If you don’t know words, you can’t know people

The last sentence of the last chapter of "The Analects": If you don’t know words, you can’t know people. In other words, if you cannot distinguish people's words, you cannot understand people. On the other hand, by understanding words, we can understand people. Let’s take the comments in The Analects as an example to look at the character of Confucian disciples, and talk about how to understand people by knowing their words.

1. Yan Hui? Spiritual Talent

1. Rigidity. Chapter 11 of Chapter 6 of Yong Ye in "The Analects of Confucius", Confucius said: "It is a wise man to return home, with a basket of food and a ladle of drink. In the back alleys, people cannot bear their worries, and their happiness will not change when they return. It is a wise man to return home." ?Confucius praised and said: "Yan Hui is really rare! He eats out of a bamboo tube, drinks out of a melon gourd, and lives in a shabby alley. An ordinary person would have been worried and uncomfortable, but Yan Hui dealt with it calmly and did not change his love of learning from the Tao." Fun!" It can be seen that Yan Hui was able to abide by Confucius' teaching of "being poor but enjoying the Tao" and had strong perseverance despite the hardships. In Chapter 7 of Chapter 6 of Yong Ye in "The Analects of Confucius", Confucius said: "Hui Ye's mind does not violate benevolence for three months, and the rest is just the sun and the moon." Yan Hui's emphasis on the cultivation of benevolence was deeply appreciated and loved by Confucius. Confucius rarely praises people with "benevolence", including himself, but he said: "Hui Ye, his heart does not violate benevolence for three months." Compared with other people, "The rest is just the sun and the moon." When Shaozhengmao and Confucius competed for disciples, "the gate of Confucius was full of three and empty of three", but Yan Hui was the only one who did not leave the gate of Confucius. Therefore, later generations commented: "Yan Yuan alone knows the sage Confucius" ("Lunheng·· "Talk about Rui"). Therefore, Confucius introduced Yan Hui as a fellow Taoist. He said to Yan Hui: "Use it and practice it, abandon it and hide it. Only you and I have it!" It can be seen that Yan Hui is committed to the Confucius Way that he identifies with. Unswerving, with very firm belief and strong perseverance to execute, which shows its rigidity.

2. Introversion. Yan Hui has extraordinary talent, but he is not good at expression and lacks words, which gives people the impression of being a bit dull. In the ninth chapter of the second chapter of "The Analects of Confucius" on politics, Confucius said: "I will talk to Yan Hui all day long, without violating it, just like a fool. If you retreat to save your own selfishness, it will be enough for you to develop, and you will not be stupid when you return." Confucius said that he spoke to Yan Hui all day long. My initial impression was that I had been talking all day, and Yan Hui never raised any questions or objections, as if he was stupid. But privately I found that Yan could understand and use his words after returning home, but he just didn't like to show his cleverness. This shows that Yan Hui is very introverted, diligent in thinking, introverted, and usually taciturn.

3. Sensibility. When Yan Hui was thirteen years old, he entered the school of Confucius and achieved success six years later. Not only was he extremely talented and intelligent, he was also open-minded and eager to learn. He understood and realized the profoundness of Confucius's teachings early on, and his respect for Confucius exceeded that of ordinary disciples. He respected Confucius with respect to the eternal sages, and he was as close as father and son. In Chapter 11 of Chapter 9 of Zihan in "The Analects of Confucius", Yan Yuan sighed and said: "Looking up will make you higher, drilling will make you stronger. Look in front of you, but suddenly you will be behind. Master is always good at seducing people, and he teaches me with his writing. He asked me to be polite, but he couldn't stop. Even if he tried to achieve excellence, he had no choice but to follow it. The more profound it becomes, the more it seems to be in the front, and when we look forward, it suddenly appears in the back. Although the teacher's Tao is so profound and elusive, the teacher is good at guiding us step by step and enriching it with various literature knowledge. We, improve us, and restrain us with certain etiquette, making it impossible for us to stop learning." Yan Hui was highly praised by Confucius for his moral conduct, and was listed as the first in the moral discipline of Confucius' "Four Subjects and Ten Philosophies". Virtue is mainly reflected in the civility, courtesy and moral cultivation shown when getting along with others. It can be seen from this that Yan Hui is a very emotional and benevolent person.

