> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.urantia.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Analects of Confucius API

> Analects of Confucius API: get any passage by its reference, as JSON. James Legge, 1861. 499 passages, public domain, no key needed.

The API serves **The Analects of Confucius** (James Legge, 1861) as JSON, one passage at a time, by the reference people use. The sayings of Confucius, recorded by his students. It has 499 passages in 20 books. No key and no account.

## Get a passage

```bash theme={null}
# Analects 15.23
curl https://api.urantia.dev/scriptures/analects/15.23
# A whole book
curl https://api.urantia.dev/scriptures/analects/15
```

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "corpus": {
      "slug": "analects",
      "title": "The Analects of Confucius",
      "translator": "James Legge",
      "year": 1861
    },
    "passages": [
      {
        "ref": "Analects 15.23",
        "division": 15,
        "text": "Tsze-kung asked, saying, 'Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?' The Master said, 'Is not RECIPROCITY such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.'"
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

The slug `analects`, the id `analects-legge-1861`, and the prefix `analects` all name this text.

## References

Book and chapter, `Analects 15.23`.

`GET /scriptures/analects` lists every book with its first and last reference.

## Search

```bash theme={null}
# By meaning
curl -X POST https://api.urantia.dev/scriptures/search/semantic \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"q":"your question","corpus":"analects","limit":5}'
# By keyword
curl 'https://api.urantia.dev/works/search?q=your%20words&work=analects'
```

Each passage also links to the closest paragraphs of the Urantia Papers: `GET /scriptures/analects/15.23/urantia-parallels`. The [world religions guide](https://docs.urantia.dev/scriptures.md) explains how the links are made, and the [MCP server](https://docs.urantia.dev/mcp-servers.md) has the same calls for AI agents.

## Source

* **Text:** The Analects of Confucius, translated by James Legge (1861)
* **Source:** [www.gutenberg.org](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4094)
* **License:** Public domain in the United States


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