First, "a gentleman is not a tool." Confucius believes that as a gentleman, you must have a variety of talents, not just like a vessel. You should "take righteousness as the quality, conduct with courtesy, take sun as the example, and succeed with faith." ("Wei Linggong") That is to say, a gentleman should be based on virtue, act according to courtesy, show modesty and be loyal, otherwise he is not a gentleman.
Second, a gentleman should pay attention to self-cultivation. Confucius said, "Being rich and expensive is what people want, and there is no way to get it. Poverty and meanness are human evils. If you don't get them their way, you won't go. Isn't it good to be famous if a gentleman goes to benevolence? If a gentleman has no final food, he will violate benevolence and will do it again. " In Confucius' view, as a gentleman, we must attach importance to the cultivation of benevolence and never leave it under any circumstances. At the same time, Ceng Zi believes that when a gentleman attaches importance to the cultivation of benevolence, he must pay attention to three aspects of norms: first, "move by appearance, stay away from violence, and act slowly"; The second is "positive color, close faith"; Third, "If you say it, you will be more contemptible" (Taber). In other words, a gentleman should be serious about his appearance, correct his face and pay attention to his words. Only in this way can people respect you, trust you and be gentle with you. At the same time, Confucius also thought that "a gentleman is too loyal to be arrogant" (Lutz); "A gentleman does not contend with pity or with the Party" (Wei Linggong); "A gentleman is sick and incompetent, and a patient dies." "A gentleman is named after his illness." "A gentleman seeks for himself, and a villain seeks for others." ("Wei Linggong") That is, as a gentleman, you should be calm and not arrogant, have a solemn attitude and not quarrel with others, and you can get along with others without forming a party for selfish ends; A gentleman should pay attention to improving himself and make more contributions to society in his lifetime. Only in this way can we be called a gentleman's accomplishment.
Third, a gentleman should be strict with himself everywhere. Confucius believes that a gentleman should not only cultivate his self-cultivation, but also pay attention to strictly demanding himself with the standards of "abstinence, fear and thinking". Confucius said: "A gentleman has three precepts: when he is young, his blood gas is uncertain, so he should be cautious; It is also strong and bloody, and it is fighting; I am also old, my blood gas is declining, and I have to quit. " "A gentleman has three fears: fear of destiny, fear of adults, and fear of the words of saints." "A gentleman has Jiu Si: he sees clearly, listens attentively, thinks enthusiastically, looks respectfully, speaks loyally, thinks respectfully, asks questions, thinks hard and sees clearly." These ideas put forward requirements for gentlemen from different angles, which can be summarized as follows: First, we should always pay attention to abstaining from personal desires; The second is to have awe in doing things and prevent recklessness; The third is to deal with it seriously and be strict with yourself at any time.
Fourth, a gentleman should value righteousness and avoid profit, and pursue morality. Confucius believes that the difference between a gentleman and a villain lies in their different attitudes towards life and their different pursuits in life. He believes that "a gentleman is a metaphor for righteousness, and a villain is a metaphor for profit." ("Standing Man") "A gentleman seeks the Tao without seeking food." "A gentleman is not poor." ("Wei Linggong") "The gentleman is wild, and the villain is pregnant with the soil; The gentleman is pregnant with punishment, and the villain is pregnant. " In other words, as a gentleman, only by attaching importance to and pursuing morality can we distinguish ourselves from villains and truly embody the spirit of a gentleman. At the same time, Confucius also believes that a gentleman must match his words with his deeds, which is the so-called "a gentleman speaks slowly, but acts quickly." (Li Ren) "Speak before you act." (Politics)
Four. Attitude, method and purpose of learning
The learning thought in The Analects of Confucius plays an important role in the history of education at all times and in all countries, and is worth learning from today. These ideas can be summarized as follows:
First, the attitude towards learning. Confucius believes that the pursuit of knowledge first lies in loving and enjoying learning, which is the key. Confucius said, "Knowing is not as good as being kind, and being kind is not as good as being happy." Yongye is the person who really loves it, and the person who is happy for it can really learn it well. Yan Yuan, praised by Confucius, has this kind of studious optimism. "A scoop of food and a scoop of drink, in a mean lane, people can't bear to worry, and they won't change their fun when they go back." ("Yongye") Secondly, we should "study silently and never tire of learning". In other words, learning should have a down-to-earth spirit, remember what you have learned silently, and study hard if you are not satisfied. Third, despite the difficulties, we should concentrate on progress. Confucius said, "It is not enough for a scholar to have lofty aspirations and be ashamed of those who have insufficient food and clothing." People who study should be determined to pursue