Confucius or 孔子 (Kǒng Zǐ) is China’s most famous philosopher, poet and scholar who lived from  551 BC – 479 BC, and is best known for his writings and teachings on Chinese society, culture and everyday life. His impact on Chinese culture has been so profound that some 2,500 years later his teachings are still well known and well respected.

Like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and other Greek/Roman philosophers,  Confucius spent his entire life trying to reconcile the social world with the natural world, looking for truths throughout that would improve society and the relationship between man and spiritual world.

The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. These values gained prominence in China over other doctrines, such as Legalism or 法家 (fǎ jiā) and Taoism or 道家 (Dào jiā) during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 220). As a result, Confucius’ thoughts have been developed into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism or 儒家 (rú jiā).

The following selections are on studying and learning from the Confucian Analects. I thought they would be fitting for our Chinese learners. Heed these words, for few scholars can compare to the intellectual prowess of Master Confucius.

“温故而知新，可以为师矣.”

“One is worthy of being or becoming a teacher if one is able to derive new understanding while revising what he has learned.”–Truer words have nigh been spoke!

“学而不思，则罔；思而不学，则殆.”

“To learn without thinking, one will be lost in his learning. To think without learning, one will be imperilled.” — Seems a little ridiculous considering that almost all Chinese education systems have developed into “rote memorization” where creativity and thinking plays second fiddle.

“学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知，而不愠，不亦君子乎?”

“To learn and then practice it time and again is a pleasure, is it not? To have friends come from afar to share each other learning is a pleasure, is it not? To be unperturbed when not appreciated by others is gentlemanly, is it not?”

“知之者，不如好之者；好之者，不如乐之者.”

” To merely know is nothing compared to being interested to know, being interested to know is nothing compared to deriving joy from learning it.”

子夏曰：“一个人能好人之贤德胜过其好色之心，奉事父母能尽力，事君能奉身尽职，交友能有信，这样的人，纵使他自谦说未经学问，我必说他已有学问了。”

” I would grant that a man is indeed schooled if he revered virtues instead of beauty, devoted in serving his parents, exert himself to the utmost in serving his lord, and behave with trustworthiness with his friends, even though he is said to be not schooled.”

“吾有知乎哉？无知也。有鄙夫问于我，空空如也。我叩其两端而竭焉.”

“Do I have wisdom? No, I do not have. If someone is to ask me a question, I do not think I would be able to answer. But I will point out two sides of the problem, to help him solve the problem.” — Ever the Philosopher, Confucius is quick to argue the semantics of knowledge, in his most humble of ways.

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