Agent skill

Confucius

Applies the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems.

Install Confucius

skills CLI

$ npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install K-Dense-AI/mimeographs confucius --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/mimeographs/confucius .claude/skills/confucius && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Paste into Claude Code

Install the "confucius" agent skill from https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius into .claude/skills/confucius/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "confucius", then confirm the skill loads.

Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

$skill-installer

$skill-installer install https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius

Type this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a codex

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install K-Dense-AI/mimeographs confucius --agent codex

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/mimeographs/confucius .agents/skills/confucius && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.

Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/

Paste into Codex

Install the "confucius" agent skill from https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius into .agents/skills/confucius/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "confucius", then confirm the skill loads.

Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a cursor

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install K-Dense-AI/mimeographs confucius --agent cursor

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/mimeographs/confucius .cursor/skills/confucius && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.

Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/

Paste into Cursor

Install the "confucius" agent skill from https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius into .cursor/skills/confucius/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "confucius", then confirm the skill loads.

Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

gemini skills install

$ gemini skills install https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git --path mimeographs/confucius

--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a gemini-cli

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install K-Dense-AI/mimeographs confucius --agent gemini-cli

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/mimeographs/confucius .gemini/skills/confucius && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.

Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into Gemini CLI

Install the "confucius" agent skill from https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius into .gemini/skills/confucius/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "confucius", then confirm the skill loads.

Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install K-Dense-AI/mimeographs confucius

Installs for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

skills CLI

$ npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a github-copilot

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/mimeographs/confucius .github/skills/confucius && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.

GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into GitHub Copilot

Install the "confucius" agent skill from https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius into .github/skills/confucius/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "confucius", then confirm the skill loads.

GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a opencode

OpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install K-Dense-AI/mimeographs confucius --agent opencode

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/mimeographs/confucius .opencode/skills/confucius && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.

OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into OpenCode

Install the "confucius" agent skill from https://github.com/K-Dense-AI/mimeographs/tree/main/mimeographs/confucius into .opencode/skills/confucius/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "confucius", then confirm the skill loads.

OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

Facts

Skill name: confucius
GitHub stars: 129
Token cost: ~1.4k tokens
SKILL.md length: 702 words
Files: 72 (incl. references)
Skills in repo: 60
Repo updated: Aug 18, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: MIT

At a glance

Applies the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems.

Works in 3 steps: See what they do: Observe their baseline… → Mark their motives: Investigate the… → Examine where they rest: Notice what…
Topics like building trust without micromanaging
SKILL.md covers Core principles, How Confucius reasons, Applying the frameworks and Anti-patterns they push against, plus 1 more section
Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Confucius is an agent skill from K-Dense-AI/mimeographs. Applies the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems. Reach for this skill whenever the user is dealing with leadership, governance, team harmony, organizational culture, moral dilemmas, mentorship, or personal self-cultivation. It triggers on topics like building trust without micromanaging, resolving hierarchical conflicts, aligning actions with values, and creating systems based on virtue rather than strict punitive rules. Use this skill to evaluate…

Its SKILL.md is about 1.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 74 other files, including reference files (for example `AGENTS.md`, `_workspace/agents_output.e584bd6c.json` and `_workspace/clustered_corpus.e584bd6c.json`).

It sits in Media & Creative, covering Comics and storyboards. The repository describes itself as: Ready-to-use agent skills that clone the thinking of founders, philosophers, and scientists into your agent. Generated with K-Dense-AI/mimeo. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

Topics like building trust without micromanaging
Resolving hierarchical conflicts
Aligning actions with values
Creating systems based on virtue rather than strict punitive rules

Example prompts

“Use the confucius skill to apply the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems”
“/confucius”

Workflow steps

3 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

See what they do: Observe their baseline actions and the means they employ.
Mark their motives: Investigate the "why" behind their actions.
Examine where they rest: Notice what brings them peace, satisfaction, or joy when no one is watching.

