The oft-quote (misquoted?) Chinese philosopher Confucius was, it turns out, not just prolific in sayings, but in progeny. The philosopher, who has perhaps had the single greatest influence on the social systems and customs of China and its neighbors, recently had his family tree updated by Chinese authorities to include women, minorities, and descendants living overseas. These groups were previously excluded from the Confucian family record, which spans 80 volumes and 43,000 pages. This change expands the family tree by 1.4 million, bringing the total to over 2 million.
I’m sure Confucius, who promoted filial piety- a system of respect and stewardship that gave each member of a family and society a certain measure of care and honor- would be delighted to see women and any other descendants finally recognized as his own.
Tags: family, Family History, family tree, genealogy, history
