[00:00:00] Laura: Hi friends. Welcome to Faithfully Explore. I’m your host, Laura. Today we’re opening our belief backpack to explore something ancient and awesome. But first I have a riddle for you.
[00:00:14] Confucius: Who am I? I was born 2,500 years ago in China. I loved learning so much that people still remember what I said even today. Do you know who I am?
[00:00:31] Laura: It’s Confucius. Did you guess right? Confucius was a wise teacher and thinker. In fact, for more than 2000 years, people in China have followed his ideas, which are all about kindness, love, and respect. Pretty cool, huh? In today’s episode, we’ll travel back to Ancient China to meet Confucius, learn some Mandarin words, play a fun game, and even hear a story about Confucius. So get comfy, open your ears and your imagination, and let’s faithfully explore Confucius together.
[00:01:09] Faithfully Explore! Intro: Faithfully Explore! is the name. Learning together is our aim. Beliefs around the globe we’ll track, filling up our Belief Backpack.
[00:01:29] Laura: Ni hao! Can you try saying ni hao? Ni hao means hello in Mandarin, the main language they speak in China. The reason we’re speaking Chinese, because Confucius, the one we’re learning about today, is from China.
Confucius lived a long, long time ago. He was born in 551 BCE. That’s about 2,575 years ago. In a place called Qufu in China. His real name was Kong Qiu, but we call him Confucius. This name comes from “Kong Fuzi” meaning Master Kong since he was a teacher, people in China might have also called him Kong Lǎoshī, because lǎoshī means teacher in Mandarin. Can you say lǎoshī?
[00:02:22] Laura: Great. Now you might be thinking… wait Confucius lived a long, long time ago, like way before electricity long. So why are we even talking about this guy? And that’s a great question.
Even though Confucius lived over 2000 years ago, his ideas are still shared in schools, homes, and even government offices, especially in places like China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. He taught about things that never go out of style, like respect, honesty, kindness, and lifelong learning. Whether you’re helping at home, working with a team, or making a tough decision, his teachings still help us become better people today.
Confucius grew up loving books and learning everything he could. He believed learning isn’t just to get smart, it helps you become a better person. He once said,
[00:03:22] Confucius: Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned?
[00:03:28] Laura: Think about that. Learning new things can be fun, and practicing them feels good. Like when you finally learn to ride a bike, or perhaps when you beat a tricky level on a video game. Such a great feeling, right?
The word for learning in Mandarin is xué. Can you say xué? It sounds kind of like sh eh, Confucius would give you a thumbs up for trying that because he believed everyone should keep learning no matter how young or old. In fact, he was the first teacher in China who wanted schools to be open to all students, not just rich or important people. Pretty ahead of his time!
As Confucius grew up, he also started to think about how people should treat each other. He taught that family was super important. One big idea from Confucius is filial piety. That’s a fancy term that just means respect and care for your parents and elders. We can imagine it like watering your family tree. By being kind and helpful to your parents and grandparents you help your family grow strong and kind. Listening to your mom or dad, helping your grandparents, and honoring your ancestors are all ways to practice filial piety. Confucius believed being good to your family is the root of living a good life. After all. If we can’t be kind at home, how can we be kind in the world?
He also taught about respect, fairness, and good manners everywhere, not just at home. He often talked about something called li, which means rituals or proper manners. That sounds fancy, but it could mean simple things like saying please and thank you, not interrupting others, or shaking hands when you meet someone new. Confucius thought following polite rituals was important to keep harmony between people. Think of harmony, like making sure all the notes in a song sound good together. If everyone is kind and respectful, the whole community is like a beautiful song where no one is singing out of tune.
[00:05:38] Confucius: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
[00:05:44] Laura: Does that sound familiar? It is often called the Golden Rule, and it is one of Confucius’s most famous quotes. It means treat others the way you want to be treated. Just like many of us learn in school or at home. If you wouldn’t want someone to be mean or to exclude you, then you shouldn’t do that to others. If you love when someone shares with you. Than you should share with others.
