Fung Yu-lan, one of the great 20thcentury authorities on the history of Chinese thought, compares Confucius' influence in Chinese history with that of Socrates in the West.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/

551—the date most scholars favor—then, since that year was a gengxu year according to the traditional system of cyclical designations for years, Confucius was born under the sign of the dog. This may account for why, according to Sima Qian's biography, Confucius accepted as true the observation that in his sad and forlorn appearance he resembled a “stray dog

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/

The Confucius of the Analects appears most concerned with behaving morally even when this means enduring hardship and poverty. Mencius' Confucius is a politically motivated figure, seeking high office and departing from patrons who do not properly reward him.[3] A third Confucius is found in the pages of the Zuozhuan. This one is a heroic figure courageously facing down dangers that threaten the lord of Confucius' native state of Lu.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/

During the sixth century B.C., competing Chinese states undermined the authority of the Chou Empire, which had held supreme rule for over 500 years. Traditional Chinese principles began to deteriorate, resulting in a period of moral decline. Confucius recognized an opportunity—and an obligation—to reinforce the societal values of compassion and tradition. His social philosophy was based primarily on the principle of "ren" or "loving others" while exercising self-discipline. He believed that ren could be put into action using the Golden Rule, "What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others." (Lunyu 12.2, 6.30).

http://www.biography.com/people/confucius-9254926#early-life

Yan Hui, Confucius's most outstanding student[citation needed], once asked his master to describe the rules of ren. Confucius replied, "One should see nothing improper, hear nothing improper, say nothing improper, do nothing improper."[1] Confucius also defined ren in the following way: "wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others."[2] Confucius also said, "Ren is not far off; he who seeks it has already found it." Ren is close to man and never leaves him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren_%28Confucianism%29

Confucius’ political beliefs were likewise based on the concept of self-discipline

He believed that a leader needed to exercise self-discipline in order to remain humble and treat his followers with compassion. In doing so, he would lead by positive example. According to Confucius, leaders could motivate their subjects to follow the law by teaching them virtue and the unifying force of ritual propriety.

http://www.biography.com/people/confucius-9254926#major-works

His philosophy of education focused on the "Six Arts": archery, calligraphy, computation, music, chariot-driving and ritual.

To Confucius, the main objective of being an educator was to teach people to live with integrity.

Through his teachings, he strove to resurrect the traditional values of benevolence, propriety and ritual in Chinese society.

Confucius died on November 21, 479 B.C. in Qufu, China, a year after losing his son, Tzu-lu, in battle. His followers held a funeral and established a mourning period in his honor. As of the fourth century B.C., Confucius was regarded as a sage who had deserved greater recognition in his time. By the second century B.C., during China’s first Han Dynasty, his ideas became the foundation of the state ideology.

http://www.biography.com/people/confucius-9254926#major-works