Confucius

Timeline

1. -551–-522Zouyi (near Qufu) · QufuBorn into a declining noble family of Lu, he loved learning from childhood, mastering rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and arithmetic, and became renowned in Lu for his broad learning, laying the foundation for his later teaching.
2. c. -522–-497Capital of Lu (Qufu) · QufuHe successively served as governor of Zhongdu, minister of works, and grand minister of justice, promoting virtuous government and rectifying rites and music; he helped Duke Ding of Lu prevail at the meeting of Jiagu against Qi, but later left Lu in disappointment over conflict with the Three Huan and Qi's gift of female musicians.
3. c. -497–-484Wei, Cao, Song, Zheng, Chen, Cai, and other states · Central PlainsAfter leaving Lu he traveled for fourteen years through Wei, Cao, Song, Zheng, Chen, Cai, and other states, promoting self-restraint and restoration of rites and the ideal of benevolent government to their rulers; though repeatedly snubbed and endangered, he held fast to his beliefs and taught along the way.
4. c. -484–-479Qufu, Lu · QufuAfter returning to Lu he sought no office, devoting himself to teaching; with 3,000 disciples and 72 worthies he edited ancient texts, and is traditionally said to have trimmed the Odes and Documents and settled rites and music, laying the foundation for the transmission of Confucianism and East Asian literary and educational traditions.