Confucius is the founder of the school of ancient Chinese philosophy known as Confucianism. Confucianism has exerted a far-reaching influence on both China and the rest of the world. He ranks in the world’s top 10 cultural heavyweights.

Thanks to cultural exchanges between ethnic Hans and Tibetans, Confucius became a master in Tibetan culture over time.

In the beginning, Confucius’ name could only be found in Tibetan literature that was translated from Chinese. Gradually, Confucius became known as a figure with "divine power" in Tibet and took on the identity "Kongtse Trulgyi Gyalpo," founder of literature on calendrical calculation and rituals to ward off evil spirits in the Bon religion, Tibet’s traditional religion.

According to historical records of the Bon, Kongtse Trulgyi Gyalpo had been a king in a region inhabited by ethnic Hans in his previous life. He was said to have many merits and virtues, including divination. In order to promote the Bon religion, Confucius traveled to many places far away from home, and learned from masters until he finally built a monastery of the Bon religion. However, he wasn’t able to protect the monastery on his own, so he invited Shenrab Miwoche to help out and later regarded Miwoche as his master. Around the time Tibetan Buddhism replaced the Bon religion and took on a predominant role in Tibet, Confucius was considered as one of the four leading masters of the Bon with divine power.

According to Tibetan historical records, Buddha dispatched Manjusri, a bodhisattva associated with wisdom, to go to Mount Wutai in Shanxi Province to conquer the ethnic Han people. Manjusri created many miracles and taught Kongtse Trulgyi Gyalpo calendrical calculation. It is believed that in the era of Tibetan King Nyatri Tsenpo or earlier, Kongtse Trulgyi Gyalpo came to Tibet to disseminate his teachings; he also established many rituals.

In China’s Tang Dynasty (618—907 AD), when cultural exchanges between the ethnic Han and Tibetans reached an apex , Confucian thinking had gradually spread into Tibet, where local people often choose certain quotidian aspects of Han culture such as rituals, augur and Silpakarmasthana-vidya.

Confucius is a good example of how Tibetans assimilate parts of the ethnic Han culture into their own culture.