4. Abstraction. Yan Hui is smart and intelligent, and he studies hard and diligently. Confucius thought that he was the most eager to learn among his students. Yan Hui's academic progress was rapid. As Confucius lamented, I saw him keep improving and never stopped. In Chapter 9 of Chapter 5 of Gongye Chang in "The Analects of Confucius", the Master said to Zigong: "Which one is healed, daughter or Hui?" He said to him: "How dare you look back at Hui when you are given? If you hear one in Hui, you will know the ten, and if you hear one in Give, you will know the ten." "Zhi 2." Confucius said, "Furuye." Confucius talked with Zigong and asked him how he compared with Yan Hui. Zigong was famous for his eloquence and quick thinking. He was a talented person in Confucius who was outstanding in both learning and political affairs. However, he frankly admitted that he was not as good as Yan Hui and highly praised Yan Hui for being able to hear one thing and know ten things. It's just a matter of hearing and knowing, and the gap is huge. Yan Hui understood almost nothing Confucius said. It can be seen that his understanding and comprehension are very penetrating, and he did not have so many questions to ask the teacher.

This shows that Yan Hui's abstract thinking ability is very strong in seeing the essence through phenomena.

It can be seen from the above that Yan Hui is a rigid, introverted, emotional and abstract person. According to the nature type classification of the personality compass, Yan Hui is an executive talent, that is, a spiritual talent.

2. Duanmuci, the courageous conductor

1. Abstraction. Duanmu Ci, named Zigong, was thirty-one years younger than Confucius and a native of Wei. Among the questions and answers between Confucius's disciples and Confucius that appear in the Analects of Confucius, he has the most, and Confucius valued him second only to Yan Hui. Zigong was very eloquent and was good at eloquence. He once flexibly used the verses in "The Book of Songs, Wei Feng, Qi'ao" to answer the teacher's questions. Confucius thought that Zigong's answer was very appropriate. , so he praised Zigong for saying that "it is already possible to talk about "Poetry"." Moreover, it is said that Zigong "tells those who have gone before and knows what is coming", which means that his understanding of the poem has reached a level of understanding. Zigong was good at using the language of the Book of Songs and could apply it flexibly in connection with reality. He was classified as an outstanding person in the language subject. It can be seen that Zigong has a strong abstract thinking from here to there.

2. Rationality. Zigong had the talent to help the world and was proficient in handling affairs. Confucius once called him "the weapon of Hulian". One year, Qi wanted to attack Lu, and Lu was in danger of overthrowing. Confucius sent him as an envoy to lobby among Qi, Wu, Yue, and Jin. Through a series of diplomatic activities that lasted for more than ten years, he achieved the goal of preserving Lu and ending chaos. The situation of Qi, defeating Wu, strengthening Jin and dominating Yue fully demonstrated his extraordinary intelligence. It can be said that without him, the history of the Spring and Autumn Period would have been rewritten. He was also good at doing business. He once traded goods between Cao and Lu, and became rich. He was the richest among the disciples of Confucius. Confucius said: "Gifts are given without orders, goods are multiplied, and billions are won repeatedly." Zigong is revered as the originator of Confucian businessmen and the God of Wealth among Confucian businessmen. It can be seen that Zigong is resourceful and rational.

3. Outgoing. Zigong once served as the prime minister of Lu and Wei. He was a famous diplomat in the late Spring and Autumn Period. He was good at rhetoric, active in thinking, and good at interacting with people. It shows that Zigong’s character is extroverted.

4. Rigidity. Sima Qian's "Historical Records: Biographies of Zhongni's Disciples" devoted the most ink to the character Zigong, and his biography was also the longest among the disciples of Confucius in terms of length. It can be seen that Zigong is indeed extraordinary. He has excellent academic performance, rich cultural accomplishment, outstanding political and diplomatic talents, and superb financial and business management skills. His influence and role are so great that no one among the disciples of Confucius can match them. Among the disciples of Confucius, Zigong was the one who best combined learning and practice. His reputation and status even surpassed that of his teacher Confucius. At that time, Uncle Sun Wu, a senior official in the state of Lu, publicly stated in the court that "Zigong is more worthy than Zhongni." After hearing this, he resolutely defended it and faithfully maintained Confucius' reputation and status. Sima Qian believed that the reason why Confucius' reputation spread all over the world and the reason why Confucianism became a prominent school at that time was largely due to Zigong's unswerving and vigorous promotion. After Confucius died, he and his classmates mourned Confucius for three years, and he guarded Confucius' tomb alone for three years. The relationship between teacher and student was better than that between father and son. It can also be seen that Zigong's character is upright and firm.

It can be seen from the above that Zigong’s character is rigid, extroverted, rational, and abstract. According to his personality type, Zigong is a leadership strategist, that is, a courageous conductor.

