CONFUCIUS (KUNG FU TZU)
(551-479 BC)
ANALECTS
1
(Lun-Yu)
The Chun-Tzu
2
1. Confucius said: "Isn''t it a pleasure to study and then to practice what you have learned? Isn''t it also wonderful when
friends visit from far away places? If people do not recognize me and it doesn''t bother me, am I not a Chun-Tzu?"
[1.1]
3
2. Yu Tzu said: "Those who have cultivated the virtues of filial piety
4
and submission to elders do not show disrespect for
their superiors, and they are never troublemakers. The Chun-Tzu devotes himself to the fundamentals. When the
fundamentals are established, the proper way to live (Dao) reveals itself. Are not filial piety and submission to elders
the foundation of all virtue?" [1.2]
3. Confucius said: "If [someone seeking to be a] Chun-Tzu is not serious, then he will not be taken seriously, and his
learning will appear to lack a firm foundation. He should regard loyalty and faithfulness as fundamental, and he should
have no friends who are not as morally good as he is. When he makes a mistake, he should not hesitate to correct it."
[1.8]
4. Confucius said: "When the Chun-Tzu eats, he does not stuff himself; he does not seek perfect comfort in his dwelling
place; he works with diligence and is careful in his speech. He associates only with good people and thereby receives
moral direction. This sort of person is a true lover of learning." [1.14]
5. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu enjoys pleasure without being immoral and expresses grief without excess." [3.20]
6. Confucius said: "All men desire wealth and high status, but if these cannot be achieved in accordance with the moral
law, then they should not be accepted. All men hate poverty and low status, but if these cannot be avoided in
accordance with the moral law, then they should be accepted. How can anyone who departs from virtue be considered
a Chun-Tzu? A Chun-Tzu never departs from virtue, not even for the time of a single meal. When he acts in haste, he
acts according to virtue. In times of trouble, he acts according to virtue." [4.5]
1
Rendition and editing by George Cronk. ? 1998. The Analects is a major classic of Chinese thought. It is a rather
unsystematic collection of sayings by Confucius and his disciples concerning the central doctrines of Confucianism. The collection was
probably compiled, not by Confucius himself, but by some of his students. Whether the compilation was done during his lifetime or
thereafter is not known. The Analects is considered to be the most reliable record of Confucius''s teachings.
2
A self-actualized, virtuous, perfected person.
3
The Analects is traditionally laid out in twenty "books," and each "book" contains a series of "chapters." The books and
chapters in the traditional text are not organized on a topic-by-topic basis, whereas the version contained in this anthology is set forth
topically. The bracketed notations following each of the stanzas in this chapter are book-and-chapter references to the traditional version of
the Analects.
4
Devotion to and reverence for parents and family.
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7. Confucius said: "When the Chun-Tzu approaches the world he is at first neither for nor against anything. He judges all
things in accordance with the standard of justice." [4.10]
8. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu speaks little, but acts with integrity." [4.24]
9. Tzu Kung asked about the character of the Chun-Tzu. Confucius said: "He acts before he speaks, and then he speaks
in accordance with his actions." [2.13]
10. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is ashamed when his actions do not match his words." [14.29]
11. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu does not place a man in office just because of his fine words, but neither does the
Chun-Tzu disregard fine words just because they may be uttered by a bad man." [15.22]
12. Confucius said that Tzu Chan had four characteristics of the Chun-Tzu: He was polite to all; he was respectful to his
superiors; he was kind to the people; and he was just in his official functions. [5.15]
13. Ssu Ma Niu asked about the qualities of the Chun-Tzu. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is free from anxiety and fear."
Niu said: "Free from anxiety and fear? Is this all it takes to be a Chun-Tzu?" Confucius said: "If you examine yourself
and find nothing to be ashamed of, how could you experience anxiety or fear?" [12.4]
14. Tzu Lu asked about the qualities of the Chun-Tzu. Confucius said: "If you have wisdom, no desire, courage, and ability,
and if you also observe the rules of propriety and refine yourself through music, then you might be a Chun-
Tzu . . . . Instead of self-interest, think of justice. When facing danger, face it courageously. Keep your promises
without hesitation. Then, indeed, you might be considered a Chun-Tzu." [14.13]
15. Tseng Tzu said: "The Chun-Tzu does not worry about things that are beyond his control." [14.28]
16. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu takes justice as his primary value, expresses it through propriety, exhibits it in humility,
and brings it to fulfillment in truthfulness. This is the Chun-Tzu!" [15.17]
17. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is bothered by his own limitations, not by the fact that others do not recognize him."
[15.18]
18. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu''s primary interest is in following the Dao, not in avoiding poverty." [15.31]
19. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is strong, but not rigid." [15.36]
20. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu guards against three things: (1) When he is young and his physical energy is unruly, he
guards against lust. (2) When he is mature and his physical energy is vigorous, he guards against being aggressive.
