In which year did Confucius traditionally die?

Confucius traditionally died in 479 BCE.

Traditional Chinese biographies place Confucius’s birth in 551 BCE and his death in 479 BCE, making him about 72 years old. These dates are widely used in reference works, although ancient chronological records are not identical in every detail. His lifetime falls during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history.

Confucius served in several roles, including teacher, adviser, and minor official, and he became famous for educating students from different social backgrounds. After his death, his followers preserved sayings and episodes that were eventually collected in the Analects. The text became one of the central sources for later Confucian interpretation.

Confucius was not the founder of a church in the modern sense, nor did he claim to create an entirely new religion. He presented himself as a transmitter and teacher of earlier cultural and ritual traditions. Later dynasties transformed his legacy into an influential system of education, ethics, government, and social philosophy.