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit a38f5fc. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md.
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Confucius loads about 1.4k tokens when it runs, and up to ~5.4k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 151 tokens; SKILL.md has 702 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~151
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~1.4k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them: ~5.4k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from K-Dense-AI/mimeographs at commit a38f5fc, republished under its MIT licence (© K-Dense-AI). 702 words, ~1,379 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/confucius/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 71 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.

name: confucius
description: Applies the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems. Reach for this skill whenever the user is dealing with leadership, governance, team harmony, organizational culture, moral dilemmas, mentorship, or personal self-cultivation. It triggers on topics like building trust without micromanaging, resolving hierarchical conflicts, aligning actions with values, and creating systems based on virtue rather than strict punitive rules. Use this skill to evaluate character, design educational approaches, and foster long-term social harmony.

Thinking like Confucius

Confucius's thought centers on the cultivation of personal virtue as the prerequisite for social harmony and effective leadership. His reasoning is fundamentally relational and hierarchical: he views society not as a collection of isolated individuals, but as a web of mutual obligations where the moral gravity of leaders naturally aligns the behavior of followers.

His signature approach is to look past mechanical compliance and focus on the "roots"—sincerity, filial piety, and foundational humaneness (ren). He believes that order is achieved not through coercion or innovation, but by embodying timeless virtues and transmitting them through proper conduct (li).

Reach for this skill whenever you're advising on leadership, organizational culture, conflict resolution, moral development, or the design of harmonious systems.

Core principles

Governance by Virtue over Punishment: Lead through moral example and propriety rather than strict rules; compliance born of fear prevents the development of an internal moral compass.
The Golden Rule (Reciprocity): Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not desire; use empathy as the baseline for all hierarchical and peer relationships.
The Balance of Learning and Thought: Integrate diligent study of past wisdom with independent critical reflection; one without the other leads to either confusion or peril.
Actions Precede Words: Embody a principle first and speak of it only after your actions have validated your words, avoiding the hypocrisy of unearned rhetoric.

For detailed rationale and quotes, see references/principles.md.

How Confucius reasons

Confucius reasons from the inside out and from the root to the branches. When faced with a systemic or organizational failure, he does not immediately look for new rules to implement; instead, he examines the moral character of the leadership and the sincerity of the relationships involved. He asks: Are the leaders acting as a "North Star," remaining steadfast in virtue so others can align around them? Are people fulfilling the duties of their specific roles, or is there a mismatch between titles and realities?

He dismisses superficial charm, glibness, and the pursuit of short-term profit, focusing instead on long-term character development. He frequently relies on models like "The Wind and the Grass" to explain how culture flows downward from leadership, and "The Utensil / Vessel" to argue against reducing humans to narrow, specialized tools. For more on these, see references/mental-models.md.

Applying the frameworks

Evaluating Character

When to use: Assessing a candidate, partner, or leader's true trustworthiness.

See what they do: Observe their baseline actions and the means they employ.
Mark their motives: Investigate the "why" behind their actions.
Examine where they rest: Notice what brings them peace, satisfaction, or joy when no one is watching.

Show full SKILL.md (267 more words)Show less

Rectification of Names (Zhengming)

When to use: Diagnosing organizational confusion or misaligned expectations.

Audit the language and titles used within the system.
Ensure that names correspond directly with actualities and responsibilities.
Realign language with the truth of things so that communication is clear, expectations are met, and order is restored.

For the full catalog of his structured thinking, see references/frameworks.md.

Anti-patterns they push against

Governing strictly by laws and punishments: Relying on compliance and fear prevents people from developing a personal sense of shame and self-correction.
Mechanical rituals without sincerity: Going through the motions of culture or courtesy without genuine feeling hollows out the practice and breeds cynicism.
Superficial charm (glibness): Trusting smooth talk and affected manners, which often mask a lack of genuine humaneness.
Obsessing over recognition and profit: Prioritizing conventional wealth, status, or being "known" over the actual work of becoming worthy and morally grounded.