(3) When he is old, and his physical energy has declined, he guards against holding desperately on to things." [16.7]
21. Confucius said: "Someone who does not recognize the mandate of Heaven cannot be a Chun-Tzu. Someone who
does not honor the rules of propriety cannot achieve virtue. Someone who does not understand the force of words
cannot understand human affairs." [20.5]
22. Tzu Hsia said: "The Chun-Tzu appears in three ways. From a distance, he looks severe; close up, he is gentle; when
he speaks, he is clear." [19.9]
The Chun-Tzu versus the Inferior Man
23. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is all-embracing and not divisive. The inferior man is divisive and not all-embracing."
[2.14]
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24. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu loves virtue; the inferior man loves material things. The Chun-Tzu seeks justice; the
inferior man seeks personal favors." [4.11]
25. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is always at ease. The inferior man is always anxious." [7.36]
26. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu sees the strengths of others, not their weaknesses. The inferior man does the
opposite." [12.16]
27. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu lives in harmony with others, but he does not follow the crowd. The inferior man is a
conformist, and yet he is at odds with everyone." [13.23]
28. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu is sure of himself but not arrogant. The inferior man is both arrogant and lacking in self-
confidence." [13.26]
29. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu understands principle. The inferior man understands profit." [14.24]
30. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu remains steady in times of crisis. The inferior man crumbles." [15.1]
31. Tzu Hsia said: "The inferior man always denies his mistakes." [19.8]
32. Confucius said: "The Chun-Tzu stands in awe of three things: (1) the mandate (law) of Heaven; (2) great men; and (3)
the words of the wise. The inferior man (1) does not know the mandate (law) of Heaven; (2) takes great men lightly;
and (3) laughs at the words of the wise." [16.8]
Virtue
1
33. Confucius said: "A clever speaker with a pretentious attitude is seldom considered a person of virtue." [1.3]
34. Confucius said: "If you govern with the power of virtue, you will be like the north polar star, which just stays in its place
while all the other stars revolve around it." [2.1]
35. Confucius said: "If a person is not honest and trustworthy, what good is he? When the yoke-bar of a large wagon or
collar-bar of a small wagon is broken, how can the vehicle go?" [2.22]
36. Confucius said: "If a man has no virtue, won''t he lack propriety? If a man has no virtue, won''t he make bad music?"
[3.3]
37. Confucius said: "It is virtue that makes a neighborhood beautiful. If you choose to live where there is no virtue, how can
you become wise?" [4.1]
38. Confucius said: "If you lack virtue, you can neither endure adversity nor enjoy prosperity. The virtuous are comfortable
with virtue, and the wise desire it." [4.2]
39. Confucius said: "If you strive for virtue, you will be free of evil." [4.4]
40. Confucius said: "I have never found anyone who really loves virtue or really hates evil. One who really loves virtue will
never place anything above it. One who really hates evil will never allow it to come near him. Is there anyone who has
devoted his strength to virtue for as long as a single day?" [4.6]
1
The Chinese for virtue is jen, pronounced "ren." It is often translated as "humanity" and understood as "love of one''s fellow
human beings."
203
41. Confucius said: "When you see a virtuous person, try to be like him. When you see someone who lacks virtue, reflect
upon your own lack of virtue." [4.17]
42. Someone said: "Yung is a man of virtue, but he is not an effective speaker." Confucius said: "Why must he be an
effective speaker? Smooth talk breeds hostility. I don''t know whether Yung is a man of virtue, but I don''t see why he
should be an effective speaker." [5.4]
43. Confucius encouraged Ch''I-Tiao K''ai to become a government official. Ch''I-Tiao K''ai replied: "I am not yet sincere
enough." Confucius was pleased. [5.5]
44. Confucius said: "Recognizing virtue but not pursuing it; studying without dedication; knowing what is just but not doing
it; being unable to prevent wrongdoing — these things trouble me." [7.3]
45. Confucius said: "Is virtue far away? If I strive for it, it is right here!" [7.29]
46. Confucius said: "Yu had a flawless character. He lived on the simplest food and drink, and he demonstrated the
highest filial piety toward the ancestral spirits. He commonly wore simple and coarse clothing, but, on appropriate
occasions, he was elegant in his ceremonial cap and gown. He lived in a humble house, and he labored diligently in
the clearing of drainage ways and canals. I cannot find a single flaw in his character!" [8.21]
47. Confucius said: "The wise are not befuddled; the virtuous are not anxious; the brave are not afraid." [9.28]
48. Yen Yuan asked about the nature of virtue. Confucius said: "To defeat selfishness and to follow the rules of propriety is
virtue. If anyone could do that for an entire day, the whole world would become virtuous." [12.1]
49. Confucius said: "The virtuous man is reluctant to speak." Niu replied, "Are you saying that virtue is mere hesitation in
speaking?" Confucius said: "Achieving that is so difficult; how can you not be hesitant to speak about it?" [12.3]
50. Fan Chih asked, "How can we increase virtue, overcome evil, and avoid delusion?" Confucius said: "An excellent
question! If you place responsibility over success, won''t your virtue increase? If you work on your own evil rather than
criticizing the evil of others, won''t you overcome evil? If, out of a fit of anger, you endanger your own life as well as the
lives of your parents, isn''t that a case of delusion?" [12.21]
51. Hsien asked: "If someone has gotten beyond arrogance, pride, resentment, and greed, can he be considered a person
of virtue?" Confucius said: "This is certainly a difficult accomplishment, but I do not know that it is enough to be called
virtue." [14.2]
52. Confucius said: "The virtuous man has something significant to say, but those who speak well are not necessarily
virtuous. The virtuous man is brave, but bravery alone is not the same as virtue." [14.5]
53. Someone said: "What do you think of the saying, ''Repay wrongdoing with virtue''?" Confucius replied, "Then how will
we repay virtue? I think we should repay wrongdoing with justice and virtue with virtue." [14.36]
54. Confucius said: "Yu, my friend, those who comprehend virtue are few and far between." [15.3]
55. Tzu Chang asked about correct behavior. Confucius said: "Speak with sincerity and honesty, be humble and
respectful, and you will get along even if you live among the barbarians. If someone speaks insincerely and
dishonestly, and if he is not humble and respectful, then he will have trouble even among his own people." [15.5.]
56. Confucius said: "The historian Yu was truly a man of virtue. When the government in his country was just, he was like
an arrow; and when the government was unjust, he was like an arrow." [15.6]
57. Confucius said: "The true scholar, who is a man of virtue, will not live contrary to virtue. He is willing to die in the pursuit
of virtue." [15.8]
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58. Confucius said: "When people can spend an entire day together without ever discussing justice, but instead focus their
attention on mere cleverness, it is hard to see what can be done with them." [15.16]
59. Tzu Chang asked Confucius about virtue. Confucius said: "Virtue is the practice of five things." Tzu Chang asked what
they were. Confucius said: "Courtesy, generosity, honesty, diligence, and kindness. If you are courteous, you will
receive respect; if you are generous, you will win people''s hearts. If you are honest, people will trust you. If you are
diligent, you will achieve your goals. If you are kind, you will receive the services of others." [17.6]
60. Tzu Hsia said: "Pursue a serious and wide course of study, be constant in your purpose, engage in earnest inquiry,
and reflect on things at hand [that can be put into practice] — this is virtue." [19.6]
Propriety
61. Yu Tzu said: "In following the rules of propriety (li)
1
, a certain amount of flexibility is permitted. The ancient kings were
skillful at practicing propriety with flexibility. But be careful: Flexibility without propriety will create disorder." [1.12]
62. Tzu Kung asked: "What do you think of a poor man who doesn''t grovel or a rich man who isn''t full of pride?" Confucius
said: "They are good, but not as good as a poor man who is content with his life and a rich man who loves the rules of
propriety." [1.15]
63. Confucius said: "If you govern with laws and punishments, the people will avoid crime but will have no sense of honor
or shame. If you govern by means of virtue and the rules of propriety, the people will have a sense of shame and will
want to do what is right." [2.3]
64. Confucius said: "Rulers with no vision; religious ceremonies performed without reverence and respect; and funeral
services conducted without true sorrow: I can''t stand such things!" [3.26]
65. Confucius said: "Courtesy without propriety is a waste of effort. Caution without propriety is timidity. Boldness without
propriety is recklessness. Honesty without propriety is rudeness." [8.2]
66. Confucius said: "If rulers love and honor propriety, the people will be easily governed." [14.44]
67. When Confucius arrived, he found Yuan Zang waiting but lying down in a sprawled-out position. Confucius said: "To be
young and not show proper respect; to be mature and have nothing worth passing on to the future; to be old and to
hang on to life — a good-for-nothing!" He whacked him on the shins with his staff. [14.46]
Filial Piety
68. Confucius said: "When at home, a young man should serve his parents; when away from home, he should be
respectful to his elders. He should always be earnest and truthful, express love to all, and follow men of virtue. Then, if
he has the time and energy, he should study literature and the arts." [1.6]
69. Tzu Hsia said: "If you can respect and love virtue, serve your parents to the utmost, devote yourself to the service of
your prince, and be honest with your friends, then you are truly learned even if someone says that you are not
[because you lack formal education]." [1.7]
70. Tseng Tzu said: "Virtue is perfected when we perform the proper funeral rites for our parents when they die and when
we continue the proper religious services [sacrifices] in their honor after they are long gone." [1.9]
1
Li (often translated as "ritual") is propriety (proper conduct) with regard to religious rites and moral and social interactions.