Confucius, became a teacher and a mentor with a bunch of students. We call them disciples. They loved learning from him because he was patient and wise, kind of like a favorite coach or teacher you might have, but in ancient robes. He didn’t give out grades or gold stars, but he did give out great advice. For example, one student asked for advice and Confucius said,
[00:06:37] Confucius: If you make a mistake and do not correct it, that is called a mistake.
[00:06:46] Laura: In other words, everyone messes up, but if you try to fix it, you’re learning and growing. If you ignore it, then it’s a real mistake. So, if you spill milk and don’t clean it up, then you have made a mistake. But if you get a towel and clean it up right away, you’ve made it right.
The students of Confucius later wrote down his wise sayings in a book called The Analects. It’s like a big quote, book of Confucius-isms if you have ever heard someone start a joke with Confucius says, that comes from how famous his quotes are. Though, fair warning, Confucius never actually said some of the silly stuff that people sometimes joke about, but he did say a lot of things that make us think and smile. One of my favorite Confucius quotes is.
[00:07:35] Confucius: It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.
[00:07:43] Laura: That means keep trying and don’t give up. Even if you’re moving at a turtle speed, a small amount of progress is still progress. Good advice for when you’re learning a new skill or trying to get down a routine. Each day, just try to do one small thing.
So to sum up, Confucius was an amazing teacher or a lǎoshī and thinker who taught love, respect, family values, learning, and kindness. He wanted everyone to live in harmony and always do their best to be good. His ideas became known as Confucianism. Some people call it a philosophy. Others even treat it like a religion or way of life.
And guess what? People still celebrate Confucius’s birthday in parts of Asia as Teacher’s Day because he’s remembered as the greatest teacher. Imagine being called “Teacher of all Teachers”. Wow!
Now that we’ve gotten to know Confucius a bit, how about we go visit him in our imaginations? Ready to travel back in time?
[00:08:54] Laura: Imagine we’re walking on a little dirt path in ancient China. Tall bamboo trees sway around us their leaves whispering in the wind. Can you hear the rustle of the bamboo?
[00:09:13] Laura: The air smells fresh, like rain and earth. Shafts of warm sunlight peek through the branches making dancing patterns on the ground as we walk.
Up ahead, we see a small clearing with a big old oak tree. Under the tree, there’s a group of children sitting on straw mats. They’re listening to a kind looking man in a long robe. That man with a gentle smile and long beard is Confucius. This is his outdoor classroom.
We tiptoe closer. One of the children spots us and waves for us to join. They make space for us on the mats. We quietly sit down. Confucius notices us and gives us a little nod and smile.
[00:10:01] Confucius: Nǐ hǎo, péngyou.
[00:10:03] Laura: He said “nǐ hǎo”, which means hello. Let’s whisper back nǐ hǎo.
[00:10:10] Laura: It feels peaceful here.
Confucius is teaching about respect. We hear him speak Chinese, but we can understand. He says
[00:10:19] Confucius: A young person should be a good son at home and an obedient student in school.
[00:10:26] Laura: He’s talking about filial piety being good to your parents and about being a respectful student. The children around us nod, one kid raises his hand to ask a question.
[00:10:37] child: Master, why is family so important?
[00:10:39] Laura: Confucius picks up a small cup of water and a little tree sapling next to him. He waters the tiny tree gently.
[00:10:47] Confucius: If you want a tree to grow strong, you water its roots. Family is like our roots. Taking care of family is like watering the roots so we can all grow.
[00:11:03] Laura: We smile because that sounds like watering your family tree. Just as we talked about before the students smile too, we can tell Confucius really cares about these kids and their futures.
Let’s stand up slowly and bow to Confucius and the class to show thanks.
We stepped back onto the bamboo path. Now take a deep breath in,
[00:11:26] Laura: Smell the bamboo and flowers and breathe out.
[00:11:31] Laura: When you’re ready, open your eyes. We’re back in today but we got a peaceful peek into Confucius’s world, didn’t we?
[00:11:42] Laura: That was so calm and nice. Maybe too calm. I don’t know about you, but I need to wiggle a little After sitting with Confucius’s class. Everybody stand on up.
