Zengzi said: "A scholar cannot be without great perseverance. The responsibilities are heavy and the road is long. Isn't it important to be benevolent when one considers one's responsibilities? Isn't it also a long way to go after death?"

Zengzi Said: "Those with ambitions must cultivate a strong will, because the responsibility is heavy and the road is long. Isn't it a very important responsibility to realize peace and friendship for all mankind? Isn't it a very important road to strive for your ideals all your life?" "Is it far away?"

"A scholar must not be ambitious", which means that as a scholar or a gentleman, your will must be firm and ambitious enough.

Because scholars "have a long way to go". The so-called "long way to go" does not mean a "short-term" goal of listing a company. After all, some companies can go public in a few years. There is a long way to go, and it must be because "benevolence takes it as its own responsibility." On the shoulders of a scholar, benevolence is carried, and the goal of a scholar is to promote benevolence.

To promote benevolence, we must start from two directions. The first direction is to make the world return to benevolence and let more people have benevolence. This is of course an amazing, great, and difficult thing to do. The second direction is equally amazing, equally great, and equally difficult—to maintain a state of benevolence. It is also a long-term and important thing for a person to exercise his inner cultivation. When can we be sure that we are in a state of ren? It's like an infinite game.

A person who aspires to the Tao must have the world in mind, and on the other hand, he must constantly cultivate himself. Isn’t this important?

"It's better to die than to die." Isn't it the longest way to pursue your ideals until the end of your life?

This passage from Zeng Zi can make us reflect. How should we view our careers? Can you, like Zeng Zi, give yourself a greater sense of mission, be able to care about the world, make yourself better, and be willing to work tirelessly for it?

If you are willing to shoulder such a mission, in order to achieve this arduous and long-distance goal, you must have great courage and strong willpower to be able to persist in this matter.

I hope that we can all turn our lives into a process of cultivation and make our lives a satisfying work, instead of being weighed down by the fame, wealth, power and emotions we carry.

Prosper in poetry, establish in etiquette, and succeed in music

Confucius said: "Prosper in poetry, establish in etiquette, and succeed in music."

Confucius Said: "Start the enthusiasm for studying by reciting poems, build meritorious careers by adhering to etiquette, and entertain the body and mind by listening to music." An effective way to get started is to read poetry. Ancient poems can be sung, such as the Book of Songs. By singing the Book of Songs, we can learn many nouns, get to know many animals and plants, and understand diverse customs. For teenagers, poetry can stimulate their interest in learning in the simplest way. Learning poetry is the entry and most convenient way to study.

"Based on etiquette" means that if you want to gain a foothold in society, you must learn etiquette. When a person reaches the age of twenty or thirty, if he wants to walk in the world and do things, he should take etiquette as the foundation and basis. If a person is not polite, he will not be able to communicate with others and will easily do wrong things.

"Success in music" means that only by cultivating one's nature with music can one truly achieve academic success. When a person reaches the age of fifty or sixty and is ready to retire, how can he maintain inner calmness and joy while still cultivating himself? Confucius believed that the best way is to teach music. Confucius advocated "teaching people with music". In his private school, string singing was often played constantly, and there were always musical instruments nearby during class. At that time, music was classified into five tones and twelve rhythms, which was extremely beautiful. Confucius’ education can be said to be a beautiful education. Using music to cultivate people's temperament is the success of learning.

When knowledge reaches a certain level, it can be expressed through music and cultivated through music.

These were the three stages of life and study in Confucius’ time. The first stage is poetry education, which uses poetry to enlighten people; the second stage is ritual education, focusing on etiquette; the third stage is music education, focusing on music.

We can learn from this that when a child is young, it is important to stimulate his interest in learning, so that he can radiate his inner strength, discover the joy of learning, and be willing to learn.

At the end of life, the most important thing is to find the true joy in life. If after a lifetime, before reaching the end of life, you are still confused and feel that life is boring and boring, with nothing worth remembering and savoring, then how pale will this life be?

This passage can serve as the general outline of our lifelong study and work.