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S E L E C T I O N S F R O M T H E C O N F U C I A N A N A L E C T S : O N C O N F U C I U S A S T E A C H E R A N D P E R S O N ; O N F I L I A L P I E T Y A N D H U M A N E N E S S

Introduction

Confucius (the Latinized version of Kong Fuzi, “master Kong”) or, to call him by his proper name, Kong Qiu (551-479 BCE) lived during the time when the Zhou kingdom had disintegrated into many de facto independent feudal states which were subject to the Zhou kings only in theory. Confucius was a man of the small feudal state of Lu. Like many other men of the educated elite class of the Eastern Zhou, Confucius traveled among the states, offering his services as a political advisor and official to feudal rulers and taking on students whom he would teach for a fee. Confucius had an unsuccessful career as a petty bureaucrat, but a highly successful one as a teacher. A couple of generations after his death, first- and second-generation students gathered accounts of Confucius’ teachings together. These anecdotes and records of short conversations go under the English title of the Analects. The selections below illustrate Confucius as a teacher and as a person.

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 Questions:

1. What qualities of Confucius do you think might have made him a good teacher? Do you think he would still be considered a good teacher if he were alive today in our own society? Why or why not?

2. What qualities do you think Confucius would look for in an educated person?

3. Was Confucius an egalitarian or an elitist? 4. What is Confucius’ attitude toward life and toward himself

Longer Select ion or Complete Docum ent From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 46-47, 49-51. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Selections
from
the
Confucian
Analects:
 On
Confucius
as
a
Teacher
and
Person



 2:4
 
 The
Master
 said,
 “At
 fifteen,
my
 heart
 was
 set
 upon
 learning;
 at
 thirty,
 I
 had
 become
 established;
 at
 forty,
 I
was
no
 longer
perplexed;
 at
 fifty,
 I
 knew
what
 is
 ordained
by
 Heaven;3
at
sixty,
I
obeyed;
at
seventy,
I
could
follow
my
heart’s
desires
without
transgressing
 the
line.”
 
 2:15
 
 The
 Master
 said,
 “To
 learn
 without
 thinking
 is
 unavailing;
 to
 think
 without
 learning
is
dangerous.”

 
 2:17
 
 The
Master
said,
“You,4
shall
 I
 teach
you
what
knowledge
 is?
When
you
know
 something,
to
know
that
you
know
it.
When
you
do
not
know,
to
know
that
you
do
not
know
it.
 This
is
knowledge.”
 
































 






















 3
In
Chinese,
tianming,
also
translated
in
other
contexts
as
the
Mandate
of
Heaven.
 4
Zhong
You,
also
known
as
Zilu,
was
known
especially
for
his
impetuousness.


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4:15
 
 The
Master
 said,
 “Shen!
 In
my
Way
 there
 is
 one
 thing
 that
 runs
 throughout.”
 Zengzi
said,
“Yes.”
When
the
Master
had
gone
out
the
disciples
asked,
“What
did
he
mean?”
 Zengzi
said,
“The
Master’s
Way
is
loyalty
and
reciprocity,
that
is
all.”
 
 4:16
 
 The
Master
said,
“The
noble
person
is
concerned
with
rightness;
the
small
person
 is
concerned
with
profit.”
 
 5:11

 
 Zigong
said,
“What
I
do
not
want
others
to
do
to
me,
I
also
want
to
refrain
from
 doing
to
others.”
The
Master
said,
“Zi,
this
is
not
something
to
which
you
have
attained.”
 
 7:1
 
 The
Master
 said,
 “I
 transmit
 but
 do
 not
 create.
 In
 believing
 in
 and
 loving
 the
 ancients,
I
dare
to
compare
myself
with
our
old
Peng.”5
 
 7:7
 
 The
Master
said,
“From
one
who
brought
only
a
bundle
of
dried
meat6
on
up,
I
 have
never
declined
to
give
instruction
to
anyone.”
 
 7:8


 
 The
Master
 said,
 “To
 one
who
 is
 not
 eager
 I
 do
 not
 reveal
 anything,
 nor
 do
 I
 explain
 anything
 to
one
who
 is
not
 communicative.
 If
 I
 raise
one
 corner
 for
 someone
and
he
 cannot
come
back
with
the
other
three,
I
do
not
go
on.”
 
 7:15
 
 The
Master
 said,
 “Having
 coarse
 rice
 to
 eat,
 water
 to
 drink,
 a
 bent
 arm
 for
 a
 pillow
‑‑
joy
lies
in
the
midst
of
this
as
well.
Wealth
and
honor
that
are
not
rightfully
gained
are
 to
me
as
floating
clouds.”
 
