in Confucius’s time. Use the
information on Pages 4–5 to help you. Be sure
to include a main idea in your paragraph.

19

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 TARGET VOCABULARY

archaeologists lustrous
dignified mythical
distinct precede
elaborate replicas
excavate temperaments

TARGET SKILL Fact and Opinion Decide

whether an idea can be proved or is a feeling
or belief.

TARGET STRATEGY Question Ask questions

about a selection before you read, as you read, and
after you read.

GENRE Informational Text gives facts and examples

about a topic.
Write About It
In a famous quotation, Aung San Suu Kyi said,
“Please use your freedom to promote ours.”
What freedoms do you value most? Why? Write
a letter to the editor of a Burmese newspaper
explaining the freedoms you have and why they
are important to you.

20

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Level: W
DRA: 60
Genre:
Informational
Strategy:
Question
Skill:
Fact and Opinion
Word Count: 2,106

6.4.17

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books

1032811
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN