Confucius
551 BCE – 479 BCE (72 years)
His philosophy of social order, filial piety, ethics, and government laid the foundations of Chinese culture and bureaucracy for over two thousand years.
Biography
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period. His teachings, preserved in the Analects, emphasize personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, kindness, and sincerity.
Key Events
501 BCE
Appointed Governor of Lu
497 BCE
Began long exile, traveling to teach
484 BCE
Returned to Lu to teach and write Analects