Confucius Great educator, thinker, and founder of Confucianism, Confucius(551-479 B.C.) is regarded as having had the greatest innuence on the development of Chinese culture. He is believed to have had 3,000 students and 72 disciples, with whom he traveled the vassal states in ancient China for 14 years. He collated and compiled many ancient books,including the Book of Songs, the Book of History, the Book of Rites,and the Book of Music.