I missed the birthday of Confucius yesterday.  So, let me say it today: happy 2,560th!  The usual pageantry of invented traditions unfolded at Qufu.  Houston, Texas got into the act with the dedication of a Confucius statue in a city park, which inspired Texas Governor Rick Perry to come out with this utterly vacuous statement:

Care to bet whether Perry has ever read a page of the Analects?  Indeed, if he were ever to actually read and think about Confucianism, I have no doubt it would make him an infinitely better public servant, and certainly less prone to allow innocent men to be executed ("How can you govern by killing" The Master asked).

And Americans are not the only ones reducing Confucianism to simple catch phrases and shallow symbols.  Xinhua reports:

 "In the program, we tried to portray
Confucius as an ordinary person without the utilitarian taint given to
him by feudal rulers," said Liang Guodian, chief director of the China
Confucius Foundation.

Quite literally: the infantalization of the Sage.

Sorry if I'm grumpy about all this, but I can't help but feel that the commodification and over-simplification of Confucianism undermines the philosophy's central message.  It's hard to live up the the standards of Humanity and Duty and Ritual.  It's not something  easy that a child can do, or a thoughtless Texas politician.  It takes constant attention and conscientious effort.  Making it seem simple and easy is, to my mind, an insult to those people who truly take it seriously, as it should be taken.

In any event, Happy Birthday Confucius.  Here's a passage to mark the day:

As
for Humanity: if you want to make a stand, help others make a stand, and if you
want to reach your goal, help others reach their goal.  Consider yourself and treat others
accordingly: this is the method of Humanity.  (Analects, 6.29)