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According to some traditions captured by the good folk at Wikipedia it was on this day, the 28th of September in the year 551 before our common era that Confucius was born.<\/p>\n
Confucius was born in what today is Qufu in China. His father died when he was three and he was raised by his mother. While the family was in the class situated between commoners and aristocracy, his family was extremely poor. Still, there was a school available to him and he took full advantage of the opportunity. At nineteen he married Qigun. They had a son and two daughters.<\/p>\n
He held various jobs to support himself. Eventually, his vast erudition and his teachings on deportment and righteousness attracted the attention of the leading families. In 501 he received his first appointment in government as governor of a small town. He would eventually rise to Minister of Crime within the independent state of Lu.<\/p>\n
He lived in tumultuous times. Frustrated at the intrigue within his own country he resigned his post and as an exile visited several courts where he was invited to speak. But, his vision for a government rooted in an ethic of mutuality and respect for family and tradition was never implemented. He returned home where he led an informal school. Having outlived his son and one daughter he died at either 71 or 72.<\/p>\n