The Asian Edge? Its Confucius Confucius developed a philosophy that powerfully shaped Chinese society and culture. It offered rules and standards of conduct for governments, families and individuals at a time when feudal Chinese society was chaotic, unstable, crime—ridden and torn by war between states. In his career, Confucius advanced through a series of official jobs and occasionally worked as a diplomat and advisor for princes. He proposed that government jobs be filled on the basis of merit, not wealth, social position or family connections. China established a system of civil service examinations (called 'the Ladder to the Clouds' ) that, in a highly stratified society, opened up a rare path to societys upper reaches for talented young people. Starting in his teenage years, a Chinese student would read Confucian classics in history, poetry and philosophy in preparation for the formal examinations that could start him on the road to a brilliant career as a public servant. Confucian teachings linked the exercise of power to a reverence for learning. As an old Chinese proverb puts it, 'All walks of life are lowly; only the scholar stands high.'