As one learns

1. "How pleasant it is to repeat constantly what we are learning!
"How happy we are when some friend returns from a long trip!
"To remain unconcerned though others do not know of us-that is to be Great Man!"

2. Yu Jo has said, "The filial and fraternal who are fond of offending their superior, are indeed few.  Those who bring confusion to our midst always begin by being fond of offending their superiors.  "Great Man applies himself to the fundamentals, for once the fundamentals are there System comes into being.  It is filial duty and fraternal duty that are fundamental to Manhood-at-its-best."

3. "Clever talk and a domineering manner have little to do with being man-at-his-best."

4. Tseng Ts'an once said, "Daily I examine my self on three points: Have I failed to be loyal in my work for others?  Have I been false with my friends?  Have I failed to pass on that which I was taught?"

5.  "If you would bring a medium-sized state into System be sincere as you respectfully attend to your duties; while being frugal, love your fellow-men; work the people only at the proper seasons."

6. "Let youth practice filial duty; let it practice fraternal duty; let it earnestly give itself to being reliable.  As it feels an affection for all let it be particularly fond of Manhood-at-its-best.  Any surplus energy may be used for book learning."

7. Pu Shang once said, "If a man adopts the proper manner in dealing with those of the highest caliber, if he can use up every ounce of energy in serving his parents, if he can go so far as to sacrifice himself in the service of his prince, if he is reliable in his relations with friends, although he is said to be uneducated, I would certainly claim that he is."

8. "If the prince is not grave, he will not inspire awe; he will not abide by his studies.  Let him put loyalty and reliability first, having no friend who is not like himself.  If he has faults, let him not object to changing."

9. 'Tseng Ts'an once said, "if there is careful attention to burial rites, if the offerings are made to the dead, the people, I promise you, will turn fully to Excellence."

10. Ch'en K'ang once asked Tuan-mu Tz'u, "When our Master arrives in a place he always learns about its administration.  Does he demand this information or is it given to him?"
"Our Master gets it through his gentleness, his superiority, his humility, his restraint, his complaisance.  How differently from others does our Master seek his information!"

11. "While his father lives, observe a man's purposes; when the father dies, observe his actions.  If for the three years of mourning a man does not change from the ways of his father, he may be called filial."

12. Yu Jo once said, "In carrying out the rites it is fitting-,ness that is prized.  This is what is so fine in the ways of our early kings; in all affairs, whether great or small, they followed this principle.  But there is one thing which may not be allowed.  To practice the principle of fittingness without subjecting it to the restraints of the rites is not allowed."

13. Yu Jo has also said, "If the maintenance of reliability does not violate justice, any promise made may be kept.  If the humility that is shown does not violate the rites, there will be no shame or dishonor involved.  If the reliance that is placed does not violate the interest of the family, it may be honored."

14. "If the prince does not seek satiety at table or ease at home; if, intent upon his affairs and careful of his words, he turns to those who know System and rectifies himself in accordance with it, of him I will indeed say that he is fond of learning."

15. Tuan-mu Tz'u once inquired, "What would vote say of the man who, though poor, does not flatter; of the man who, though rich, is not proud?"
"They are right enough, but they are not to he compared with the one who, though poor, is happy, and the one who, though rich, is fond of the rites."
"Is this what is meant when it says in The Poems, 'He looks like something cut out, then filed; like something carved, then polished'?"
"With you I can at last discuss The Poems.  When I have told you what precedes, you know what follows."

16. "I am not concerned that a man does not know of me; I am concerned that I do not know of him."

To Govern

1. "To be Excellent when engaged in administration is to be like the North Star.  As it remains in its one position, all the other stars surround it,"

2. "The Poems, all three hundred of them, may be summed up in one of their phrases: 'Let our thoughts be correct.'"

3. "If the people are kept in System by administration and are all treated as equals in the matter of punishment, then may succeed in doing no wrong. But they will also feel no sense of shame.  On the other hand, if they are kept in System by Excellence and are treated as equal before the rites, they will reform themselves through a sense of shame."

4. "At fifteen I thought only of study.  At thirty I began playing my role.  At forty I was sure of myself, at fifty I was conscious of my position in the universe.  At sixty I was no longer argumentative; and now it seventy I can follow my heart's desire without violating custom."

5. Chung-sun Ho-chi asked about filial duty.  "It consists in contravening, none of the precepts."  Later, the Master said to Fan Hsu, "When asked about filial duty, I replied that it consisted in contravening none of the, precepts."
"What did you mean by that?"
"While the parents live, serve them according to the rites, When they die, bury them according to the rites and make the offerings to them according to the rites."

6. When Chung-sun Chili asked about filial duty, the reply came, "Let the sole worry of your parents be that you might become ill."

7. Yen Yen asked about filial duty.
"Today when people call a man filial they mean that be is supporting his parents.  But he does as much for his dogs and horses!  If he does not show respect for his parents, how is he differentiating between them and the animals?"

8.To Pu Shang's question on filial duty the reply was given, "Manner presents the difficulty.  The mere assumption of burdens and the mere allowing of elders to be the first to eat or drink do not constitute filial duty."

9. "I can talk with Yen Hui all day, and in offering me no objections he looks like a dunce.  But we find upon examination that his private life exemplifies System.  Yen Hui is no dunce."

10.  "Look at the means which a man employs; consider his, motives; observe his pleasures.  A man simply cannot conceal himself!"

11. "If, while being a student of the past, a man also understands the new things which surround us, he may be used as a teacher."

12. "Great Man is no robot."

13. Tuan-mu Tz'u asked about Great Man.
First he sets the good example, then he invites others to follow it."

14. "Great Man, being in his outlook, is impartial; Petty Man, being partial, is not universal in outlook."

