【Tips】The content of this article is written with authoritative information combined with personal opinions, and the source of the literature and screenshots have been marked at the end of the article, please be aware.
In the vast ancient books and classics on the mainland, there is a sentence that is often mentioned by people: "The gentleman is not compared with the week, and the villain is not compared with the week."
This famous quote from the Analects of Confucius, although it is only ten words, contains a profound philosophy. It not only reveals the fundamental differences between the gentleman and the villain in the world, but also reflects Confucius's unique views on interpersonal relations and social governance.
What kind of wisdom is hidden behind this sentence? What do "Zhou" and "Bi" represent? Let's walk into the Spring and Autumn Period, explore the world of Confucius's thoughts, and interpret the deep meaning behind this famous saying.
1. The State of Etiquette and Music: The Background of Confucius's Times
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Central Plains was experiencing an era of change. The rule of the Zhou royal family was declining, and the vassal states rose one after another, vying for supremacy. In this chaotic era, a baby destined to leave a strong mark in the history of Chinese civilization was born in Lu in 551 BC. The baby was Confucius, and his birthplace was in present-day Qufu, Shandong.
Confucius's ancestors were originally nobles of the Song state, but they fled to the state of Lu for political reasons. By the time Confucius came to his generation, the family had fallen into the middle. His father, Uncle Liang Su, was a brave warrior who was outnumbered and made great achievements in the Battle of Mount Tai. However, Shu Liang Su died when Confucius was three years old, leaving the young Confucius and his mother struggling to get by.
Despite his poor family, Confucius showed a passion for learning from an early age. At that time, educational resources were mainly in the hands of the aristocracy, and it was difficult for the children of the commoners to obtain a systematic education.
However, with his diligence and wisdom, Confucius worked hard to learn the "six arts" of the time: etiquette, music, archery, royalty, calligraphy, and mathematics. He was particularly fond of ritual music, often imitating the etiquette of the Zhou Dynasty and studying ancient music.
In order to make ends meet, the young Confucius had to work in a variety of jobs. He used to be a commissioner, in charge of the grain warehouse; He also worked as a field and managed cattle and sheep. Although this work was arduous, it gave Confucius the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the life of the lower classes of society, which laid the foundation for the formation of his ideas in the future.
In the era when Confucius lived, although the state of Lu was a relative of Zhou Tianzi, it was actually controlled by the Sanhuan family. These three families were Mengsun, Shusun, and Jisun, and they monopolized the political and military power of the Lu State, making the monarch of the Lu State a puppet. This political situation deeply worried Confucius and inspired him to think about ideal politics.
At the same time, other vassal states were fiercely competing. The state of Qi once dominated the Central Plains under the governance of Duke Huan and Guan Zhong, but gradually declined. The Jin State also dominated for a while under the leadership of Duke Wen and Chong'er, but the internal contradictions intensified day by day. As a powerful country in the south, the state of Chu continued to expand northward, posing a great threat to the countries of the Central Plains.
Against this backdrop, wars between countries have erupted one after another. Some countries were destroyed, and some were forced to move their capitals. For example, in 506 BC, the state of Wu attacked the capital of the state of Chu, Ying, and the king of Chu was forced to flee. This turbulent situation has made many people of insight begin to think about how to achieve peace in the world.
It was in such an era of decay and hegemony that Confucius began his career of study and education. He traveled the world, preaching his political ideals in the hope of finding a wise ruler to fulfill his ambitions. Although he did not succeed in the end, his ideas were widely spread through his disciples and influenced the development of the entire Chinese civilization.
In those days, when there was no pen and paper, the transmission of knowledge relied mainly on word of mouth. Confucius's disciples engraved the teacher's remarks on bamboo slips, and these precious records eventually became the Analects, which was widely circulated in later generations.
