The Analects

Confucius
 Ignorance is both a
blessing and a curse

• Does education really make a

person good/better in life?
 About Confucius
• 551 – 479 BC in the district of
Zou
• A Chinese philosopher and
politician
• Written and revised Chinese
classic texts, including the Five
Classics.
 About the Analects
• Also known as Lunyu
• A compilation of Confucius’
philosophies
• Apparently, not made by
Confucius himself, but by his
followers.
• One of the most influencial
literary pieces in China
Type of Essay
 Type of Essay
• Strict or Impersonal –
Straightforward; The Analects
was made to educate the citizens
of ancient China.
Elements of Essay
 Idea
• Book I – Discipline
• Book III & IV – Being Good
Book V – Humanity & Virtue
• Book VI & VII – Contentment &
Happiness
 Idea
• Book VIII & Book IX – Loyalty
and Humility
 Motive

• The warring state is one of the

reasons why Confucius, and his
followers, taught his philosophies.
 Structure
• The Analects was created in a
span of multiple years.
• Confucius’ followers have
different writing styles.
• Categorized into 20 books
 Evidence
Book I: Discipline
• “There have been none who, not
liking to offend their superiors,
have been fond of stirring
confusion.”
 Evidence
Book I : Discipline
• “ The superior man bends his
attention to what is radical.”
 Evidence
Book III: Being Good
• “A man who is not good, what
can he have do with ritual? A man
who is not good, what can he do
with music?”
 Evidence
Book IV: Being Good
• “Without goodness a man cannot
for long endure adversity, cannot
long enjoy prosperity. The Good
man rests content with Goodness;
he that is merely wise pursues
Goodness in the belief that is pays
to do so.”
 Evidence
Book V: Humanity & Virtue
• The Master said, "How can we
call even Weishing Kâo upright?
When someone asked for
vinegar, he went and begged it
from the people next door and
then gave it as though it were his
 Evidence
Book VI & VII: Contentment/
Happiness
• “ Incomparable indeed was Hui.
A handful of rice to eat, a
gourdful of water to drink, living
in a mean street – others would
have found it unendurably
depressing, but to Hui’s
cheerfulness it made no
 Evidence
Book VIII: Humility
• “Learn as if you are following
someone with who you could not
catch up, as though it were
someone you were frightened of
losing.”
 Evidence
Book IX: Loyalty and Humility
• “First and foremost, be faithful to
your superiors, keep all promises.
Refuse the friendship of all who
are not like you; and if you have
made a mistake, do not be afraid of
admitting the fact and amending
your ways.”
 Coherence
• The Analects is categorized into
20 books, so the transitioning was
from book one to the next.
• Confucius’ saying were
enumerated.
 Implications

• Confucius believed that being

good can be achieved if you are
well educated, and that the virtue
of man is how we judge actions
for being humane.
 Presence

• The Analects was written by

many, with differing writing
styles, but despite that, the words
“The Master said” was
prominently used.
Antonio Gatchalian