Confucius
~551–479 BCE · Chinese (Lu state) · Spring and Autumn Period
Known for: Created the ethical system that governed Chinese civilization for 2,500 years — less a religion, more a civilization operating manual
Confucius (Kong Qiu) was a Chinese teacher and philosopher whose emphasis on ritual propriety (li), benevolence (ren), filial piety, and moral governance became the bedrock of Chinese civilization. Though not a religious figure in the Western sense, Confucianism functions as the moral-spiritual framework for much of East Asia.
His teachings, compiled in the Analects by his disciples, shaped Chinese government through the imperial examination system for over 1,300 years. He was deified in various Chinese religious traditions and temples to Confucius exist throughout East Asia.
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