It is said that some emperors in history were afraid of these words of Mencius, and ordered the editor to delete Mencius's militant words when publishing a new book "Mencius".

Third, Mencius’ fighting spirit comes from his great righteousness. Mencius was good at cultivating Haoran's righteousness. This is where Confucius fell short of Mencius. Mencius believed: "The husband's will is the handsomeness of Qi; Qi is the filling of the body." "It is Qi, which is extremely large and strong. If it is nourished directly and does no harm, it will be blocked between heaven and earth. It is Qi, and it matches righteousness and Tao." ("Mencius and Gongsun Chou", page 396) It means that inner ambition is the leader of loyalty; loyalty is the power that fills the whole body. This kind of Qi is the greatest and strongest. If you cultivate it with integrity, it will not be hindered and can fill the world. This kind of energy must be consistent with righteousness and Tao. If not, there will be a lack of power. Great power comes from the accumulation of justice, not from accidental acts of justice. It seems that the qi that Mencius cultivated was righteousness, the spirit of justice and strength that filled his chest. Confucius' "qi" was not as full as Mencius's, so Confucius did not have as strong a fighting spirit as Mencius. Mencius used this awe-inspiring righteousness to promote his political ideas and awaken the people to fight against evil rule. Mencius's awe-inspiring righteousness runs through all his actions and words. "Wealth cannot be lascivious, poverty cannot be moved, power cannot be subdued." ("Mencius and Mencius", p. 462) How powerful these words are! Later, some intellectuals wrote "Haoran Zhengqi" into a huge plaque and hung it in the hall to inspire and encourage themselves. There is no doubt that the spirit of Mencius has nourished and nurtured batches of elites of the Chinese nation.

Fourth, Mencius’ theory of human nature. "Xing" is a complex issue that involves both human temperament and human cultivation. Confucius basically did not mention it, but Mencius made a profound discussion. From the perspective of social practice behavior, a person's human nature is good, not evil, in his childhood or before he reaches the age of social practice. Later evil is due to the social environment, including social behavior education, social management status, etc. Mencius said: "The goodness of human nature is just like how water falls. There is no evil in people, and there is nothing in water that does not fall. Now, if water is struck and jumped, it can cross the ridge; if it is stirred and moved, it can be carried up the mountain. This is What is the nature of water? Its power is like this. People can do bad things, but their nature is also like this." ("Mencius and Gaozi", page 566) He believes that the kindness of human nature is like water flowing downward. There is no person who is not kind (nature), and there is no water that does not flow downward. But water is like this. If you slap it, it will splash high, higher than your head; if you use a bucket to draw it, it will flow backwards and even lead up to high mountains. Where is the nature of water in this? It is the situation that makes it this way. People can be incited to do bad things, and the same goes for changes in nature. Mencius' understanding is that human nature is not bad and is good. Later, he became bad in social behavior, which was forced and dictated by the environment. Therefore, human nature in social life "can be good or bad; therefore, if civility and martial arts flourish, the people will love kindness; if secrecy flourishes, the people will love violence." ("Mencius, Gaozi 1", page 570) Mencius also delved deeply into the origin of human nature's goodness. It is believed that good nature comes from people's "heart of compassion, shame, respect, and right and wrong." ("Mencius, Gaozi 1"

In order to resist the invasion of evil in the social environment, Mencius put forward the theory of self-cultivation of "righteousness" and the "cultivation of awe-inspiring spirit" mentioned above. He advocated the combination of "benevolence" and "benevolence". Combining "righteousness" with "righteousness", use the power of righteousness to resist evil, and use awe-inspiring righteousness to build a steel wall to protect kindness. The combination of "benevolence" and "righteousness" and "generous spirit" are all issues that Confucius did not pay enough attention to.

Fifth, Mencius had a high level of eloquence. His language was full of vitality and vitality, and his arguments were very powerful, logical, interlocking, and impeccable. Aggressive. Take a look:

"The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the harmony. A city of three miles and a country of seven miles can't be defeated if you surround it. If you attack it, you will have the right time; However, the reason for not being victorious is because the weather is not as good as the right place. The city is not too high, the pond is not too deep, the army is not too strong, and the rice and grain are not too plentiful. : The people of the region do not rely on the borders of the country, do not rely on the dangers of mountains and rivers (xī) to consolidate the country, and do not use the benefits of military revolution to control the world. If the world obeys, then attack where the relatives are. Therefore, if a gentleman fails to succeed, he will win the battle." ("Mencius, Gongsun Chou", page 415) This is so rigorous! There are many other discussions like this. .