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71. Confucius said: "When your father is alive, obey him. When your father has passed on, live as he did. If you do so for
[at least] three years after your father''s death, then you are a true son (hsiao)." [1.11]
72. Meng I Tzu asked about the meaning of filial piety. Confucius said: "It means ''not disobeying your parents.''"
Later . . . , Confucius told Fan Chih, "Meng I Tzu asked me about the meaning of filial piety, and I told him that it is not
disobeying your parents." Fan Chih said: "What did you mean by that?" Confucius said: "When your parents are alive,
serve them in accordance with the rules of propriety; when they die, bury them in accordance with the rules of
propriety; and then, in subsequent years, offer sacrifices to them in accordance with the rules of propriety." [2.5]
73. Tzu Lu asked about the meaning of filial piety. Confucius said: "Nowadays filial piety means being able to support your
parents. But we support even our horses and dogs. Without respect, what''s the difference between the two kinds of
support?" [2.7]
74. Tzu Hsia asked about filial piety. Confucius said: "What matters is the expression you show on your face. ''Filial piety''
doesn''t mean merely doing physical tasks for your parents, or merely providing them with food and wine." [2.8]
75. Someone asked Confucius: "Why do you not serve in the government?" Confucius said: "What does The Book of
History
1
say about filial piety? ''Just by loving your parents, brothers, and sisters, you can have a positive effect on
government.'' Since this is so, why do I need to serve in the government?" [2.21]
76. Confucius said: "In serving your parents, you may disagree with them from time to time and seek to correct them
gently. But if they will not go along with you, you must continue to respect and serve them without complaining." [4.18]
77. The Duke of Sheh told Confucius: "In my land, people are just. If a father steals a sheep, the son will turn him in."
Confucius said: "The just in my land act differently. The father conceals the wrongs of his son, and the son conceals
the wrongs of his father. This is justice." [13.18]
78. Confucius said: "Never ignore your parents'' ages, which are both a source of joy (because they are still living) and a
source of anxiety (because their deaths are coming nearer)." [4.21]
Religious Propriety
79. Confucius said: "It is wrong to offer sacrifices to ancestral spirits other than one''s own. If you know what is right and
don''t do it, you are a coward." [2.24]
80. Lin Fang asked about the fundamentals of religious ritual. Confucius said: "That''s an excellent question! In religious
rituals and ceremonies, frugality is better than extravagance; in funeral services, true sorrow is better than mere
ceremony." [3.4]
81. Tzu Kung proposed doing away with the sacrifice of sheep on the first day of each month. Confucius said: "Tz''u Kung,
you love the sheep; I love the ceremony." [3.17]
82. Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits. Confucius said: "If we don''t know how to serve human beings, how can we
serve the spirits?" Lu said: "Well, what about death?" Confucius said: "If we don''t understand life, how can we
understand death?" [11.11]
83. Tzu Lu said: "When the grief of mourning has expended itself, it should cease." [19.14]
1
A pre-Confucian Chinese classic.
206
84. When Confucius entered the Grand Temple, he asked about everything. Someone said: "Who says that Confucius is a
master of the rules of propriety? When he enters the Grand Temple, he asks about everything, like an ignoramus!"
When Confucius heard this, he said: "Asking about everything is a form of propriety." [3.15]
The Silver Rule
1
85. Tzu Kung asked: "Is there a single principle that can serve as a guide for all our actions?" Confucius said: "What you
don''t want done to yourself, don''t do to others." [15.23]
86. Tzu Kung [following Confucius] said: "Don''t do to others what you don''t want done to you." [5.11]
Studying and Learning
87. Confucius said: "To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is a danger." [2.15]
88. Confucius said: "What is the path to knowledge? To say that you know when you do know and to admit that you don''t
know when you don''t know. This is the path to knowledge." [2.17]
89. Tzu Chang was studying in order to advance himself [in government service]. Confucius said: "Listen to all points of
view, reject what is doubtful, speak cautiously about the rest, and then you will make few mistakes. Be open-minded,
but set aside what seems dangerous, and be careful with what you put into practice, and then you will have few
regrets. Speaking without mistakes and acting without regrets — that is true advancement." [2.18]
90. "A scholar who is pursuing truth, but who is ashamed of old clothes and plain food, is not worth talking to." [4.9]
91. Tzu Kung asked: "How did Kung Wen Tzu get the title ''wen'' (learned, literary, and refined)?" Confucius said: "He was
conscientious and loved to study, and he was not ashamed to learn from people less learned than himself. Therefore,
he got the name ''wen.''" [5.14]
92. Confucius said: "When I study, my enjoyment is so great that I forget to eat, forget my problems, and forget that old
age is setting in." [7.18]
93. Confucius said: "If a student is not hungry for knowledge, I will not teach him; if he is not struggling to explain things for
himself, I will not give him my explanations. If I lift one corner and he doesn''t lift the other three, I will not repeat the
lesson." [7.8]
94. Confucius said: "I was not born with wisdom. I have found it in the ancient books that I love." [7.19]
95. Confucius said: "It is quite dangerous to study strange doctrines." [2.16]
96. Confucius never discussed strange phenomena, extraordinary physical occurrences, events contrary to the natural
order, or ghosts. [7.20]
97. Confucius said: "Study as if you have not reached your goal — as if you were afraid of losing what you have gained."
[8.17]
98. Tseng Tzu said: "Gifted, yet learning from the slow. Highly knowledgeable, yet learning from the ignorant. Possessing,
yet seeming to lack; full, yet appearing empty; unjustly injured, yet not inclined to get even: I once had a friend
[Confucius] who was like this." [8.5]
1
As distinguished from the "Golden Rule": "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
207
99. Confucius said: "Be inspired by poetry, guided by the rules of propriety, completed by music." [8.8]
100. Confucius said: "Studying the liberal arts and governing yourself by means of the rules of propriety, it is easy to stay on
the path of righteousness." [12.14]
101. Confucius said: "A scholar who is concerned with comfort is not a true scholar." [14.3]
102. Confucius said: "The ancient scholars studied for their own improvement. Modern scholars study in order to obtain
approval from others." [14.25]
103. Confucius said: "If a man doesn''t continually question — ''What is this? What is that?'' — I cannot help him." [15.15]
104. Confucius said: "Those who are born wise are the best. Those who study and learn easily are next best; those who
study but have difficulty learning come next; and those who are ignorant but do not even study are the lowest sort of
people." [16.9]
105. Confucius said: "Yu, have you heard of the six defeats?" "No," said Yu. "Then sit down," Confucius said, "and I will tell
you."
