What DID Confucius say?

Confucius has had and continues to have a huge influence on Chinese culture, especially when it comes to ideas about education and the family.

Despite how often pop culture references the wisdom of Confucius, history records almost no indisputable facts about the man himself. Watch the following video then dig deeper into the subject by investigating this recent TED-Ed Lesson.

"Most of the quotations you hear attributed to Confucius are made up. Consequently, if you want to know what Confucius actually said, read him yourself. One of the most influential translations of the Analects was by the Victorian-era missionary James Legge. You can read Legge’s translation alongside the original Chinese text online."

- Bryan W. Van Norden