Analects 4:5

In this particular day, I shall attempt to make an interpretation in a verse from the Analects, namely 4:5. In A Source Book In Chinese Philosophy, Wing Tsit Chan presents the verse as follows:

 “Confucius said, ‘ Wealth and honor are what every man desires.  But if they have been obtained in violation of the moral principles, they must not be kept.  Poverty and humble station are what every man dislikes. But if they can be avoided only in violation of the moral principles, they must not be avoided. If a superior man departs from humanity, how can he fulfill that name?  A superior man never abandons humanity even for the lapse of a single meal. In moments of haste, he acts according to it.  In times of difficulty or confusion, he acts according to it.’ ¹“

Firstly, let us discuss its theme.  It focuses primarily on the concept of the superior man.   The application of the Tao is one of the attitudes in which the superior man possesses.  It is through this application that he nurtures harmony within him, and this is evident in his good disposition and his wide perspective.

Let us start with the first four sentences in the verse. It is stated as follows:

‘Wealth and honor are what every man desires.  But if they have been obtained in violation of the moral principles, they must not be kept.  Poverty and humble station are what every man dislikes.   But if they can be avoided only in violation of the moral principles, they must not be avoided.’

It can be observed that this depicts the usual propensity of man to be desperate for the worldly pursuits concerning riches and fame.  Confucius does not necessarily consider riches and fame as bad things. They are things of life. So, wealth and honor are not necessarily bad.   It depends on one’s attitude towards them.   It is one’s craving for them which is bad.  Like for example, money or salary.  If one works hard and sincere so that he will get higher pay and be promoted to a better position later, that is fine.  However, if one works with the craving to get higher pay and be promoted to a better position later at the expense of his other colleagues then his act is bad. And anything that results from that bad act is not worthy for his life.   This is where the line: ‘But if they have been obtained in violation of the moral principles, they must not be kept.’   If a government official desires wealth and honor but tries to obtain it through corruption and murder, then it will not bring any good to the individual or the society.  This is because it is against the moral principle.

   Thus, there is nothing wrong if wealth and fame are gained in accordance with what is moral or good.

Moreover, Confucius considers poverty and humility as conditions or values that can sharpen one’s moral perspectives and attitudes.  And again, it takes a right attitude of one to see poverty and humility as positive things sufficient to make life worthy.  Poverty hammers the deepest of a person’s weakness and tames a person’s inner patience.  Humility is a value of unselfishness and no deceit.  It is being lowly without being a slave.  It is being just without being abused.

It is a common fact that a person’s tendency is more inclined to the pursuits of wealth and honor.   This is so because wealth and honor bring pleasure.   If perceived with a wrong attitude, these can ruin one’s life.   On the other hand, poverty and humility bring suffering.  If perceived with a right attitude, these can lead one to the best rewards of life.

It is a person’s tendency to avoid suffering.   Suffering brings pain, and is surely unpleasant to remember. It makes one feeble towards the world, even towards one’s self.   But Confucius tells us in this verse that suffering is not a bad thing at all.  He shows in his verse that the good and bad things in the life of a person are not really “bad” as one would claim it.  It is inherently good. This matter is only settled by perspective. Even though one is suffering, he must not let go of his morals. He must let the Way prevail in his life.

 A poor person stealing food so that his family can eat does not justify his objective of feeding his family. Even though most people think this is justifiable because of the poor man’s situation, the point is that his inner harmony will cease to manifest in him.  His action, although it has a benevolent objective, ceased to be “really” benevolent because of the method that was used to carry it out. It is no different from the case of a corrupt government official.

Confucius tries to emphasize in these first four sentences that the good and bad experiences or things that one may come to interact within his life are only essential in making him realize his true essence. To either avoid the bad or preserve the good things by unethical means only show one not living the Way. 

Now, let us continue to the last four sentences:

‘If a superior man departs from humanity, how can he fulfill that name? A superior man never abandons humanity even for the lapse of a single meal. In moments of haste, he acts according to it. In times of difficulty or confusion, he acts according to it.’

Before we go over the sentences, let us focus on the term which has an essential role in giving the emphasis on these last sentences. This term is “humanity”.  It can be understood in two senses: humanity present in one’s own self and humanity present in others in the society.

 I will first discuss humanity present in one’s own self.

When we speak about humanity, it is inclined to vulnerability or mortality. This concept is questioned by the preceding sentence in the beginning of the verse above: ‘how can he fulfill that name?’

This notion brings us back to the issue of the rectification of names. How can “man” be “truly” man if he departs from his “humanity”?  The notion being implied in here is that the vulnerability or mortality of man to the universe is what justifies his “name” as “man”.  Since that is the true essence of “man”, going away from it is clearly an action which negates his true essence.  One cannot truly be human unless he embraces his vulnerability to the good and bad things in life. It is through this recognition that his “name” as “man” is used properly and is applied accordingly.

We further apply this first sense of “humanity” to the concept of the “superior man”.   The “superior man” can be seen as the one who has applied the Way in his life. But this does not exempt him from the need of further development. For a “superior man” to fulfill his essence and function as a person who nurtures harmony within himself and the universe, he must not rid himself of the sacrifices which entails this responsibility. This does not mean senseless martyrdom. This means that one should take the trouble of feeling pain and feeling jaded when he wishes to attain harmony. It is in this sense that the “superior man” must not depart from his “humanity”.

Now I will discuss humanity present in others in the society.

One cannot fully apply the Way without interaction from others. This is one aspect of humanity. This is the social aspect of humanity.  A person cannot live without communication or interaction. The actions, words, and way of thinking that one possesses are products of communication and socialization.  Once a person detaches himself from others, he cannot function properly. An example would be the natives that live at the mountains. They have been detached from the society ever since they were born. If ever one of them decides to go to the city to sell their products, they will surely fail in carrying out this objective. This is because they do not know how to communicate with the people living in the city.

They cannot carry out their function properly because of their inability to speak the language of the city people. This problem is rooted from the fact that they are detached from the society, from other human beings. This is also the same in the issue of being a “superior man”. If the “superior man” detaches himself from others, then he cannot effectively cultivate himself. For him to change himself, and for him to grow, he must interact with others. With interaction and socialization, one can realize things that they cannot realize themselves. With others, one can fulfill his duty of transforming himself into a better person. 

Now, let us go to the last three sentences. It is stated as follows:

‘A superior man never abandons humanity even for the lapse of a single meal. In moments of haste, he acts according to it. In times of difficulty or confusion, he acts according to it.’

Thus, a superior man is one who perceives and acts rightly whether in conditions of wealth and honor or in conditions of poverty and humility.  It is right attitude towards these conditions (or values) that makes one superior. This right attitude should be consistent and constant in him.  Whatever and whenever the winds of life’s challenges bring to him, he remains morally upright.  This is the essence of the Way.

Source:

1     1. Wing Tsit Chan, "The Humanism of Confucius", (United States: Princeton University Press, 1963), In A Source Book In Chinese Philosophy, 26.