Confucius is traditionally credited with having authored or edited many of the Chinese classic texts, including all of the Five Classics, but modern scholars are cautious of attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself. At least some of the texts and philosophy he taught were already ancient. [4] Aphorisms concerning his teachings were compiled in the Analects, but only many years after his death. at sea Confused, perplexed; without direction, design, or stability; in a state of uncertainty. Figurative use of this expression dates from the mid-18th century and is based on an analogy to a ship lost at sea, having no bearings and out of sight of land. At sea can refer to a person or state of affairs. All adrift is an analogous nautical expression with a similar figurative meaning ‘aimless, confused.’ Confucius's descendants were repeatedly identified and honored by successive imperial governments with titles of nobility and official posts. They were honored with the rank of a marquis 35 times since Gaozu of the Han dynasty, and they were promoted to the rank of duke 42 times from the Tang dynasty to the Qing dynasty. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang first bestowed the title of "Duke Wenxuan" on Kong Suizhi of the 35th generation. In 1055, Emperor Renzong of Song first bestowed the title of " Duke Yansheng" on Kong Zongyuan of the 46th generation. [ citation needed]

Parker, John (1977). Windows into China: The Jesuits and their books, 1580–1730. Boston: Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston. ISBN 978-0-89073-050-8. Mark, Joshua J. "Confucianism". World History Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17 . Retrieved 2020-11-04.Bailey, Paul (2002-07-19). "Voltaire and Confucius: French attitudes towards China in the early twentieth century". History of European Ideas. 14 (6): 817–837. doi: 10.1016/0191-6599(92)90168-C. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10 . Retrieved 2021-04-10. Riegel, Jeffrey K. (1986). "Poetry and the legend of Confucius's exile". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 106 (1): 13–22. doi: 10.2307/602359. JSTOR 602359. Confucius family tree revision ends with 2 mln descendants". China Economic Net. 4 January 2009. Archived from the original on 1 November 2012 . Retrieved 30 May 2009. In 2013, a DNA test performed on multiple different families who claimed descent from Confucius found that they shared the same Y chromosome as reported by Fudan University. [129]

Chen, Stephen (13 November 2013). "Study finds single bloodline among self-claimed Confucius descendants". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.Dunbar, Jon. "Sungkyunkwan Confucian Ceremony". RASKB. Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015 . Retrieved 8 April 2015. Schiller, Friedrich (2010-11-18). "Proverbs of Confucius". The Open Court. 1905 (5). Archived from the original on 2021-04-12 . Retrieved 2021-04-12. Among Tibetans, Confucius is often worshipped as a holy king and master of magic, divination and astrology. Tibetan Buddhists see him as learning divination from the Buddha Manjushri (and that knowledge subsequently reaching Tibet through Princess Wencheng), while Bon practitioners see him as being a reincarnation of Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche, the legendary founder of Bon. [58]

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes Confucius was a Divine Prophet of God, as were Lao-Tzu and other eminent Chinese personages. [59] Allinson, Robert E. (December 1998). "Complementarity as a Model for Eastwest Integrative Philosophy". In former times, it was customary to have a portrait in Confucius Temples; however, during the reign of Hongwu Emperor (Taizu) of the Ming dynasty, it was decided that the only proper portrait of Confucius should be in the temple in his home town, Qufu in Shandong. In other temples, Confucius is represented by a memorial tablet. In 2006, the China Confucius Foundation commissioned a standard portrait of Confucius based on the Tang dynasty portrait by Wu Daozi. Nivison, David Shepherd (1999). "The Classical Philosophical Writings – Confucius". In Loewe, Michael; Shaughnessy, Edward (eds.). The Cambridge History of Ancient China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 752–759. ISBN 978-0-521-47030-8.a b Burgan, Michael (2008). Confucius: Chinese Philosopher and Teacher. Capstone. p.23. ISBN 978-0-7565-3832-3. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017 . Retrieved August 12, 2015. Later in 498 BCE, Duke Ding personally went with an army to lay siege to Cheng in an attempt to raze its walls to the ground, but he did not succeed. [34] Thus, Confucius could not achieve the idealistic reforms that he wanted including restoration of the legitimate rule of the duke. [35] He had made powerful enemies within the state, especially with Viscount Ji Huan, due to his successes so far. [36] According to accounts in the Zuozhuan and Shiji, Confucius departed his homeland in 497 BCE after his support for the failed attempt of dismantling the fortified city walls of the powerful Ji, Meng, and Shu families. [37] He left the state of Lu without resigning, remaining in self-exile and unable to return as long as Viscount Ji Huan was alive. [36] Exile Map showing the journey of Confucius to various states between 497 BCE and 484 BCE

Because of the huge interest in the Confucius family tree, there was a project in China to test the DNA of known family members of the collateral branches in mainland China. [125] Among other things, this would allow scientists to identify a common Y chromosome in male descendants of Confucius. If the descent were truly unbroken, father-to-son, since Confucius's lifetime, the males in the family would all have the same Y chromosome as their direct male ancestor, with slight mutations due to the passage of time. [126] The aim of the genetic test was to help members of collateral branches in China who lost their genealogical records to prove their descent. However, in 2009, many of the collateral branches decided not to agree to DNA testing. [127] Bryan Sykes, professor of genetics at Oxford University, understands this decision: "The Confucius family tree has an enormous cultural significance ... It's not just a scientific question." [127] The DNA testing was originally proposed to add new members, many of whose family record books were lost during 20th century upheavals, to the Confucian family tree. [128] The main branch of the family which fled to Taiwan was never involved in the proposed DNA test at all. Kong, Demao; Ke, Lan; Roberts, Rosemary (1988). The house of Confucius (Translateded.). London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-0-340-41279-4. The South Wall Frieze in the courtroom of the Supreme Court of the United States depicts Confucius as a teacher of harmony, learning, and virtue. [95] Fictional portrayals Descendants and Portraits of Confucius in the Early Southern Song" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-13 . Retrieved 2016-05-03.In the Analects, Confucius presents himself as a "transmitter who invented nothing". He puts the greatest emphasis on the importance of study, and it is the Chinese character for study ( 學) that opens the text. Far from trying to build a systematic or formalist theory, he wanted his disciples to master and internalize older classics, so that their deep thought and thorough study would allow them to relate the moral problems of the present to past political events (as recorded in the Annals) or the past expressions of commoners' feelings and noblemen's reflections (as in the poems of the Book of Odes). [ citation needed]