Confucius said: "Isn't it right to learn and practice it over time? Isn't it a joy to have friends from afar? Isn't it a gentleman if a person does not know but is not stunned?"

Notes (1) Zi: The honorific title given to men by the ancients. "Zi" in "Zi Yue" in "The Analects of Confucius" are all names for Confucius, which have the same meaning as "Sir". (2) Regular practice: review on time. (3) Say (yue): Same as "yue". (4) Friends: In ancient times, people from the same school were friends, and comrades were friends. The same sect means the same division, which means classmates. (5)愠(yun): Angry.

Translation Confucius said: "Isn't it also very happy to learn knowledge and review it at a certain time? Isn't it also very happy to have classmates coming from afar? Don't complain if you are not understood by others. , isn’t he also very gentlemanly? ”

Interpretation: He enjoys himself in seeking knowledge, he is sincerely happy to make friends, and he does not blame others for not recognizing his talents. What a leisurely and elegant gentleman! Modern people are in a hurry and exhausted. There is an explosion of knowledge, and it is hard to read without knowing it. People are indifferent, and making friends is based on calculations. Chasing fame and fortune, you will not blame others for your talent. The classical style is gone, and modern anxiety arises. You and I ask ourselves: Is there still a refined gentlemanly demeanor? How much heartfelt joy and how much unsuspecting joy is there?

02 Interpretation of the translation of the annotation

Youzi said: "It is rare for a person to be filial to his younger brother but like to offend his superiors; it is rare for him to be a person who is not fond of offending his superiors but likes to cause trouble." A gentleman is committed to his roots, and the Tao is born from his roots. Being filial to his younger brother is the foundation of benevolence. ”

Notes (1) Youzi: A student of Confucius whose surname is You and whose name is Ruo. (2) Fresh (xian): less. (3) Same as: "Qin", a modal particle.

Translation Youzi said: "There are very few people who are filial to their parents and respect their brothers but like to offend their superiors; there have never been people who do not like to offend their superiors but like to rebel. A gentleman is committed to his fundamentals. , once the foundation is established, moral principles will be formed. Being filial to parents and respecting elders is the foundation of benevolence. 1

Interpretation: Being filial to parents and respecting elders is the foundation of benevolence. 》The principle of "a harmonious family governs the country and brings peace to the world" is what Mencius said when he went to see King Hui of Liang: "Respect one's own elders, and this will extend to respecting the elders of others; cherish one's own children, and this will extend to Love and care for other people’s children. Once you achieve this, the whole world will seem to be running in the palm of your hand. "("Mencius, King Hui of Liang, Part 1").

In short, you can only love others if you love your own relatives. On the contrary, a person who cannot even respect and love his own relatives cannot respect and love him. Others. Therefore, in Confucianism, whether a person is filial to his parents and respectful to his brothers is not a personal issue, nor is it just a family issue, but a major issue related to the stability of society and the peace of the world. .

Of course, with the disintegration of the patriarchal system, the role of blood relations as a social bond is increasingly weakened, and the question of whether one is a filial brother or not seems to have gradually retreated from society to the family, and from the realm of "law" to "law". In the field of "morality". In particular, with the implementation of the "one-child" system, many families no longer care about brothers and sisters, and there is no such thing as the issue and concept of "brothers" (respect for elders). Is this a new problem? ? Next article (Those who talk sweetly have no benevolence)

03 Annotation Translation Interpretation

Confucius said: "Serious words bring beauty, and benevolence is fresh."

Annotation ( 1) Lingse: Ling, good, kind; color, complexion.

Translation: Confucius said: "Those who talk sweetly and have a face that pleases others are rarely virtuous."

Smooth words make people look attractive. This is a portrait of a hypocrite. If you add in the two strokes that Mencius borrowed from Zeng Zi, it would be truly wonderful.

Zengzi said: "If you smile flatteringly with your shoulders crossed, you will be sick in Xia Qi." Hunching your shoulders and making a flattering smile is really better than standing in the vegetable field under the poisonous summer sun. It’s even more uncomfortable to work! ("Mencius, Duke Tengwen")

The Confucians' contempt for hypocrites is palpable. Confucius's rebuke of "clever words and tricks" is recorded three times in the Analects (the other two are found in "Yang Huo" and "Gong Ye Chang").

However, in history and in reality, such clever words, flattery, and flattering people have not decreased because of the contempt of the saint.

