This chapter, which consists of 24 sections, discusses the art of governance in its various aspects. Good government is, according to Confucius, one that governs with moral exemplars and benevolence. More specifically, good government guides people with the rules of propriety and thus boosts their morale. This chapter also reveals Confucius’thoughts on learning, self\u00ad cultivation, filial piety, and fraternal duties.<\/p>\n
[2- 1] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a \u201c \u4e3a\u653f\u4ee5\u5fb7\uff0c \u8b6c\u5982\u5317\u8fb0\uff0c \u5c45\u5176\u6240\u800c\u4f17\u661f\u5171\u4e4b\u3002\uff02<\/p>\n
[Reading] This section focuses on the relationship between sociopolitical life and natural phenomena as perceived by the Chinese mindset. These included cyclical changes in nature\u2014day and night, the change of seasons, and the cycles of life and death. Everything has its own position in a natural order and each has its counterbalance or opposite. Such changes, however, seem to follow an order of a higher level that ensures the way. In this section, Con\u00ad fucius drew an analogy between the astronomical phenomenon of the Polar Star and the enhancing power of true virtue and ethical values to illustrate the importance of performing acts of benevolence. It is imperative, accord\u00ad ing to Confucius, that a good government govern with superior moral force rather than rigid legal means. In other words, he argued for the transforming power of moral education over that of impersonal law.<\/p>\n
[2- 2] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a \u201c\u300a\u00a0 \u8bd7\u300b\u4e09\u767e\uff0c \u4e00\u8a00 \u4ee5 \u853d\u4e4b\uff0c \u66f0\uff1a \uff40\u601d\u65e0\u90aa\u3002’\u00a0 ”<\/p>\n
referring to this ancient anthology.” \u853d b1″ means “to put in a single phrase,” or “simply put.” ” \u601d \u65e0 \u90aa s1wu xi \u4ee4 translates as “to think innocently and morally, without any degraded thoughts,” while ” \u65e0 \u90aa WU xie ” connotes the values of “sincerity, integrity and virtue.”<\/p>\n
[Reading] The Classic of Odes is venerated as one of the “Five Classics” (along with the Book of Documents (\u300a\u5c1a\u4e66\u300bShangshu), Book of Rites (\u300a\u793c\u8bb0\u300bLiji), Book of Changes (\u300a\u6613\u7ecf\u300b Yijing) and Spring and Autumn<\/p>\n
Annals (\u300a\u6625\u79cb\u300b Chunq iu)). The Classic of Odes is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, commonly believed to be compiled by Con\u00ad fucius. The guiding principle for the compilation\u00a0 of\u00a0 this poetic collection, it may be safely argued, is what Confucius would call “\u601d\u65e0\u90aa SI WU xie,” which can be translated as “to think innocently and morally, without any degraded thoughts.” As such, it has been carefully studied, together\u00a0 with the other Classics, by scholars in China, particularly for the civil service examination in the old days in order to be selected for the state bureauc\u00ad racy.<\/p>\n
[2- 3] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u9053\u4e4b\u4ee5\u653f\uff0c\u9f50\u4e4b\u4ee5\u5211\uff0c\u6c11\u514d\u800c\u65e0\u803b\u3002\u9053\u4e4b\u4ee5\u5fb7\uff0c\u9f50\u4e4b\u4ee5\u793c\uff0c\u6709\u803b\u4e14\u683c\u3002\uff02<\/p>\n
\u201c\u514d\u800c\u65e0\u803b mia n er wu chT” implies “to avoid punishment by all means, including those means with no sense of shame.” ” \u6709\u803b yo u chT” connotes “having a sense of shame,” while “f\u5404 g e” implies the actions “to rectify, correct, remedy, or set right.” “\u6709\u803b\u4e14\u683c yo u chT qie ge” translates as “having a strong moral sense and rectifying wrong doings.”<\/p>\n
[Reading] In this section Confucius compared two different guiding prin\u00ad ciples of governing a country. Punitive measures could deter people from violating laws but they could also give rise to a situation in which people would resort to all means, including shameful means to evade punishment. Confucius believed good government guides the people with ethical values and the power of proprieties. This way, the people would attain a moral sense of their own and would rectify themselves accordingly.<\/p>\n