How to use this skill in conversation

When the user is dealing with leadership challenges, cultural decay, or personal development, surface the relevant Confucian principle or framework by name. Apply it directly to their context. For example, if a user is frustrated that their team isn't following rules, introduce the "North Star" model or the principle of "Governance by Virtue," explaining that Confucius advises leaders to focus on their own moral gravity rather than increasing punitive measures.

Cite where the idea comes from (e.g., "Confucius calls this the Rectification of Names"), but do not pretend to be him. Channel his focus on sincerity, role fulfillment, and the balance of learning and thought to provide grounded, virtue-centric advice.

Files

SKILL.md and 71 other files (references) in mimeographs/confucius of K-Dense-AI/mimeographs.

SKILL.md
AGENTS.md
_workspace/agents_output.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/clustered_corpus.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/discovery/books.json
_workspace/discovery/essays.json
_workspace/discovery/frameworks.json
_workspace/discovery/interviews.json
_workspace/discovery/letters.json
_workspace/discovery/papers.json
_workspace/discovery/podcasts.json
_workspace/discovery/ranked_sources.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/discovery/talks.json
_workspace/distilled/src_000.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/distilled/src_001.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/distilled/src_002.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/distilled/src_009.e584bd6c.json
_workspace/distilled/src_010.e584bd6c.json
… and 54 more

Open the folder on GitHubat commit a38f5fc

Compare with similar skills

Confucius next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Confucius compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
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Canghe Comicfreestylefly/canghe-skills	461	8 repos	~3.2k	Automated safety check: Pass	None	4 mo ago
Tutti UI Systemtutti-os/tutti	3.8k	—	~2.7k	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	3 days ago
3D Animation Short Generatortl2012tl/comfyUI-llama-TE	241	4 repos	~3.7k	Automated safety check: Pass	None	18 days ago
Text to PNG Card Casterlijigang/ljg-skills	7.5k	—	~1.9k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	2 days ago
H3 Cinematic Directorjtydhr88/ComfyTV	1.1k	—	~2.7k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	4 days ago

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Questions about Confucius

What does Confucius do?

Applies the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems. Confucius is an agent skill from K-Dense-AI/mimeographs. Applies the philosophical frameworks of Confucius (ancient Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BCE) to modern problems.

When should I use Confucius?

Confucius fits situations like: topics like building trust without micromanaging; resolving hierarchical conflicts; aligning actions with values; creating systems based on virtue rather than strict punitive rules.

How do I install Confucius in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (mimeographs/confucius in K-Dense-AI/mimeographs) into .claude/skills/confucius in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Confucius in Codex?

Run `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (mimeographs/confucius in K-Dense-AI/mimeographs) into .agents/skills/confucius in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Confucius in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add K-Dense-AI/mimeographs --skill confucius -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/confucius, .gemini/skills/confucius, .github/skills/confucius and .opencode/skills/confucius in your project.

What does Confucius need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Confucius is instructions for the agent only.

Does Confucius access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Confucius safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Confucius use?

Confucius is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Confucius use?

About 1.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 5.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 4k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Confucius?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Confucius: Canghe Comic (freestylefly/canghe-skills, 461 stars), Tutti UI System (tutti-os/tutti, 3.8k stars), 3D Animation Short Generator (tl2012tl/comfyUI-llama-TE, 241 stars) and Text to PNG Card Caster (lijigang/ljg-skills, 7.5k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Confucius?

K-Dense-AI (a GitHub organization) maintains it in K-Dense-AI/mimeographs, which has 129 GitHub stars. The repository holds 60 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 18, 2026.

Source: K-Dense-AI/mimeographs on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.

Install Confucius

Facts

At a glance

What it does

When your agent uses it

Example prompts

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Thinking like Confucius

Core principles

How Confucius reasons

Applying the frameworks

Evaluating Character

Rectification of Names (Zhengming)

Anti-patterns they push against

How to use this skill in conversation

Files

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from K-Dense-AI/mimeographs

Related

Questions about Confucius