Although they have no benevolence and cannot achieve good results, they have a lot of potential to use their talents, which can cause wives and children to be separated, families to be destroyed, and the country to be in danger and the world to be in chaos. Therefore, to this day, we still have to keep in mind what the saint reminded us, and always be wary of those hypocrites who talk sweetly and smile with a smile on their face.

04 Interpretation of the annotation and translation

Zengzi said: "I examine myself three times every day - have I been unfaithful in seeking others? Have I not believed in my friends? Have I not learned to pass them on?"

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Annotation: Zengzi: Confucius’ student, whose name was Shen and whose courtesy name was Ziyu. Three Provinces: Repeated self-reflections and the remaining "three" means multiple times, not three times. Biography: Refers to the academic knowledge imparted by the teacher.

Translation: Zengzi said, "I reflect on myself many times every day: Am I loyal when I plan for others? Am I trustworthy when interacting with friends? Do I review my studies frequently?"

"Dhammapada" says: "If a person knows how to love, he should be careful to protect himself. Those who are willing should be strict with themselves at one of the three times."

Confucian self-reflection certainly does not reach the level of Buddhist confession or Christian daily service. There is no mystery about Buddha or Lord either. It is not about going to heaven after death, nor is it introspection to atone for the original sin that humans are born with, but it is a personality anatomy for self-improvement in this world. Therefore, it is a kind of realistic self-understanding, with a distinctive spirit of rational criticism. .

05 Interpretation of the annotation and translation

Confucius said: "A country with a thousand chariots of Tao respects things and is trustworthy, is frugal and loves others, so that the people can keep time."

Note (1): One book is used as a "guide", which is used as a verb. Here is the meaning of governance. (2) The country of thousands of vehicles: Cheng, pronounced in shèng, means vehicle. This refers to the basic units of the ancient army. Each chariot with four horses has 3 soldiers on board, 72 infantry under the vehicle, 25 support personnel, and a total of 100 people. The country of a thousand chariots refers to a country with 1,000 chariots, that is, a vassal state. During the Spring and Autumn Period, wars were frequent, so the strength of a country was calculated by the number of vehicles. In the time of Confucius, the country of thousands of chariots was no longer a big country. (3) Jingshi: The word Jing is generally used to express personal attitude, especially the need to be cautious, dedicated and conscientious in dealing with the affairs you are engaged in. (4) Love people: In ancient times, the meaning of "people" was divided into broad and narrow meanings. "People" in the broad sense refers to all groups of people; "people" in the narrow sense only refers to people of all classes above the scholar-officials. "People" here are relative to "people", which shows that they are used in a narrow sense. (5) Let the people know the time: time refers to the farming season. In ancient times, the people were mainly engaged in agriculture, which meant that the people were forced to cultivate and harvest according to the farming season.

Translation: Confucius said: "To govern a country with a thousand chariots, one must handle state affairs rigorously and conscientiously, abide by trustworthiness, be honest and not deceive, save financial expenses, care for officials and ministers, and serve the people Don’t miss the farming season.”

Interpretation and interpretation of what Confucius said in this chapter is mainly for the rulers of the country and is about the basic principles of governing the country. He talked about three aspects of issues, that is, he required rulers to handle all aspects of the country's affairs seriously and abide by their promises; save money and take care of officials; and the people should be careful not to miss the farming season. This is the basic point of governing the country and ensuring peace.

Kang Youwei said that Confucius's teaching is "love for others" and love for all people. But this is not what we mean by “lover” in this chapter. The "people" he refers to are not common people, but officials, people with status; and "people" are the common people, the objects of servitude by the governed. It can be seen that "loving people" does not mean loving everyone, but only loving those in the ruling group. The idea of ??"being frugal and loving people so that they can take advantage of their time" is reasonable and reflects Confucius's social thoughts. But this has nothing to do with "lover" or otherwise. From another perspective, Confucius is here to provide suggestions for rulers to govern the country and rule the people.

Lu Xun once pointed out: "Confucius once planned excellent ways to govern the country, but they were all methods conceived for the purpose of governing the people, that is, the powerful. They were not at all for the people themselves." ("Second Collection of Qiejieting Essays·Confucius in Modern China") This is a look at Confucius's strategy of governing the country from the standpoint of the people. Therefore it is quite sharp.

06 Interpretation of the annotated translation

Confucius said: "Disciple, when you enter, you will be filial, and when you go out, you will be a younger brother. Be sincere and trustworthy. Love others and be kind. If you have enough energy to do it, then To learn literature. ”

Note: Disciple: refers to a student or a young person. Entering means filial piety, leaving means younger brother: "entering" means "entering the father's palace", that is, going to the parents' room; "going out" means "leaving one's own palace", that is, going out of one's room to get along with brothers.

