In a small walled town in ancient China over two and a half millennia ago, a child was born who would become one of history’s most influential teachers. This child, born in 551 BCE in the state of Lu, was named Kong Qiu – later known to the world by the Latinized name Confucius, meaning “Master Kong”. At the time of his birth, China was not a unified empire but a patchwork of feudal states. The once-glorious Zhou dynasty was in decline; its authority had fragmented, and local lords ruled their domains like independent kingdoms. It was an age of political turmoil and moral crisis. Warlords vied for power, common folk suffered the ravages of constant wars, and the old order seemed to be fading into chaos. In this atmosphere of uncertainty and change, Confucius grew up with a profound sense of history and a yearning for order. Little could anyone ha ...