Firstdiscussion

1.Confucius is known in China as Kongzi, given name Qiu and alias Zhongni.He was a native of Zouyi of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period.Confucius is an ancient sage to the Chinese people as a great thinker, educator and founder of Confucianism.His words and life story were recorded by his disciples and their students in The Analects.This book has influenced all thinkers, writers and politicians in the over-2,000-year-long history of China after Confucius. In the eyes of Confucius,nature was not a lifeless mechanism separate from humans; instead, it was the great world of life and the process of creation of life. Human life was part and parcel of nature as a whole and Heaven equaled nature.Confucius thinks of as Ren and li are the two core concepts of his doctrine about people.He believed the basic goal of education was to cultivate "persons of virtue," who should have sound character and uplifted minds.Also emphasized aesthetic education.

2.The Temple of Heaven was constructed during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty , and completed in 1420. It not only presents a beautiful spectacle, but also represents the Chinese pursuit of harmony between Heaven and mortals.The architecture of the buildings in the Temple of Heaven ingeniously embodies the concept of holding nature in awe.Ancient Chinese believed that people could communicate with Heaven, and the Temple of Heaven was built to enable this.

3.The Terracotta is not only renowned as one of the "Eight Wonders of the World,"but also a great legacy of first Emperor of Qin's military might and a superb paradigm of ancient Chinese sculpture.There are four pits housing thousands of terracotta warriors.It shows soldiers,horses,war chariots and tens of thousands of bronze weapons.Soldiers of The Terracotta were vivid.They were halfsquatting,genuflecting,standing or halfkneeling.Some were pulling chariots, while others are cavalry steeds or taking one of the cavalry horses.The horse holded its head high, with its mane standing erect and appeared highly vigilant and dynamic.