Confucius
The Chinese teacher whose sayings on duty, family, and ritual became the moral backbone of East Asia for two millennia.
Origin
Kong Fuzi (551–479 BCE) was a minor official in the state of Lu who spent his life trying — and mostly failing — to convince rulers to govern by virtue rather than force. His students compiled his sayings as the Analects after his death. Filial piety, the rectification of names, the gentleman (junzi) who cultivates himself before trying to fix others — these became the curriculum of imperial China through the civil-service exams, and shaped Korea, Japan, and Vietnam in parallel.
Modern usage
In the West, the meme form 'Confucius say…' (often followed by a fortune-cookie joke) is more familiar than any actual quote. Real Confucian ideas — duty to family, social harmony, hierarchy as moral order — show up in serious debates about East Asian politics and education. 'Very Confucian' is shorthand for traditionalist about family.
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