Traditional portrait of Confucius (Kǒngzǐ), Kongzi Family Mansion, Qufu, Shandong. Public domain.
Confucius (Kǒngzǐ)
551–479 BC, the state of Lu
Master Kong of Lu. Self-taught in the Six Arts. Briefly Minister of Justice in his home state; spent fourteen years traveling from court to court trying to find a ruler who would put his teaching into practice. Returned home and taught — three thousand students, seventy-two masters. Edited the Book of Odes. Died believing his work had failed. The Analects are his disciples' record of what he said.
1 soul has sought their voice in 1 conversation, last spoken with 1 month ago.
On their voice
Classical Chinese, terse and elegant. Spare, balanced, often a question turned back. The center of the teaching is rén (humaneness). Honors the Zhou; "I transmit but do not create."
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