**The Analects *(literally: "Edited Conversations"), 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 compiled and written by * Confucius'followers. It...

**The Analects *(literally: "Edited Conversations"), 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 compiled and 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. They were very important for Confucianism and China's overall morals.