This sentence should be explained like this, "alas! If I hear in the morning that any country is practicing the benevolent policy I advocate, I will die in the evening, and I will be happy. I have no regrets! " Tao here refers to benevolent governance, smell refers to smell, smell refers to the implementation of benevolent governance, and morning and evening refers to short interval to express the urgency of mood. This sentence is actually a feeling given by Confucius to students, a little lost, but more of it is full confidence in his theory and the spirit of hard work.
Why do you see it?
Excuse me, what kind of "Tao" is worth being happy when he hears that it has been implemented, even when he dies? Of course, it is the Tao that he has been pursuing all his life, which is more important than his life.
Confucius' ideal society is Duke Zhou. That society practices benevolent policies and educates the world with morality. There is no power violence, no fraud, and there is a difference between a monarch and a minister. Husband and wife are different, old and young are orderly. All social behaviors are bound by standardized "rites", which is a world of great harmony and a well-off society. He took "self-denial and courtesy" as his responsibility, and it was this kind of "ideal country" and "benevolent government" that he pursued all his life.
Confucius was valued by the king of Lu when he was young. This way of governing the country has achieved certain results and strengthened his confidence. When he was a county magistrate in Zhongdu, he realized "great governance" through this way of governance, "not taking the road at night and not closing the door", which further demonstrated that his political views were feasible.
But at that time, vassal States and other countries fought fiercely for survival, annexation and anti-annexation, and it was inevitable to get quick success and instant benefit. This method of governing the country by virtue is too slow to take effect, so his theory is ignored, and Confucius himself knows it. But he never gave up, but pursued with hope. The reason why he worked tirelessly, drifted from place to place and traveled around the world was to find a country where his political ideas could be implemented. He once confidently declared to some monarchs, "As long as you use my method, within three years, you will be strong and realize the great cause of reunification, just like Zhou's ancestor, the father of ancient Qi Huangong, with dozens of people, you can unify the world."