Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s9.t2.3.4

v1.c7.s9.t2.3.4

In the 14th year of Duke Ding's Reign (496 BCE), Confucius held concurrently the offices of Minister of Justice and Prime Minister, and in an ensuing three months, the State of Lu was put in great universal peace and order. Later, resented from the domineering behavior of ruling official Ji Huanzi, Confucius resigned from his posts and toured around the other States of Wei, Song, Chen, Cha and Chu. In transit to State of Kuang, he was mistaken by the local people as Yanghu and consequently besieged; in State of Song, he was narrowly killed by Sima Huantui, the War Minister of that State; and when he and his followers were besieged and trapped in the place between the State of Chen and the State of Cha, he almost starved to death. In spite of all sorts of hardships and perils, he always remained the mood of "seeking pleasure in order to free himself from care without knowing the insidious approach of old age", which suggests his mental cultivation of being content with what one is, would never wear away even in his displaced drifting life. In the 11th year of Duke Ai of the State of Lu (484 BCE) he returned to the State of Lu at the age of 68. In ensuing years, he did not seek any appointment in officialdom and began to annotate the *Book of History* (deciphered earlier dynasty documentation), revise and reform the *Book of Rites*, edit and revise the *Book of Odes and Music*, and annotate and comment on the *Book of Change*.