In addition, Mencius's debates are very literary and make good use of metaphors. They have the characteristics of prose, subtlety, thorough explanation, and profound insights. These characteristics can be found throughout "Mencius". It has a great influence on later generations.

Mencius has many differences from Confucius, which will be discussed in another place.

In short, although Mencius is not as broad as Confucius, he is not as profound as Confucius. Not only did he inherit Confucius's moral cultivation and personality theory centered on "benevolence" and his "people-friendly" national political management, but he was also more sophisticated than Confucius in both aspects. It can be said that Mencius's entire knowledge is concentrated on these two points. Confucius began to dig two wells. Mencius thought that clear springs would flow from them, so he took Confucius' hoe and continued digging. People finally saw the clear springs flowing out.

To cultivate personality, we must combine "benevolence and benevolence" with "justice and courage"; to engage in political management, we must start from the root of "the people". Judging from the current cultural and spiritual state of the Chinese nation, praising Mencius's personality and political management is more meaningful than praising Confucius's personality and political management. Regardless of China's past, present or future, it is very important to raise the spiritual flag of "courage" on the basis of emphasizing "benevolence", because Chinese traditional culture has extremely heavy "yin energy", "circumstances", "Corruption". In China, no matter in the past, present or future, advocating "the people are the foundation of the country" and implementing democratic politics are more important than anything else. Only the science of political management can bring about the strength of the country and the revitalization of the nation.

Notes:

1. Serve your father and your king - Confucius said: "The Poems can be enjoyed, observed, grouped together, and complained about. Those who are close to you can serve your father, and those who are far away can Serve you." ("The Analects of Confucius, Yanghuo No. 17")

2. On the quality of literature - Confucius said: "If quality is better than literature, then you will be wild; if literature is better than quality, you will be history. If quality is better than quality, then you will be a gentleman." ("The Analects of Confucius, Yong Ye Sixth") It means that if simplicity exceeds literary talent, it is a bit rough; if literary talent exceeds simplicity, it is a bit vain. Only when the proportion of writing and quality is well-proportioned, can one be a gentleman.

3. Enjoy the happiness of the people and worry about the people - Mencius said: "If you enjoy the happiness of the people, the people will also enjoy their happiness; if you worry about the worries of the people, the people will also worry about their worries." ("Mencius and King Hui of Liang"

Confucius is respected as a saint by later generations because Confucius is a genius, great and profound. Many of Confucius' concepts and thoughts have eternal value .

Confucius is a thinker. He put forward the golden concept of understanding, analyzing and dealing with things; he proposed a philosophy of personality cultivation with "benevolence" as its core. Home. His interpretation of "The Book of Changes" made the source of Chinese culture flow into the distance. Many of his words are dialectical. He wrote "Spring and Autumn" ("Historical Records"), which played a huge role in the inheritance of history.

Confucius was an artist. He was proficient in music and he liked poetry. He believed that poetry can "serve the father and the king." "*. He said: "If you have enough energy to practice, study literature." ("The Analects of Confucius, Xueer") He put forward the fundamental point of view of appreciating art - "Theory of Quality Literature".

Confucius is An educator. He summarized a lot of educational experiences. There are more than 20 educational experiences in the Analects (not counting the quotations of his students). When used in modern society, there are almost none that have no practical and truth value. .

Of course, Confucius was not successful in politics. His character was not in line with the evil trends of the time.

The saint also had shortcomings. There were times when Confucius was pessimistic and desperate. This is not his fatal weakness. I think Confucius’ fatal weakness was his retreat and escape in the face of the dark society, rather than his fearless spirit and courage to call on and encourage. The forces of justice attack the evil ruling class, but nag: "If there is a way in the world, you will see; if there is no way in the world, you will hide" ("The Analects of Confucius, Taibo No. 8") See, in order to avoid the forces of darkness, Confucius chose. Related to this is Confucius's obliteration of the democratic nature of politics. He then said: "If you are not in your position, you will not seek government." ("The Analects of Confucius, Taibo VIII") This is China's feudal society. It is a mantra of Chinese doctors and people still occasionally hear it today. It can be seen that Confucius’s words have a profound influence. From the perspective of culture, our Chinese nation has a feminine temperament and a democratic political spirit. The spirit of resistance under the rule is not strong, which has some connection with Confucius's temperament and cultural outlook. Looking at the path the Chinese nation has taken, people can only fight when they are desperate, when dark politics forces them to despair. When the rope of death tightened around their throats, they fought hard to save themselves. As a result, the decadent rule was overthrown, and new rule and political relationships were formed. However, the good times did not last long because of nepotism. Jiatianxia makes political life lifeless. This system itself lacks vitality and vitality. It is a system that is gradually heading toward death. One moment, the corrupt rule is violently overthrown by the revolutionary forces and a new political power is established; The regime was corrupted again, and then it was overthrown by revolutionary forces, and new countries were created, which continued to reproduce and repeat. The history of thousands of years of Chinese civilization has been in this strange cycle. Today, it seems that the shadow of this system is difficult to disappear on the land of China.

