Junzi

thumb|right | Confucius, whose philosophy created the ideal of a Junzi The word junzi ( or "Son of the Vassal, or Monarch") is a Chinese philosophical term often translated as "gentleman", "superior person", or "noble man". Since the characters are overtly gendered, the term is frequently translated as "gentleman"; gentry and distinguished/moral person are common gender-neutral translations. Traditionally referring to the "aristocratic nobility of the Zhou", Junzi is employed in the Book of Changes to mean a superior, ideal person who constantly cultivates virtue and improves their character, and by Confucius in his works to describe a virtuous person with noble characters.

== In Confucianism == In Confucianism, the ideal personality is the 聖 shèng, translated as saint or sage. However, since sagehood is unattainable for most people, Confucius articulated a less demanding ideal of a cultured and moral life, using the term junzi—originally denoting a member of the nobility—to refer to anyone who embodies this ideal, regardless of social status. Junzi acts according to proper conduct (禮, li) to bring about harmony (和, hé), which Confucianism maintains should rule the home, society, and the state. Li primarily has to do with social expectations, both in terms of the formal behavior and the execution of religious rites and imperial ceremonies also proper conduct in human relationships. Confucius considered a junzi to be someone who embodies humanity – one who possesses a totality of the highest human qualities. He elaborated that junzi embody the concept of ren (仁, rén) and outlined specific qualities they have, recorded by his disciples in the Analects. A junzi embodies moral superiority by adhering to the ritual code of the tradition, displaying respect and dignity towards others, and striving for virtues such as humility, sincerity, trustworthiness, righteousness, and compassion. Zhu Xi categorized the junzi as second only to the sage.