Confucius... His name in Chinese sounds like Kun-tzu, and translates as Sage Kun. He was a major thinker and scholar. His sayings are transmitted orally from century to century. The current in philosophy, which has been living and developing for more than fifteen centuries, is named after him. His teachings have long spread beyond the Middle Kingdom and gained admirers all over the world. Before the reader is a truly treasury of ancient Chinese wisdom, which does not lose its relevance, expressiveness and deep ethical meaning to this day. The students recorded his statements, summarizing them in a book, the name of which is traditionally translated as "Conversations and Judgments." The book is illustrated by numerous works of ancient and medieval Chinese painting, including those made in silk.