(1) "One who loves virtue but does not study is defeated by aimlessness.
(2) "One who loves wisdom but does not study is defeated by ignorance.
(3) "One who loves sincerity but does not study is defeated by deception.
(4) "One who loves honesty but does not study is defeated by rudeness.
(5) "One who loves boldness but does not study is defeated by his own lack of self-control.
(6) "One who loves persistence but does not study is defeated by his own rigidity." [17.8]
106. Tzu Chang said: "The true scholar, when facing danger, is willing to lose his life. When he sees an opportunity for
personal gain, he thinks first of justice. He is reverent at religious services and sorrowful at funerals. He is truly worthy
of our admiration." [19.1]
107. Tzu Hsia said: "When a servant of the state has finished his work, he should then devote himself to study. When a
student has completed his studies, he should devote himself to the service of the state." [19.13]
108. Confucius said: "Learning is like building an embankment: If I stop carrying the buckets of earth, it is my stopping. If,
after dumping one bucket-full, I continue to bring more buckets, it is my continuing." [9.18]
Words and Actions
109. Confucius said: "The ancients were reluctant to speak, fearing that their actions would not measure up to their words."
[4.22]
110. Tsai Yu slept during the daytime [contrary to the rules of propriety?]. Confucius said: "You cannot carve rotten wood,
and dirt from a dungheap cannot be used to build a wall. There is no point in scolding Tsai Yu. I used to believe what
people say, and I expected them to act accordingly. Now, however, I hear what they say, but I judge them and their
words on the basis of what they do. Tsai Yu has taught me this lesson." [5.9]
111. Confucius said: "If your words are grand, you will find that it is difficult for your actions to measure up to them." [14.21]
112. Confucius said: "The purpose of speech is to convey meaning." [15.40]
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113. Confucius said: "I wish I could avoid speaking." Tzu Kung said: "Master, if you didn''t speak, what would we disciples
have to record and pass on?" Confucius said: "Does Heaven speak? Yet the four seasons continue to pass, and all
things go along naturally. Does Heaven speak?" [17.18]
Three Things
114. Tseng Tzu said: "Each day I examine myself on three points: (1) In interacting with others, have I been disloyal? (2) In
my relations with my friends, have I been unfaithful? (3) Have I reviewed and followed the precepts of my teacher?"
[1.4]
115. Chi Wen Tzu always thought three times before acting. When Confucius heard of this, he said: "Twice is enough."
[5.19]
116. Confucius said: "There are three kinds of friendship which are beneficial and three kinds of friendship which are
harmful. (1) Friendship with the virtuous, (2) friendship with the truthful, and (3) friendship with the learned are all
beneficial. (1) Friendship with flatterers, (2) friendship with those who compromise principles, and (3) friendship with
the clever are all harmful." [16.4]
117. Confucius said: "There are three kinds of enjoyment which are beneficial and three kinds of enjoyment which are
harmful. (1) The enjoyment of music and ritual, (2) the enjoyment of speaking of the goodness of others, and (3) the
enjoyment of being with friends of good character are all beneficial. (1) The enjoyment of extravagance, (2) the
enjoyment of sensual indulgence, and (3) the enjoyment of creature comforts are all harmful." [16.5]
118. Confucius said: "There are three mistakes commonly made by subordinates in the presence of their superior: (1) To
speak when one should not. This is imprudent. (2) Not to speak when one should. This is deceptive. (3) To speak
without watching the expression on their superior''s face. This is blind." [16.6]
119. Confucius said: "The ancients had three deficiencies, which also exist today, but in changed form. Ancient savages
were unrestrained; the savages of today are depraved. Ancient warlords were valiant; the warlords of today are just
hot-headed. Ancient fools were naively honest; the fools of today are full of deceit." [17.16]
Government
120. Confucius said: "To govern a state of a thousand chariots (a small country), you must pay strict attention to business,
be true to your word, be economical in expenditure, and love the people. You should employ them according to the
seasons." [1.5]
121. The Duke of Ai asked: "How can I get the people to follow me?" Confucius replied: "Promote the straight, and reject the
crooked, and the people will follow you. Promote the crooked and reject the straight, and the people will not follow
you." [2.19]
122. Chi K''ang [a ruler] asked: "How can I get the people to be respectful, loyal, and virtuous?" Confucius said: "Practice
dignity, and they will be respectful. Love and care for them, and they will be loyal. Advance the able and instruct the
incompetent, and they will strive to be virtuous." [2.20]
123. Confucius said: "The tribes of the East and North (Koreans and Mongolians), though they have kings, are inferior to us,
even when we lack kings." [3.5]
124. Tzu Lu asked: "If you had to lead an army, who would you choose to assist you?" Confucius said: "I would not choose
a man willing to fight tigers with his bare hands, or to cross a river without a boat, or to die without thinking. I would
choose a man who acts with caution, who plans carefully, and who finishes what he begins." [7.10]
125. Tzu Kung asked about government. The Master replied: "Enough food, enough weapons, and the confidence of the
people." Tzu Kung said: "Suppose you had to do without one of these; which would you give up first?" Confucius said:
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"Weapons." Tzu Kung said "What if you had to give up one of the remaining two; which would it be?" Confucius said:
"Food. All men must die, but a state cannot survive without the confidence of its people." [12.7]
126. Chi K''ang Tzu asked about government. Confucius said: "To govern is to make right. If you govern after making
yourself right, who then would not be made right?" [12.17]
127. Confucius said: "When a ruler lives righteously, he will be followed without his giving orders. But if a ruler does not live
righteously, then even if he gives orders, he will not be followed." [13.6]
128. Confucius said: "If you can make your own life right, you will find governing easy. If you can''t make your own life right,
how can you make the lives of others right?" [13.13]