Without Confucius, the culture of the Chinese nation might have been interrupted a lot; without Confucius, the Chinese nation might not have had the strong cohesion that was gradually formed later.

Today when we study Confucius, we should not fully affirm him, nor should we fully deny him. To truly understand Confucius, one must work hard to study him and his related works. It is extremely unscientific to draw conclusions about Confucius based on just a few words or some conclusions and slogans with strong political color in history. It is very unscientific for inheritance and development. The excellent cultural spirit of our ancestors is also extremely harmful. Historically, the culture created by Confucius was exploited by political rule and became the ideological banner and spiritual symbol of the feudal system. When people want to overthrow an old rule, they must overthrow its ideological banner and spiritual symbols. Therefore, when people attacked Confucius in the past, they only defeated Confucius on the political side, not Confucius as a whole.

However, casual people naturally understand that it is Confucius who was defeated as a whole. Here it is. Confucius was accidentally injured. Because there is a difference between theory and practice. Theory is "created" by others and used by politicians. Politicians also need to be flexible, adapt to local conditions, adapt to the times, and use it according to the situation. In today's terms, it means keeping pace with the times. Advance together. Confucius's theory has become a kind of national spiritual pillar. It is a political banner, a spiritual direction, a moral and personality force, which is the same reason why we raise the banner of Marxism-Leninism today. Here, there will be two situations, one is that the political ability is low and cannot effectively govern and manage a country; the other is that the political morality or political character is very poor (called "political civilization" in today's terms) ), political managers appropriate the money and materials of the masses, the people, society, and the country for themselves. Just like some corrupt elements in the Communist Party of China today, under the banner of Marxism, they "anti-corruption on stage and engage in corruption off stage." Please see, the occurrence of these two situations has nothing to do with Confucius. Not only is it irrelevant, but it also distorts Confucius' thoughts and personality. But once these two serious problems occur, people will rise up in revolution and overthrow the "dirty and noisy" politics. At this time, Confucius suffered. Wow, it has tarnished the holiness of the saint! It seems that the chief culprit is not Confucius, but the backward political system and vulgar or selfish politicians.

Mencius was regarded as the "lesser sage" by later generations. He inherited the cultural spirit of Confucius. From the book "Mencius", we can see that Mencius is not as broad as Confucius, and the areas of knowledge that Mencius covers are not as broad as Confucius. Mencius seems to have little attainments in history, art, education, etc. However, Mencius has his own advantages over Confucius.

First, Mencius’ political thought is more people-oriented than Confucius. Mencius stood from the standpoint of the working people and thought of the masses. Mencius's political management is based on the "people". He said: "The people are the most valuable, the community is the second most important, and the king is the least important." ("Mencius, Jin Xin Xia" page 640) He put forward the political behavior view of "enjoying the happiness of the people and worrying about the worries of the people"*. This embodies the scientific political thought that "the saint's heart is impermanent, and he takes the heart of the people as his heart." Mencius said to King Qi Xuan: "If the king regards his ministers as his hands and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his belly; if the king regards his ministers as dogs and horses, then his ministers will regard him as a countryman; if his ministers regard his ministers as earth and mustard, then his ministers will regard him as a bandit." . ("Mencius, Li Lou Xia" page 508) Although Confucius' political management thoughts are also "people-oriented", they are not as specific and distinct as Mencius. Can people today think that this kind of thought of Mencius at that time should be said to be the beginning of democratic political thought.