Be close to benevolent people: get close to people who are benevolent.

Translation Confucius said: "Students should be filial to their parents in front of their parents, respect their elder brothers when dealing with their brothers; be cautious and trustworthy in their speech; love the public and be especially close to those who are virtuous. If you do this, After that, we can talk about learning cultural knowledge. "

The first is moral cultivation, and secondly we can talk about learning cultural knowledge. Moral education comes first and intellectual education comes second. The relationship between the two is very clear. In other words, if you want to learn cultural knowledge and become proficient in learning, you can only learn from the experience of being a human being and life experience, and apply what you learn without becoming a nerd. This is the reason why "knowledge of worldly affairs is knowledge, and understanding of human feelings is writing" (Chapter 4 of "Dream of Red Mansions"). It can be seen that whether it is the educational policy of putting moral education first and intellectual education second, or setting up "moral education" public courses in schools at all levels and setting up full-time "moral education professors", they are all consistent and inherit the Confucian tradition. of.

07 Commentary and Translation Interpretation

Zixia said: "The virtuous can change their appearance; serve your parents to the best of your ability; serve your ruler to the best of your ability; make friends with your words. I have faith. Although I say I haven’t learned yet, I will definitely call it learning.”

Comments on Zixia: Confucius’s surname was Bu, his given name was Shang, and his courtesy name was Zixia. Xian Xian Yi Se: The first word "Xian" is used as a verb. Use respect for wise men to replace love for beauty (Yi), that is, new wise men love more than beautiful women. To: Offer.

Translation Zixia said: "Respect worthy people more than love beautiful women; serve your parents with all your heart; serve the king with all your heart; communicate with friends and keep your word. Although this tired person has not learned No matter what he has passed, I must say that he has studied. "

The standard for measuring whether you have studied or not is not based on academic qualifications or diplomas, but on your behavior and your speech and behavior. As one of Confucius's disciples, Zixia can be said to be deeply influenced by his teacher.

Confucius said: "If you have enough energy to practice, you should study literature." Zixia said: "Although it is not learned, I will definitely call it learning." They all teach people to seek practical knowledge and apply what they have learned. ;Be a human being first, then be a scholar. This also reminds people of Mao Zedong's teachings: "Reading is learning, using is also learning, and it is more important learning."

It is true that even if a person has a lot of knowledge and a lot of talent, if he behaves in the same way , What's the use of being obedient, stupid, and unable to solve one or two practical problems? On the contrary, although a person does not have any diploma and has never entered a university, but he speaks and behaves appropriately, behaves in the correct way, and is able to create and invent, can you say that he has not learned anything? This is the principle of pursuing practicality and applying what you have learned.

08 Commentary and Translation Interpretation

Confucius said: "If a gentleman is not serious, he will not have authority; if his knowledge is not solid, he should be loyal and trustworthy. If you have no friends who are worse than yourself, don't be afraid to correct them." ”

Notes None: Don’t. Fear: afraid.

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman without dignity has no dignity, and his learning cannot be consolidated. He must insist on loyalty and trustworthiness, and do not make friends with people who are not as good as himself. If he makes a mistake, he must not be afraid to correct it."

Concerning the issue of majesty, Confucius once discussed it with his student Zi Zhang. Confucius said: "A gentleman's clothes and hats are neat, his eyes are not evil, and his solemnity and seriousness are intimidating. This is majesty but not fierce." ("Yao Yue") In other words, it means that people are required to dress appropriately and behave appropriately. On the contrary, as the saying goes: "Wearing a hat crookedly and dressing at an angle is definitely not a good thing." If you are disheveled, your words and deeds are frivolous, and you give people a casual feeling, it is difficult to be dignified. Since people are frivolous, careless, cynical, and unable to be careful in their words and deeds, it will naturally be difficult for them to achieve success in learning and cannot consolidate it. Of course, being well-dressed and well-behaved does not mean you have to be in a suit or tie and look serious. If you go too far in this regard, you can easily become a pedantic and fake moralist.

There have always been different understandings about the issue of not making friends with people who are not as good at developing steadily. One understanding is that if everyone only makes friends with people who are better than themselves, then no one will have friends to make. Therefore, the sage's statement is considered to be operationally difficult. Another understanding is that "one who has no friends is worse than oneself" cannot be understood rigidly.

