Within the Analects, the junzi, often rendered “gentleman” or “exemplary person,” stands as the moral axis around which proper governance turns. Rather than being merely a social rank, the junzi represents a cultivated ideal whose inner character shapes the outer order of the state. Governance, in this vision, is not primarily a matter of regulations and punishments, but of the ethical quality of those who hold authority. When the ruler and ministers approximate the junzi ideal, their conduct becomes a living standard that quietly guides the people, much as grass bends before the wind.

The junzi governs through virtue (de) and ritual propriety (li), embodying benevolence (ren) and other core qualities such as righteousness, wisdom, and trustworthiness. Such a figure is cautious in speech, measured in action, and rooted in ongoing self-cultivation; ordering the self is treated as the necessary precondition for ordering the polity. By honoring rituals and established norms, the junzi sustains a stable and harmonious social fabric, where roles and relationships are clear and mutually respectful. This moral and ritual consistency allows the people to develop trust in their leaders, and thus to follow without the constant pressure of fear or coercion.

In the sphere of administration, the junzi expresses concern for the people’s welfare and acts with a kind of benevolent authority, more like a moral guardian than a distant sovereign. Such a leader promotes the worthy and capable, choosing ministers on the basis of virtue and ability rather than birth, faction, or personal gain. The junzi also insists that names and roles match reality: those who bear titles must genuinely fulfill the responsibilities those titles imply. When governance is shaped by such integrity and discernment, the petty and self‑interested (xiaoren) are kept from dominating public life, and the state is guided by those whose character can serve as a compass for all.