morality and truth, concentrate on it and not be world-weary. At the same time, he also believes that the pursuit of knowledge is a difficult process, and we should dare to meet the difficulties. "Those who lack strength will waste the middle way, and today's female painting is also." ("Yongye") In view of Ran Qiu's belief that he is not competent enough in learning, Confucius believes that those who are not competent enough give up halfway. Now you have crossed the line of insufficient ability because you have not persisted. Here, Confucius encouraged Ran Qiu to advance despite difficulties, and only in this way can he gain enlightenment. In fact, Confucius himself was "angry and forgot to eat, happy and forgot to worry, I don't know that old age is coming" ("Uncle"). Fourth, we should be open-minded and not ashamed to ask questions. Confucius said, "In a threesome, there must be a teacher. Choose good and follow it, but change it if it is not good. " ("Shu Er") This shows that a teacher without knowledge should pay attention to learning from others anytime and anywhere, learning from their strengths and making up for their own shortcomings. At the same time, Confucius advocated and praised the learning spirit of "being eager to learn and not ashamed to ask questions". "See the sage Si Qi, but if you don't see him, you will be introspective." (Li Ren) embodies Confucius' rigorous attitude towards learning.
Second, about learning methods. In his conversation with his disciples, Confucius mentioned the problem of learning methods in many places. The most famous is "it's not bad to study from time to time." (Xue Ji) "Reviewing the past and learning new things can be a teacher." At the same time, Confucius also emphasized the combination of learning and thinking and the courage to practice. He said: "It is useless to learn without thinking, and it is dangerous to think without learning." (Politics) Reading without thinking will make you feel confused, and dreaming without reading will make you mentally exhausted. People are required to combine learning accumulation with learning and thinking, and one thing cannot be neglected. In addition, Confucius also attached great importance to Excellence, "such as cutting, such as grinding", and opposed a little knowledge.
Third, about the content of learning. Confucius advocated that learning should be broad and broad, not biased and single. He put forward four things as his study outline, namely "writing, action, loyalty and faith" (Book II). That is, cultural knowledge, moral cultivation, loyalty, to the letter. These four contents are of great significance to yourself and others. While attaching importance to erudition, Confucius also emphasized that learning should grasp the fundamental things. Confucius said, "If you give it, should a woman learn more from the knower?" Right: "Of course, right or wrong?" He said, "No, give it consistency." Here, when Confucius answered Zi Gong's question, he explained that his "learning more" was relative. On the basis of knowing more, I used a truth to run through my theory. This truth is the foundation of learning, and learning focuses on grasping the foundation. Confucius indirectly explained the relationship between erudition and elegance here, which is worth learning.
Fourth, about the purpose of learning. Confucius believes that learning must have a clear purpose, but the key point is "applying what you have learned". Confucius said: "Recite 300 Poems and teach them to be political, not to achieve;" Make it everywhere, not just right; Although a lot, what do you think? " ("Lutz") That is to say, I read 300 "The Book of Songs" and gave him political tasks, but I couldn't; Send him to a foreign country, but he can't handle it independently; In this way, although the book has been read a lot, what is the use? He also said: "I am worried if I don't practice morality, don't talk about learning, and I can't migrate if I am not good at it." In other words, if we don't cultivate our moral quality, teach our knowledge, do just things and correct our mistakes, then we can't combine theory with practice. This is exactly what we are worried about. It can be seen that the purpose of reading is not to memorize, but to apply what you have learned, to apply what you have learned, to draw inferences from others and to use knowledge flexibly. This thought is also reflected in the thoughts of Xia Zi, a student of Confucius. Xia Zi said: "To be an official, you must learn. If you learn, you will be an official." (Lutz) That is to say, if an official has spare capacity, he should study. After studying, he can become an official if he has spare capacity. This idea also embodies the relationship between learning and use in essence. If you want to be a good official, you must study. The purpose of learning should be to be a better official, which embodies the relationship between learning and application. It also embodies the purpose of Confucius' private school, that is, to cultivate talents with both ability and political integrity through education, so that they can directly enter the political arena or train political talents as teachers. Of course, in Confucius' view, the purpose of learning is also to pursue morality and truth, "aspire to the Tao" and "learn the Tao"
Verb (abbreviation of verb) Educational Thought in the Analects of Confucius
Confucius was a famous educator in ancient China. He worked in education all his life, trained many talented students and accumulated rich practical experience in education.