What the sage said is definitely not to teach people to first evaluate each other's strengths and weaknesses before deciding on the conditions for making friends. If so, wouldn't it become a snobbery in friendship? What the sage said is nothing more than asking us to focus on the ways in which others are worse than ourselves when making friends, rather than focusing on the ways in which others are not as good as ourselves. Because only in this way can we see our own gaps in making friends, so as to continuously improve and perfect ourselves. Understanding it from this point of view, we can understand the inner connection between this sentence and the next sentence "If something goes wrong, the iron will change", and we will not think that it is irrelevant.

09 Interpretation of the translation of the annotation

Zengzi said: "Be cautious about the end, pursue the future, and the people's morality will be strong."

End of the annotation: Death of old age refers to the death of parents. . Far: ancestors.

Translation: Zengzi said: "Handle the funerals of your parents carefully, remember and worship your ancestors devoutly. Doing so can return the moral customs of the people to simplicity and kindness."

Interpretation of Be Careful in Pursuing the Future. It is the embodiment of filial piety. According to another disciple of Confucius, Youzi, it is the foundation of Renren Dao. (Filial piety is also the foundation of benevolence!) Therefore, the Qin Dynasty's opinions to the emperor in the past often included words such as "the holy dynasty governs the world with filial piety." The ancestral tablets of ordinary families always have the four words "Be careful to pursue the distant future", which means that this is a family that values ??filial piety. To this day, the average Chinese family has not given up on "being cautious in pursuing the future". Although the ancestral tablets are gone, funerals for parents who pass away still need to be done carefully. During the Qingming Festival, many families still do not forget to visit their ancestors’ graves and burn a few sticks of incense. Of course, the practice of holding a grand funeral and publicizing the death of a parent to make money has violated the spirit of "careful death". It not only fails to restore the people's customs to simplicity and kindness, but also makes people false and fall into commercial calculations of favors. Went in.

10 Commentary and Translation Interpretation

Zi Qin asked Yu Zigong: "Master, as for being a country, you must hear about its politics and ask for reconciliation? Or do you want to reconcile with it? Zigong said : "Master is gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, and generous in order to obtain it. What Master seeks, is it different from what others seek?"

Annotation Ziqin: surname Chen, given name Kang, courtesy name Birds. Zigong: A student of Confucius, his surname was Duanmu, his given name was Ci, and his courtesy name was Zigong. Master: an ancient respectful title for people. Confucius once served as a sergeant in the state of Lu, so his students called him Master. Later, the teacher was also called Master. Qizhu: A tone expressing speculation, equivalent to meanings such as "probably", "or".

Translation Zi Qin asked Zigong: "Every time the Master goes to a country, he must know the political situation of that country. Did he ask for it? Or did someone else tell him on his own initiative?" Zigong Said: "Master is obtained through gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, and humility. The method of obtaining Master is probably different from the method of others?"

Interpretation of Wen and Liang , respectful, frugal, and conciliatory, which are expressed externally by a person's attitude and behavioral style; rooted internally, they are the cultivation of personality and the accumulation of culture. Because Confucius had such cultivation and demeanor, others would take the initiative to minister to him and ask for his guidance.

Of course, if you really want to participate in political affairs, govern the country, and transform the world, it is not enough to have this gentle, kind, respectful, and frugal style. Therefore, the revolutionary Mao Zedong said: "Revolution is not about treating guests to dinner, nor is it about writing articles. It is about painting and embroidering. It cannot be so elegant, so leisurely, gentle, and gentle." ("Inspection Report on the Peasant Movement in Hunan")

< p>In the final analysis, gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, and surrender are the style of a master and the true character of a Confucian. Therefore, even Confucius himself, although others were willing to ask him for political advice, ultimately failed to realize his political ambitions and had to return to his country to be a teacher for the rest of his life.

11 Interpretation of the translation of the annotation

The Master said: "When the father is alive, observe his ambition; when the father is gone, observe his conduct; if he has not changed his ways for three years, he can be said to be filial."

Note: His, here refers to the son, not the father. 无: Die, opposite to "in". Three years: generally refers to many years

Translation Confucius said: "When his father is alive, observe his ambitions, and after his father dies, observe his behavior. If he does not change his father's principles for a long time, It can be said that filial piety is achieved. "

Interpretation of "The Doctrine of the Mean" says: "A filial husband is good at inheriting others' aspirations and good at telling people's affairs." In other words, the so-called filial piety. It is to inherit the legacy of our ancestors and complete their unfinished business.

