Confucius, whose philosophy created the ideal of a Junzi
The word junzi (Chinese:君子; pinyin:jūn zǐ; lit.'person of high stature' or "Son of the Vassal, or Monarch") is a Chinese philosophical term often translated as "gentleman", "superior person", or "noble man". Since the characters are overtly gendered, the term is frequently translated as "gentleman"; gentry and distinguished/moral person are common gender-neutral translations. Traditionally referring to the "aristocratic nobility of the Zhou", Junzi is employed in the Book of Changes to mean a superior, ideal person who constantly cultivates virtue and improves their character, and by Confucius in his works to describe a virtuous person with noble characters.
