Intellectual genealogy, teaching, criticism

Zisi was the son of Kong Li (孔鲤) (Boyu (伯鱼)) and the only grandson of Confucius. He is traditionally accredited with transmitting Confucian teaching to Mencius and writing the Doctrine of the Mean, Biaoji 表记, "Ziyi" (The Black Robes") 缁衣, and "Fangji" (The Record of the Dikes) 坊记, presently chapters of the Liji. (Since Zisi's dates of life do not overlap with those of Mengzi, it has been suggested that the intermediary role in the transmission was played by Shi Shuo 世硕.)

Where his grandfather began to distinguish between true and supposed knowledge, Zisi proceeded upon meditations on the relativity in human knowledge of the universe. He attempted to analyse as many types of action as possible, and believed that wise people who are conscious of their moral and intellectual duties can copy the reality of the universe into themselves.

On par with Mencius, Zisi is attacked by Xunzi in his famous "Against Twelve Masters" chapter. The target of Xunzi's attack is the Wuxing teaching. According to Zhang Binglin (1868-1936), Zisi attempted combining Confucian teaching with the principles of numerology. Li Xueqin suggests that it was done under influence of the text presently constituting the "Great Plan" (Hongfan) chapter of the Shangshu.

The extant version of the book of the same name is ascribed to Zisi. It was compiled by Wang Zhuo (汪晫 Wāng Zhuó) of the Song dynasty, but not recognized as authentic. The more reliable edition was made by Huang Yizhou (1828-1899), drawing the references from Shen Yue (441-513). According to Huang Yizhou, some aspects of Zisi's thinking are paralleled by the Huainanzi.

Recent discoveries

• Wuxing (text), a recent archeological discovery providing new insight into Zisi's teaching.

• Duke Mu of Lu Asks Zisi 《鲁穆公问子思》, a Guodian text relating about the concept of the "loyal minister" 忠臣 through the dialogue between Zisi and the young Duke Mu (d. 377 BCE).

历代封赠

宋代，徽宗封孔伋为「沂水侯」。元代，文宗封「沂国述圣公」。明代，世宗封「述圣公」；后人因此称孔伋为「述圣」，与「复圣」颜回、「宗圣」曾参、「亚圣」孟轲并称。

因孔伋是衍圣公的直系祖先，故历代不另立述圣奉祀官，而是以衍圣公之次子担任。若衍圣公为独子，其祀则兼祧。

影视作品

• 1990年中国电视剧《孔子》：李超饰孔伋