15. "Learning without thought brings ensnarement.  Thought without learning totters."

16. "It is indeed harmful to come under the sway of utterly new and strange doctrines."

17. "Shall I tell you what knowledge is?  It is to know both what one knows and what one does not know."

18. Chuan-sun Shih studied with a view to good pay.
"After learning as much as possible and setting aside all that is doubtful, speak circumspectly about the rest; then you will be free from error.  After seeing as much as possible and setting aside all that is not sound, carefully put the rest into operation; then you will be free from regrets.  Let your language be free from error and your actions free from regrets: therein lies good pay."

19. Duke Ai inquired, "What shall I do that the people may be submissive?"
"If you employ upright officials in place of the crooked ones, the people will become submissive.  If you employ crooked officials in place of the upright, your people will not be submissive."

20.  Chun-sun Fei inquired how to get the people to work hard and at the same time remain respectful and loyal.
"If one is sedate in their presence, they will be respectful.  If one is filial and kind, they will be loyal.  If one employs the competent as officials and instructs the less able, the people will work hard."

21. Somebody once remarked to Confucius, "Why aren't you working in the government?"
"It is said in The Writings of Old, 'Filial duty!  Just let there be filial duty!  Then there will be kindliness toward brothers, and this in turn will spread to the administration.' This too is to be working in the government.  Why must one actually hold office in order to work in the government?"

22. "A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless.  How can we move a large vehicle which lacks its crossbar, or even a small vehicle without its crossbar?"

23. Chuan-sun Shih inquired whether it was possible to know about things ten generations from now.
"Yin succeeded to the Hsia rites, and it can be known what changes were made.  Chou succeeded to the Yin, and it can be known what changes were made.  If there are any successors to the Chou, even one hundred generations hence, it is possible by analogy to know their characteristics."

24. "It is flattery to make offerings to the dead who do not belong to your own family.  It is cowardice to fail to do what is right.

General Topics

1. How pleasant it is to repeat constantly what we are learning!
How happy we are when some friend returns from a long trip!
To remain unconcerned though others do not know of us -- that is to be Great Man

2. Clever talk and a domineering manner have little to do with being man-at-his-best.

3. If you would bring a medium-sized state into System, be sincere as you respectfully attend to your duties; while being frugal, love your fellow-men, work the people only at the proper season.

4. Tseng Ts'an once said, "If there is careful attention to burial rites, if the offerings are made to the dead, the people, I promise you, will turn fully to Excellence."

 5. If you employ upright officials in place of the crooked ones, the people will become submissive.  If you employ crooked officials in place of the upright, your people will not be submissive.

6. If one is not Man-a-his best, what is the use of knowing the rites?  What is the use of knowing about music?

7. In the archery contest no special emphasis is laid upon piercing the target, for the strength of the  contestants varies. It is style that is important; such was the way of the ancients.

8. I cannot discuss things with a gentleman who, while devoted to System, is at the same time ashamed of poor clothes or bad food.

9. He who engages solely in self-interested actions will make himself many enemies.

10. Great Man is conscious only of justice; Petty Man, only of self-interest.

11. As you serve your parents you should remonstrate with them only slightly.  If on doing so you find that they ar e set in having their own way, be even more respectful and do not thwart them.  Even though this overwhelm you with toil, do not become angry with them.

12. While your parents live, do not wander far.  Let your sojourning be only in specified places.

13. If for the three years of mourning one does not change from the ways of the father, one may be called filial.

14. When strict with oneself, one rarely fails.

15. Great Man seeks to be slow of speech but quick of action.

16. Excellence does not remain alone; it is sure to attract neighbor.

17. Tuan-mu Tz'u said, "What I do not wish others to do unto me, I also wish not to do unto others.

18. Kungpsun Ch'iao possessed four virtues characteristic of Great Man; humility, respect for superiors, graciousness towards dependents, and a sense of justice toward subordinates.

19. Chi-sun Hsing-fa acted only after thinking thrice.  Twice is quite enough.

20. What do I desire most?  I should like to bring security to the aged, to be loyal to my friends, to be affectionate with the young.

21. A hamlet of ten homes will surely contain someone as loyal and reliable as I, but no one to equal my love of learning.

22. When substance overbalances refinement, crudeness results.  When refinement overbalances substance, there is superficiality.  When refinement and substance are balanced, one has Great Man.

23. I do not instruct the uninterested; I do not help those who fail to try.  If I mention one corner of a subject and the pupil does not deduce therefrom the other three, I drop him.

24. When eating beside a man in mourning the master never ate his fill.

25. When three of us are walking together, I am sure to have a teacher.  Having noted his competencies, I imitate them; his incompetencies I avoid.

26. The Master fished with a hook but not with a net.  He did not shoot his arrow at a sitting bird.

27. Great Man is completely at ease; Petty Man is always on edge.

28. When a friend died homeless, Confucius would say, "Entrust the funeral to me."

29. When his stable was burned, the Master returned home from the palace and inquired, "Was anyone injured?"  He did not ask about the horses.

30. Tuan-mu Tz'u inquired about the essentials of good government.
"They are thee: sufficient food, sufficient armament, and the confidence of the people."
"Suppose a necessity arose and, despite oneself, it was impossible to have al three.  Which should be dispenses with first?"
"Armament."
"And if one of the remaining two had to be dispensed with?"
"Food. Everyone has always been subject to death, but one without the confidence of the people there would be no government.

31. If those at the top are fond of rites, the people are easy to direct.

32. Chung Yu asked how to become Great Man.
"Stay respectful as you work at self-improvement."
"Is that all?"
"As you work at sell-improvement let others feel secure."
"Is that all?"
"As you work at self-improvement bring security to all  the people  But even Yao and Shun found this difficult!"