From: Zilu chapter of "The Analects of Confucius".

Original text:

Ding Gong asked: "How many words can make a country prosperous?" Confucius said to him: "How many words can't be used?"

People say: 'It is difficult to be a king, but it is not easy to be a minister. ’

If you know how difficult it is to be a king, wouldn’t you be able to prosper a country with just one word?

Said: "How many words can ruin a country?"

Confucius said to him: "You can't say just a few words."

People say: 'I am not happy to be a king, but do not disobey what you say. ’

If it’s good and you don’t violate it, isn’t it also good?

If you don’t do good deeds and don’t violate them, won’t you almost lose your country with just one word? ”

Vernacular:

Ding Gong of Lu asked: “One sentence can make a country prosperous. Is there such a thing?” "

Confucius replied: "It is impossible to say such a thing, but there is something close to it.

Some people say: 'It is difficult to be a king, but it is not easy to be a minister. ’ If you know how difficult it is to be a king, isn’t it similar to how a country can prosper with just one sentence? "

Lu Dinggong asked again: "One word can destroy a country. Is there such a thing? "

Confucius replied: "It is impossible to say such a thing, but there is something close to it.

Someone said: 'I am not happy about being a monarch. What I am happy about is that no one dares to disobey what I say. ’

If what you say is right and no one disobeys it, wouldn’t that be okay? If you say something wrong and no one disobeys it, isn't it as if just one word can destroy the country? "

Extended information

The influence of "The Analects" in later generations

Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty "deposed hundreds of schools of thought and only respected Confucianism", the "Analects of Confucius" has been respected as " "The five classics govern the body, the six arts govern the throat", which is the first-hand material for studying Confucius and Confucianism, especially the original Confucianism.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi compiled "The Great Learning", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius" ” was combined into the “Four Books”, which increased its status in the Confucian classics.

During the Yanyou period of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination began to use the “Four Books” to select scholars.

After that. Until the Westernization Movement was implemented in the late Qing Dynasty and the imperial examination was abolished, the Analects of Confucius had always been the golden rule followed by scholars.

The Analects of Confucius entered the list of classics in the Tang Dynasty.

< p> "In the Tang Dynasty, there were "Zhou Rites", "Rituals" and "Book of Rites" for rituals, and in the Spring and Autumn Period there were "Zuo Zhuan", "Gongyang" and "Gu Liang", plus "The Analects", "Erya" and "The Classic of Filial Piety" , this is the Thirteen Classics. ”

Zhao Pu, a politician in the Northern Song Dynasty, once said that “half of the Analects governs the world”.

This reflects from one aspect the role and role this book played in ancient Chinese society. The influence is huge.

Moral Thought

Confucius constructed a complete ideological system of "morality": advocating the virtues and virtues of "benevolence and propriety" at the individual level.

The moral and moral ideological system is based on the theory of human nature and goodness ("one yin and one yang are called Tao, followed by goodness, and completed by nature"), and based on the theory of establishing human poles ("the way of three poles"). The purpose is to connect the way of humanity with the way of heaven and earth, and the moderation of humanity will turn into a complete ideological system of methodology in due course.

Confucius’ theory of benevolence embodies the spirit of humanity, and Confucius’ theory of etiquette embodies the spirit of humanity. It embodies the spirit of etiquette, that is, order and system in the modern sense.

Humanism is an eternal theme of mankind. It is applicable to any society, any era, and any government, and order and system are applicable. Society is the basic requirement for establishing a human civilized society.

Confucius’s spirit of humanism and order is the essence of ancient Chinese social and political thought.

The highest ideal of Confucius in his later years. It is called "Great Harmony". In the world of Great Harmony, people in the world not only regard their own family members as relatives, and not only love their own parents and children, but also respect and love each other and love all people in the world.

So that the old will have their end, the strong will be useful, the children will receive warmth and care, the lonely and disabled will have someone to rely on, the men will have their own affairs, and the women will have a satisfactory destination.

There are no frauds, no thieves in the world, no items are picked up on the road, no doors are closed at night, everyone is trustworthy and cultivates harmony, selects the worthy and promotes the capable, the great road is followed, and the world is fair.

Baidu Encyclopedia - The Analects of Confucius

Baidu Encyclopedia - Confucius