Confucius

Confucius (traditionally September 28 551 BCE–479 BCE) was a famous thinker and social philosopher of China, whose teachings have deeply influenced East Asia for centuries. Living in the Spring and Autumn period (a time when feudal states fought against each other), he was convinced of his ability to restore the world's order, and failed. After much travelling around China to promote his ideas among rulers, he eventually became involved in teaching disciples. His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, and justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China after being chosen among other doctrines such as Legalism or Taoism during the Han dynasty. Used since then as the imperial orthodoxy, Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a vast and complete philosophical system known in the west as Confucianism.

Names

• The Jesuits, while translating Chinese books into Western languages, translated 孔夫子 as Confucius. This Latinized form has since been commonly used in Western countries.
• In systematic Romanizations:
• Kǒng Fūzǐ (or Kǒng fū zǐ) in pinyin.
• K'ung fu-tze in Wade-Giles (or, less accurately, Kung fu-tze).
• Fūzǐ means teacher. Since it was disrespectful to call the teacher by name according to Chinese culture, he is known as just "Master Kong", or Confucius, even in modern days.
• The character 'fu' is optional, so he is commonly also known as Kong Zi.
• His actual name was 孔丘, Kǒng Qiū. Kǒng is a common family name in China.
• His courtesy name was 仲尼, Zhòng Ní.
• In 1 AC (first year of the Yuanshi period of the Han Dynasty), he was given his first posthumous name: 褒成宣尼公, Lord Bāochéngxūan, which means "Laudably Declarable Lord Ni."
• His most popular posthumous names are
• 至聖先師, Zhìshèngxiānshī, meaning "The Former Teacher who Reached Sainthood" (comes from 1530, the ninth year of the Jianing period of the Ming Dynasty);
• 至聖, Zhìshèng, "the Greatest Sage";
• 先師, Xiānshī, "the First Teacher".
• He is also commonly known as 萬世師表, Wànshìshībiǎo, "the Model Teacher of a Myriad Ages" in Taiwan.