Issue No.21 - Polo De’Marco Magazine Issue No.21 - SPECIAL EDITON(clone) | Page 165

Q1. Confucianism developed from Chinese
philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC), who re-
envisioned the theology and values inherited
from the Shang (1600–1046 BC) and Zhou
(1046-256 BC) dynasties. What does it mean
to you personally to be part of such an ancient
and historic legacy as a direct descendant of
Confucius?
JK: To be part of the Confucius family for anyone
should be an honour, privilege and responsibility. To
know where you came from, to have 2570 or more years
of family history, and to have such a large family is such
a special situation to be born into. For people like my
grandfather, not only to know the history, but to make
history for our family is such a wonderful example
to respect and follow. For me personally, having the
responsibility of being able to shape the future of the
family and to be given a platform due to who I am is
something I do not take lightly. It is a weight I am happy
to carry and actually would not entrust to anyone else. I
actually carry a pendant of Confucius around my neck
every day (a gift from a relative) to be a literal weight for
me to carry, and a reminder of who I am at all times.
Q2. When speaking of Confucius or
Confucianism, the Analects or “selected sayings”
play a large role in the tradition of reading and
understanding Confucius’ teachings. Please
explain briefly what the Analects are and how one
traditionally studies and practices with them.
JK: The Analects are the teachings of Confucius as
recorded by his disciples after his death. They are
traditionally studied by rote learning, repetition and
memorization, although nowadays, discussion of
the meaning may also be incorporated into this. The
practice of the analects depends very much on the
personal behaviour of the individual as the analects are
not a science. Like maths, for example, they are a study
of yourself and how to behave. The traditional learning
of the analects is on the rise in China. My father is one
who has supported this through donations to schools
in our hometown, Qufu, that teach the analects by
traditional methods. For myself, I learned the analects
in English rather than Chinese or Ancient Chinese,
and discussed the meaning of them with a teacher. We
would spend hours debating the different meanings
of just one or two analects and how they affect society
and life. They were wonderful lessons that I was lucky
to have. I practice the analects everyday in how I live as
they have shaped who I am.