How Confucius Created Emojis

The video explores the origin of the three wise monkeys emoji, tracing back to Confucius' teachings on ren, a concept of virtue and propriety. The saying 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' was linked to monkeys due to a linguistic play in Japan, where parts of the phrase sounded like the word for monkey. This association spread, becoming a cultural symbol in Japan and later globally recognized. The three wise monkeys were incorporated into Unicode in 2010 and added to Emoji Version 1.0 in 2015, making them a popular digital symbol. The video emphasizes the importance of these teachings in maintaining one's innate goodness.

What is the primary teaching of Confucius that the three wise monkeys represent?

• To achieve wealth and power

• To practice meditation and mindfulness

• To avoid improper actions and influences

• To seek knowledge and wisdom

According to Chinese ideology, what is the nature of human beings at birth?

• Neutral and adaptable

• Corrupt and selfish

• Good and compassionate

• Aggressive and competitive

How did the concept of the three wise monkeys become associated with Japan?

• Through a Japanese emperor's decree

• Via a famous Japanese painting

• By a translation that sounded like the word for monkey

• Through a popular Japanese folktale

What was the reason for dropping the fourth monkey in the representation?

• It was not popular among the people

• It was considered too difficult to carve

• It was thought to look inappropriate

• It was not part of the original teachings

When were the three wise monkeys added to the Emoji Version 1.0?

• In 2005

• In 2010

• In 2015

• In 2020