Did Confucius Create the Golden Rule?

What Exactly Is the Golden Rule?

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Sound familiar? This little moral nugget, known as the Golden Rule, is one of the most famous ethical principles out there. It’s often framed positively like that, but sometimes it shows up in its "negative" form: “Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.”

Simple, right? But also... kind of profound. It pops up across religions, philosophies, even in kindergarten rules. But here’s the big question: Did Confucius actually invent it?

Short answer? Sort of. But also, not really.

Confucius and the Negative Golden Rule

A quote from The Analects

Let’s rewind to ancient China—around 500 BCE. That’s where Confucius, or Kongzi, did his thing. He was all about ethics, harmony, good governance, respect for your elders, that kind of vibe.

One of his most famous quotes goes like this:

"Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself." — Analects, 15:23

Aha! There it is. The Golden Rule—but in reverse. It’s a negative formulation, which actually predates the more positive versions we see in later Western texts.

So yeah, Confucius did articulate a version of the Golden Rule, and it’s pretty central to his teachings on reciprocity and humaneness (ren, in Chinese).

But Was He the First? Not Quite...

Other early versions of the rule

Here's the twist. While Confucius was early, he wasn’t the first. Similar ideas appeared independently in Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek cultures.

For example:

• In Ancient Egypt (~2000 BCE): A scribal instruction warned, “Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do.” Close enough.

• In Ancient Greece, the philosopher Thales reportedly said, “Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.”

• In Zoroastrianism, which is pre-Confucian, we see echoes of this principle as well.

So no, he didn’t create the idea from scratch. But...

Why Confucius stands out anyway

What makes Confucius special isn’t that he invented the rule—but that he systematized it. He placed it at the heart of an entire ethical framework. For Confucius, it wasn’t just about “don’t be a jerk.” It was about cultivating a moral character that radiates out through family, society, politics... even heaven.

And honestly? That’s next level.

Golden Rule: East vs. West

Positive vs. negative formulation

Confucius said it negatively: don’t do bad stuff to others.

Jesus, later on, in the New Testament (Matthew 7:12), flipped it: “Do unto others what you would have them do to you.” That tiny switch has big implications.

The negative version is like a boundary—don't cross the line. The positive version is a push—go do good. One is about restraint; the other’s about initiative.

Now, which is better? Honestly, depends who you ask. Some say the negative is safer (you can avoid harm), while others love the active compassion in the positive one.

At one point, I used to think the positive one was way more powerful. But the more I sat with Confucius’ version, the more I saw its elegance. It’s cautious, yes, but deeply respectful of boundaries. Maybe in our messy, noisy world, that restraint is underrated.

So… Did Confucius Create the Golden Rule?

Okay. Final answer?

No, he didn’t create it from nothing. The idea was in the air—across cultures, across time.

But yes, Confucius shaped it into a recognizable, coherent moral principle. He made it central to one of the oldest ethical traditions on Earth. And that’s no small feat.

Let’s not forget: just because you didn’t invent something doesn’t mean you didn’t define it. Confucius didn’t build the wheel—but he sure knew how to drive it.

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The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.