Mi Buqi (521-445 BCE), also known by his courtesy name Zijian, was a native of the State of Lu who was thirty years younger than Confucius. He is mentioned once in The Analects. Intelligent and deeply benevolent, Confucius once commented on him: "Zijian is truly a Junzi (Exemplary Person)! If the State of Lu had no such exemplary person, how could he have learned the virtues of a Junzi?"
Fu Buqi once served as the magistrate of Shanfu (present-day Shan County, Heze, Shandong). Worried that the ruler of Lu might listen to slander and interfere with his governance, he brought two clerks from the ruler’s court to Shanfu to write documents. While they wrote, Fu Buqi shook their elbows, causing them to write poorly, so they asked to resign. Upon returning, they told the ruler, “Fu Zi made us write documents, shook our elbows, and then got angry when we wrote badly.” The ruler understood, saying, “He is offering me a remonstrance.” He thus decided to let Fu Buqi govern Shanfu freely. In his governance, Fu valued the people’s will, morale, and social customs. He not only kept taxes and labor light but also distributed grain from granaries in famine years, relieved the poor, and supplemented deficiencies. He promoted the capable, recruited the worthy, and dismissed the unworthy, advocating filial piety and respect for elders through action. He opposed those who did nothing substantial, respected the sincere and prudent elders, and governed and taught the people with Li (Propriety) and music. He once reported to Confucius, “There are five men here more capable than I, who guide me in governing Shanfu.” Confucius sighed and said, “It is a pity the place he governs is so small. If he were to govern a larger domain, his achievements would be even more remarkable.” Later generations regarded him as a historical figure who governed the state through guidance and moral education. Confucius believed that he respected the ruler, upheld Li (Propriety), possessed the virtues of Xiao (Filial Piety) and Ti (Fraternal Respect), obeyed Heaven’s mandate, and could win people over with Ren (Benevolence)—worthy of being called a Junzi (Exemplary Person).