ðeɪ ˈɛmfɐsˌaɪzd ðə sˈeɪdʒlˈaɪk æz əpˈoʊzd tə ðə pɹˈɑːfɪtlˈaɪk kˌæɹɪktɚɹˈɪstɪks ʌv kənfjˈuːʃəs, ðɛɹbˈaɪ mˌeɪkɪŋ hˌɪm lˈʊk mˈoːɹ lˈaɪk ðɪ ˈɜːlɪɚ sˈeɪdʒᵻz hˌuː fˈaʊndᵻd ænd ɹˈuːld ðə ʒˈuː dˈaɪnɐsti ɔːɹ ˈiːvən ðə stˈɪl mˈoːɹ ɑːɹkˈeɪɪk stˈeɪts wˌɪtʃ pɹɪsˈiːdᵻd ɪt.
They emphasized the sage-like as opposed to the prophet-like characteristics of Confucius, thereby making him look more like the earlier sages who founded and ruled the Zhou dynasty or even the still more archaic states which preceded it.