Confucianism, which means “teaching of the scholars,” is an ethical code and spiritual philosophy founded on the teaching of Confucius (551–479 B.C.E.), the best known and most influential thinker in Chinese history. He was honored in Chinese chronicles as the Great Master K'ung or K'ung Fu-tzu. In the West, he is simply known by the Latinized “Confucius.” Confucianism is more a worldview than a world religion. It is a social ethic, a political ideology, and a scholarly tradition.