"Tan, An also. Swing refers to the name of Guangyuan. An upright man is open and poised while a petty man is anxious and worried. has been a well-known epigram since ancient times, written as a banner and hung in the room to inspire people.
In particular, the gentleman here naturally refers to a person with high moral character, but the villain here is not the villain we often say in modern times. This villain, as opposed to a gentleman, actually refers to an ordinary person with less noble moral cultivation. The original intention of Confucius' words should be consistent with the meanings of "gentleman" and "villain" in the pre-Qin period. At that time, a gentleman refers to people in the ruling class such as monarchs and nobles; The villain refers to the people at the bottom. A gentleman is a person who "governs people" and has the responsibility to govern the world, which determines that a gentleman should have a big picture and be frank and open; The villain is a person who "governs people". Apart from thinking about daily necessities, he is of course indifferent to major events and ambitious.
why is a gentleman magnanimous? Because a gentleman is selfless, selfless and loving. With this realm, there will be no obstacles in my heart, and benevolence and righteousness will prevail in the world, so my heart will not be troubled by some selfish things.
a petty man is anxious and worried., this is because I am the center, my own interests are the leading factor, and my own safety is the focus. There is a lot of right and wrong in the heart, and there is no peace in nature. And the desire expands endlessly.
This is what Confucius is telling people, how to improve their quality of life? This lies not only in external things, but also in the heart. There is a good saying: if you don't mind your own business, it is a good time for life.