This is consistent with the meaning of "not changing the ways of my father for three years". As far as modern society is concerned, even if the father is alive, the relationship between father and son is mostly "people have their own ambitions and cannot be forced". How can we maintain "the way of not changing from the father"? Not to mention the three years or even longer after my father's death.

This is not only the case in modern society, but also in the era of feudal patriarchal system. Despite the father's absolute authority, there is still "a good training, and there is no guarantee that he will become a strong man in the future" ("A Dream of Red Mansions: Interpretation of Good Songs") phenomenon occurs. Therefore, for "three years without changing the way of the father", we cannot have a rigid understanding of "dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and mice give birth to burrows". Otherwise, the son of a thief will only be able to be a thief. Has the thief come to fulfill his filial duty?

In a nutshell, "not changing my father's ways for three years" is nothing more than asking us in a general sense to inherit our father's legacy and complete the unfinished business of our fathers.

12 Interpretation of the translation of the annotation

Youzi said: "The purpose of etiquette is to harmonize. This is the most beautiful thing in the way of the ancient kings. The small and the big can follow it. If you can't do something, know how to be harmonious. And harmony is not possible without courtesy."

Note: This, this. Section: moderation, restraint.

Translation Youzi said: "Harmony is the most important thing in the implementation of etiquette. In the past, the way of governance of the sage kings was good here. This principle was followed no matter how small or big it was. There were things that did not work. It is not possible to only seek harmony for the sake of harmony without restraint by etiquette. "

Interpretation of etiquette originally refers to the hierarchical system that distinguishes the superior and the inferior and the corresponding ones. Etiquette. But the fundamental purpose of etiquette is to play a neutralizing role and to achieve a harmonious state. This creates a dialectical relationship between ritual and harmony that is both contradictory and unified. According to the Confucian view of etiquette, people are required to live in harmony while abiding by etiquette and laws. Therefore, on the one hand, "harmony is the most important thing for the purpose of etiquette", and "harmony" is the purpose; on the other hand, it is impossible to just make peace for the sake of harmony, without restraint by etiquette, and without respecting principles. This is the dialectic of harmony and propriety. It is used to deal with interpersonal relationships, that is, it is necessary to be united, the family and everything will be prosperous, and harmony will bring wealth, but at the same time, we must adhere to principles and cannot engage in vulgar harmony and flattery. In the final analysis, it is still the formula Mao Zedong gave us: unity-criticism-unity. Next article: What does it mean to be studious?

13 Annotation and Translation Interpretation

Youzi said: "Faith is close (1) to righteousness (2), and words can be repeated (3); courtesy is close to etiquette, and far away (4) ) Shame; because (5) does not lose its relatives, it can also be related to (6)."

Notes (1) Near: means close to, consistent with. (2) Righteousness: Righteousness is the ethical category of Confucianism. It means that thoughts and behaviors conform to certain standards. This standard is "ritual". (3) Complex: The meaning of practice. Zhu Xi's "Collected Notes" says: Fu means practicing what one says. " (4) Far: Sound yuàn, verb, use of verb, meaning to keep away. In addition, it can also be translated as avoid. (5) Cause: rely on, rely on. It is said that Ying should be written as marriage, but it seems to be different from the context. (6) Zong: main, reliable, generally interpreted as "respect" seems inappropriate.

The translation has Zi said: "Being trustworthy must be consistent with righteousness." Only if words can be put into practice; respect must be consistent with etiquette, so as to avoid shame; only those who rely on are reliable, and they are worthy of respect. ”

Interpretation of what Confucius’s disciple Youzi said in this chapter shows that they attach great importance to “faith” and “respect”. Both “faith” and “respect” must be expressed in the form of Zhou Etiquette is the standard. You must not say anything that is not in line with etiquette. If you say it, it will not be a "faithful" attitude. You must never do anything that is not in line with etiquette. If you do it, it will not be a "respectful" attitude. This is about how to behave in the world. Basic attitude.

14 Annotation Translation Interpretation

Confucius said: "A gentleman has nothing to eat and nothing to live in. If he is sensitive to things and cautious in speaking, he has the right way. , It can be said that he is eager to learn."

The explanation is: be close to people who have both ability and political integrity. Zheng: Correction, correction.

