△ Statue of Confucius
Miscellaneous: Gentlemen are worried about poverty
"Analects of zilu": "Zi Yue: "A gentleman seeks the way and does not seek food." Ploughing is also in it; learning is also in it. A gentleman is not worried about poverty. The original meaning was that Confucius said, "A gentleman seeks only the tao, not food and clothing." Ploughing the land, you often have to go hungry; if you study, you can get Feng Lu. The gentleman only worries that the Tao will not work, not about poverty. ”
Aristotle said that "it is human nature to seek knowledge", but there is a hierarchy of human needs. In The Theory of Masno's five levels of needs, the first level is the need for physiology, the second level is the need for security, the third level is the need for emotion and belonging, the fourth level is the need for respect, and the fifth level is the need for self-actualization. Confucius said that a gentleman does not worry about poverty, but only worries that the Tao in his heart cannot be implemented, which is to put spiritual pursuit in the most important position.
Confucius had a very rich disciple named Zigong, who was rich enough to rival the country, and Zigong respected Confucius very much. After Confucius's death, the other disciples observed filial piety for three years, and Zigong built a hut and stood alone next to Confucius's tomb for six years, but the wealthy Zigong was not Confucius's favorite student. Confucius liked the poor Yan Hui, "A piece of food, a scoop of drink, in the dark alley, people are overwhelmed, and they will not change their happiness." Hyun-jae, back also!" Does this mean that Confucius liked poverty and hated wealth?
△ Yan Hui
Of course not. Confucius simply said not to be "poor", not to let everyone be poor. Everyone has gone to "seek the tao", what do they rely on to eat? Poverty or wealth is an external condition, not something that one can influence at once, it may depend on the accumulation of ancestors, it may rely on luck, it may rely on skill, and the outward pursuit is not the pursuit of benevolent people. The benevolent one looks inward, the so-called "I want to be kind, and I am the best of the people." "You want to have money, but you don't get it all at once. But you want benevolence, whether poor or rich, can get it immediately, so the poor Yanhui can enjoy the happiness of eating and drinking, and this virtue is commendable. Confucius said, "Only the benevolent can be good and the wicked." Therefore, his praise for Yan Hui is also out of praise for benevolence, and it has nothing to do with poverty and wealth.
Mencius: "Those who do what they do without knowing it, who practice without observing it, who do not know their way all their lives, are also the multitudes." "All my life I only know how to follow others, but I don't know the path I want to take, which is really a sad thing in life." Since ancient times, when the saints and sages faced poverty, He Zeng lost his will! Yan Zi has the pleasure of eating and drinking, the drunk man borrows sand to become a talent, and the poor are full of tao! Cultivate one's own virtue carefully, be reflexive and sincere, and be happy. Many modern people tend to be impetuous, indulge in material pursuits and lose themselves, so that as Zhuangzi said, "lifelong service without seeing its success, and fatigue without knowing its destination". In this case, the reader needs to have a kind of social responsibility, without permanent production but perseverance, although the Spring and Autumn Dynasties do not change to the heart of the Tao, so as to add some warmth and justice to our society. Therefore, the so-called "cold door is difficult to get a noble son" is actually a false proposition, and the poor family may cause many obstacles to people's path to study, but it is by no means a gap that cannot be crossed. On the tortuous road of study, the biggest purpose of learning is actually to enrich oneself and enrich one's own virtues and talents, rather than to pursue interests and status. "The poor are good for the world, and the poor are alone."
△ A gentleman is not worried about poverty
Of course, this is not to say that it is impossible to pursue wealth, after all, Confucius also liked wealth: "Rich and noble can be sought, although the whip is a man, I am also for it." Confucius's life is actually very exquisite, sleeping has "nightgowns", bathing has "bright clothes" (bathrobes), "food is not tired of fine, not tired of fine", go out to take the car, because he said: "After I am from the doctor, I cannot do it in vain." (Analects and Advances)
This does not contradict the "path of poverty and happiness". Because Confucius's love for wealth and wealth has a bottom line, that is, "unrighteous rich and expensive, to me like a floating cloud." The so-called "gentleman is worried about the way and not worried about poverty" is also focused on the pursuit of morality and family situation is not contradictory.
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Written by | Xiaohan
Editors| Hanhua, Qingyi
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