129. Tzu Lu said: "The ruler of Wei wants you to become a member of his government. What will you work on first?"
Confucius said: "The correction of language use [rectification of names]." Tzu Lu said: "You don''t mean it! Why should
that be your first priority?" Confucius said: "If language is not used correctly, then what is said won''t be understood. If
what is said is not understood, then the work of the state cannot be carried out successfully. If the work of the state
cannot be carried out successfully, then the rules of propriety will not be observed and music [that is, culture] will not
develop. If propriety does not prevail, and if music [that is, culture] does not develop, then criminal punishments will not
be imposed in accordance with justice. If criminal punishments are unjust, then the people will be disoriented in their
actions. Therefore, the Chun-Tzu must see to it that language is used correctly and that what he says is carried out in
practice." [13.3]
130. Confucius said: "If a country were ruled by good men for a hundred years, all violence and therefore the death penalty
would be done away with." [13.11]
131. Tzu Hsia, who was serving as governor of Chu Fu, asked about government. Confucius said: "Be patient, and do not
concentrate on small gains. Impatience is opposed to thoroughness, and, if you concentrate on small gains, you will
never achieve anything great." [13.17]
132. Confucius said: "Since it is hard to find men who act in accordance with the mean, if I were ruling I would employ, on
the one hand, the fervent and, on the other hand, the cautious. The fervent are go-getters and move things forward;
the cautious are restrained and hold things back." [The result will be balance in the state.] [13.21]
133. Confucius said: "When the government is just, you may speak and act with boldness; when the government is unjust,
bold action is possible, but you must be reserved in what you say." [14.4]
134. Tsze-chang asked: "How should a ruler act in order to govern well?" Confucius replied, "He must honor the five
excellent things and banish the four bad things."
Tsze-chang said: "What are the five excellent things?"
Confucius said: "(1) Being benevolent without great taxing and spending; (2) giving the people work that does not
overburden them; (3) pursuing what he desires without being greedy; (4) maintaining a royal dignity without being
arrogant; (5) being kingly without being imperious."
Tsze-chang said: "Could you explain these further?"
Confucius replied: "(1) When the ruler helps the people derive increased benefit from the things already available to
them, is this not being benevolent without great taxing and spending? (2) When he requires people to perform tasks
that they are naturally suited for, who will object to this? (3) When the ruler''s leading desire is for good government,
and when this is what he pursues, who will accuse him of greed? (4) When the ruler is aware of his lordly standing and
yet treats all of his people with respect, is this not maintaining a royal dignity without being arrogant? (5) When the ruler
dresses as a king in accordance with the rules of propriety so that he is looked upon with admiration, is this not being
kingly without being imperious?"
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Tsze-chang then asked, "And what are the four bad things?"
Confucius said: "(1) Putting people to death without having instructed them through the law; this is cruel. (2) To require
payment of taxes without sufficient notice; this is oppressive. (3) To issue orders without a sense of urgency and then,
all of a sudden, to insist upon immediate compliance; this is outrageous. (4) To be tight-fisted in the giving of pay or
rewards; this is petty." [20.4]
DAO
135. Confucius said: "When the Dao prevailed in his country, Ning Wu Tzu played the wise man. When the Dao declined in
his country, he played stupid. Someone might be able to match his wisdom, but no one can match his stupidity." [5.20]
136. Confucius said: "Who can leave the room without using the door? So why doesn''t anybody follow the Dao?" [6.15]
137. Confucius said: "Knowing the Dao is not as good as loving it; and loving it is not as good as taking delight in it." [6.18]
138. Confucius said: "Live in constant good faith and love learning. Be willing to die for the sake of following the Dao. Do not
enter a disorderly state, nor live in one where there is rebellion. When the Dao prevails in the empire, show yourself.
