Analects
The
Analects of Confucius, also known by its Chinese name as the
Lunyu, is the collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius and his contemporaries, traditionally believed to have been written by Confucius' followers. It is believed to have been written during the Warring States period, and it achieved its final form during the mid-Han dynasty. By the early Han dynasty the
Analects was considered merely a "commentary" on the Five Classics, but the status of the
Analects grew to be one of the central texts of Confucianism by the end of that dynasty. During the late Song dynasty the importance of the
Analects as a philosophy work was raised above that of the older Five Classics, and it was recognized as one of the "Four Books". The
Analects has been one of the most widely read and studied books in China for the last 2,000 years, and continues to have a substantial influence on Chinese and East Asian thought and values today. Confucius believed that the welfare of a country depended on the moral cultivation of its people, beginning from the nation's leadership.