Second, Mencius had a strong fighting spirit. In the face of dark politics, Confucius took a concession approach. Mencius was exactly the opposite of Confucius. He encouraged the people to rise up and rebel against dark politics. Killing tyrants like King Li and King Zhou was not considered "regicide". Yes, what kind of "king" are these things: He willfully eats the blood and sweat of the people, and he has become a man-eating beast wearing the garb of a king. If the people don't beat him, he will eat the people. Mencius said: Killing the tyrant comforted the people, as if timely rain fell from the sky, and the people were very happy! ("Mencius and Mencius") It is said that some emperors in history were afraid of Mencius's words and ordered the editor to delete Mencius' militant words when publishing a new book "Mencius".

Third, Mencius’ fighting spirit comes from his great righteousness. Mencius was good at cultivating Haoran's righteousness. This is where Confucius fell short of Mencius. Mencius believed: "The husband's will is the handsomeness of Qi; Qi is the filling of the body." "It is Qi, which is extremely large and strong. If it is nourished directly and does no harm, it will be blocked between heaven and earth. It is Qi, and it matches righteousness and Tao." ("Mencius and Gongsun Chou", page 396) It means that inner ambition is the leader of loyalty; loyalty is the power that fills the whole body. This kind of Qi is the greatest and strongest. If you cultivate it with integrity, it will not be hindered and can fill the world. This kind of energy must be consistent with righteousness and Tao. If not, there will be a lack of power. Great power comes from the accumulation of justice, not from accidental acts of justice. It seems that the qi that Mencius cultivated was righteousness, the spirit of justice and strength that filled his chest. Confucius' "qi" was not as full as Mencius's, so Confucius did not have as strong a fighting spirit as Mencius. Mencius used this awe-inspiring righteousness to promote his political ideas and awaken the people to fight against evil rule. Mencius's awe-inspiring righteousness runs through all his actions and words. "Wealth cannot be lascivious, poverty cannot be moved, power cannot be subdued." ("Mencius and Mencius", p. 462) How powerful these words are! Later, some intellectuals wrote "Haoran Zhengqi" into a huge plaque and hung it in the hall to inspire and encourage themselves. There is no doubt that the spirit of Mencius has nourished and nurtured batches of elites of the Chinese nation.

Fourth, Mencius’ theory of human nature. "Xing" is a complex issue that involves both human temperament and human cultivation. Confucius basically did not mention it, but Mencius made a profound discussion. From the perspective of social practice behavior, a person's human nature is good, not evil, in his childhood or before he reaches the age of social practice. Later evil is due to the social environment, including social behavior education, social management status, etc. Mencius said: "The goodness of human nature is just like how water falls. There is no evil in people, and there is nothing in water that does not fall. Now, if water is struck and jumped, it can cross the ridge; if it is stirred and moved, it can be carried up the mountain. This is What is the nature of water? Its power is like this. People can do bad things, but their nature is also like this."

("Mencius and Gaozi", page 566) He believed that the kindness of human nature is like water flowing downward. There is no person who is not kind (nature), and there is no water that does not flow downward. But water is like this. If you slap it, it will splash high, higher than your head; if you use a bucket to draw it, it will flow backwards and even lead up to high mountains. Where is the nature of water in this? It is the situation that makes it this way. People can be incited to do bad things, and the same goes for changes in nature. Mencius' understanding is that human nature is not bad and is good. Later, he became bad in social behavior, which was forced and dictated by the environment. Therefore, human nature in social life "can be good or bad; therefore, if civility and martial arts flourish, the people will love kindness; if martial arts flourish, the people will love violence." ("Mencius, Gaozi 1", page 570) Mencius also delved deeply into the origin of human nature's goodness. It is believed that good nature comes from people's "heart of compassion, shame, respect, and right and wrong." ("Mencius, Gaozi 1"

In order to resist the invasion of evil in the social environment, Mencius put forward the theory of self-cultivation of "righteousness" and the "cultivation of awe-inspiring spirit" mentioned above. He advocated the combination of "benevolence" and "benevolence". Combining "righteousness" with "righteousness", use the power of righteousness to resist evil, and use awe-inspiring righteousness to build a steel wall to protect kindness. The combination of "benevolence" and "righteousness" and "generous spirit" are all issues that Confucius did not pay enough attention to.

