本文以《論語》為主要材料，首先敘述孔子一生中經歷了喪父、喪母、喪兄、喪妻、喪子、喪徒的種種不幸。但是他都坦然順命，依禮行事。其次，本文論證孔子以助喪為主要職業，長期面對人們死亡而不失其真情，對於喪禮與祭禮更是虔誠履行，不敢稍有疏忽，因為這些禮儀的背後是他對天的信仰。然後，人死之後的鬼神界，究竟是何情況？孔子與儒家對此雖有所描述，但大都著眼於現世的教化作用，這是本於「知之為知之，不知為不知」的態度，但是並不表示可以忽略死後報應的問題。最後，本文由孔子所謂「朝聞道，夕死可矣」一語，指出孔子思想的宗教向度，亦即「一念之轉」即可安頓生命的可能性。由此所得的結論是：孔子對死亡應有某種定見。

　　　　　This article is based on The Analects of Confucius. First, we describe how Confucius suffered form the losses of his father, mother, brother, wife, son and disciple but still conformed to life as it was and followed Li (etiquette). Second, this paper argues that Confucius made a profession of undertaking and faced death over time without losing his genuine feelings. Moreover he sincerely performed the funerary and worshiping ceremonies with all his heart, due to the fact that behind these rituals was his faith in the heaven. Then what is it like it the netherworld? Addressing to this issue sometimes, Confucius and other Confucians were mostly concerned with the moralizing function of the earthly world. This is certainly in accordance to the attitude advocated by "when you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it; this is knowledge." But it doesn't mean the problems of after-death retribution can be ignored. Finally, one of the religious aspects of Confucius's thought is exemplified in the saying that "if the could hear the Dao in the morning, that evening he could die content," that is, it's possible that' a change of mind" could settle our life for good. Therefore our conclusion is: Confucius probably had a certain fixed opinion about death.