original text
1.7 Xia Zi (1) said: "Xian Xian (2) changed color; Parents can do their best; Things, can cause its body 4; Make friends and keep your word. Although I have not studied, I will call it learning. "
To annotate ...
Xia Zi: A student of Confucius, surnamed Bu, a famous businessman, was 44 years younger than Confucius and was born in 507 BC. After the death of Confucius, he publicized Confucius' thoughts in Wei State.
(2) Dedication: The first word "Dedication" is used as a verb to show respect. Being virtuous means respecting virtuous people.
(3) Yi: There are two explanations; First, the meaning of change, this sentence is to respect the virtuous and change the lust; The second is the meaning of contempt, that is, valuing morality over women.
(4) For the body: it means "giving" and "doing my best". This means giving your life to the monarch.
translate
Xia Zi said: "A person can attach importance to virtue, instead of a woman serving her parents and doing her best;" Serving the monarch can give his life; Communicate with friends, speak honestly and keep your word. Such a person, although he says he hasn't studied, I must say he has. "
Comment and analysis
There was a sentence in the last chapter, "study literature if you have spare capacity." . What Xia Zi said in this chapter is actually a further development of the previous chapter. Xia Zi believes that whether a person has knowledge mainly depends on his cultural knowledge, but on whether he can practice traditional morality, such as filial piety, loyalty and faithfulness. As long as the latter points are achieved, even if he says that he has never studied, he is already a person with moral cultivation. Therefore, by reading and analyzing this chapter in combination with the previous chapter, we can see the basic characteristics of Confucius' education focusing on virtue.