BOOK 2
“The Master said, “A person is worthy of being a teacher if he is able to gain new insights from chewing over what he already knew.”
Wengu () means literally to “keep warm what one already knew.” And the “person [who] is worthy of being a teacher” refers either to a person who keeps in mind what he has learned while trying to learn something new or a person who gains new insights by “chewing over what he already knew.”
“Zigong asked about the gentleman [junzi]. The Master said, “He first puts his words into action. He then lets his words follow his action.”
“In either case, the point of Confucius’ remark is nicely summed up in the Book of Rites: “Because the gentleman is sparing of words and lets his action substantiate his trustworthiness, people will neither exaggerate his strengths nor downplay his weaknesses.”
“The Master said, “If you learn but do not think, you will be dazed. If you think but do not learn, you will be in danger.”
“The Master said, “To pursue strange theories or to get sidetracked in your studies can only bring harm.
“Duke Ai asked, “What should I do to make the common people come under my sway?”
Confucius replied, “Promote the upright and place them above the crooked, and the people will be in awe of you and come under your sway [fu]. The opposite will happen if you promote the crooked and place them above the upright.
“In response, Confucius told his ruler about the power of moral conduct: if you place the upright over the crooked, the people will naturally bend toward your way, and you do not have to force them to submit to you. Most translators understand fu as “to submit.”
“Ji Kangzi asked, “How can I get the common people to be respectful, to do their best, and to encourage each other to strive forward?”
The Master said, “Oversee the people with dignity, and the people will be respectful. Honor the elderly, cherish the young, and the people will do their best. Acknowledge the good, teach the incompetent, and the people will encourage each other to strive forward.”
The rites have no relation to a person who lacks moral impulse.
“The Book of Rites offers another way of looking at this relationship. It says, “The rites embody the countenance—and are the manifestation—of humanity. Music represents its harmony.”
Excerpt From: Confucius. “The Analects.” iBooks.
