Confucius

Confucius is the author of the Analects and is also referred to in it as the Master. During his lifetime, Confucius is known as a sage. Many stories about him flourish that may not be accurate. He descends from an ancestral sage but little is known about his father Shu Liang and nothing is known about his mother. Confucius is born in 552 B.C. or a year later in Lu, the city of his ancestors. As a youth he becomes skilled in menial tasks. At the age of twenty-seven, he holds a minor office in the Lu court that gives him access to visiting dignitaries. In addition, he learns about performing ceremonial rites for which he becomes well-known. From the years of 525 B.C. through 497 B.C., he performs various services and holds public office in and around Lu. Confucius leaves Lu in 517 for a short time to...