[2- 4] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a \u201c \u543e\u5341\u6709\u4e94\u800c\u5fd7\u5343\u5b66\uff0c \u4e09\u5341\u800c\u7acb\uff0c\u56db \u5341\u800c\u4e0d\u60d1\uff0c \u4e94\u5341\u800c\u77e5\u5929\u547d\uff0c\u516d\u5341\u800c\u8033\u987a\uff0c\u4e03\u5341\u800c\u4ece\u5fc3\u6240\u6b32\uff0c\u4e0d\u903e\u77e9\u3002”<\/p>\n
[Reading] In this section Confucius described how he advanced on his personal journey from a pursuer of learning to one who has been on the right track thoroughly in tune with the way of virtue and wisdom.<\/p>\n
[2- 5]\u00a0 \u5b5f\u61ff\u5b50\u95ee\u5b5d\u3002\u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u65e0\u8fdd\u3002”<\/p>\n
\u6a0a\u8fdf\u5fa1\u3002\u5b50\u544a\u4e4b\u66f0\uff1a\u201c\u5b5f\u5b59\u95ee\u5b5d\u5343\u6211\uff0c\u6211\u5bf9\u66f0\uff1a\uff07\u65e0\u8fdd\uff07\u3002\uff02\u6a0a\u8fdf\u66f0\uff1a \u201c\u4f55\u8c13\u4e5f\uff1f\u201c\u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u751f\uff0c\u4e8b\u4e4b\u4ee5\u793c\uff1b\u6b7b\uff0c\u846c\u4e4b\u4ee5\u793c\uff0c\u796d\u4e4b\u4ee5\u793c\u3002”<\/p>\n
Later, when Fan Chi was driving him on a cart, the Master told him, “Meng Sun asked me about the meaning of filial piety, and I told him it meant not to violate the norm of rituals. Fan Chi asked, “What did you mean?” The Master said, “When your parents are alive, serve them in accord with propriety; when they die, bury them in accord with propriety and then worship them in accord with propriety.”<\/p>\n
[Comment] “\u5b5f\u61ff\u5b50m\u7684 g y] zT” was a minister in the state of Lu. His sur\u00ad name, given name, and posthumous titles were ” \u4ef2\u5b59 zho ng s un,” ” \u4f55\u5fcch\u53e5 \uff0c” and ” \u61ff y] ” respectively. ” \u65e0\u8fdd wu w\u82db means “not to violate the norm of ritual and ethics.” ” \u6a0a \u8fdf f6 n chf” was a disciple of Confucius. His surname was ‘ \u6a0a f6 n,” his given name ‘ \u987b xO ,” and he also held a cour- tesy name of “\u5b50\u8fdf zT chf .””\u5fa1 yu”\u00a0 means ‘\u9a7e \u8f66 jia che” (ride a cart).<\/p>\n
[Reading] This section emphasizes the importance of applying oneself to the fullest in executing filial piety to his parents in thorough accordance with the rites of propriety. In other words, filial piety, from Confucius’perspec\u00ad tive, is itself an integral part of rituals.<\/p>\n
[2- 6] \u5b5f\u6b66\u4f2f\u95ee\u5b5d\u3002\u5b50\u66f0 \uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u7236\u6bcd\u552f\u5176\u75be\u4e4b\u5fe7\u3002\uff02<\/p>\n
[Reading] This section records the dialogue between Confucius and Meng<\/p>\n
Wubo, which was about filial piety. Traditionally, there have been two dif\u00ad ferent interpretations of their dialogue. Firstly, ” \u7236\u6bcd\u552f\u5176\u75be\u4e4b\u5fe7\u3002”is inter\u00ad preted to mean “parental love and concern for their children lest they may fall sick.” Because of this, filial children should take care of their own health so that their parents would not be worried about them. This is one of the ways children can show their filial piety to parents. Secondly, ” \u7236\u6bcd\u552f\u5176\u75be\u4e4b\u5fe7\u3002” can be interpreted as “Children are concerned lest their parents fall sick. Other than that, they do not have to worry about them.” We believe the first interpretation is the stronger choice in this context.<\/p>\n
[2- 7] \u00a0\u5b50\u6e38\u95ee\u5b5d\u3002\u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u4eca\u4e4b\u5b5d\u8005\uff0c\u662f\u8c13\u80fd\u517b\u3002\u81f3\u5343\u72ac\u9a6c\uff0c\u7686 \u80fd\u6709\u517b\u3002\u4e0d\u656c\uff0c\u4f55\u4ee5\u522b\u4e4e\uff1f\u201d<\/p>\n
[2- 8] \u5b50\u590f\u95ee\u5b5d\u3002\u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u201c\u8272\u00a0 \u96be\u3002\u6709\u4e8b\uff0c\u5f1f \u5b50 \u670d\u5176\u52b3\uff1b \u6709\u9152\u98df\uff0c\u5148 \u751f \u9994\uff0c\u66fe\u662f\u4ee5\u4e3a\u5b5d\u4e4e\uff1f\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u5148\u751f xia n sheng” translates as “seniors or elders” but here it refers specif\u00ad ically to one’s “parents.” ” \u9994 zhua n” means “something to eat and drink,” while “\u66fe\u5431ng” is an adverb, connoting “Isn’t so?” or “How come?”<\/p>\n
