The Summary of “The Analects” by Confucius

The Analects is an excerpt from the book that collects the daily teachings of
Confucius, a Chinese philosopher. It is about the moral and ethical philosophy of
our social relationships in modern time. Specifically, it's about how to better manage
your relationships with your family, friends and your colleagues around you.
The five virtues that is in the book are: Ren (the virtue of benevolence, charity, and
humanity), Yi (honesty and uprightness), Zhi (knowledge), Xin (virtue of
faithfulness and integrity), Li (correct behavior, or propriety, good manners,
politeness, ceremony, worships).

The Master said, To learn and at due times to repeat what one has learnt, is that not
after all a pleasure? That friends should come to one from afar, is this not after all
delightful? To remain unsoured even though one's merits are unrecognized by others,
is that not after all what is expected of a gentleman?
It means how enjoyable learning is, saying that the process of learning
itself is pleasurable. Taking social interaction is pleasurable but not allowing
yourself to focus on it, making it the most important thing in your life. We
should be contented with how our merits are appreciated because even if
other’s won’t recognized it, that doesn’t mean that they are not there.
The Master said, A young man's duty is to behave well to his parents at home and to
his elders abroad, to be cautious in giving promises and punctual in keeping them,
to have kindly feelings toward everyone, but seek the intimacy of the Good. If, when
all that is done, he has any energy to spare, then let him study the polite arts.
A good man shows right and proper moral behavior towards his family.
The Master said, "The good man does not grieve that other people do not recognize
his merits. His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs."
In this sentence, it emphasizes the importance of humility. People praise
us for what we have done good but it doesn’t matter, what matters is we should
encourage people to pursue doing good deeds through commending and
teaching them. Most of the boastful and proud ones fail. So let us not allow
ourselves to become one of those.
The Master said, “He who rules by moral force is like the Pole star, which remains in
its place where all the lesser stars do homage to it.”
 The quoted teaches us what is the outcome of being a righteous leader. To
be a good leader, one must be an inspiration, a good example and a doer of his
words. With this, a leader gains respect and honor from his people. His days may
pass by, but the memory of his good example will remain, as steady as the pole star.

The Master said, If out of the three hundred songs I had to take one phrase to cover
all my teachings, I would say ‘Let there be no evil in your thoughts.’

No matter how kind you are, there will always be times that bad side will
come out of you. You can be good but let an evil thought. No one is very good
right, there will still be bad in us. Like Yin and Yang.
The Master said, “Govern the people by regulations, keep order among them by
chastisements, and they will flee from you, and lose all self-respect. Govern them by
moral force, keep order among them by ritual, they will keep their self respect and
come to you of their own accord.”

He aims to teach about being a genuine leader. If you rule your followers
with laws and regulations, they would lose self respect and wouldn’t have the will
to follow you. If you lead them with moral force, they will have the initiative and
the interest to follow you.

The Master said, “behave in such a way that your father and mother have no anxiety
about you.”

This means we should be independent even if they are with us. As we get
older, we need to do and understand things, to know which is good and which is
bad.

The master said “ A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The
small man is biased and can see a question only from one side.”

A gentleman is someone that is fair and is never prejudiced. He can see

the negative and positive side on all corners and angles choices that is given. He
is someone that takes as much trouble to discover what is the right thing to do
and what are the right things to think about the situation at hand. On the other
hand, A small man, according to Confucius, is someone that is petty and biased.
They are people that are not knowledgeable of the other hidden significance
and reason a situation is happening. They only look at the surface of the
problem and can only scratch the surface, not digging deeper to find the right
answer.
The master said, “You, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a
thing, to recognize that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to recognize
that you do not know it. That is knowledge.”

Knowing that you don’t know a thing is considered a knowledge.

The master said, “ High office filled by men of narrow views, ritual performed
without reverence, the forms of mourning observed without grief – these are things
I cannot bear to see.”

The things that the speaker doesn’t like or want to see is High officer or
people who has higher position in politics who doesn’t understand thoroughly
things. They don’t accept and listen others opinions. They do thing without
knowing its sense and importance. When there are things that happen, they look
like they don’t care or give importance.

The master said, “in the presence of a good man, think all the time how you may
learn to equal him. In the presence of a bad man, turn your gaze within?

To find a good presence in someone is hard and we need to have time in

understanding how he is considered as a kind person. Never turn your gaze in
him except if he has intentions of betrayal or rebellion.
The master said, “In old days, a man kept hold on his words, fearing the disgrace
that would ensue should he himself fail to keep pace with them.”

Honesty was still important in the past, and people feared that they
were letting someone down, whoever that someone may be- might they be the
man’s family or friends- if lest he ends up not keeping hold of his words that
he had told his family he would keep pace.
The master said, “A gentleman covets the reputation of being slow in word but
prompt in deed.”

Action speaks louder than words.

The master said, “In old days, men studied for the sake of self-improvement;
nowadays men study to impress other people.”
 Men studied before for improvement as he knows he needs to develop
himself. Now, things have changed as men study for other people to recognize his
mastery and wisdom

The master said, “ A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds”

This phrase means humility of an individual. Because of being used to

be humble, a man always doesn't tell anyone about his good deeds but instead,
he do good things because it is what he needs to do.

The master said, “He who will not worry about what is far off will soon find
something worse than worry close at hand.”

It means that one must prepare for the future, if ever one fails to do so,
he/she may suffer worse than what could have been if he/she prepared for it.
It emphasizes the importance of getting ready and thinking ahead than to deal
important things instantly.

The master said, “ To demand much form oneself and little from others is the way
(for a ruler) to banish discontent.

A leader don’t not rely on the decisions and actions of his/her people but
solely trust on one’ self to be satisfied on his successions.