Let’s pretend we’re tall bamboo trees we just saw. Plant your feet on the ground, reach your hands up high, high, high to the sky, like stretching branches, sway gently to the left. Now to the right. Like a bamboo swaying in the breeze. Good. Now drop your arms and shake them out like leaves fluttering. Shake your legs one at a time. Shake. Shake. Shake like a happy dancing tree.
Okay, now stand nice and tall and still take a deep breath in.
Freeze.
Can you balance on one foot like a tree standing on one root? It’s a little tricky. Now switch to the other foot. Can you get your balance? Great job. Finally, let’s do one big polite bow, just like we bowed to Confucius Feet together, hands at your side, and bend at the waist down and up.
Fantastic. Give yourself a round of applause for moving and stretching.
[00:13:04] Laura: Now let’s jump into a fun game about Confucius values.
[00:13:12] Laura: Welcome to “Would Confucius Approve?” The game where I say an action, and you guess if Confucius would give it a thumbs up, approve, or a thumbs down, not approve. Ready to play?
You help your mom or dad wash the dishes after dinner without being asked. Would Confucius approve?
[00:13:38] Laura: If you gave a thumbs up, you’re right.
[00:13:42] Laura: Confucius would definitely approve. Helping your parents is a great way to show respect and kindness. You’re watering your family tree with that good deed.
Let’s try another one. You refuse to share your toys with your little sister or brother and call them a mean name. Would Confucius approve of that?
[00:14:06] Laura: No way. I hope you gave a thumbs down.
[00:14:10] Laura: Confucius taught us to be kind and to treat others how we want to be treated. Not sharing and being mean would definitely earn a bigthumbs down from Confucius.
Up next, you’re at your friend’s house and you forget to say thank you after their grandma gives you a snack.
Would Confucius approve?
[00:14:34] Laura: No, probably not.
[00:14:37] Laura: Confucius cared a lot about polite me manners. Remember li, those rituals and politeness. Saying xiè xie, that means thank you in Mandarin is important to show gratitude. Forgetting to thank someone who was kind to you wouldn’t get Confucius’s approval. So next time, don’t forget to say thanks or xiè xie.
You brush your teeth while dancing on one foot. Would Confucius approve?
[00:15:08] Laura: Hard to say. I guess you might be learning something new, so he might approve, but that was mostly just a silly one.
[00:15:18] Laura: Your little brother accidentally breaks your toy and you get angry, but instead of yelling, you take a deep breath and calmly forgive him after he says sorry. Would Confucius approve?
[00:15:34] Laura: Yes, he would. Confucius taught that harmony and peace is very important.
[00:15:42] Laura: Forgiveness and understanding keep harmony, whereas losing your temper would disturb it. So by staying calm and forgiving, you showed wisdom that Confucius would applaud. You have a big test coming up, you cheat by peeking at the answers.
Instead of studying, would Confucius approve?
[00:16:09] Laura: No, no, no.
[00:16:12] Laura: Confucius believed in honesty and really learning. Remember, he loved learning. Cheating is not honest or a real way to learn. He might say
[00:16:23] Confucius: To learn and not think is a waste. To think and not learn is dangerous.
[00:16:32] Laura: meaning. You should do the work to truly learn, not take a shortcut. So cheating gets a thumbs down. Try your best and be honest. That’s what he’d want.
Great job everyone. We did several actions and thought about them. How many did you get right? If you guessed most of them correctly. Confucius would nod in approval at your understanding of his teachings, and even if you missed some, that’s okay. You’re learning and that would make him happy too. Remember, nobody’s perfect, but we can all try to do the right thing.
Give yourselves a high five.
[00:17:16] Laura: After all that thinking, let’s get moving again. This time we’ll play a quick round of, Confucius says, like Simon says, but Confucius is the boss. Ready? Remember, only do the action. If I say Confucius says first.
Confucius says, stand up tall. Stand up. Confucius says, put your hands on your hips. Hands on hips. Confucius says, bow your head a little like you’re greeting an elder. Bow down and up. Confucius says, make a silly face. Ha ha. Good, nice goofy faces. Now jump up and down. Uhoh, I didn’t say Confucius says that time. If you jumped, that’s okay. It was a tricky one.
Let’s try one more. Confucius says, reach for the sky. Confucius says, touch your toes. Confucius says, stand back up. Confucius says, spin around in a circle carefully and stop. Did I get you again? I didn’t say Confucius says, stop. You’re quick. I bet you might’ve caught that. Great job following along everyone. Now we’re ready to keep exploring.
One of the coolest things about exploring different beliefs is finding about how they connect. It’s like building a friendship bridge between cultures. Even though Confucius lived in China a long, long time ago, some of his ideas are really similar to ideas and other religions and traditions all around the world.
[00:19:00] Laura: Let’s walk across our friendship bridge to see what I’m talking about.
[00:19:05] Laura: First Confucius said we should treat others kindly. And guess what? That idea shows up in lots of other faiths too. In Buddhism, the Buddha taught “whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.” That’s a lot like Confucius’s saying, “don’t do unto others what you don’t want done to you.” Pretty similar, right? In Christianity, Jesus also taught something called the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s like all these wise teachers were singing the same kindness song, even though they lived in different times and places, and it doesn’t stop there. Whether you’re Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, or from any other tradition, you’ll find that treating others with care and fairness is one of the most important lessons. It’s a belief that connects us all!
As we continue across our friendship bridge, we come to the rich and ancient teachings of Hinduism. Just like Confucius taught, the importance of honoring those who came before us. Hindu families also place great value on respecting elders. In India, children might gently touch the feet of their grandparents or teachers as a sign of deep respect and to receive blessings. There are many beloved Hindu stories about sons and daughters showing love and care for their parents. Confucius would give a big nod of approval at that. In both Confucian and Hindu Wisdom, living a good life means practicing kindness, truth, and respect for family. Different cultures, different traditions, but the heart of the lesson is the same.
As we keep walking across our friendship bridge, we reach the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith. Just like Confucius believed that learning helps us grow into better, wiser people, the Bahá’ís belief that education is one of the most important parts of life. Confucius taught that we should study not just to be smart, but to become kind, thoughtful, and respectful. He once said. “Isn’t it a joy to learn and keep practicing what you’ve learned.” In the Bahá’í faith, people are encouraged to search for truth, ask big questions, and always keep learning about the world, about others, and about themselves. Both Confucius and Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, believed that when we educate our minds and hearts, we can build a better world for everyone.
Isn’t it amazing? We just connected ancient China to other parts of the world with shared values like respect, kindness, and learning.
Our Friendship Bridge shows that no matter what our backgrounds, we can find common ground. Confucius ideas about being good to one another are like a big friendly handshake across different faiths and cultures. It reminds us that we are all part of one big human family trying to be good and do good.
[00:22:26] Laura: Now it’s challenge time. Woo hoo. Here’s one of the best parts of the show, because you get to go out and explore the world in a whole new way. Confucius was all about learning, thinking, and sharing wisdom, I’ve cooked up something extra fun and meaningful this week.
Drum roll please.
[00:22:47] Laura: Welcome to the Wise Words Quest. Here’s how it works. Every day, this week, become a wisdom hunter and collect one piece of smart, kind or helpful advice, something someone says that makes you go, “Hmm, that’s a good idea.”
You can ask your grandma or grandpa, a teacher, or a librarian, a friend, coach or neighbor, or even yourself. You’re pretty wise too, you know. Just ask them, “what’s one thing you learned that helps you be a better person?” Then write it down, draw it out, or pop it into your own book of wisdom. You can even use our printable to decorate and collect your quotes like a real philosopher.
Your goal is to gather at least five pearls of wisdom this week. Then share your favorite one with someone else to spread that wisdom.
Think of it like a treasure hunt. Only the treasure is awesome ideas for being your best self. Who knows, one of your wise words might even inspire someone else to make the world a little kinder.
Also for our creative friends, I’ve got a Confucius coloring page waiting for you. It has a fun cartoon of Confucius and a quote for you to color in. Ask your adult to help you download and print it. While you color, you can teach them the new words you learned today like nǐ hǎo for Hello.