 7:18
 
 The
Duke
of
She
asked
Zilu
about
Confucius,
and
Zilu
did
not
answer
him.
The
 Master
 said,
 “Why
 did
 you
 not
 simply
 say,
 ‘This
 is
 the
 sort
 of
 person
 he
 is:
 so
 stirred
with
 devotion
that
he
forgets
to
eat,
so
full
of
 joy
that
he
forgets
to
grieve,
unconscious
even
of
the
 approach
of
old
age’?”
 
 7:21
 
 The
Master
 said,
 “Walking
 along
 with
 three
 people,
 my
 teacher
 is
 sure
 to
 be
 among
them.
I
choose
what
is
good
in
them
and
follow
it
and
what
is
not
good
and
change
it.”
 
 7:24
 
 There
 were
 four
 things
 the
 Master
 taught:
 culture,
 conduct,
 loyalty,
 and
 trustworthiness.
 
 
 7:37
 
 The
Master
was
mild
and
yet
strict,
dignified
and
yet
not
severe,
courteous
and
 yet
at
ease.
 
 





























 






















 5
 The
 identity
 of
 “our
 old
 Peng”
 is
 unclear,
 but
 he
 is
 usually
 taken
 to
 be
 the
 Chinese
 counterpart
 to
 Methuselah.
 6
Dried
meat,
or
other
 food,
was
offered
as
a
present
 for
 teachers.
Here
 it
 suggests
 the
 least
one
might
 offer.


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9:4
 
 Four
 things
 the
Master
 eschewed:
he
had
no
preconceptions,
no
prejudices,
no
 obduracy,
and
no
egotism.
 
 9:10
 
 Yan
Yuan,
sighing
deeply,
said,
“I
look
up
to
it
and
it
is
higher
still;
I
delve
into
it
 and
it
is
harder
yet.
I
look
for
it
in
front,
and
suddenly
it
is
behind.
The
Master
skillfully
leads
a
 person
step
by
step.
He
has
broadened
me
with
culture
and
restrained
me
with
ritual.
When
I
 wish
to
give
it
up,
I
cannot
do
so.
Having
exerted
all
my
ability,
it
is
as
if
there
were
something
 standing
up
right
before
me,
and
though
I
want
to
follow
it,
there
is
no
way
to
do
so.”
 
 15:28
 
 The
 Master
 said,
 “A
 human
 being
 can
 enlarge
 the
Way,
 but
 the
Way
 cannot
 enlarge
a
human
being.”
 
 15:38
 
 The
Master
said,
“In
education
there
should
be
no
class
distinctions.”
 
 17:2
 
 The
Master
said,
“By
nature
close
together;
through
practice
set
apart.”7
 
 18:6
 
 Chang
Ju
and
Jie
Ni
were
working
 together
 tilling
 the
 fields.
Confucius
passed
 by
them
and
sent
Zilu
to
inquire
about
the
ford.
Chang
Ju
said,
“Who
is
it
who
is
holding
the
 reins
in
the
carriage?”
Zilu
said,
“It
is
Kong
Qiu.”
“Would
that
be
Kong
Qiu
of
Lu?”
“It
would.”
 “In
that
case
he
already
knows
where
the
ford
is.”
 
 
 Zilu
then
inquired
of
Jie
Ni.
Jie
Ni
said,
“Who
are
you,
sir?”
“Zhong
You.”
“The
 follower
 of
 Kong
Qiu
 of
 Lu?”
 “Yes.”
 “A
 rushing
 torrent
 ‑‑
 such
 is
 the
world.
 And
who
 can
 change
 it?
Rather
 than
 follow
a
scholar
who
withdraws
 from
particular
men,
would
 it
not
be
 better
 to
 follow
 one
 who
 withdraws
 from
 the
 world?”
 He
 went
 on
 covering
 seed
 without
 stopping.
 
 
 Zilu
went
 and
 told
 the
Master,
 who
 sighed
 and
 said,
 “I
 cannot
 herd
 together
 with
the
birds
and
beasts.
If
I
do
not
walk
together
with
other
human
beings,
with
whom
shall
I
 associate?
If
the
Way
prevailed
in
the
world,
[I]
Qiu
would
not
be
trying
to
change
it.”
































 






















 7
This
simple
observation
attributed
to
Confucius
was
agreed
upon
as
the
essential
truth
with
regard
to
 human
nature
and
 racial
difference
by
a
group
of
 international
 experts
 in
 the
UNESCO
“Statement
on
 Race”
published
in
July
1950.


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Questions:

1. What does Confucius mean by “filial piety?” How does the concept of filial piety give shape to the relations between parents and children and between rulers and subjects?

2. What assumptions does Confucius make about human nature when he says that one should lead the people through moral force rather than regulations and keep order among them through rites rather than punishments?

3. What is humaneness and why does Confucius consider it to be so important?

4. How would a government founded on Confucian principles compare to your own government?

5. Are Confucian principles relevant to the issues of practical life?

Longer Selection From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 45-63. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Selections from the Confucian Analects

1:1 The Master said, “To learn, and at due times to practice what one has learned, is that not also a pleasure? To have friends come from afar, is that not also a joy? To go unrecognized, yet without being embittered, is that not also to be a noble person?”