[Reading] Sections 5 – 8 all deal with the topic of filial piety, which, as was discussed previously, constitutes one of the core values of Confucian moral thinking. Confucius argued that filial piety does not mean simply to attend to one’s parents in accordance with the rites of propriety of the Zhou Dynasty. More importantly, children should be filial to their parents by, as is illustrated in this section, showing a genuinely pleasant expression on their face, something from the bottom of their heart.<\/p>\n
[2- 9] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u201c \u543e\u4e0e\u56de\u8a00\u7ec8\u65e5\uff0c\u4e0d \u8fdd\uff0c\u5982\u611a\u3002\u9000\u800c\u7701\u5176\u79c1\uff0c\u4ea6 \u8db3\u4ee5\u53d1\uff0c \u56de\u4e5f\u4e0d\u611a\u3002”<\/p>\n
[Com ment] “\u56de h u f” refers to “\u989c\u56de y6 n huf” who was Confucius’favorite disciple. His surname, given name, and courtesy names were ” \u989c y6 n,” ” \u56dehuf ,” and “\u5b50\u6e0a zT yuan.” “\u7701\u5176\u79c1 xTng\u00a0 qf s1”\u00a0 means “to observe his be- haviors and his words.” “\u53d1 fa”\u00a0 connotes “\u53d1\u660e fa mf ng” (to invent; inven\u00ad tion) or “\u53d1\u6325 fa huT” (to apply, to put into practice). “\u56de hu f ( \u989c\u6e0a y6 n yuan)” was Confucius’favored disciple and is praised in many passages of The Analects. Unfortunately, he died young, probably around the age of thirty, which completely saddened the Master’s heart.<\/p>\n
[Reading] This section records Confucius’high praise of his most favored disciple, Yan Yuan. Obviously, as an educator, Confucius had a low opinion of those students who never disagreed with him and who did not seem to catch on quickly. But Confucius was also cautious not to jump to conclu\u00ad sions. As was demonstrated in this section, he quickly corrected himself after he had carefully observed Yan Yuan behind him.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
[2- 10] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u89c6\u5176\u6240\u4ee5\uff0c\u89c2\u5176\u6240\u7531\uff0c\u5bdf\u5176\u6240\u5b89\uff0c\u4eba\u7109\u7626\u54c9\uff1f\u4eba\u7109\u7626\u54c9\uff1f\u201d<\/p>\n
[Comment] “\u89c6s hl” translates as both ‘\u89c2 g ua n” (observe) and “\u5bdfch6” (examine). Both share the implication of “seeing,” although to dif\u00ad ferent extents.” \u6240\u4ee5 s u6 yT “means”motives for doing things,” while ” \u4ee5yT” suggests “with,” implying “motivation, cause, reason.” ” \u6240 \u7531 s u6 y6u” denotes “those things done in the past” or “the path taken in the past.” “\u6240\u5b89 s u 6’an” describes the “things one feels happy and comfort\u00ad able to do.” “\u7109\u7626yo n sou” means “how can it be concealed?” “\u7109 yo n” connotes “\u4f55 h\u4ee4 (how) and “\u7626s o u” implies “to hide, or to conceal.”<\/p>\n
[Reading] This section discusses ways to know a person. Confucius warned that to get to know a person we must not only observe what he does, but more importantly we should carefully examine how he does things. In other words, the more we observe and examine a person, the better we can get to know that person.<\/p>\n
[2- 11] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u6e29\u6545\u800c\u77e5\u65b0\uff0c\u53ef\u4ee5\u4e3a\u5e08\u77e3\u3002”<\/p>\n
[Reading] In this section Confucius discusses the qualities a teacher should possess, which includes not only knowing how to review what he has learned, but more importantly, knowing how to pursue knowledge based on what he has already learned.<\/p>\n
[2- 12] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u541b\u5b50\u4e0d\u5668\u3002\uff02<\/p>\n
[2- 13] \u5b50\u8d21\u95ee\u541b\u5b50\u3002\u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u5148\u884c\u5176\u8a00\u800c\u540e\u4ece\u4e4b\u3002”<\/p>\n
[2- 14] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u541b\u5b50\u5468\u800c\u4e0d\u6bd4\uff0c\u5c0f\u4eba\u6bd4\u800c\u4e0d\u5468\u3002\uff02<\/p>\n
[2- 15] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a\u00a0 \u201c\u5b66\u800c\u4e0d\u601d\u5219\u7f54\uff0c\u601d\u800c\u4e0d\u5b66\u5219\u6b86\u3002\uff02<\/p>\n
[2- 16] \u5b50\u66f0\uff1a \uff02\u653b\u4e4e\u5f02\u7aef\uff0c\u65af\u5bb3\u4e5f\u5df2\uff01\u201d<\/p>\n