Confucius
His life
There are no known documents written by me. All that we have are the documents written by my disciples, which means that all the writing we have about my life is questionable.
I was born in the small town of Tsu in the ancient state of LU (near modern day Qufu in what is now the Chinese Province of Shandong). I was born in answer to my parent's prayers and so I was given the surname Kong (which means literally an utterance of thankfulness when prayers have been answered). My family given name was Kong Qiu, and my courtesy name was Zhongni.(Riegel) Throughout the ages I have been given a number of other names and titles which include: Kong Fuzi (or Master Kong), The Great Sage, and The First Teacher of China. Most modern day Chinese call me Kongzi, which is another way of saying "Master Kong." Over time Kongzi was Latinized and has become Confucius, which is what English speakers call me today.
It has been said that he never referred to himself in 1st person. It has been said that his father was a magistrate and soldier. It has been said that at the age of three, his father died, leaving him to grow up in poverty. It has been said that at the age of 22, he started the first private school in China, teaching his philosophy of ideal personal conduct, benevolence, and justice by law. It has been said that in his fifties, he became the Grand Official of Justice for the State of Lu. It has been said that after leaving that position, he spent the last 13 years of his life traveling around China teaching his philosophies. It has been said that he had 3,000 disciples. It has been said that he wrote the 5 great classics of China.
Of himself it has been said (in the Analects) that he said, “At fifteen I was intent on learning; by thirty I was standing straight; by forty I was no longer confused; by fifty I knew heaven's commands; by sixty I was attuned; and at seventy, I could follow my heart's desires without transgressing what was right.” (Ebrey, p46)
He lived between the years 551-479 BC, according to your modern calendar. He lived, and thought, and served and taught. And then he died. That is what they should have said about him. All else is questionable. Why do they insist on elaborating his life? He does not appreciate it.
In his humble opinion, too much has been said by too many who knew too little.
After his Death
It is here (in the ages following his death) that he finds it hard to believe his disciples could have exaggerated so much. His home has been rebuilt as a temple!
His teachings, or those teachings attributed to him, have been the basis for most of China's governments since his day! In his life, so few would listen to him. In his death, he has achieved great renown. It is only by dying that he was able to achieve his goals. Perhaps it is time for him, for me, to start referring to myself in first person...
The Analects
Among the 5 classic ascribed to me, is a book called the Lunyu, or, as it is called in your language, The Analects. It is supposed to be a collection of my teachings, as recorded by my disciples. (I, myself, left no written record of my teachings.) It is probable that some of them (Mencius, is among the most likely) added their own ideas to my teachings and thus passed them off as my words. This book is a collection of short sayings and teachings; many of them have become proverbs in the years since it was written. The Analects I can perhaps take some credit for, but not the other 4 classics!
It is Sima Qian who first recorded that I wrote all the 5 classics in his great history (written, I might add, nearly 400 years after I lived!). I wonder if he thought he was being respectful- or perhaps he really believed I wrote them all? In any event, since then I have been credited with far more wisdom than I ever held.
References
Ebrey, Patrica Buckley. "The Cambridge Illustrated History of China". New York, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 2d ed.
Riegel, Jeffrey, "Confucius", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2012/entries/confucius/>. Accessed April 18, 2012
Powerpoint presentations for classroom use
Confucius_by_Loren_S.ppt (File:Cunfucius.ppt)