在中國春秋時代，有位聖人出世，就是孔子。他一生極力到處宣揚仁義道德、孝悌忠信的學說，可是不受歡迎，處處受排斥。他雖然置身橫逆之境，仍不改變教育宗旨，貫徹始終地提倡大同之道。　

During the Spring and Autumn period [722 – 484 b.c.] of Chinese history, in 551 b.c., a great sage was born. He was Confucius. Throughout his life, he tirelessly propagated the virtues of humaneness and righteousness, and the doctrines of filiality, fraternal respect, loyalty, and trustworthiness. But instead of being welcomed, he was rejected everywhere he went. Even though he constantly faced setbacks, he never altered his principles of education and continued promoting the way of peace and harmony.

孔子是位大教育家，提倡「有教無類」的平民教育，不遺餘力。他有「教不厭，學不倦」的精神，是一位述而不作，信而好古的實行家。孔子晚年刪詩經，制禮樂，著詩、書、易、禮、春秋，即現在的五經。　

Confucius was a great educator. He spared no effort in promoting the idea of equal and universal education. He was "never weary of teaching and never tired of learning." Instead of composing new texts, he explained the ancient books in a faithful and devoted fashion. In his later years, he edited the Book of Odes, compiled the rites and music, and wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Book of Odes, the Book of History, the Book of Changes, the Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals are now known as the Five Classics.

他的學生有三千人，精通禮、樂、射、御、書、數六藝的，有七十二人。禮是婚喪祭祀的禮節；樂是音樂；射是射箭；御是駕車；書是寫字；數是算術。必須樣樣精通，才能成為完人。　

Confucius had three thousand students. Among these there were seventy-two who mastered the six skills of rites, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and mathematics. Rites refer to the proper ceremonial rituals for weddings, funerals, and sacrificial offerings. One has to master all six skills before one can be considered a perfect person.

孔子的教育方針，因人施教，以身作則。他的學生分為四大科── （一）德行：有顏回、閔子騫。 （二）言語：有子貢、宰我。 （三）政事：有子路、冉有。 （四）文學：有子夏、子游。

Confucius taught each person according to his or her individual potential, and he taught by example. His students can be divided into four main categories [according to their area of strength]: 1. Virtue, represented by Yan Hui and Min Ziqian 2. Speech, represented by Zi Gong and Zai Wo 3. Politics, represented by Zi Lu and Ran You 4. Literature, represented by Zi Xia and Zi You

孔子卒後，分為兩派，曾子主張傳道，以孟子為代表，後為正統。子夏主張傳經，以荀子為代表。傳經派興於漢唐清三朝代；傳道派興於宋元明三朝代。

After Confucius' death, his students split into two sects. Zeng Zi advocated the propagation of the Way (Tao); Mencius represented this school, which was later recognized as the orthodoxy. Zi Xia advocated the propagation of classics, and that school was represented by Xun Zi. The school advocating the propagation of classics prevailed during the Han, Tang and Qing dynasties, while the school advocating the propagation of the Way prevailed during the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties.

世界上的事理，都有相互的關係，好像中國的儒、道、佛三教，都是互相幫助。儒教如同啟蒙的小學，道教如同中學，佛教就是大學。三教道理都有關連，可是小學生不知中學的教科書，但是大學生可知中小學的課程。

The noumena and phenomena in the world are all interrelated. In China, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have aided each other. Confucianism is like an elementary school for young children, Taoism is like a secondary school, and Buddhism is like a university. The principles of these three religions are related. Students in the elementary school don't understand the subjects taught at the secondary school, but university students know the curriculums of both the elementary and secondary schools.