“A person lacking in humaneness cannot endure straightened circumstances for long, nor can he enjoy favorable circumstances for long” (Watson 32).
Here, Confucius concerns himself with the qualities of a gentleman and things that cannot be considered gentlemanly. In this regard, Confucius outlines various examples of what a gentleman should do as well as what he should not do. Book 4 is considerably brief as compared to the other books and also represents matters of filial piety with regard to the mourning periods when parents have passed on ad the extent to which a child should continue the path of the father following the death of the latter. Book 5 continues with the discussion regarding the characteristics of a gentleman by exploring the strengths and weaknesses of historical figures and this expands the discourse regarding goodness and virtue. The comparison that Confucius makes between a gentleman and what he refers to as “the small man” is an attempt to lay emphasis on the matters concerning things that people consider to be appropriate.
In the subsequent books, Confucius continues with the same approach of emphasizing virtue while also portraying the prevailing political situation while focusing on the kingdom of Lu. He considers careful planning and then sanctity of one’s words as something that is important in differentiating a gentleman and a common person. The books also highlight his belief that learning and knowledge can elevate poor to a higher stature within the society. In this regard, it is notable that Confucius believes that one can learn virtue and become a noble even when the circumstances make it seemingly impossible. Accordingly, Confucius reveals how having a gentleman as a ruler can be a model for others to emulate. In this regard, Confucius is of the opinion that when a ruler portrays filial piety it is highly likely that the subjects will also be motivated to do the same. Throughout book 4 up to book 9, it is apparent that Confucius did not see any benefit arising from just observing the society and commenting about the worldly ways rather than being proactive.
“ Qiu is timid—so I urged him on. You always tries to outdo others—so I restrained him” (75).
Here, Confucius seeks to address issues of propriety directly with regard to the proper conduct of a gentleman. The foregoing statement aims at focusing on how a gentleman should handle various situations. In particular, book 10 looks at how a gentleman should conduct himself in court and other public as well as political settings. Confucius gives a perfect example of how the conduct of a person and their reply to different settings can vary when he gives different answers to the same question when asked by different disciples. The difference in his answer shows that Confucius considered the disciples in a different way before delivering an answer.
“When a state follows the Way, one receives an official stipend. But when a state is without the Way, to receive an official stipend is shameful” (94).
The fact that Confucius considers accepting anything including an income from a regime that has failed in its service to the people as shameful, means that every person should protest bad leadership regardless of whether one is still getting their dues. As such, he considers a ruler who does not spread goodness to everyone as an unworthy ruler and who should be reprimanded by any means necessary. Accordingly, those who disregard the plight of others and go on with their work should be ashamed of themselves because of their selfish acts. Here, Confucius advocates for selflessness as a virtue that should be instilled in every person, not just rulers.
Work Cited
Watson, Burton (Trans.). The Analects of Confucius. New York: Columbia University Press,
2007.