Fifth, Mencius had a high level of eloquence. His language was full of vitality and vitality, and his arguments were very powerful, logical, interlocking, and impeccable. Aggressive. Take a look:

"The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the harmony. A city of three miles and a country of seven miles can't be defeated if you surround it. If you attack it, you will have the right time; However, the reason for not being victorious is because the weather is not as good as the right place. The city is not too high, the pond is not too deep, the army is not too strong, and the rice and grain are not too plentiful. : The people of the region do not rely on the boundaries of the territory, do not rely on the dangers of mountains and rivers (xī) to consolidate the country, and do not use the benefits of military revolution to control the world. If you get the way, you will get more help, but if you lose the way, you will have less help. The world obeys them. If the people of the world obey them, they will attack their relatives. Therefore, if a gentleman fails, he will win the battle." ("Mencius and Gongsun Chou", page 415) This is so rigorous! There are many other discussions like this. .

In addition, Mencius's debates are very literary and make good use of metaphors. They have the characteristics of prose, subtlety, thorough explanation, and profound insights. These characteristics can be found throughout "Mencius". It has a great influence on later generations.

Mencius has many differences from Confucius, which will be discussed in another place.

In short, although Mencius is not as broad as Confucius, he is not as profound as Confucius. Not only did he inherit Confucius's moral cultivation and personality theory centered on "benevolence" and his "people-friendly" national political management, but he was also more sophisticated than Confucius in both aspects. It can be said that Mencius's entire knowledge is concentrated on these two points. . Confucius began to dig two wells. Mencius thought that clear springs would flow from them, so he took Confucius's hoe and continued digging. People finally saw that the clear springs must flow out to cultivate character. Combining "goodness" with "justice and courage"; political management must start from the foundation of "people". Looking at the current cultural and spiritual state of the Chinese nation, praising Mencius's personality and political management is better than praising Confucius's personality and Political management is more meaningful. Whether it is China's past, present or future, it is very important to hold high the spiritual flag of "courage" on the basis of emphasizing "benevolence", because there is a heavy "yin" in Chinese traditional culture. ", "routine", "corruption". In China, no matter in the past, present or future, advocating "the people are the foundation of the country" and implementing democratic politics are more important than anything else. Only the science of political management can bring about the strength of the country. and the revitalization of the nation.

Notes:

1. Serve your father and your king - Confucius said: "Poetry can be used to promote, to observe, to group, and to complain. Serve your father, and serve you from afar." ("The Analects of Confucius, Yanghuo No. 17")

2. On the quality of literature - Confucius said: "If quality is better than literature, then you will be wild; if literature is better than quality, you will be history. If quality is better than quality, then you will be a gentleman." ("The Analects of Confucius, Yong Ye Sixth") It means that if simplicity exceeds literary talent, it is a bit rough; if literary talent exceeds simplicity, it is a bit vain. Only when the proportion of writing and quality is well-proportioned, can one be a gentleman.

3. Enjoy the happiness of the people and worry about the people - Mencius said: "If you enjoy the happiness of the people, the people will also enjoy their happiness; if you worry about the worries of the people, the people will also worry about their worries." ("Mencius and King Hui of Liang"

Original text

Confucius said: "If you are not angry, you will not blame, and if you are not angry, you will not be angry. If you take one corner and do not turn it back with three corners, it will not be repeated." "

Translation

Confucius said: "Don't enlighten him until he tries hard to understand it but can't; don't enlighten him until he understands it in his heart but can't express it perfectly. Inspire him. If he can't draw inferences from one example, don't give him examples again and again."

Confucius's famous sayings and explanations

Learn and learn from them

Confucius. Famous quote from "The Analects of Confucius·Xue Er": "Confucius said: 'Learn and practice it from time to time, isn't it also said to be (pleasant)?'" Wang Su's note: "Reciting and practicing it from time to time will not waste the work, so it is joyful." "Wang Shi" "Xue" and "Xi" have the same meaning, which seems to refer specifically to recitation. However, Confucius taught people to learn "six arts", including etiquette, music, archery, chastity, calligraphy, and mathematics, and "recitation" is only one end of it. "(See Liu Baonan's "The Analects of Justice"). Huang Kanshu "Shi Xi" said: "There are three periods of learning.

"One refers to the year, the second refers to the season, and the third refers to the morning and evening. The contemporary Jiang Boqian believed that "learning is to know the new, and learning is to review the past" ("Introduction to the Thirteen Classics").

