Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) was a Chinese philosopher, teacher, politician, and editor who is credited with articulating the principles of Chinese philosophy that has come to be called Confucianism.  He was born into the class of shi, between the aristocracy and the common people, in Zou, Lu state, near present-day Qufu in Shandong province. He was raised in poverty by his mother after the death of his father, a military officer, when Confucius was three. He married at nineteen and is said to have worked as a shepherd, cowherd, clerk and bookkeeper.  He gained a reputation over the years for the wisdom of his teachings, and became a local mayor and later Minister of Crime for Lu state. He is known for his attempts to reconcile the interests of the three aristocratic families that governed the state under the ruling duke during a time of upheavals.  His ability to articulate the values of proper conduct, filial piety, reciprocity, and doing the right thing were seen as a guidebook for achieving loyalty and legitimacy as governors. He resigned his post after the Duke of Lu state persisted in misbehavior and set out on a long set of journeys around the small kingdoms in northeast and central China, expounding his political beliefs.  He returned to Lu at age 68 and spent his remaining years with disciples teaching the wisdom of the Five Classics. He is known for his early version of the Golden Rule: "What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others."