For most people, the fortune inside the typically bland Chinese fortune cookie is its most palatable part, for it delivers either a sunny forecast, or at worst, a vague aphorism. Just how Confucius might have felt about these slips of paper so often attributed to him, however, might be an entirely different matter. To determine his reaction, therefore, we’ll now embark on a trip back through time to the dust-filled byways of ancient China, circa 551 BCE.
Pushing aside some of the more obvious hagiography, what we know for certain is that Confucius was born in eastern China, was raised by his mother in poverty, was extremely tall, and excelled in learning. He became a recognized authority on history, ritual, and music, and was an occasional ceremonial consultant to rulers.
Because the times were corrupt and violent (he lived during the period of Warring States), Confucius’s great aim was to attain a government post so he could help turn society around. In his view, society should be modeled on an ancient, probably mythic dynasty in which the ruler was truly admirable, and whose exemplary behavior influenced all stratums of society beneath him.
Imagine water cascading from a higher level to a lower level. Similarly, this ruler’s behavior influenced the behavior of his administrators, whose behavior, in turn, influenced that of the heads of private families, whose behavior influenced that of their offspring. In fact, relationships of all sorts, between ruler and people, merchants and customers, brother and sister, etc. were based on respect and what they called the Silver Rule, which is…yes, just like the Golden Rule.
In short, Confucius viewed harmony as paramount, and therefore all his values either supported it or aligned with it. Similar values, for instance, were those that cultivated citizens into intelligent individuals of spotless character and modest lifestyle.
He believed that traditional rituals promoted courteous behavior, that refined music enhanced humanity, and that relentless self-examination and education were essential.
Although Confucius did attain the coveted government post, one of Minister of Crime, he eventually resigned in disgust over the behavior of licentious and disrespectful government officials. He spent the remainder of his life wandering the countryside accompanied by his students, in search of leaders whom he could positively influence, and died at the age of 73, believing he had made little impact on society or on the moral fiber of humanity.
What he couldn’t have known is that his teachings would be collected into a highly respected and influential canon, that his philosophies would become known as Confucianism, and that during the Han Dynasty Confucianism would become the official moral standard of China. Moreover, In the Ming and Qing dynasties, his teachings became the core of the official curriculum for the civil service examinations, and starting in the Sui dynasty and lasting until the Republic of China, the imperial examinations expected candidates to apply the words of Confucius in their essays.
Yes, I know, very impressive…but more importantly, at least for the frequenter of Chinese restaurants, Confucius not only instituted the use of chopsticks at the dinner table (as a vegetarian, he believed sharp utensils reminded diners of the slaughterhouse), but he uttered plenty of sayings that could be stuffed into the ubiquitous fortune cookie also found in these restaurants.
As to whether he would have approved of their use in said cookies, it might have depended on the saying. It might have depended on his mood. It might have depended on the pastry chef. Fortunately, because of his following saying…
“The man who stands on a hill with his mouth open will wait a long time for a roast duck to drop in.”
…we can safely assume he’d at least endorse going to a restaurant.