Be sensitive to things and be cautious. Yu Yan

Confucius' famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius·Xueer": "Confucius said: 'A gentleman has nothing to eat and nothing to live in, and he is quick to do things and careful in his words. '" Also in "The Analects of Confucius: Li Ren": "A gentleman wants to be slow in words but quick in deeds." The meaning is the same. It means being diligent and quick in doing things, but cautious in speaking. Zhu Xi's note: "Those who are quick in doing things do not do what they want." Those who are cautious about what they say do not dare to use all their remaining resources. " ("Analects of Confucius") also explains: "Things are difficult to do, so you have to be quick; words are easy to say, so you have to be careful. " (Volume 22 of "Zhu Zi Yu Lei") In addition, in "Xunzi·Zidao", "Hanshi Waizhuan", "Shuoyuan·Miscellaneous Words" and other chapters, there are records of Confucius saying that Zilu "speaks carefully and does not make a fuss" .

Learning without thinking will lead to failure; thinking without learning will lead to peril

Confucius’ famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius: For Politics": "Confucius said: 'Learning without thinking will lead to peril." No matter, thinking without learning is dangerous. '" "甔" means confused. Zheng Xuan's note: "甔" means "甔甔" without any appearance. "甔" has two meanings: one is critical, and the doubts cannot be determined. The other is exhausted, and the spirit is exhausted and there is no gain. We should explain it from the past. This This sentence can be combined with the chapter "Reviewing the past to learn the new". The recent scholar Yang Shuda notes: "Those who review the past and fail to learn the new are learning without thinking; those who do not review the past but want to learn the new are thinking without learning." "("The Analects of Confucius") Confucius first advocated paying equal attention to learning and thinking, which had a profound influence on Confucian disciples. For example, Zixia talked about learning and thinking recently, and "The Doctrine of the Mean" talked about learning and thinking carefully, both of which believed that learning and thinking should not be neglected.

Confucius’ famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius: For Politics": "Confucius said: 'If a man does not have faith, he does not know what he can do.' ’” Zheng Xuan’s note: “Those who don’t know what is possible will not be able to say what is feasible.” Kong Anguo’s note: “If people don’t believe what they say, the rest will be useless.” Zhu Xi said: “If a person doesn’t have a true and sincere heart, then everything he says will be false. " (Volume 24 of "Zhu Zi Yu Lei") The contemporary Jiang Boqian distinguished between trust and its two meanings: "What you say must be true; what you say must be fulfilled. "("Yu Yi Guang Jie") Confucius and later Confucian scholars placed great emphasis on trust. "Be loyal in words and sincere in deeds" ("The Analects of Confucius·Wei Linggong") is the principle of life of Confucius.

Ne Yu Yan And quick in action

Confucius' famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius: Li Ren": "Confucius said: 'A gentleman wants to be slow in speech but quick in action.'" Bao Xian's note: "Slowness means slowness." Speech is delayed and deeds are delayed. "Zhu Xi cited Xie Liangzuo's note: "It is easy to speak, so you want to be slow; it is difficult to do it, so you want to be quick. "There are many synonymous sentences in "The Analects of Confucius": "If you say the rest carefully, you will have few regrets" ("Wei Zheng"), "The ancients could not say what they said, and they would not be able to express their shame" ("Li Ren"), " "A gentleman is ashamed of his words and outdoes his deeds" ("Xian Wen"), etc., which can all reflect Confucius's consistent thought of attaching importance to actions and being cautious about words. See "Be sensitive to things but cautious about words".

Virtue is not alone; There must be neighbors

Confucius' famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius: Li Ren": "Confucius said: 'Virtue is not isolated, there must be neighbors. ’”

Listen to his words and watch his actions

Confucius’ famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius Gongye Chang": "Zai Yu day and night. Confucius said: 'Rotten wood cannot be carved, nor can a wall of dung earth be made flat. Yu Yu and He punished him? ’ The Master said: ‘From the beginning, when I gave it to others, I listened to their words and believed in their deeds. ’” "Shuo Yuan Zun Xian" records that Confucius said: "The way to learn from others is to observe their words and then observe their actions... Therefore, first observe their words and then observe their actions." ""The Book of Rites of Great Dai·The Virtues of the Five Emperors": "The Master said: 'I want to win people by their words, and change them when they are evil. ’” This is the meaning of this chapter. Zhu Xi cited Hu’s note and said: Confucius said that one should listen to words and observe actions. “This is why he established a teaching to warn the disciples, so that they can be careful in speaking and quick in deeds. " ("Analects of Confucius")