1:2 Master You [You Ruo] said, “Among those who are filial toward their parents and fraternal toward their brothers, those who are inclined to offend against their superiors are few indeed. Among those who are disinclined to offend against their superiors, there have never been any who are yet inclined to create disorder. The noble person concerns himself with the root; when the root is established, the Way is born. Being filial and fraternal — is this not the root of humaneness?”

1:3 The Master said, “Those who are clever in their words and pretentious in their appearance, yet are humane, are few indeed.”

SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS: ON FILIAL PIETY AND HUMANENESS

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1:8 The Master said, “If the noble person is not serious,2 he will not inspire awe, nor will his learning be sound. One should abide in loyalty and trustworthiness and should have no friends who are not his equal.3 If one has faults, one should not be afraid to change.”

2:3 The Master said, “Lead them by means of regulations and keep order among them through punishments, and the people will evade them and will lack any sense of shame.4 Lead them through moral force (de) and keep order among them through rites (li), and they will have a sense of shame and will also correct themselves.”

2:7 Ziyou asked about filial devotion. The Master said, “Nowadays filial devotion means being able to provide nourishment. But dogs and horses too can provide nourishment. Unless one is reverent, where is the difference?”

3:4 Lin Fang asked about what is fundamental in rites. The Master said, “This is indeed a great question. In rites, it is better to be sparing than to be excessive. In mourning, it is better to express grief than to emphasize formalities.”

3:12 “Sacrifice as if they were present” means to sacrifice to the spirits as if they were present. The Master said, “If I am not present at the sacrifice, it is as if there were no sacrifice.”

3:19 Duke Ding asked how a ruler should employ his ministers and how ministers should serve their ruler. Confucius replied, “The ruler should employ the ministers according to ritual; the ministers should serve the ruler with loyalty.”

4:2 The Master said, “One who is not humane is able neither to abide for long in hardship nor to abide for long in joy. The humane find peace in humaneness; the knowing derive profit from humaneness.”

4:5 The Master said, “Wealth and honor are what people desire, but one should not abide in them if it cannot be done in accordance with the Way. Poverty and lowliness are what people dislike, but one should not avoid them if it cannot be done in accordance with the Way. If the noble person rejects humaneness, how can he fulfill that name? The noble person does not abandon humaneness for so much as the space of a meal. Even when hard-pressed he is bound to it, bound to it even in time of danger.”

4:16 The Master said, “The noble person is concerned with rightness; the small person is concerned with profit.”

6:28 Zigong said, “What would you say of someone who broadly benefited the people and was able to help everyone? Could he be called humane?” The Master said, “How would this be a matter of humaneness? Surely he would have to be a sage? Even Yao and Shun were concerned about such things. As for humaneness — you want to establish yourself; then

2 Literally, “heavy” or “weighty.” 3 I.e., in moral terms. 4 See footnote 1, above.

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help others to establish themselves. You want to develop yourself; then help others to develop themselves. Being able to recognize oneself in others, one is on the way to being humane.”5

7:29 The Master said, “Is humaneness far away? If I want to be humane, then humaneness is here.”

11:11 Jilu asked about serving spiritual beings. The Master said, “Before you have learned to serve human beings, how can you serve spirits?” “I venture to ask about death.” “When you do not yet know life, how can you know about death?”

12:1 Yan Yuan asked about humaneness. The Master said, “Through mastering oneself and returning to ritual one becomes humane. If for a single day one can master oneself and return to ritual, the whole world will return to humaneness. Does the practice of humaneness come from oneself or from others?” Yan Yuan said, “May I ask about the specifics of this?” The Master said, “Look at nothing contrary to ritual; listen to nothing contrary to ritual; say nothing contrary to ritual; do nothing contrary to ritual.” Yan Yuan said, “Though unintelligent, Hui6 requests leave to put these words into practice.”

12:2 Zhonggong [Ran Yong] asked about humaneness. The Master said, “When going abroad, treat everyone as if you were receiving a great guest; when employing the people, do so as if assisting in a great sacrifice. What you do not want for yourself, do not do to others. There should be no resentment in the state, and no resentment in the family.” Zhonggong said, “Though unintelligent, Yong requests leave to put these words into practice.”

12:3 Sima Niu asked about humaneness. The Master said, “The humane person is cautious in his speech.”7 Sima Niu said, “Cautious of speech! Is this what you mean by humaneness?” The Master said, “When doing it is so difficult, how can one be without caution in speaking about it?”

5 Literally, “The ability to take what is near and grasp the analogy may be called the direction of humaneness.” 6 Referring to himself. 7 There is a pun here, humaneness (ren) being a homophone of “cautious” (ren). The two are written with different Chinese characters.