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman is not greedy for satiety in his diet, not greedy for comfort in his residence, is diligent in his work but cautious in his speech, and corrects himself by getting close to people with both ability and political integrity. This can be said to be good." "

Interpretation of poverty-stricken happiness, not paying attention to material life enjoyment but pursuing the sublimation of spiritual realm; doing more and speaking less; using others as a mirror to correct and cultivate oneself. If you achieve these three aspects, you can be said to be a studious person.

Among these three aspects, the most difficult one is the first one - living in poverty and living in peace. Especially in this era of rampant materialism and the irresistible temptation of money, the monthly cost of a college student is at least a few hundred yuan. The typical studious person described by Confucius is just a poor scholar who cannot keep up with the trend of the times. . Of course, in an era where spirituality is valued over material things, the image of this "poor scholar" may not be an example worth learning from. Isn’t the saying “the poorer we are, the more revolutionary we are, and the poorer we are, the more glorious we are”?

15 Annotation and Translation Interpretation

Zigong said: "How about being poor without flattery and being rich without arrogance?" Confucius said: "That's right; it's not like being poor and being happy, being rich is And those who are good at etiquette." Zi Gong said: "The poem says: It's like cutting and plowing, like polishing, so what do you mean by giving? You know who is coming."

Note: Flattery (chan): flattery, flattery. Like cutting, like discussing, like plowing, like grinding: see "The Book of Songs·Wei Feng·Qi'ao". There are two interpretations of these two lines of poetry: one is that cutting, exchanging, polishing, and grinding respectively refer to the craftsmanship of processing animal bones, ivory, jade, and stone into utensils. into a device. Another explanation is that cutting and polishing refer to the process of processing the tooth bone, and it must be polished (smoothed) after cutting (carving). . The extended meaning means that scholars should strive for excellence in learning and self-cultivation. Judging from the context of this section, it should be understood as striving for excellence. Its: probably, presumably, indicating the tone of speculation. Given: Zigong’s name. Zhu: Yes.

Translation Zigong said: "How about a person who is poor but does not flatter others, and is rich but is not proud and extravagant?" Confucius said: "Yes, but not as good as a poor but polite person." Gong said: "The Book of Songs talks about studying, studying, and striving for perfection. Is this what it means?" Confucius said: "Gi, now I can talk to you about the Book of Songs, because I tell you one thing, and you can already understand it." What I haven't told you is just to draw inferences from one instance to another. "

Interpretation Zigong is obviously a smart student who "knows the past by telling the past" and can understand the teacher's meaning by analogy. Therefore, Confucius thought that he could discuss more profound knowledge such as "The Book of Songs" with him. Putting aside Confucius's praise of Zigong, let's take a look at the difference between what Zigong said: "Be poor without making excuses, and be rich without arrogance" and Confucius said, "Be poor but be happy, be rich and be courteous" What contact difference. In fact, whether it is "poor without blame, rich without arrogance", or "poor but happy, rich but good at courtesy", they have all done what Mencius said "poor and lowly cannot be moved, rich and honorable can not be immoral". But there are differences in levels and realms between the two. "Poor without flattery, rich without arrogance" means that although a person is poor or unlucky, he still does not flatter, flatter, or please others; although a person is rich or wealthy, he still does not take pride in his wealth. Be carried away with pride, not arrogant and extravagant. It is certainly great to be able to achieve this step, but strictly speaking, it is only limited to caring about the rich and the poor, and then rises to the pursuit of etiquette and music. People who have reached this state are just like what is said in "Lu Shi Chun Qiu": "Poverty is also a joy, and attainment is also joy. What you enjoy is not poverty and attainment. The Tao can achieve this, and poverty is attainment." ("Lü Shi Chun Qiu") Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals·Xinglan of Filial Piety·Prudent People") Confucius "eats sparingly, drinks water, bends his arms and rests on it, and enjoys it" ("The Analects of Confucius·Shuer"), Yan Hui "one basket of food, one ladle of drink" "In the back alleys, people can't bear their worries, and they won't change their joy even after returning home" ("The Analects of Confucius·Yong Ye"), which are all manifestations of this realm. Of course, for today's Chinese people who are striving for a well-off life, the more realistic issues seem to be the issues of "being rich without arrogance" and "being rich but being courteous". It is good to be "rich without arrogance" and not show off as a "rich man" everywhere, but if we can go a step further to "be rich without courtesy", pursue spiritual cultivation, pursue knowledge, pay attention to the principles of life, and respect If you treat others with kindness at all times, wouldn’t that mean you reach a more noble state?

16 Notes Translation Interpretation

Confucius said: "Don't worry about others, but don't worry about yourself; you don't know others when you are worried."