Confucius (traditionally 28 September 551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) was a Chinese social philosopher, whose teachings deeply influenced East Asian life and thought. "Confucius" is a latinization of the Chinese 孔夫子, Kong Fu Zi or K'ung-fu-tzu, literally "Master Kong", but he is usually referred to in China with a simpler version of this honorific as 孔子, Kongzi, or Kǒng Zǐ.
Biography information from
Wikiquote·
Portrait adapted from
Wikimedia Commons, Anonymous Chinese painter of the Western Han period (Public domain / CC0)
Also Known As
Native Name:
孔夫子
Alternative Names:
Confucio
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Konfuzius
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Cheu-kong
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Chung-ni
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Cong-tse
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K'ung Chung-ni
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K'ung Fu-tse
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K'ung-fu-tzu
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K'ung-tzu
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Kong Fu Zi
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Kong Fuzi
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Kong Qiu
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Kong Zhongni
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Kongfuzi
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Kongqiu
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Kongzi
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Kung Chung-ni
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Kung Fu Tzu
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Kung Fu-tse
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Kungfutse
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Zhongni
Portrait from Wikimedia Commons. Credit: Anonymous Chinese painter of the Western Han period. Used under Public domain / CC0. Processed and styled by Quotewise.
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The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the Kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things. Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy. From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.
子曰：「三人行，必有我師焉。擇其善者而從之，其不善者而改之。」
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Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license. Thus his words have respect to his actions, and his actions have respect to his words; is it not just an entire sincerity which marks the superior man?
