Confucius taught that people should respect their rulers. He also taught that the ideal man would have strong morals and good character. His teachings changed how the government was structured. Previously, government officials had to have been born into a royal family. Confucius taught that the ideal gentleman would be educated and of good character and would have noble intentions. These teachings influenced the government to accept gentlemen scholars as court officials. This meant that even poor people had the potential to become high-ranking officials.