First, the guiding ideology of education. Confucius advocated "education without class" (Wei Linggong), that is, the educated should have equal opportunities, not the distinction between noble and low. This thought broke the hierarchy of education, expanded the object of education and extended education to the general public, which was undoubtedly of great progressive significance at that time.
Second, about the basic methods of education. Confucius advocated "teaching students in accordance with their aptitude". Confucius said, "If you are above an China person, you can also talk orally; Below China people, you can't say it orally. " That is to say, for people with above average intelligence, you can talk to him about profound truth; People with below-average intelligence should not talk to him about profound truth. In order to carry out this thought, Confucius attached great importance to students' observation and understanding, such as "visiting Guo Ye", "giving to others" and "seeking Ye Yi". On this basis, he adopted different ways of education, such as Ran Qiu's timidity, so we should encourage him; Lutz is bold and self-righteous, so we should restrain him deliberately. Namely: "Seek retreat, so advance; Because I am also a person, I retired. " (Advanced) Confucius also attached importance to the induced enlightenment education. Instead of studying for life and death, it is more important to draw inferences from others, that is, the so-called "telling the past and knowing who will come" (Xueji). Xia Zi talked about the poem "Smiling skillfully, looking forward to Xi with beautiful eyes, always thinking it is gorgeous", thus realizing that "ceremony" should be based on loyalty, benevolence and righteousness, so Confucius praised him: "Giving is also business! It is enough to believe in "poetry". " The person who can inspire me is Xia Zi! Now I can talk to you about the Book of Songs. After listening to the teacher's lecture, Yan Yuan was "rich enough" (politics), and Zi Gong also said that he was "knowledgeable when he heard one thing" (Gong Yechang), so Confucius especially praised Yan Yuan for his cleverness and eagerness to learn. This is the inevitable result of enlightening and inducing education. Confucius particularly emphasized that "if you don't get angry, you won't get angry, you won't get angry, you won't get angry, and you won't get angry if you don't take one corner to top three corners." I won't enlighten him until he thinks hard and can't figure it out, and I won't enlighten him until he wants to talk, but he doesn't understand. If he can't give three examples, I won't teach him any more. Confucius also stressed that on the basis of enlightenment and induction, we must pay attention to gradual progress, that is, "Confucius is good and charming, knowledgeable and polite, and can't stop, not only exhausting my talents, but also surprising." Although I also want to follow, but in the end there is no reason! "(Zi Han) This situation, which makes students study hard but can't stop, is a portrayal of persuasion education and occupies an important position in the history of education in China.
Third, the basic content of education. Confucius has been engaged in education for a long time, with a wide range of educational contents, but the teaching materials he used mostly followed the six arts used in aristocratic schools in Zhou Dynasty, namely, poetry, calligraphy, ceremony, music, Yi, Spring and Autumn. "Zi Suoya said that Poems, Books and Rites." ("Shu Er") "Prosperity, success in music." (Taber) "If you don't learn poetry, you can't speak." "If you don't learn etiquette, you can't stand." (Ji Shi) It can be seen that Confucius used poetry, books, rites and music as common teaching materials to educate students. As for the content of the Book of Changes, it was only in his later years that Confucius studied and put it into teaching. Confucius said, "Learn the Book of Changes in fifty years (Book II). It may also be because the Book of Changes and The Spring and Autumn Annals are relatively advanced subjects, and only a few elite students can study them, so it is said that "two out of seventy people are proficient in the six arts" (Confucius' home). So, among these teaching contents, what does Confucius attach most importance to? From many ideas in The Analects of Confucius, we can see that poetry and etiquette are the main courses of Confucius' teaching. Confucius said, "If you don't learn poetry, you have nothing to say." ("Ji's") "Recite 300 Poems and teach them to be political." ("Lutz") "Three hundred poems. In a word, it is' naive thinking'. " ("Politics") and said: "Li Xia, I can say that it is not enough; Li Yin, what I can say is not enough in the Song Dynasty. Lack of literature. That's enough, then we can collect it. " ("Bashu") "Yin gains and loses, because, so you can know; Zhou's gains and losses are also well known. "These thoughts show that Confucius not only attaches importance to the education of poetic rites, but also attaches importance to the summary, excavation and research of these contents, which has played an important role in enriching and perfecting the content of ancient Chinese education.
