The
Analects (;
Old Chinese:
*run ŋ(r)aʔ; ), also known as the
Analects of Confucius, is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher
Confucius and his contemporaries, traditionally believed to have been written by Confucius' followers. It is believed to have been written during the
Warring States period (475 BC–221 BC), and it achieved its final form during the mid-
Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). By the early Han dynasty the
Analects was considered merely a "commentary" on the
Five Classics, but the status of the
Analects grew to be one of the central texts of
Confucianism by the end of that dynasty. During the late
Song dynasty (960-1279) the importance of the
Analects as a
philosophy work was raised above that of the older Five Classics, and it was recognized as one of the "
Four Books". The
Analects has been one of the most widely read and studied books in China for the last 2,000 years, and continues to have a substantial influence on Chinese and
East Asian thought and values today.