I’d love to see your wisdom pages and colorful artwork. If you want, you can even have your grownup share a picture with me on my social media or website. But even if you don’t share, be proud of yourself for trying the challenge. Confucius believed that improving ourselves a little each day is the best way forward. So this week let’s all try to be a bit more respectful and caring- Confucius style. You got this.
[00:24:45] Laura: Before we settle in for our story, let’s zip open our belief backpack and pack in a few things we learned from Confucius today.
[00:24:56] Laura: First, we’ll add our family compass. This special compass doesn’t point north. It always points towards the people you love most, your family. Whether you’re at school, with friends, or home alone, the family compass gently glows to remind you of the ones who care for you. Confucius taught that family comes first. The family compass points to you back to what matters most. Love and respect at home.
[00:25:25] Laura: Next up, let’s add into our backpack the mirror of curiosity. This magical mirror doesn’t show your face. It shows your questions. Whenever you gaze into it, you see the next thing you’re ready to explore or improve. Maybe it’s something you’re trying to understand. Maybe you’re trying to solve a tricky problem or make a new friend. The mirror glows brightly every time you try, practice, or ask a thoughtful question.
Confucius was called the “teacher of all teachers” for a reason. He believed that learning is a joy that should never stop. The mirror of curiosity reminds us it’s okay to go slow or make mistakes as long as we keep trying. Every new effort helps us grow kinder, wiser, and more brave.
[00:26:14] Laura: Finally, let’s add one last treasure to our belief backpack today. The Golden Rule Ribbon. This glowing ribbon is soft, warm, and never runs out because it’s made from kindness. Every time you do something thoughtful like sharing, helping, including someone, or forgiving the ribbon wraps gently around your heart and stretches out to others, it reminds you to treat people the way you want to be treated.
Confucius taught something very special. Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you. That’s the golden rule, and it appears in many cultures and religions around the world. The Golden Rule Ribbon helps you wrap every action in kindness, fairness, and empathy.
There we go. Zip up that backpack.
[00:27:01] Laura: These three new ideas are now yours to carry and use. Confucius’s wisdom may be ancient, but we can use it every day to be better friends, family members, and citizens.
[00:27:19] Laura: You’ve been listening and learning so well. How about one last movement break before our story? This one will get the wiggles out so you can relax and enjoy the tale. Let’s do a shake and shape. First, shake your whole body. Shake your arms, your legs. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. Wiggle out all the stiffness. Now, shape time.
Pose like a wise owl. Perch down. Bring your hands together and make big owl eyes like you’re very sage and knowing. Hoo hoo! Confucius loved wisdom. Maybe he’d even have had an owl mascot.
Next, shake it out again. Shake, shake, shake. Now, pose like a wise teacher. Stand tall with your feet grounded like you’re rooted in knowledge. Bring your hands together behind your back like you’re strolling through a peaceful garden. Deep in thought. Now, slowly nod your head once, like you’ve just heard a brilliant question from a student. Take a deep breath. Reach your arms up high and flop down gently to a comfy sitting or lying down position for story time, maybe grab a pillow or cuddle a stuffed animal. Ready? Me too.
[00:28:37] Laura: This story is inspired by a real teaching from Confucius. Remember how we said his students wrote down his wise words in a book called The Analects? In one part, someone asks him about a very fancy horse, but Confucius doesn’t answer the way you’d expect.
Let’s imagine what that lesson might have looked like as a story.
[00:29:00] Laura: A long time ago in the rolling hills of ancient China, there lived a young boy named Jun. He was curious, chatty, and loved to try new things, but like many kids, he was also a little distracted by shiny stuff. One morning Jun ran through the village streets. His eyes sparkled with excitement.
[00:29:20] Jun: Master Confucius Master Confucius, you have to come see it.
[00:29:23] Laura: He tugged the sleeve of his teacher, the wise and calm Confucius, who was writing in his scrolls beneath a plum tree.
[00:29:29] Confucius: See what my young friend.
