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accounts but he was so very diligent that he became the most learned man of his day.
Confucius was, however, very much distressed by the life that the common man was forced to live in feudal China and he dedicated his life to effect improvement in it. What he demanded was, in brief, a radical reform of the government, a view which was least liked by the then rulers of that country. His life-long desire was to occupy a key position in the administration wherefrom he could put his ideas into effect ; but such a chance did not come in his life. So he adopted a more practicable course of talking to young men about his principles and in course of time he could gather a number of them round him. He now pinned his hope in his disciples getting important positions in the government, in which he proved more lucky. Indeed his disciples got important positions in the government but they were not enthusiastic to put their master's tenets into effect and thereby to compromise their own position with their political masters. So the doctrines of Confucius had little practical usefulness in his own days. Even the master had not yet given up the hope of getting a responsible position in the government, which he eventually got and he was given an impressive title too ; but he soon became conscious of his powerlessness in his new position and gave it up in disgust. By this time, he was more than fifty years in age ; but still undaunted he now started a long and strenuous trek throughout China which lasted for over a decade with a view to find a ruler who would entrust to him the administration of his state. Finally, at 67, Confucius responded to an invitation of some of his disciples to come back to Lu. There he continued his teaching until his death at 72.
Private teachers were virtually unknown in ancient China. The aristocrats had of course their family-tutors and government servants were tutored by their bosses. Confucius may be considered to be the first private tutor in ancient China who accepted anybody irrespective of wealth or social position as his student and also the first to use his teaching as an instrument of reform. His method was informal and flexible and he sought to develop the whole man. Even if a student disagreed with him and the former was found to be correct, he would not hesitate to acknowledge it. In two respects, he opened new grounds. First, by emphasizing right and duty of every individual to make basic decisions for himself, he undermined the foundation of authoritarian government in China and this, it must be conceded, was no small achievement. Second, by accepting students from all social ranks on the basis of their merit and earnestness, he broke the monopoly of the feudal houses in education and administration.
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