Confucius

Confucius (, or ), literally "Master Kong",More commonly abbreviated to ; see Names section (traditionally 28 September 551 BC – 479 BC) was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.

The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism () or Taoism () during the Han Dynasty  (206 BC – AD 220). Confucius' thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism ().