As a thinker Confucius held up an ideal for all men - to perfect one's own moral character. For this he held out no hope of reward either in this life or the next: the benefit lies in doing what is good and thus experiencing the joy of following the Way. Reasonable, unfanatical and humanistic, Confucianism is one of the most workable patterns of social convention that the world has ever known.
(Back cover of 'Confucius, The Analects')