3. Zhong You, a social activist

1. Sensibility. Zhong You, whose courtesy name was Zi Lu, was also called Ji Lu because he had been a retainer of the Ji family. He was nine years younger than Confucius and was from the state of Lu. It is mentioned forty-one times in The Analects of Confucius. Zhong You was born in a humble family and was extremely filial to his relatives. He drinks water and eats wild vegetables by himself, and carries rice hundreds of miles away for his parents to make ends meet. When he grew up and became rich, his parents had passed away. He once said sadly: "Sad! Poverty, parents can't support them when they are alive, and they can't be polite when they die." He was bold and rough by nature, upright, trustworthy, and thoughtful. Bravery and talent. He likes to hear about his own faults, is happy when he hears them, and can accept them with an open mind. It shows that he is sensitive to people, honest and an emotional person.

2. Concrete. Chapter 24 of Chapter 1 of "The Analects of Confucius", Ji Ziran asked: "Can Zhong Yu and Ran Qiu be called ministers?" Confucius said: "I think of Zi as a different question, Zeng Yu and Ran Qiu. The so-called ministers "If you don't serve the king with the Tao, then you can't do it. You can be said to be a minister." Said: "Who will obey you?" Confucius said: "Killing your father and obeying the king is not possible." Confucius commented. He is a minister who can do specific things. Confucius spoke highly of Zilu's political achievements, saying that he was talented and that a vassal state with thousands of chariots could put him in charge of specific military and political affairs.

Zhong Yu served as the Prime Minister of the Ji family in the Lu State and was deeply trusted by the Ji family. He followed Confucius to travel to the Wei State, and served as the governor of the city under Kong Kui, the official of the Wei State, and worked with the people to build water conservancy. Three years later, Confucius passed away. Within the territory, there was endless praise for his governance. He was listed as one of the "Four Subjects and Ten Philosophers" of Confucius, and was a top student in the Political Science Department. Zi Lu is not as abstract as Yan Hui and Zigong, but he does a good job in concrete matters.

3. Outgoing. Zhong You often spoke outright and would not hide his happiness or displeasure. He often criticized Confucius outspokenly, and Confucius often criticized him. The Analects of Confucius, Yong Ye Chapter 28, Chapter 6: When Zi saw Nan Zi, Zi Lu did not say anything. The Master said: "Anyone who refuses will be displeased! Heaven will be displeased with him!" It is said that one day Confucius went to see Nanzi, the wife of Wei Linggong, who had a bad conduct. Zilu was very unhappy, and Confucius had to turn to Heaven. Swear that you did nothing wrong.

4. Rigidity. Zhong You was loyal to Confucius throughout his life and was one of Confucius's closest and most famous disciples. In Chapter 7 of Chapter 5 of Gongye Chang in The Analects of Confucius, Confucius said: "If the Tao fails, it floats on the sea on a raft. Those who follow me will do it!" Zi Lu was delighted when he heard this. Confucius said: "You are braver than me, and you have nothing to draw from." Confucius said: "If my way doesn't work, just ride on a small raft and go overseas. I'm afraid the only one who will follow me is Zhong You!" He added , Zhong You is just brave enough to outdo him, lacking strategy and rationality. Zhong You was afraid of being careless in protecting Confucius and did not want Confucius to be criticized. Confucius said: "Since I got Zhongyu, I have never heard a bad word." Zilu was Confucius's loyal and strong defender. During his time in Shilu, he was the main collaborator and one of the most capable assistants in Confucius' move to "fall the three capitals". When Confucius returned to Lu from Wei in his later years, Zilu was left as the governor of the city by Kong Wenzi, a doctor of Wei. After Kong Wenzi's death, he continued to assist Kong Wenzi's son Kong Kui and was famous for his political affairs. When he was sixty-three years old, a palace coup occurred in Wei State. Kong Wenzi's wife Kong Ji was the sister of the former crown prince Kuai Chi. The then monarch of Wei State, Wei Chugong, was Kuai Chi's son, and Kuai Chi wanted to fight for the throne. Kong Ji assisted Kuai Kuai in kidnapping Kong Kui, forcing him to make a blood alliance and assist Kuai Kuai in seizing the throne. The entire Weiguo political situation was in chaos. After Zilu heard about it, he did not avoid it, thinking that "eating the emperor's salary is the only thing that is loyal to the emperor." He bravely went to rescue Kong Tui regardless of his own life and death. While fighting with the enemy, his crown tassel was broken. He remembered Confucius's etiquette teachings about "a gentleman is bound to be crowned even after death". He did not forget the specific details in the danger. When he re-tied the tassel, he was tragically chopped off by the enemy. Into meat sauce. It can also be seen here that Zilu's character is rigid.

It can be seen from the above that Zhong You’s character is extroverted, emotional, concrete, and rigid. According to the personality type classification, Zhong You is a leading communicator and a social activist.

To sum up, by understanding the speech, what you say or what others say, and distinguishing the true and reliable parts of it, you can better understand a person.