The Analects and I

Author: Wu Xincheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: More and more people are reading the Analects, but how to read it varies greatly. Confucius didn’t talk about grand theories; he focused on how to act. Therefore, when reading the Analects, the key lies in "action." Although many principles can be understood, if they cannot be put into practice, it cannot be said that one truly comprehends them. From this perspective, reading the Analects may not require covering every word. This small book selects only three-thirds of the entire Analects and organizes them into eighteen topics, with the purpose of making it easier for most of us to "read." As Kong Yiji said, "The character 'Hui' () has four different forms," but we only need to master one and write it well, which is enough. Today, when we read the Analects, we need support. This book has been passed down for two and a half thousand years, and every chapter has several, even dozens of commentaries and interpretations. We may only need to understand one of them and appreciate it deeply, which should be enough. Since the essence of reading the Analects lies in action, all commentaries should be beneficial for action. That is one point. The second point is that when it comes to action, it is inseparable from filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty, and trustworthiness. However, if one practices filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty, and trustworthiness, it becomes a self-reliant individual. The Analects contains the highest ideals and standards for human society in many aspects, as well as the inclusion and exploration of the highest academic principles of traditional Chinese scholarship. Paying attention to these aspects is the true starting point for reading the Analects well.