Confucius

Who is Confucius?

Confucius (Kong Qiu, courtesy name Zhongni) was a Chinese philosopher and teacher born in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. He worked as a minor government official before devoting his life to teaching, traveling among the feudal states in search of a ruler who would adopt his ethical philosophy. His teachings emphasized personal morality, correct social relationships, justice, family loyalty, and the cultivation of virtue (ren, benevolence). Confucius did not write a systematic treatise himself; his ideas were recorded by disciples in The Analects (Lunyu) after his death. His philosophy, known as Confucianism, became the dominant intellectual and moral framework of imperial China for over two thousand years, shaping government, education, and family life across East Asia. He is traditionally credited with editing several classic texts, and his influence extended to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Sources: Confucius, The Analects (Lunyu), circa 5th century BCE · Sima Qian, Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), 'House of Confucius', circa 91 BCE