When it does not prevail, then hide. When the Dao prevails, you should be ashamed to be poor and unrecognized.
When the Dao does not prevail, you should then be ashamed to be wealthy and famous." [8.13]
139. Yen Yuan said: "Looking up at it, it goes higher. Delving into it, it gets more difficult. I see it in front of me, and suddenly
it is behind me. Confucius has enriched me with literature and disciplined me with the rules of propriety. I am ready to
give up, but I can''t. I have done all that I am able to do, and yet there it is, rising up in front of me again. I want to follow
it, but I can''t see the way." [9.10]
140. Chi K''ang Tzu had been robbed and was very upset. Confucius said: "If you had no desires, no one would steal from
you, not even if you offered someone a reward to do so." [12.18]
141. Confucius said: "One who knows the Dao first becomes free of the world; then he becomes free of his culture; then he
becomes free from lust; then he becomes free from language." [14.39]
142. Confucius said: "Human beings are manifestations of the Dao. The Dao is not a manifestation of human beings."
143. Confucius said: "Even if you were wise enough to grasp it, you are not virtuous enough to hold on to it. So even if you
grasp it, you will certainly lose it. Even if you are wise enough to grasp it and virtuous enough to hold on to it, perhaps
you do not manifest it. In that case, the people will not recognize your attainment. Suppose you are wise enough to
grasp it and virtuous enough to hold on to it, and suppose also that you manifest it. Nonetheless, if you don''t act in
accordance with the rules of propriety, you are still not perfect." [15.32]
144. Confucius said: "When the Dao prevails in the realm, the people do not debate politics." [16.2]
145. [The Daoists,] Chang Tso and Chieh Ni were working together in the fields when Confucius and Tzu Lu were passing
by. Confucius sent Tzu Lu to ask about the best place to cross the river.
Chang Tso asked: "Who is that in the carriage?" Tzu Lu said: "It is Confucius" Chang said: "The Confucius of Lu?"
"Yes." "Well, if that''s the case, let him answer his question for himself."
Tzu Lu then approached Chieh Ni, who said: "Who are you?" "I am Tzu Lu." "The follower of this Confucius of Lu?"
"Right." Chieh then said: "The world is in radical disorder! Who [is Confucius to think that he] can change it? As for you,
rather than following a scholar who flees from this situation or that situation, why don''t you follow one who escapes
from the world entirely?" And with that, he went back to his work and wouldn''t stop.
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Tzu Lu went back and reported to Confucius what had happened. Confucius said sadly: "I can''t enter into human
relationships with the birds and beasts! If I don''t associate with people, with whom will I associate? If the Dao prevailed
in the world, there would be no need to change anything." [18.6]
146. Tzu Lu, having fallen behind Confucius and the other disciples, met an old man carrying a basket on a shoulder-pole.
He asked him: "Have you seen my Master?"
The old man said: "You don''t know how to work the land. You can''t even distinguish between the five kinds of grain.
Who, indeed, is your Master?" The old man then planted his staff in the ground and began to pull weeds. Tzu Lu just
stood there with his arms folded. The old man allowed him to stay overnight, feeding him a dinner of chicken and millet,
and introducing him to his two sons.
The next day, Tzu Lu left and caught up with Confucius. When Tzu Lu told Confucius what had happened, the Master
said: "He is a Daoist." Confucius sent Tzu Lu back to see the old man, but when Tzu Lu arrived, he found that the old
man and his sons were gone.
Later, Tzu Lu said: "If you don''t live in society, how can you practice justice? If the relationship between old and young
cannot be ignored, how can the relationship between ruler and ruled be set aside? For the sake of his own purity, the
Daoist disrupts the bonds of society. But the Chun-Tzu practices his justice from within society, and he is well aware of
the reality of injustice." [18.7]
Miscellaneous Teachings
147. Confucius said: "He who always seeks his own advantage will become the target of much resentment." [4.12]
148. Confucius said: "He who is strict with himself will rarely go wrong." [4.23]
149. Confucius said: "I have not found anyone who can recognize his own faults and lament them within himself." [5.26]
150. Confucius said: "You might force people to obey, but you can''t force them to understand." [8.9]
151. Confucius said: "Some sprout but do not flower; some flower but do not bear fruit." [9.21]
152. Confucius said: "Be loyal and trustworthy. Don''t associate with those who are not your moral equal. When you have
faults, don''t hesitate to correct them." [9.24]
153. Confucius said: "Hui is no help to me. He is satisfied with everything I say." [11.3]
154. The men of Lu were reconstructing the treasury building. Min Tzu Ch''ien said: "Why not keep its original style? Why
change it completely?" Confucius said: "This fellow doesn''t say much, but when he does, he is right on target." [11.13]
155. Tzu Kung asked whether Shih or Shang is the more worthy. Confucius said: "Shih''s conduct is excessive, and Shang''s
is deficient." "Then is Shih superior?" Confucius said: "Excess is the same as deficiency" [because both violate the
doctrine of the mean and the rules of propriety]. [11.15]
156. Tzu Lu asked whether it is good to carry a teaching into practice as soon as one hears it. Confucius said: "You should
consult with your father and your older brother before you act. Why be in such a rush?"
