The Analects is a record of the words and deeds of Confucius and his **, and is an important classic of Confucianism. In the Analects, Confucius has different teachings for different people, and gives appropriate guidance and encouragement to their personalities, talents, and circumstances. Among them, Confucius's teachings to Zizhang are mainly about how to seek an official position, that is, Ganlu.
Zizhang is one of the ** of Confucius, his real name is Ran Geng, the word Zizhang, is the doctor of Lu State. He is talented and ambitious, but he is also a bit conceited and stubborn, and he is not good at getting along with people. He longed to get ** Houlu, but he was unwilling to do so, and he has been serving in the lower position. He asked Confucius many times for advice on how to ask for Lu, and Confucius answered him in different ways, not only spurring his enterprising spirit, but also reminding him of his shortcomings, teaching him to be cautious in his words and deeds, to make fewer mistakes, and to regret less, in order to obtain the Lu position.
In the Analects of Zizhang, there is such a dialogue:
Zi Zhang Xueganlu. Zi said: "If you are suspicious and cautious, you will be very careful; See more and less, and be cautious about the rest, and regret it. Words are scarce, deeds are regretful, and Lu is in it. ”
The meaning of this sentence is: Zizhang learned from Confucius how to seek official positions. Confucius said: "Listen more and learn more, keep doubts about what you do not understand, and be cautious about speaking about what you understand, so that you will be less blamed; Observe more and experience more, be cautious about uncertain things, and act cautiously about certain things, so that you will have fewer regrets. Speak less blame, act less regret, and the official position is among them. ”
This sentence is a kind of teaching of Confucius to Zizhang, and it is also an attitude of being responsible for the country and individuals, and it is also a realm of unity of knowledge and action. Confucius believed that in order to obtain an official position, one must not only have talent and ambition, but also have moral character and self-cultivation, and be able to correctly handle the relationship between words and deeds, so as to avoid unnecessary troubles and regrets caused by rash words and deeds. This teaching of Confucius is not only applicable to Zizhang, but also to all those who are interested in politics, and even to all people, because it is a universal philosophy of life and an attitude towards life that pursues perfection.
This teaching of Confucius also reflects his idea of the unity of knowledge and action. The unity of knowledge and action means that knowledge and behavior should be coordinated and mutually reinforcing, and cannot deviate from each other. Knowledge is the guidance of behavior, and behavior is the test of knowledge. Knowledge and deeds must complement each other in order to achieve perfection. Confucius taught Zizhang to be suspicious and suspicious, which required him to continue to grow in knowledge, keep questioning, constantly seek verification, and constantly improve; To be cautious in what he says and what he does is to be cautious in his behavior requires him to be constantly prudent, constantly standardized, constantly improved, and constantly improved. In this way, knowledge and behavior can coordinate and promote each other, and achieve the state of unity of knowledge and action.
Confucius's teachings to Zizhang are a kind of prudence in words and deeds in the Analects, an attitude of responsibility to the state and individuals, and a realm of unity of knowledge and action. This kind of teaching is not only beneficial to Zizhang, but also beneficial to us, and is worthy of our study and practice.