In this particular day, I shall be discussing about a verse from the
Analects, namely 2:11. In A Source Book In Chinese Philosophy by
Wing Tsit Chan, he presents the verse as follows:
"Confucius said, ‘A man who reviews the old so as to find out the new
is qualified to teach others.’ "1
Firstly, let us discuss the theme of the verse. This can be related to the concept of tradition,
which the Chinese are very staunched with, even in the time of Confucius. Traditions, generally speaking, are practices
that are rooted from the ancestors.
These practices are ways by which the ancestors remind each generation about
their beliefs and aspirations. They
wanted to preserve those aspirations and beliefs so that the future generations
can still connect with them, can still enrich the values they practiced and can
still preserve respect for them. The veneration of ancestors is also part of
the effort of the Chinese to keep their family heritage intact.
This is evident in their practices concerning their deceased
relatives. The Chinese people believed that, the stronger the family line, the
more blessed they are; for their numerous ancestors can shower them with
blessings and wisdom that can help them make prosperous lives.
Now, we proceed into scrutinizing the verse. It can be seen that the verse above can be
viewed in two perspectives. The first perspective will deal with the wisdom
gained in experience as one grows older and the second is in relation to the
observation of the tradition.
I will begin with the first perspective. The first perspective deals with wisdom in
relation to experience and age.
Wisdom is gained as one grows older in his life. This is notable, even
for the non-Chinese people. Experience teaches one many things in order to
grow. This growth is not only seen in
the physical sense, but also in the mental and in the spiritual sense. As one grows, his thinking capacity becomes
more complex, making him smarter compared to his previous way of thinking. One does not repeat the mistake of not
studying for a lesson because he realized that he will be humiliated in class
during recitation. This realization and
way of thinking is rooted in the harsh experience of humiliation, and this
makes one have the volition of not repeating the mistake. In this realization, he develops harmony.
This realization can also be utilized for the greater good, such as
one giving such realization as a basis for inspiration to someone who suffers
from the same experience. Who knows if
such inspiration prevented someone to take his own life because of depression?
It is in this sense that the person who looks back at the “old” (in this sense,
past experiences), is qualified to teach or to guide others. The
existence of sage-kings before can testify to this. Putting it in a more modern context, this
aspect remains the same for veteran professors teaching in a university. A good professor knows and understands well
his function by heart.
It is through a person’s success in surmounting one weakness after
another, and utilizing it for the good of others that he gains the
“qualification” of being a good teacher.
This is what Confucius says about ‘using the old to find the new’: one
uses his ‘past’ in order to build up a new future (‘the new’). The ‘new’ being
discussed in here are the innovations that one can do to improve his self, and
eventually apply this improvement to aid in the attainment of harmony and
unity.
Lastly, let us discuss the second sense
of the verse, which deals with the observance of tradition. Aside from tradition being a guide of the past to make a better future, it can also be a
sign of unity among families, or in the macro perspective, of a country or
nation. The values which make up this
unique concept that are passed on to every generation are not by chance. They are made for specific reasons. An example would be the rituals and
ceremonies of a society or country. They are expressions or forms of traditions. Let
us take the Chinese culture of doing rituals in a specific occasion. What could be the explanation behind this
importance given by the Chinese in such observation of rituals?
Weisen Li, in his lecture Chinese Culture and Customs, explains
that “in the use of ritual, harmony is
prized. A harmonious relationship is the most important element of governance
and therefore should be retained at any cost. ” 2
What
Li is trying to say here is that rituals are signs of order. And since rituals
are more inclined to morals, they develop unity. Relating this idea to a bigger aspect, this
unity is foremost for an effective functioning of a State because the people
are united and are in attuned with one another. This makes transactions and
other State functions easier, which could bring great benefit for both the
society and the people.
Applying this concept to the notion of being a “qualified” teacher, if
one has developed a sense of order in his life using his own traditions, he
will not cause disharmony. Having order in one’s self is necessary to be an
effective, “qualified” teacher. This is because one cannot teach anything with
sense and clarity if he himself is not sensible and clear. Expressing sense and
clarity can only be done if one is organized or in “order”.
The Confucian verse teaches us to be always keeping in mind the
lessons of the old. This is only foremost because of the reasons that they are
essential in preserving and promoting unity and harmony. Using the old to see
the new perspective qualifies a teacher, making him be a notable catalyst for
self-cultivation.
Traditions are meant to be looked back as beautiful practices which can
be used for personal and socio-cultural references. They are historical and
social in nature. They reveal the wisdom
of generations. They kept the old and
through the old, new lessons are revealed. They depict the origin of social norms,
standards, and ways of living. They
should be properly and commonly understood so as to realize personal root and
unity with others. They are trademarks
of social cohesion and social order. That is why, they are meant to be handed
down from the time they were practiced by the pioneers from generations to
generations. They are meant to be
respected by teaching them to people and society. The generations depict continuity and depth
of life’s lessons. The older the
traditions, the more profound their importance and meaning; the more a person looks back to traditions
and respect them through practice, the more he becomes well-versed, which
places him in the right position to teach the said traditions.
Sources:
1.
Wing Tsit Chan, "The Humanism of Confucius",
(United States: Princeton University Press, 1963), In A Source Book In Chinese Philosophy, 23.
2. Weisen Li, “Chinese Culture and
Customs”.
2.
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