Later on, Zan Yu asked the same question, and Confucius told him, "You should act immediately."
Kung Hsi Hua said: "When Tzu Lu asked you, you advised him to delay. When Zan Yu asked, you told him to act
without delay. May I ask why?"
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Confucius said: "Zan Yu tends to give up easily, so I push him. Tzu Lu tends to leap before he looks, so I restrain him."
[11.21]
157. Confucius said: "I am no better than anyone else in judging lawsuits. What we need is no lawsuits." [12.13]
158. Tzu Kung asked: "What if everyone likes you?" "Not good," said Confucius. "What if everyone hates you?" "Also not
good. It is better if the good people like you and the evil ones hate you." [13.24]
159. Confucius said: "To be poor without resentment is difficult. To be rich without arrogance is easy." [14.11]
160. Confucius said: "When the time is right to speak with someone and you don''t speak with him, you lose him. When the
time is not right to speak with someone and you do speak with him, you waste your time. The wise do not lose people,
nor do they waste their time." [15.7]
161. Confucius said: "Expect much from yourself and little from others, and you will avoid arousing resentments." [15.14]
162. Confucius said: "To have faults and not correct them — this is a fault indeed!" [15.29]
163. Confucius said: "All people share the same nature, but through their conduct they become quite different from each
other." [17.2]
164. Confucius said: "Only the most wise and the most foolish do not change." [17.3]
165. Confucius said: "Someone who shows a tough face, but who is weak inside, is contemptible, like a thief sneaking over
a wall." [17.12]
166. Confucius said: "There are those sorry souls who make themselves miserable getting something they want. Then they
worry continually about losing it. There is nothing they won''t do to keep it." [17.15]
Descriptions of Confucius
167. A high government official asked Tzu Kung: "If your Master is really a Chun-Tzu, why does he know so many practical
skills." Tzu Kung answered, "Heaven has made him wise and good and has also given him various practical skills."
Confucius, hearing about this, said: "What does that official know about me? In my youth, my family was poor, so I had
to learn many practical skills. Is it necessary for the Chun-Tzu to possess practical skills? Of course not." [9.6]
168. A man from Ta Hsiang said [sarcastically]: "What a great man is Confucius! His learning is so sweeping, and yet he
doesn''t seem to have any particular skills." When Confucius heard this, he said to his disciples: "Oh-me-oh-my! What
shall I take up? What shall I take up? Shall I take up charioteering? Shall I take up archery? I think I shall take up
charioteering!" [9.2]
169. Confucius said: "I don''t worry about being unknown. I worry about my lack of ability. [14.32] I am not concerned about
lack of success; I am concerned about the means I use to achieve success. I am not concerned about being unknown;
I seek to be worthy of being known." [4.14]
170. Confucius said: "At fifteen my mind was fixed on learning; at thirty I had learned much; at forty I had no more doubts; at
fifty I knew the Mandate of Heaven (T''ien-ming); at sixty my ear was obedient to the truth; at seventy I could follow my
heart''s desire without violating the moral law." [2.4]
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171. Confucius said: "I am a transmitter, not an original thinker. I love and rely upon the teachings of the ancients. I compare
myself to old P''eng."
1
[7.1]
172. Confucius said: "There are those who can act without knowledge. Not me. I listen carefully, and I select what is good
and follow it. I study hard and remember what I have learned. This is the second level of knowledge" [innate knowledge
being the first level]. [7.27]
173. Confucius said: "I do not claim to be enlightened or a man of virtue. But I strive for these without being discouraged,
and I teach without becoming weary. This is what can be said of me." [7.33]
174. Confucius said: "I have never denied my instruction to anyone, rich or poor." [7.7]
175. Confucius said: "I can live happily with plain rice to eat, water for drink, and my arm as a pillow. Wealth and honors
obtained unjustly are but floating clouds." [7.15]
176. Confucius said to his disciples: "My friends, do you imagine that I conceal anything from you? I conceal nothing. There
is nothing that I do that is not right out in front of you. That is the way I am." [7.23]
177. The Master taught four things: Culture, correct action, loyalty, and trust. [7.24]
178. The Master was mild yet strict; authoritative, yet not authoritarian; courteous, yet carefree. [7.37]
179. There were four things the Master had eliminated from himself — imposing his will, arbitrariness, stubbornness, and
egotism. [9.4]
180. There was fear for the Master''s life when he was in the district of Kuang. He said: "If Heaven does not want to destroy
me, what can the people of Kuang do to me?" [9.5]
181. Confucius said: "When out in the world, I served my rulers. At home, I served my parents and elder brothers. I never
took funerals lightly, and I didn''t become an alcoholic. What problems could I possibly have?" [9.15]
182. There was a fire in the stables. When the Master returned from court, he asked: "Was anybody hurt?" He didn''t ask
about the horses. [10.12]
1
A government official of the Shang Dynasty (1751-1112 BC) who loved to recite old stories.
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