| Free teaching and learning materials for students and teachers of English.Confucius had no opportunity to put his theories to a public test until the age of 52. At 52, he was appointed magistrate of Chung-tu. The next year, he became Minister of crime of the state of Lu. His administration was successful; reforms were introduced, justice was fairly dispensed, and crime was almost eliminated. Lu became very powerful under Confucius. As a result, the ruler of a neighboring state maneuvered to secure the minister's dismissal.
Confucius left his office in 496 BC, traveling about and teaching, vainly hoping that some other prince would allow him to undertake measures of reform. In 484 BC, after a fruitless search for an ideal ruler, he returned for the last time to Lu. Confucius was then abandoned from his province and he wandered about China for 13 years. When Confucius was 69 years old, he returned to Lu, his home state.
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