China - Land of the Dragon

Confucius and Aphorisms

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learn about Confucius.
Learn about aphorisms.

DISCUSSION

Confucius

551–479 BCE

Confucius is one of the world’s greatest philosophers, a great thinker who lived from 551 to 479 BCE. Confucius is more popularly known as Kongzi, literally “Master Kong” in Chinese. Confucius is the Latin name of K’ung Fu-tzu,” which means “The Great Teacher K’ung.”

In The Analects, the Chinese philosopher Confucius is often referred to simply as “The Master” , "The Great Sage", “First Teacher,” and “Model Teacher for Ten Thousand Ages.”

The Analects is a collection of the teachings of Confucius, presented as a series of discourses and dialogues that Confucius had with his disciples. They were put together by his disciples several years after he died. The Analects of Confucius consists of 20 books; each book is composed of several chapters.

Three most important philosophies can be grasped through The Analects: Jen (benevolence), Yi (propriety), and Li (ritual). The Analects teaches us that a man of virtue must embrace and live out the three ethical principles in order to promote harmony with all its relations.

CONFUCIUS SAID:

"A man who speaks with honeyed words and pretends

to be kind cannot be benevolent."

"At home, a young man should be dutiful towards his

parents; going outside, he should be respectful towards his elders; he

should be cautious in deeds and trustworthy in words; he should love

everyone yet make close friends only with those of benevolence. If he

has any more energy to spare, let him devote it to books."

"Don’t worry about being misunderstood but about

understanding others."

“I am not one of those who pretend to understand what

they do not. I suggest that one should listen to different views and

choose the sound one to follow, see different things and keep them in

mind. Knowledge obtained in this way is reliable, though not as good as

innate knowledge.”

APHORISMS

An aphorism is a short saying or pointed statement.

A memorable expression of a general truth or principle. They're often handed down by tradition from generation to generation.

EXAMPLES OF WELL-KNOWN APHORISMS

Actions speak louder than words.
All for one and one for all.
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Give a man an inch and he'll take a mile.
If you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas.
Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone.
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't the country out of the boy.
You made your bed, now lie in it.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Eat to live; don't live to eat.
Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
All things come to those who wait.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got.
Measure twice, cut once.
Know which side your bread is buttered on.

ASSESSMENT

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