Confucius was a Chinese teacher in the 6th-5th century BCE who shaped Chinese social relationships and moral thought. While not famous during his lifetime, he taught sons of nobility and traveled with disciples, some of whom became officials. Confucius hoped to advise a powerful ruler to create an ideal world through relationships over laws, though he considered himself a failure for not gaining such a position.

2.  The Latinized name Confucius, based on
the honorific title Kong Fuzi (K'ung Fu-tzu),
was created by 16th-century Jesuit
missionaries in China.
 The Confucian tradition was instrumental
in shaping Chinese social relationships and
moral thought.

3.  The affirmation of accepted values and
norms of behavior in primary social
institutions and basic human relationships.
 Confucianism is reluctant to employ laws. In
a society where relationships are considered
more important than the laws themselves.

4. Confucius was a teacher to sons of the
nobility at a time when formal
education was just beginning in China.
He traveled from region to region with
a small group of disciples, a number of
whom would become important
government officials.

5. Confucius was not particularly famous
during his lifetime, and even
considered himself to be a failure.
He longed to be the advisor to a powerful
ruler, and he believed that such a ruler,
with the right advice, could bring about
an ideal world.