Confucius (circa 551 BCE - 479 BCE) was from Zouyi, in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period (present-day Qufu, Shandong Province). His ancestors were nobility from the state of Song, and his distant ancestor was King Tang of the Shang dynasty.
孔子（约公元前551年 - 公元前479年），春秋时期鲁国陬邑（今山东省曲阜市）人，祖先为宋国贵族，远祖为商汤。
Shu Liang He, Confucius' father, lived in the town of Zou in the state of Lu and served as a local official.
孔子的父亲叔梁纥居住在鲁国昌平乡陬邑，担任陬邑大夫一职。
He and his first wife, Shi, had nine daughters, and due to his desire for a son, he married a concubine.
叔梁纥与原配施氏接连生下九个女儿，因他渴望有儿子，于是续娶一房小妾。
They had a son named Meng Pi, but Meng Pi had a foot disability.
生下一子名为孟皮，然而孟皮脚部有残疾。
At the age of seventy-two, Shu Liang He married a third wife, Yan Zhengzai, who was only eighteen years old.
叔梁纥七十二岁时第三次娶妻，迎娶了年仅十八岁的颜征在。
Around the twenty-second year of Duke Xiang of Lu (551 BC), Yan Zhengzai gave birth to Confucius.
大约在鲁襄公二十二年（公元前551年），颜征在生下孔子。
Yan Zhengzai had privately gone to Mount Niqiu to pray for a child, so Confucius was named Qiu and styled Zhongni.
颜征在曾私下前往尼丘山祭祀尼丘山神以求子，所以孔子取名为丘，字仲尼。
At the age of three, his father passed away, and his mother was expelled, leaving them in poverty.
3岁时父亲病逝，母亲被逐，生活贫苦。
At fifteen, Confucius was determined to study, and at nineteen, after completing his mourning period, he married a woman from the Song State.
15岁立志做学问，19岁服丧期满赴宋娶妻。
In his twenties, he aspired to pursue a political career. Subsequently, Confucius held various positions in Lu State, including steward and overseer of agriculture.
20多岁时想走仕途。此后，孔子在鲁国历任委吏、乘田等职。
By the age of thirty, Confucius had gained some fame and began engaging with rulers from various states and establishing private schools.
孔子30岁时已有些名气，后与各国君主交流，开办私学。
Around the age of fifty, Confucius served in Lu State, achieving notable results. However, due to political conflicts, he was forced to leave and began traveling through various states.
50岁左右在鲁国任职，政绩出色，但因政治斗争被迫离开鲁国，开始周游列国。
During his travels, Confucius visited states such as Wei, Song, Chen, Cai, Qi, and Chu, facing many hardships along the way. Although some rulers valued him, he was often unable to realize his political ambitions due to various reasons.
在周游列国期间，孔子到过卫、宋、陈、蔡、齐、楚等国，历经诸多磨难。虽有国君赏识，但多因各种原因未能施展政治抱负。
At the age of sixty-eight, Confucius returned to Lu State with the help of his disciple Ran Qiu but was still unable to achieve political success. He continued to focus on education and the compilation of classic texts.
孔子68岁时在弟子冉求努力下归鲁，仍想从政但未被重用。此后继续从事教育及文献整理工作。
Confucius passed away at the age of seventy-three. Many of his disciples guarded his tomb, and his former residence was converted into a temple for worship.
孔子73岁时患病去世，不少弟子为其守墓，其故居改为庙堂受奉祀。
Confucius’ sayings are primarily recorded in the “Analects,” a classic Confucian text compiled by his disciples and their successors.
孔子的言论主要被记录在《论语》这部儒家经典著作中，它由孔子的弟子及其再传弟子编撰而成。
The Analects is written in a dialogic style and records the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples, highlighting his political views, ethical thoughts, moral principles, and educational philosophies.
《论语》以语录体和对话文体为主，记载了孔子及其弟子的言行，集中展现了孔子的政治主张、伦理思想、道德观念以及教育原则等。
Confucius established a moral philosophy centered on “ren” (benevolence), characterized by kindness, compassion, and sincerity.
孔子创建了以仁为核心的道德学说，他本人善良、富有同情心、乐于助人，待人真诚且宽厚。
Principles such as “Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself,” “A gentleman helps others achieve their good, not their evil,” and “Be true to yourself and lenient toward others” are among his guidelines for conduct.
像“己所不欲，勿施于人”“君子成人之美，不成人之恶”“躬自厚而薄责于人”等，均为他的做人准则。
Confucius summarized his life’s stages as: “At fifteen, I set my mind on learning; at thirty, I took my stand; at forty, I was no longer confused; at fifty, I knew the will of Heaven; at sixty, I was at ease with what I heard; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires without overstepping the line.”
而“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩”，则是孔子对自身一生各阶段的总结。
In terms of governance, Confucius advocated for “rule by virtue,” believing that governing a country with morality and propriety was the highest form of governance, known as “moral governance” or “ritual governance.”
在治国方略方面，孔子倡导“为政以德”，认为用道德和礼教治理国家是最为高尚的方式，这种治国方略被称为“德治”或“礼治”。
This approach emphasized applying virtue and ritual to the people, adhering strictly to social hierarchies, and defining roles clearly between rulers and subjects.
此方略将德、礼施于民众，严格遵循等级制度，明确划分贵族和庶民为治者与被治者。
Confucius’ ultimate political ideal was to create a “Great Unity” society, where “the world is shared by all,” enabling the selection of virtuous and capable individuals, promoting trust and harmony, and ensuring that all people, including the elderly, the strong, the young, and the weak, receive care and support.
孔子的最高政治理想是构建“天下为公”的大同社会。“大同”社会的基本特征为：大道通行，“天下为公”，故而能够“选贤与能，讲信修睦”，“人不独亲其亲，不独子其子，使老有所终，壮有所用，幼有所长，矜寡孤独废疾者皆有所养”。
