Confucius

Confucius – the Latinized name of K'ung Fu-tzu (Great Master K'ung) – was a descendant of a branch of the Shang dynasty that ruled China from around 1122 BCE to 221 BCE. He was born around 551 BCE in what is now the province of Shantung in northeastern China. He worked in a number of roles before becoming a teacher. Around 498 BCE, he began a long journey throughout eastern China accompanied by several of his disciples, during which he developed his ideas on philosophy and the art of government, as well as teaching. He acquired a large following which has become known as the school of Ju (Confucianism). Confucius died in 479 BCE.

• Introduction by James Trapp, China Collection, British Museum Confucius’s background as a member of a low aristocratic family, where he was the only son and the offspring of one of his father’s concubines. With his father’s connections, he became a tutor at the court in Lu. How we understand the Analects were put together during the Warring States period (475 BC–221 BC) and how it achieved its final form during the mid-Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). The influence the book and Confucius’s thoughts had on Chinese culture.Book I – Hsio RBook II – Wei ChangBook III – Pa YihBook IV – Le JinBook V – Kung-ye ch’ang Book VI – Yung yeyBook VII – Shu ErBook VIII – T’ai-poBook IX – Tsze hanBook X – Heang Tang Book XI – Hsien Tsin Book XII – Yen Yuan Book XIII – Tsze-LuBook XIV – Hsien Wan Book XV – Wei Ling Kung Book XVI – Ke SheBook XVII – Yang Ho Book XVIII – Wei Tsze Book XIX – Tsze-Chang Book XX – Yao Yueh Index