[00:29:31] Jun: The Duke of Shea’s horse, it just arrived with his messengers. It’s the most amazing horse I’ve ever seen. Its mane is golden like sunlight. Its hooves strike the earth like thunder and its saddle has real pearls.
[00:29:44] Laura: Confucius smiled slightly but didn’t stand up. Instead he sat down his brush and looked thoughtfully at Jun.
[00:29:51] Confucius: I have heard of the virtue of the Duke of Shea, but not of his horse.
[00:30:00] Jun: Huh. But master, it’s the best horse in the whole province.
[00:30:03] Confucius: Tell me, Jun, if someone owns a fast horse, does that mean he is kind? If his saddle shines with jewels, does that mean he tells the truth? If his horse wins races, does it mean his heart is just?
[00:30:22] Laura: Jun blinked. His smile faded just a little as he thought.
[00:30:26] Jun: Well, no, not really.
[00:30:27] Confucius: We are not judged by what we ride or wear. A good person is known not by his horse, but by his actions, by his honesty, by how he treats the poor, the old, the weak, and the stranger.
[00:30:48] Laura: He leaned forward and tapped Jun gently on the forehead with two fingers.
[00:30:52] Confucius: Let your mind be faster than a horse. Let your heart be more polished than pearls.
[00:31:00] Laura: Jun stood quietly for a moment, taking in his teacher’s words.
[00:31:04] Jun: So it’s not about the horse.
[00:31:06] Confucius: No Jun, it is always about the rider.
[00:31:09] Laura: Later that afternoon, Jun walked by the stable again. He still admired the horse. It was after all quite a horse. But instead of rushing off to brag about its colors, he bowed politely to the messenger and said,
[00:31:25] Jun: Please tell the Duke that I hope he is as noble and kind as his horse is fast.
[00:31:29] Laura: from that day on, Jun looked for virtue in people, not sparkle in their saddles.
He grew to be a thoughtful student. When he one day taught his own students, he always told them,
[00:31:41] Jun: It’s not about the horse, it’s about the heart.
[00:31:47] Laura: So what do you think Confucius was really teaching Jun? He wasn’t saying It’s bad to admire beautiful things, horses, clothes, toys, they can be fun, but what truly matters is who you are on the inside.
Are you kind? Are you honest? Do you treat people with respect? Confucius wanted us to remember that virtue, being a good person, is more valuable than any treasure. A fast horse might impress people for a moment, but a kind heart and wise choices, those shine forever.
You are not defined by what you own. You are defined by how you act. That’s the kind of wisdom that makes the world better. One choice at a time.
[00:32:33] Laura: Wow.
We’ve reached the end of our journey today on Faithfully Explore. Let’s zip up our Belief Backpacks full of wisdom from Confucius and get ready to travel to a new place next time. I hope you enjoyed meeting Confucius as much as I did.
Before you go, I want to thank you for listening and exploring with me! You all did such a great job saying Chinese words, guessing answers, moving around, and imagining. Give yourself a pat on the back!
A special shout out to Jackson and Jillian who are tuning in. Hello friends. Thanks for learning with us, your superstars! And thank you to the teachers and grownups out there sharing this show with your kiddos.
Next episode, we’re going on a grand adventure to explore the Hajj. That’s the big journey to Mecca that millions of Muslims take every year. We’ll have an exciting time pretending to fly on a plane to Saudi Arabia, circling around the Kaba, the big cube building and learning why that journey is so special. I can’t wait for that. It’s going to be an epic field trip of the imagination.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to download your Confucius coloring page and Wise Words Quest from our website and see how many inspiring words you can collect this week. I bet Confucius would give you a gold star or at least a big smile for each one.
If you enjoyed this episode, please ask your grownup to subscribe or follow Faithfully Explore! That way you won’t miss upcoming adventures. I’d love it if you leave a rating or review too. It helps more families find our interfaith fun, and of course, share this episode with a friend or classmate who loves stories and exploring new ideas.
Until next time, my friends stay curious and kind. This is Laura from Faithfully Explore saying xiè xie and zài jiàn.
[00:34:29] Faithfully Explore! Outro: Faithfully Explore! is about you. Let’s grow kinder together it’s true!