Confucius’s ideas are known to us primarily through the sayings recorded by his disciples in the Analects. Although these sayings seem to have been haphazardly arranged, several themes emerge clearly from them. The passages here were selected to show Confucius’s ideas on the morally superior gentleman, filial piety, and the best way to govern.

The Superior Man

“Confucius said, “If the superior man is not grave, he will not inspire awe, and his learning will not be on a firm foundation. Hold loyalty and faithfulness to be fundamental. Have no friends who are not as good as yourself. When you have made mistakes, don’t be afraid to correct them.” (1:8)

Confucius said, “The superior man does not seek fulfillment of his appetite nor comfort in his lodging. He is diligent in his duties and careful in his speech. He associates with men of moral principles and thereby realizes himself. Such a person may be said to love learning.” (1:14)

Confucius said, “The superior man is not an implement [tool or utensil].” (2:12)

Zigong asked about the superior man. Confucius said, “He acts before he speaks and then speaks according to his action.” (2:13)

Confucius said, “The superior man understands righteousness; the inferior man understands profit.” (4:16)

Confucius said, “The superior man wants to be slow in word but diligent in action.” (4:24)

Confucius said, “The superior man is conciliatory but does not identify himself with others; the inferior man identifies with others but is not conciliatory.” (13:23)

Confucius said, “The superior man understands the higher things [moral principles]; the inferior man understands the lower things [profit].” (14:24)”

Filial Piety

“Young men should be filial when at home and respectful to their elders when away from home. They should be earnest and faithful. They should love all extensively and be intimate with men of humanity. When they have any energy to spare after the performance of moral duties, they should use it to study literature and the arts. (1:6)

Confucius said, “When a man’s father is alive, look at the bent of his will. When his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years [of mourning] he does not change from the way of his father, he may be called filial.” (1:11)

Meng Yizi asked about filial piety. Confucius said, “Never disobey.” [Later,] when Fan Chi was driving him, Confucius told him, “Mengsun asked me about filial piety, and I answered him, ‘Never disobey.’” Fan Chi said, “What does that mean?” Confucius said, “When parents are alive, serve them according to the rules of propriety. When they die, bury them according to the rules of propriety and sacrifice to them according to the rules of propriety.” (2:5)

Ziyu asked about filial piety. Confucius said, “Filial piety nowadays means to be able to support one’s parents. But we support even dogs and horses. If there is no feeling of reverence, wherein lies the difference?” (2:7)

Confucius said, “In serving his parents, a son may gently remonstrate with them. When he sees that they are not inclined to listen to him, he should resume an attitude of reverence and not abandon his effort to serve them. He may feel worried, but does not complain.” (4:18)

Confucius said, “When his parents are alive, a son should not go far abroad; or if he does, he should let them know where he goes.” (4:19)”

On Governing

“Confucius said, “A ruler who governs his state by virtue is like the north polar star, which remains in its place while all the other stars revolve around it.” (2:1)

Confucius said, “Lead the people with governmental measures and regulate them by law and punishment, and they will avoid wrongdoing but will have no sense of honor and shame. Lead them with virtue and regulate them by the rules of propriety (li) and they will have a sense of shame and, moreover, set themselves right.” (2:3)

Confucius said, “The common people may be made to follow it [the Way] but may not be made to understand it.” (8:9)

Zigong asked about government. Confucius said, “Sufficient food, sufficient armament, and sufficient confidence of the people.” Zigong said, “Forced to give up one of these, which would you abandon first?” Confucius said, “I would abandon the armament.” Zigong said, “Forced to give up one of the remaining two, which would you abandon first?” Confucius said, “I would abandon food. There have been deaths from time immemorial, but no state can exist without the confidence of the people.” (12:7)

Duke Jing of Qi asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, “Let the ruler be a ruler, the minster be a minister, the father be a father, and the son be a son.” The duke said, “Excellent! Indeed when the ruler is not a ruler, the minster not a minister, the father not a father, and the son not a son, although I may have all the grain, shall I ever get to eat it?” (12:11)

Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about government, saying, “What do you think of killing the wicked and associating with the good?” Confucius replied, “In your government what is the need of killing? If you desire what is good, the people will be good. The character of a ruler is like wind and that of the people is like grass. In whatever direction the wind blows, the grass always bends.” (12:19)

The Duke of She asked about government. Confucius said, “[There is good government] when those who are near are happy and those far away desire to come.” (13:16)

The Duke of She told Confucius, “In my country there is an upright man named Gong. When his father stole a sheep, he bore witness against him.” Confucius said, “The upright men in my community are different from this. The father conceals the misconduct of the son and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness is to be found in this.” (13:18)”

Source: Wing-tsit Chan, A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1963), pp. 20–24, 28, 33, 39–42, slightly modified. Reprinted by permission of Princeton University Press.

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