In other videos, we talked about the Zhou Dynasty, which begins at the very end of the second millennium. But in the time of Confucius, we're in what's known as the end of the spring and autumn period. Confucius lived from 551 to 479 BCE, and we're ending the spring and autumn period, and we're getting into the period of the warring states. So even in the time of Confucius, there was more and more tension between states. People felt less confident in the central government. And as we'll see, in this late spring and autumn period, and especially as we get into this really violent period known as the warring states period, a lot of philosophers started to arise, and philosophies began to arise, because people were struggling with these questions of what is the role of the state? What does it mean to be a good person?