Philosopher's Island

When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them. Confusius

Personal life
According to tradition, Confucius was born on September 28, 551 BC. Early accounts say that he was born into a noble family that had fallen on hard times and had become quite poor. His philosophy emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity.

Analects
Analects of Confucius, are a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius and his disciples, as well as the discussions they held. The Chinese title literally means discussion over [Confucius'] words.

Teachings
In the Analects, Confucius presents himself as a transmitter who invented nothing. He put the greatest emphasis on the importance of study.

One of the deepest teachings of Confucius may have been the superiority of personal exemplification over explicit rules of behavior. Because his moral teachings emphasise self-cultivation, emulation of moral exemplars, and the attainment of skilled judgment rather than knowledge of rules, Confucius's ethics may be considered a type of virtue ethics. His teachings rarely rely on reasoned argument, and ethical ideals and methods are conveyed more indirectly, through allusions, innuendo, and even tautology. This is why his teachings need to be examined and put into proper context in order to be understood.

A good example is found in this famous anecdote:

When the stables were burnt down, on returning from court, Confucius said, Was anyone hurt? He did not ask about the horses.

The anecdote is not long, but it is of paramount importance. In his time horses were perhaps 10 times more expensive than stablemen. The passage conveys the lesson that by not asking about the horses, Confucius demonstrated that a sage values human beings over property; readers of this lesson are led to reflect on whether their response would follow Confucius's, and to pursue ethical self-improvement if it would not. Confucius, an exemplar of human excellence, serves as the ultimate model, rather than a deity or a universally true set of abstract principles. For these reasons, according to many Eastern and Western commentators, Confucius's teaching may be considered a Chinese example of humanism.

Sources and extractions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius