The Wisdom of Confucius

Teacher, politician, philosopher, and student, Confucius offered wisdom and aphorisms on a variety of topics that transcend borders and time. Whether considering his own life, human nature, or a society’s responsibilities, Confucius’s teachings emphasize personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. He aimed to effect social and political reform, and left a legacy of wisdom that remains true today. Organized by topic and accompanied with contextual footnotes, this collection of quotes, sayings, and lessons is often as entertaining as it is educational.

Confucius (551–479 BCE) was, and still is, China’s most famous teacher, philosopher, and political theorist. He began his studies to reconstruct the moral and material welfare of his people. His ideas—chief among them that all people are teachable, improvable, and perfectible—profoundly influenced the civilization of East Asia.