Confucius was born in the State of Lu, in the District of Ch'ang P'ing, in the city of Chou. His ancestor was from the State of Sung and was called K'ung Fang-shu. Fang-shu begat Po-hsia. Po-hsia begat Shu-Liang Ho. Late in life, Ho was united in matrimony with the daughter of the man, Yen, and begat Confucius. His mother prayed to the hill, Ni, and conceived Confucius. It was in the twenty-second year of Duke Hsiang of Lu that Confucius was born ( 551 B.C.). At his birth, he had on his head a bulging of the skull, whence he is said to have received the name "Hill" (Ch'iu). His style or appellation was Chung Ni, his family name K'ung. When he was born, his father, Shu-Liang Ho, died. He was buried on the mountain Fang. The mountain Fang lies eastward from Lu. Therefore Confucius was in doubt as to the place of the grave of his father; for his mother kept silence toward him regarding it.

Confucius was always wont to set up sacrificial vessels in his childish play, and to imitate ceremonial gestures. When the mother of Confucius died, he buried her temporarily near the Way of the Five Fathers, so great was his circumspection. When the mother of Wan Fu of Chou later instructed Confucius concerning the place of the grave of his father, he went thither and buried the two bodies together on the mountain of Fang.

While Confucius was still wearing mourning, Baron Chi gave a banquet for the notables. Confucius also attended. Then Yang Hu took him to task, and said: " Baron Chi has prepared a banquet for the notables; he has not the honour of inviting you." Thereupon, Confucius withdrew.

When Confucius was seventeen years old, the Minister Mêng Hsi-tze of Lu fell ill, and was nigh unto death. Then 'he summoned his heir, I-tze, and said: "K'ung Ch'iu is the descendant of a philosopher who was slain in Sung. His ancestor, Fu Fu Ho, had the first claim to the throne of Sung, and as heir he yielded to Duke Li. Chêng Ch'ao-fu 2 was then serving the Dukes Tai, Wu, and Hsüan. Thrice he received ever higher honours, and became therefrom but the more modest. Thus he wrote upon his tripod: 'On the occasion of the first honour, I bowed my head; at the second, I bent my shoulders; and at the third, I walked stooped over. I slink along the wall; thus no one ventures to cast blame upon me. In this utensil I cook my porridge; in it I cook my grits, to still my hunger.' So filled with modesty was he. I have heard that the descendants of a philosopher, even when they do not find a suitable position in their own times, yet finally attain their goal. Now K'ung Ch'iu is still young and loves decorum. Might he be the one for whom success is destined? When I am no more, you must take him as your teacher."

When then Meng Hsi-tze had died, I-tze and Nan-Chung Ching-shu of Lu went to him to learn decorum of him.

In the same year, Baron Chi Wu died, and P'ing Tze was put in his place. Confucius was poor and of low estate, and when he grew older he served as a petty official of the family Chi, and while he was in office his accounts and the measures were always correct. Thereupon, he was made Chief Shepherd; then the beasts grew in numbers and multiplied. . .