It is in this book that embodies the wisdom of Confucius's life, that we find many wise sayings, including the classic statement that "a gentleman is not compared with Zhou, and a villain is not Zhou". And there is a related story to this classic statement:
2. Lu Aigong's questioning of politics: Confucius's way of governing the country
In 484 BC, the state of Lu achieved an important military victory with the assistance of Confucius' disciples. This victory gave Lu Aigong a keen interest in the teachings of Confucius. One day, Lu Aigong sincerely asked Confucius for advice on how to govern the country.
In the face of Lu Aigong's question, Confucius did not directly give a specific strategy, but expounded his views from the perspective of selecting and appointing talents. He told Lu Aigong that the key to governing the country is to choose an upright gentleman as a minister and avoid villains from taking power, which is this classic golden sentence - "The gentleman is not compared with the week, and the villain is not compared with the week"
Confucius further explained that a gentleman should be based on benevolence and righteousness, keep an appropriate distance from all people, and be impartial. They will take into account the interests of each individual and not only care about a particular group. In contrast, villains tend to draw closer to the few and alienate the majority for personal gain.
This dialogue not only reflects the political wisdom of Confucius, but also re-emphasizes the importance of the idea that "gentlemen are thoughtful but not comparable, and villains are not thoughtful". In Confucius's view, the success or failure of a country depends largely on whether the rulers are able to identify and appoint true gentlemen.
3. Week but not comparison: the way of a gentleman
In the teachings of Confucius, "a gentleman is not comparable" is a description of the ideal personality. To understand the meaning of this sentence, we need to first understand the cultural origin and meaning evolution of the words "Zhou" and "Bi".
The origin of the character "Zhou" can be traced back to the oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin Shang period. In the earliest oracle bone inscriptions, the character "Zhou" was shaped like a piece of land that had been divided into four equal parts, which was used to indicate the division of fields. This glyph vividly reflects the land distribution system of the time. Over time, the meaning of the word "Zhou" gradually expanded, evolving from a simple land allocation to a thoughtful and thoughtful description.
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the meaning of the word "Zhou" was further enriched. The feudal system practiced by the Zhou Dynasty was known as the "Zhou system", and this system emphasized the fair and reasonable distribution of land and power.
Therefore, the word "Zhou" also began to carry the meaning of justice and equality. By the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the word "Zhou" had become a word with multiple meanings, which could not only refer to thoughtfulness and comprehensiveness, but also indicate fairness and justice.
The opposite of "Zhou" is the word "than". In oracle bone inscriptions, the word "bi" originally meant that two people had an intimate relationship. The glyph of this character is like two people standing side by side, which vividly shows the intimacy. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the word "bi" was often used to describe alliances or close friendships.
However, with the development of society, the meaning of the word "than" has also begun to change subtly. In the political struggles of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, "Bi" gradually took on the negative connotation of forming a party for personal gain. Some vassal states formed alliances with each other in order to fight against powerful enemies, an act known as "bizhou". Although "Bi Zhou" was a political strategy at the time, it was often seen as an act that was not above board.
In this historical context, Confucius put forward the view that "the gentleman is not comparable". In Confucius's view, a true gentleman should treat everyone equally, impartially, and not discriminate according to personal likes and dislikes. This attitude not only reflects the tolerance and generosity of gentlemen, but also demonstrates their ideal of pursuing fairness and justice.
This view of Confucius was particularly important in the social context of the time. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the struggle between countries became increasingly fierce, and many people did whatever it took for their own interests. In this context, Confucius called on people to maintain moral integrity and not to form parties for their own selfishness.
In the Analects, we can find many remarks that echo the phrase "the gentleman is not comparable". For example, Confucius said: "The gentleman is harmonious but different, and the villain is the same but not harmonious." "
This sentence emphasizes that a gentleman can live in harmony with others, but he does not blindly follow it; And although the villain is superficially homogeneous, he is not in harmony on the inside. This is in line with the idea of "Zhou but not comparing".
Another example is Confucius's attitude towards students. According to records, Confucius had 3,000 disciples, of whom 72 were proficient in the six arts. Although the talents of his disciples varied, Confucius never favored one over the other, but taught each person according to their aptitude. This kind of education is the concrete embodiment of the idea of "week but not comparison".