Fourth, the training goal of education. In Confucius' view, the purpose of education is not only to purify people's soul and coordinate people's social behavior with benevolence and righteousness, but also to cultivate "officials" and "gentlemen" with benevolence and righteousness, thus serving the society at that time. This is his famous thought of "being an official and learning" (Zhang Ziyu). Because of this, when Ji Kangzi asked his disciples Zhong You, Zi Gong and Ran Qiu if they could "go into politics", Confucius readily promised them that they could "go into politics". In fact, 72% of Confucius' favorite students are politicians, and Confucius himself is not opposed to participating in politics. This shows that Confucius' educational thought and training goal are unified with the social needs at that time, which embodies the social value of education. Of course, Confucius' educational thought inevitably embodies the nature of class, but as a social person, many ideas advocated by Confucius under the historical conditions at that time have their elements in line with human nature and are an indispensable part of the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, which should be dialectically analyzed and discarded.
Sixth, the thought and value of administrative affairs.
The thought of administrative affairs in The Analects of Confucius is the concrete embodiment of the thought of "applying what you have learned", and the standards of administrative affairs in The Analects of Confucius are also explained in detail.
First, about the object of government affairs. Confucius believes that as long as people are polite, upright, upright and have certain political talents, they can run politics. Ji Kangzi asked: "Can Zhong You engage in politics?" Confucius said, "What does it matter to be in politics?" Q: "Can giving also engage in politics?" He said, "You give, you get. What is the political significance? " Q: "Can asking also make politics work?" Yue: "What's the point of pursuing art politically?" In other words, as long as people have certain qualities of participating in politics, such as decisiveness, rationality and versatility, they can participate in politics.
Second, about the basic requirements and standards of open government affairs. Politicians must be diligent and loyal. Confucius said, "Live tirelessly and act faithfully." (Yan Yuan) "Work hard first" and "Never get tired" (Lutz). That is to say, you should not relax your position, be loyal to the implementation of government decrees, take the lead and be diligent, and don't relax your work. Politicians must be gentle, polite and polite. Chen asked Zigong: "As for the country, the master will hear about its politics and ask for its safety." ? Depressed? "Zi Gong said," The master is gentle, respectful and frugal, and let him have it. (Xue Ji) That is to say, when Confucius arrives in a country, he will certainly know the politics here, because Mr. Wang has five virtues: gentleness, courtesy and frugality. And these five virtues also indirectly illustrate the truth of participating in and discussing state affairs. On one occasion, when talking about Zheng Guoxian's Xiangzi property, Confucius said: "There are four ways for a gentleman: respect for deeds, respect for things, support for benefits, and righteousness for people. "It is precisely because of Zi Chan's solemnity, respect, kindness, morality and virtue that he can be in the position of a saint of Zheng.
Third, match words with deeds and behave in a dignified manner. Confucius said, "You must keep your word and respect your deeds. Although it is a barbarian country, it will do. " . Is it true that you are disloyal and disrespectful, although you are in a state? When you stand up, you will see that you are involved in the front, and you will see that you are leaning on the balance on the court, and then your husband will do it. (Wei Linggong) That is to say, if you want others to accept your idea, you must be sincere and dignified, so that your idea can work.
Fourth, we should be far-sighted and advance in turn. Ju's father became a county magistrate and asked Confucius how to manage politics. Confucius said, "Haste makes waste. Haste makes waste, but seeing small profits can't be a big deal. " ("Luz") That is, people are required not to be eager for quick success and instant benefit when dealing with government affairs, but to covet immediate interests, thus failing to achieve the expected purpose and coveting small profits, and not achieving great things. It is to look far and advance in turn. In addition, Confucius also believed that when dealing with government affairs, we should be cautious, go deep into reality, listen more and see more, know what it is and avoid making mistakes. The so-called "suspicious, cautious, then widowed; If you see more dangers, if you are cautious about others, you will regret it. If you don't say anything, you will regret it, and Lu will be among them. " (Politics)