The Analects are also called the Analects of Confucius, the Sayings of
Confucius, or the Lun Yu, and are an old Chinese book written of a wide
collection of ideas and sayings credited to the Chinese philosopher
Confucius and his peers. It is believed to have been compiled and
written by Confucius's followers. It might have been written during the
Warring States period (477-221 BC), and it reached its final structure
during the mid-Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). By the early Han dynasty,
the Analects were thought of as simply a commentary on the Five
Masterpieces, but the situation with the Analects developed to be one of
the central texts of Confucianism toward the end of that dynasty. His
essential goal in teaching his students was to produce ethically
well-mannered men who might convey themselves with gravity, talk
accurately, and demonstrate perfect integrity in all things.