Confucius' biological mother did not want to tell her son who his father was, why?

Few people know that, besides his great contributions, Confucius' life also contained a deep mystery - the origin of his family and his biological father. The story of his origin, why his mother refused to reveal to him about his father, is a historical mystery full of hidden meanings.

When Confucius was born, his father, Shu Liang Yu, was already very old and was very eager to have a son. However, his mother, Yan Zheng Zai, was not yet 20 years old at that time, while his father was over 60 years old. This was a couple with a very large age gap compared to other couples in contemporary society.

According to the "Confucius Family Sayings", it can be known that Confucius' mother was not his father's first wife. When Confucius' father came to the Yan family to propose marriage. The Yan family had three daughters, Yan Zhengzai was the youngest daughter. The father of these three daughters asked his children: "Although Shu Liangwu is only a scholar, he is a descendant of the Holy King. Shu Liangwu is 10 feet tall and has outstanding strength. Father really wants to have a marriage relationship with Shu Liangwu, but he is old and has a strict personality. Among the three of you, who would be willing to be his wife?"

The two eldest daughters remained silent and did not answer. Nhan Chinh Tai stepped forward and said: "As children, we must do whatever our father tells us to do. Why are you asking us?"

The father said: "So you agree?"

Nhan Chinh Tai gently nodded in agreement. So Nhan Chinh Tai was married to Thuc Luong Ngoc.

Because Shu Liang Yu was old at that time, Yan Zheng Zai feared that it would be difficult to have a child immediately, so he secretly went to Mount Ni Qiu to pray for a smooth birth. Later, Yan Zheng Zai gave birth to a son, who was Confucius.

When Confucius was 3 years old, his father passed away. According to legend, Confucius' mother was a concubine in a military official's family, so when his father passed away, the mother and son were kicked out of the house and fell into a miserable life. After that, he and his mother moved to Qufu - the old capital of Lu. Confucius' mother single-handedly endured hardships to raise her son to become a talented person.

One problem that Confucius’s mother faced at that time was not simply the pressure from public opinion at that time about marrying an old man and becoming a concubine and being kicked out of her husband’s family, but also the fear that this truth would negatively affect her son’s future and career. In a world where family reputation could determine everything, being known as a concubine’s child and not being recognized by her husband’s family could become a great psychological burden for Confucius.

Furthermore, it is understandable that, in a society that valued tradition and morality as it did at that time, revealing the truth about Confucius' origins could destroy the prestige and respect he had built up throughout his educational career. Confucius' mother, in her wisdom and boundless love, decided to keep this secret. Not out of fear, but because she wanted to protect her son from the prejudice and disadvantages that might arise from knowing his origins.

The life and work of Confucius is proof that, despite his origins in an "unofficial marriage", with his talent, virtue and kindness, he could still become one of the greatest thinkers in history. The story of Confucius' mother is not only an image of sacred maternal love but also a profound lesson about overcoming social prejudice to protect and nurture the best values in people.

Confucius was a great scholar who devoted his life to educating and spreading the philosophy of life, laying the foundation for Eastern civilization. Confucius' teachings are profound life lessons that are still valuable today.

In the Analects, Confucius wrote: "Wealth and honor are what people desire; but those who are truly outstanding know how to actually achieve them. Possessing a certain amount of money and a position in society is undoubtedly the measure of success in ordinary life.

1. A gentleman takes "patience" as the first priority.

On the road to success, if you can't be patient with some small things, you can't reach the end of the road.

2. Only by looking far can we see many good things.
3. Avoid being greedy for small immediate benefits and missing out on great things

Concubines in the past had a terrifying "privilege" that even the main wife did not have. Minh Lợi2 weeks agoIn feudal Chinese society, concubines were seen as mere commodities, bought and sold without any significant rights, and did not even have an official position in the husband's family tree.