Four Sages

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The Four Sages, Assessors,^[1] or Correlates (Chinese: 四配; pinyin: Sì Pèi), are four eminent Chinese philosophers in the Confucian tradition. They are traditionally accorded a kind of sainthood and their spirit tablets are prominently placed in Confucian temples, two upon the east and two upon the west side of the Hall of the Great Completion (Dacheng Dian).

The Four Sages are:

• Yan Hui (521–481 BC), Confucius's favourite disciple, one of the main characters in Analects
• Zengzi or Zeng Shen (505–435 BC), another disciple of Confucius and author of the Great Learning
• Zisi or Kong Ji (481–402 BCE), Confucius's grandson, student of Zengzi, and author of the Doctrine of the Mean
• Mencius or Master Meng (372–289 BC), student of Zisi and author of the Mencius.

Within a traditional Confucian temple, Yan Hui's tablet is placed first to the east of Confucius.^[1]

The families of the descendants of the Four Sages 四氏 still hold hereditary offices in the Republic of China (Taiwan) such as the Sacrificial Official to Confucius, "Sacrificial Official to Mencius", "Sacrificial Official to Zengzi", and "Sacrificial Official to Yan Hui".^[2][3][4][5] They use generation poems for their names given to them by the Ming and Qing Emperors.^[6][7]