Confucius

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and teacher whose thought has been the most enduring influence on Chinese culture and governance for more than two thousand years. Born in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, he spent much of his life seeking a ruler who would implement his political and ethical vision. The Analects — a collection of his sayings recorded by his disciples — set out his central concerns: the cultivation of virtue (ren), ritual propriety (li), and the ideal of the exemplary person (junzi).