Who was Confucius?
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and teacher who lived from about 551 to 479 BC. His teachings on morality, family, respect and good government shaped Chinese culture for more than 2,000 years.
Confucius, known in Chinese as Kong Fuzi or Kongzi, meaning Master Kong, was born in the state of Lu, in present-day Shandong province. He worked as a government official and teacher during a time of political disorder. He traveled between states, hoping rulers would adopt his ideas about virtuous leadership.
His teachings emphasized ren, meaning kindness or humaneness, li, proper behavior and ritual, filial piety, respect for parents and elders, and the importance of education and self-improvement. A well-known saying attributed to him is: Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself.
The Analects
After his death, his followers collected his sayings in a book called the Analects. Confucianism became the official philosophy of the Han dynasty and shaped Chinese government exams for centuries. Its influence spread to Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
Did You Know?
Confucius's hometown, Qufu, has a temple, family mansion and cemetery dedicated to him, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.