Confucius returned from the State of Qi to the State of Lu. The actions of Ji Pingzi (the powerful minister of Lu), who held power, were contrary to Confucius's political views. Ji did not invite Confucius to take office, and Confucius had no desire to serve as an official. In the fifth year of Duke Ding of Lu (505 BCE), Ji Pingzi died, and his son Ji Huanzi succeeded him. The household steward Yang Hu (a powerful retainer) rebelled, took control of the Ji family, and seized the reins of power in Lu. Adhering to the principle of "appearing when the Way prevails, and hiding when it does not," Confucius refused Yang Hu's invitation to serve. Instead, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to studying and teaching his disciples.
A person who knew Confucius well once asked him: "Given your learning and reputation, becoming a high-ranking official should be no problem at all. Why do you not enter government service?"
Confucius replied, “The Book of Documents (Shangshu) says: ‘Filial piety—only by being filial to parents and fraternal to brothers can one influence those in power with this virtue—this too is participating in governance.’ Why must holding office alone be considered engaging in politics?” His meaning was that by teaching his disciples to practice Xiao (Filial Piety) and Ti (Fraternal Respect), fostering a virtuous atmosphere could influence politics. In such a time when “the state lacked the Dao (The Way),” he sought to save the world through education and teaching.
Zeng Shen (a disciple known for his filial piety) nodded repeatedly and said to Zhong You (another disciple of Confucius): "If everyone can strictly observe filial piety and extend it to the realm of Ren (Benevolence), the world will be well-governed. Then everyone can be considered to have participated in politics—what the Master said is absolutely right."