三不朽 (sānbùxiǔ): the Three Imperishables: establ…

From 《左传·襄公二十四年》 (Zuǒ Zhuàn, Duke Xiang Year 24, c. 549 BCE): 太上有立德，其次有立功，其次有立言，虽久不废，此之谓不朽 — 'The highest is to establish virtue, next achievement, next words; though long passed, they are not abolished — this is what we call imperishable.' The phrase became Confucianism's highest measure of a life well lived.

culture

Late-imperial scholars argued over which historical figures hit all three. Confucius is the consensus. Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮 Zhūgě Liàng), Wang Yangming (王阳明 Wáng Yángmíng), and Zeng Guofan (曾国藩 Zēng Guófān) are the most commonly cited near-misses or successes.