孔子之所以能成為“圣人”,一是由于他的思想主張順應(yīng)了統(tǒng)治者鞏固統(tǒng)治的需要,他提出的“仁”、“德”和“禮”,有利于穩(wěn)定封建統(tǒng)治秩序,這樣的思想自然能受到統(tǒng)治者的重視；二是后代儒家學(xué)者在發(fā)揚儒學(xué)中提出了適應(yīng)君主專制制度發(fā)展的需要的主張,不斷提高了儒學(xué)的地位；三是歷史政治秩序穩(wěn)定,統(tǒng)治鞏固后,孔子受到重視,社會動亂時,孔子首當(dāng)其沖受到批判.
西漢起,歷代不斷給孔子加封追謚,漢平帝追封孔子為公爵,稱“褒成宣尼公”.唐玄宗李隆基加給孔子謚號“文宣”,始稱“文宣王”.元武宗年間加封為“大成至圣文宣王”,后又稱“至圣先師”、“大成至圣先師”等等.同時孟子被尊為亞圣,顏回被尊為復(fù)圣,子思被尊為述圣.
Confucius has become a "saint," the first claim because of his ideas conform to the needs of the rulers to consolidate his rule,he proposed the "benevolence" and "Virtue" and "propriety",the feudal political order conducive to stability,so the idea naturally by the rulers of the attention; second generations of Confucian scholars to carry forward the Confucian system of absolute monarchy in the proposed development needs to adapt to the idea of increasing the status of Confucianism; third order in the history of political stability,rule of consolidation,Confucius attention ,social unrest,Confucius bear the brunt of criticism.
Western Han Dynasty,the ancient Confucian sealed continue to chase Shi,Han Ping Emperor bestowed on the Duke of Confucius,saying,"declared Nigeria as public praise." Posthumous title of Emperor Lilongjijia to Confucius,"propaganda" before the "Wenxuan Wang." Yuan Takemune sealed between the "Great Holy Wenxuan Wang",after known as the "sage and teacher," "Great sage and teacher," and so on.At the same time revered sage Mencius,revered as Fu-Sheng Yen Hui,Zisi revered holy state.