Smart and eager to learn, not ashamed to ask questions

Confucius's famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius·Gongye Chang": "Zigong asked: 'What is the name of Confucius Wenzi? Zhiwen? ’ Confucius said: ‘A person who is quick, eager to learn, and not ashamed to ask questions is called literary. ’” Kong Wenzi, Doctor Wei. “Wen” is his posthumous title. Zhu Xi’s note: “Ordinary people are quick to learn but are slow to learn, and those in high positions are often ashamed to ask questions from their subordinates. Therefore, some posthumous titles are written with the words "Study diligently and love to ask questions", which is also difficult for people. "("The Analects of Confucius") also said: "The ancients' posthumous methods were very lenient", "Confucius is certainly not good, but this benefit is only due to the fact that he can learn quickly and ask questions, which is also a benefit." This shows that Confucius is "broad-minded and big-hearted" Degree, so the blame is also broad" (Volume 29 of "Zhu Zi Yu Lei").

Being gentle and gentle is a gentleman

Confucius' famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius·Yong Ye": "Zi He said: 'If quality is better than literature, then you will be wild; if literature is better than quality, you will be history; if literature is better than quality, then you will be a gentleman'. "According to the meaning of the word, wen, literary talent; quality, simplicity; politeness, mixed appearance. Zhu Xi's "Analects of Confucius" of the Southern Song Dynasty: "A scholar of eloquence should make up for his shortcomings and make up for his losses. As for becoming virtuous, it will happen unexpectedly." Qing Dynasty Liu Baonan's "Analects of Justice": "Etiquette has both quality and writing. The pledger is the foundation. Etiquette cannot be established without foundation, and it cannot be practiced without writing. If it can be established and practiced, this is what it means. "When Confucius said "wen", it refers to the external expression of conformity to propriety; "quality" refers to the inner benevolence. Only with the inner character of "benevolence" and at the same time able to express it in conformity with "propriety" can one become " "Gentleman". The relationship between literature and quality, that is, the relationship between propriety and benevolence. One reflects the ideal personality of the "gentleman" that Confucius strives to advocate; the other reflects his consistent thought of the golden mean: that is, he does not advocate partiality. It is better than writing, and it does not advocate partiality over quality; it should be impartial and impartial, and it is not easy to achieve the best. "Confucius said: 'The quality of Yu and Xia is the same as the writing of Yin and Zhou.

The writings of the Yu and Xia Dynasties are not as good as their quality; the quality of their writings is not as good as those of the Yin and Zhou dynasties; how can it be said that the writing quality is right? " ("Book of Rites·Biaoji")

If you are not in your position, you will not seek political power

Confucius' famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius·Taibo": "Confucius said: 'Not in the position' He is in charge of his position and does not seek his government'. ""Xian Wen" also has this saying. Its purpose is to "want everyone to concentrate on their duties" (Liu Baonan's "The Analects of Justice"). It is also the consistent attitude of Confucianism. Zengzi said: "A gentleman cannot think about his position." "("The Analects of Confucius·Xianwen") Later Mencius also said, "It is a sin to speak of a high position if you have a low position." "The Doctrine of the Mean" also says, "A gentleman acts in his position and does not want to be outside of it." "The inferior will not help the superior", which are similar to this article.

If a person has no long-term worries, he will have immediate worries

Confucius' famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius·Wei Linggong": "Confucius Said: If a person has no long-term worries, he must have immediate worries. "Analects of Confucius" Quotation: "The worry is not far away, and the worry is coming soon, so it is called near worry." "Xunzi·Dalue" says: "Think about things first and worry about worries first." Thinking about things in advance is called taking over, and taking over will make things happen. The first thing to worry about is called hesitation, and if you come to hesitation, misfortunes will not occur. Those who worry about things later are called trapped. If trapped, the disaster will be uncontrollable. "Confucianism values ????people's foresight and foresight.

Be generous to yourself, but blame others less.