Among Confucius's disciples, there are those with noble character like Yan Hui, and those who are brave and straightforward like Zilu. Confucius did not favor Yan Hui because he liked his character, nor did he alienate Zilu because of his straightforwardness. On the contrary, he gives proper guidance and care to each of his disciples. This way of treating equally and teaching students according to their aptitude is a vivid interpretation of "Zhou but not Bi".
In political life, Confucius also advocated the principle of "Zhou but not Bi". He believed that a good ruler should be open and listen to different opinions, rather than just listening to certain people. This kind of thinking had a profound impact in later history and became an important principle for many Ming monarchs to govern the country.
Fourth, the deep meaning of Zhou and Bi: the interpretation of scholars through the ages
Because of its profound connotation, this sentence of Confucius has aroused extensive discussion and interpretation by scholars throughout the ages. Zhu Xi, a master of the Song Dynasty, pointed out in his explanation of this sentence that "Zhou" refers to the universal, and "Bi" represents the bias towards the party.
He believes that the reason why gentlemen are "Zhou" is because they are able to care for and take care of all people in general; And the reason why villains are "comparable" is because they only care about those who have an interest in them.
In modern times, scholars have understood this sentence in more detail and depth. Some scholars believe that "Zhou" represents a fair and selfless attitude, emphasizing fairness in dealing with interpersonal relationships; "Bi", on the other hand, represents a narrow concept of self-interest, reflecting behavior that does not hesitate to harm the interests of others or the collective for the sake of personal gain.
Although these interpretations have different perspectives, they all point to the same core idea: a gentleman should take justice and benevolence as the principles of life, and should not form a party for personal gain. This kind of thinking is not only of great significance in the time of Confucius, but also worthy of our deep consideration in today's society.
5. The Connection between Ancient and Modern: The Practical Significance of Confucius's Wisdom
This sentence of Confucius is not only a simple distinction between a gentleman and a villain, but also his profound insight into interpersonal relations and social governance. In Confucius's view, an ideal society should be one in which everyone is treated fairly, rather than being divided into large and small interest groups.
In modern society, this kind of thinking still has important practical significance. In the workplace, we often see people forming gangs and crowding out colleagues in order to win the favor of their bosses; In politics, some people engage in nepotism and ignore popular interests in order to consolidate their power. Aren't these behaviors exactly what Confucius criticized as "the villain is less than thoughtful"?
On the contrary, leaders and managers who are fair and impartial tend to win the respect and support of more people. Their behavior embodies the spirit of "gentlemen are thoughtful but not comparable". This spirit can not only create good interpersonal relationships, but also promote the development of the whole society in the direction of fairness and justice.
summary
Although Confucius's sentence "the gentleman is not comparable, and the villain is not comparable", although it was produced in the Spring and Autumn Period more than 2,000 years ago, the wisdom contained in it transcends time and space, and still shines with the light of wisdom. It is not only an incisive summary of the behavior patterns of gentlemen and villains, but also a profound insight into ideal social relations.
This sentence tells us that no matter what kind of era we are in, justice and benevolence should be the fundamental criterion for our conduct in the world. In today's complex and ever-changing society, we should keep in mind this teaching of Confucius, strive to become a gentleman who is "thoughtful but not comparable", and contribute to the construction of a more fair and just society.
What do you think differently about this?
Resources:
[1] Cangshi Mountain House. Chuanshan Journal,1934,(02):93-103.
[1] Wang Ditang. Confucius's dialectical thought from the book Analects[J].Yunnan Social Sciences,1982,(01):91-96.
[1] Fu Yueqiu. Confucius's educational proposition from the Analects[J].Tianjin Education,1981,(05):16-17.
[Disclaimer] The process described in the article and the pictures are all from the Internet, and this article aims to advocate positive social energy without vulgarity and other bad guidance. If it involves copyright or character infringement issues, please contact us in time, and we will delete the content as soon as possible! If there is any doubt about the incident, it will be deleted or changed immediately after contact.