Confucius

Item

Title
Confucius
Chinese Name (Pinyin)
Kongzi
Chinese Name (Simplified)
孔子
Chinese Name (Traditional)
孔子
Date of Birth
551 BC
Date of Death
479 BC
Language(s)
Chinese (ZH, CHI)
Biography

Confucius was a seminal Chinese philosopher and teacher whose ideas fundamentally shaped East Asian civilization. Born in the state of Lu during the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, he sought to restore social order through moral cultivation rather than harsh laws.

His teachings, compiled by disciples in the Analects, emphasized Ren (benevolence), Li (propriety), and Xiao (Filial Piety). Although he struggled to implement his political reforms during his lifetime, Confucianism later became the official state ideology of imperial China, influencing government and society for millennia.

Item sets
Persons

Linked resources

Items with "Author(s): Confucius"
Title Class
Analects (论语) Classic
Classic of Filial Piety (孝经) Classic
Doctrine of the Mean (中庸) Classic
Great Learning (大学) Classic
Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋) Classic