The Four Sages, Assessors, Legge, James.
The Confucian Analects, the Great Learning, & the Doctrine of the Mean
'. 1893. or Correlates () are four eminent

Chinese philosopher Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn period () and Warring States period (), during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and cultural developme ...

s in the

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

tradition. They are traditionally accorded a kind of sainthood and their

spirit tablets A spirit tablet, memorial tablet, or ancestral tablet, is a placard used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. The name of the deity or past ancestor is usually inscribed onto the tablet. With origins in tra ...

are prominently placed in

Confucian temple A temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a temple for the veneration of Confucius and the sages and philosophers of Confucianism in Chinese folk religion and other East Asian religions. They were formerly the site of the administration ...

s, two upon the east and two upon the west side of the Hall of the Great Completion (''Dacheng Dian''). The Four Sages are: *

Yan Hui Yan Hui (–481 BC) was a Chinese philosopher. He was the favorite disciple of Confucius and one of the most revered figures of Confucianism. He is venerated in Confucian temples as one of the Four Sages. Names Yan Hui is also known by his c ...

(521–481 BC), Confucius's favourite

disciple A disciple is a follower and student of a mentor, teacher, or other figure. It can refer to: Religion * Disciple (Christianity), a student of Jesus Christ * Twelve Apostles of Jesus, sometimes called the Twelve Disciples * Seventy disciples in t ...

, one of the main characters in Analects *

Zengzi Zeng Shen (505–435 BC), better known as Zengzi (Master Zeng), courtesy name Ziyu (), was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius. He later taught Zisi (Kong Ji), the grandson of Confucius, who was in turn the teacher of Mencius, thus b ...

or Zeng Shen (505–435 BC), another disciple of Confucius and author of the '' Great Learning'' *

Zisi Zisi (; c. 481–402 BCE), born Kong Ji (孔伋), was a Chinese philosopher and the grandson of Confucius. Intellectual genealogy, teaching, criticism Zisi was the son of Kong Li (孔鯉) ( Boyu (伯鱼)) and the only grandson of Confucius. ...

or Kong Ji (481–402 BCE), Confucius's grandson, student of Zengzi, and author of the ''

Doctrine of the Mean The ''Doctrine of the Mean'' or ''Zhongyong'' is one of the Four Books of classical Chinese philosophy and a central doctrine of Confucianism. The text is attributed to Zisi (Kong Ji), the only grandson of Confucius (Kong Zi). It was originall ...

'' * Mencius or Master Meng (372–289 BC), student of Zisi and author of the '' Mencius.'' Within a traditional Confucian temple, Yan Hui's tablet is placed first to the east of Confucius. The families of the descendants of the Four Sages 四氏 still hold hereditary offices in the Republic of China (Taiwan) such as the

Sacrificial Official to Confucius The Duke Yansheng, literally "Honorable Overflowing with Wisdom", sometimes translated as Holy Duke of Yen, was a Chinese title of nobility. It was originally created as a marquis title in the Western Han dynasty for a direct descendant o ...

, "Sacrificial Official to Mencius", "Sacrificial Official to

", and "Sacrificial Official to

". They use generation poems for their names given to them by the Ming and Qing Emperors.孟姓 (The Meng family, descendants of Mencius)
:希言公彥承，宏聞貞尚衍； :興毓傳繼廣，昭憲慶繁祥； :令德維垂佑，欽紹念顯揚； :建道敦安定，懋修肇彝常； :裕文煥景瑞，永錫世緒昌。

Sources

Ancient Chinese philosophers Chinese Confucianists {{China-philosopher-stub

See also

Sources