Confucius' famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius·Wei Linggong": "Confucius said : If you are generous to yourself and blame others poorly, you will be far away from resentment. "This is to apply "benevolence" to others. Dong Zhongshu of the Western Han Dynasty expressed it: "Govern people with benevolence, govern me with righteousness, be kind to oneself, and belittle responsibilities to others. This is what we call it. "("Chun Qiu Fan Lu·The Law of Benevolence and Righteousness") "Lu Shi Chun Qiu·Ju Nan" also says: "Therefore, when a gentleman blames others, he uses benevolence, and when he blames himself, he uses righteousness. If you blame others with benevolence, it will be easy to do it; if you are easy to do it, you will win people; if you blame yourself with righteousness, it will be difficult to do wrong; if it is difficult to do wrong, you will behave in a disguised manner. "Zhu Xi noted: "If you rebuke yourself well, you will be able to cultivate yourself; if you rebuke others lightly, you will be easy to obey, so you will blame others for not being able to do so. " ("Analects of Confucius")

A gentleman seeks for himself, while a villain seeks for others

Confucius' famous saying. The four views in "The Analects" have the same purpose but minor differences in text. "Xue" "And" contains: "Confucius said: 'If you don't worry about others, you don't know it; if you worry about others, you don't know it. '" It means that you don't have to worry about others not knowing me. What you should worry about is that I don't know others. "Li Ren" writes: "Don't worry if you don't know what you know, you can know what you want to do. "The meaning of the previous sentence is the same, but the meaning of the next sentence is: I should worry about what I have for others to know." "Wei Ling Gong" also wrote: "A gentleman is sick and incompetent. If he is not sick, he will not know it." "Zhu Xi's note: Confucius "Gai has said this many times, and the meaning of Ding Ning can also be seen. "("Analects of Confucius") Wang Euzhi's note: "It can take away my name but not my ambition; it can trap me in circumstances but not trap me in a world where heaven and man have no shame, so there is no need to worry. " ("The Teachings of the Four Books")

Don't use words to lift people up, and don't use people to trash talk

Confucius's famous saying. The words come from "The Analects of Confucius·Wei Linggong": "Confucius said: No Use your words to lift people up, don’t use your words to waste your words. Bao Xian's note: "Those who speak do not have to be virtuous, so they cannot speak to others." Wang Su noted: "Good words cannot be discarded without virtue." "It means not to recommend someone because his words are pleasing to the ear, nor to despise someone because of his shortcomings. Confucius's steady and comprehensive skills of promoting people and listening to words are valued by later generations.

Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you

Confucius' famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius": "Zhong Gong asked about benevolence, Confucius said: When you go out, you are like seeing a distinguished guest, and you treat the people as if they are welcome. Great festival. Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you. No resentment in the country, no resentment at home. "This is what Confucius said about benevolence. "Wei Linggong": "Zigong asked: Is there anything you can say that can be implemented throughout your life? Confucius said: How can I forgive you? Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you. "This also means forgiveness. Confucius often uses "forgiveness" to explain "benevolence". Zhu Xi's "Collected Commentary": "Forgiveness means respecting oneself and others. This is what Zigong said: "I don't want others to do anything to me, and I also want nothing to be done to others." " ("Gongye Chang") Later Confucianism emphasized "Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you" in order to implement "benevolent government".

Small impatience will mess up big plans

Confucius Famous quote. The quote comes from "The Analects of Confucius: Wei Linggong": "Confucius said: Clever words mess up virtue, and small impatience messes up great plans. "Zhu Xi's "Analects of Confucius": "Small intolerance is like the benevolence of a woman and the courage of a man. ” He also said: “A woman’s benevolence cannot endure love; a man’s courage cannot endure anger, both of which can disrupt great plans.” "(Volume 45 of "Zhuzi Yulei") The contemporary Yang Shuda also divided into three meanings: "cannot bear anger"; "cannot bear to be kind, and cannot cut off kindness with justice"; "cannot bear to give up money by being stingy" ("The Analects of Confucius") .

People can spread the Tao, but it is not the Tao that spreads people.

Confucius’ famous saying comes from "The Analects of Confucius: Wei Linggong": "Confucius said: 'People can spread the Tao, but it is not the Tao that spreads people.' ’” It means that people can enlarge the Tao, but they cannot use the Tao to enlarge a great person. Wang Su noted: “Those with great talents have great Tao, and those with small talents have Tao with small ones, so they cannot promote others.” ” Zhu Xi’s note: “There is no way for people outside the way, and there is no one outside the way.” However, the human heart is aware, but the Tao body is inactive. Therefore, a person can magnify his Tao, but the Tao cannot magnify his person. "("Analects of Confucius") Dong Zhongshu also quoted this sentence in his countermeasures for heaven and man, saying that it is up to oneself to control chaos, waste, and prosperity. Today, Yang Bojun believes that it is inconsistent with willingness.