Kongzi

Kongzi (孔子), known in the West as Confucius (traditionally 551–479 BCE), was an influential Chinese philosopher and teacher of the late Spring and Autumn period. Born in the state of Lu, he worked in public service and later traveled among regional states, offering counsel on government and moral conduct. His teachings emphasized ethical self-cultivation, filial piety, ritual propriety, and humane governance. Confucius did not leave writings of his own; his sayings and ideas were preserved by later followers, most famously in the *Analects* (*Lunyu*). Over subsequent centuries, Confucian thought became central to Chinese education, political theory, and social values.