#The Analects

[389]

Disciples holding bamboo slips chant lines from Lunyu (The Analects), “all those within the four seas can be considered his brothers,” during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, August 8, 2008. Bamboo slips were the earliest book form in ancient China.

Photo by Tim Hipps

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Too many people try to impress you with what they have rather than what they have done to make the world a better place.

* * * *

君子喻於義，小人喻於利。

The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of righteousness; the small man thinks of material advantages he may gain for himself.

—Confucius (孔子), The Analects (論語) ch 4 (475 BCE)

[Scott Horton]

[black-rabbit-razumikhin]

January Reading Wrap-Up

January is always the month I finish the most books in. Minimal commitments and taking advantage of specials in local bookshops will do that for you.

And I think on the most part, this year started off strong! Here's hoping the rest of it is filled with good books.

Samurai by John Man - Could have skipped. 2/5

All The Lovers In The Night by Meiko Kawakami - The relationships between the characters and the pivotal role light plays throughout the book made me feel like I was floating. 5/5

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong - Domestic, painful, beautiful. 5/5

The Analects by Confucius - I read this to a parrot I was looking after; one of the most strangely dark academia things I've done. 4/5

Red, White And Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - As sugary sweet as the opening cake. 4/5

Boy Parts by Eliza Clark - Good in its own right, but calling it the 'female American Psycho' does a disservice to both books. 3/5

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart - Bound to be one of the most depressing books I'll read this year. 4/5

Three Assassins by Kotaro Isaka - Pop art violence; the ending makes everything wrap up so neatly. 4/5

Find Me by Andre Aciman - Ironically, not what I was looking for. 2/5

No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy - Chigurh makes me understand why slasherfuckers are like that. 4/5

The Seven Military Classics Of Ancient China by Various Men - War never changes. 3/5

Bunkai-Jutsu: The Practical Application Of Karate Kata by Iain Abernethy - I'm not a karateka, but the discussions in this book were eye-opening in their own regard. 4/5

Bunny by Mona Awad - It's Fight Club, it's The Rehearsal, it's everything that came before and something entirely new 5/5

[apaladinsventure]

“Coarse rice to eat, water to drink, my bended arm for a pillow - therein is happiness. Wealth and rank attained through immoral means are nothing but drifting clouds.”

——

Confucius, The Analects 📖

#Art 🎨 by snatti89

[alohapromisesforever]

Thought For the Day: Hold Faithfulness, and Sincerity As First Principles

“Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.” – Confucius, The Analects

[k-star-holic]

Lee Hye-yeong "Married and picked house for a year and a half...to buy The Analects"

Source: k-star-holic.blogspot.com

[regentzephyr]

The Master said, “As a matter of principle (the Dao), the most beautiful women are all lesbians.”

- The Anal-ects of Confuse-cius, Book 1.

[lbhslefttiddie]

Luo Binghe leaned over the desk, examining the mess of ink and papers, scrolls from the library rolled out haphazardly across the edges of the desk, stacks of prose and poetry copied in Shen Yuan’s shaky handwriting. The topmost stacks were already a bit neater, with Shen Yuan staring with single-minded focus as he moved the brush, trying to imitate the graceful strokes of the original texts. His own work was a mess of ink, not even bothering to let the ink dry properly before he would throw new pages on top. He gripped the bowl of ink in his right hand, held close to his work, both hands stained with the stuff, and Luo Binghe could see smudged black hand prints on the sleeves of his dark robes, a smear of ink across one cheek.

He took a moment to marvel at the fact that, despite the mess on himself and his work, Shen Yuan somehow managed to keep the scrolls he was copying from getting dirty. The amazement was short-lived, though, quickly overtaken by notice of just how tired he looked.

[ffxiiiapologist]

Of course you have blue hair and pronouns and psychically pilot multiple biomechanical armored soldiers of varying gendered presentations

[philosophybitmaps]

[quotessentially]

From Confucius’s Analects

[kaninchenzero]

hey

it's okay to feel powerless

it is objectively true that a majority of white americans enable a tiny number of people to concentrate wealth and legitimate violence so they can burn the world as fuel for their insatiable greed

i doubt i will live to see the physical machinery of mass violence fail for lack of fuel and lubrication

since the armed forces of the united states make any large scale leftist efforts functionally impossible while it continues to operate

and that sucks! it's super depressing! i hate it!

i also keep thinking about those highly replicable psychological studies showing that people with clinical depression have a more accurate evaluation of their material circumstances than most

here's the thing though

you are not responsible for what you cannot change

original sin is a lie, it is heresy! christ died for those sins

there's a new motherfucking covenant for christians and most of us are wasting it

though i disagree with the j-man about the slave that hid his talent, that guy also deserves love and fuck bankers on principle, what the hell dude

anyway i'm saying if you can't do more you've done enough

you're fine

and remember, always: do what you can, don't do what you can't

[ferociouslycreativemystery]

The Analects of Debbeh. ↳ now on youtube

[wellconstructedsentences]

The Master said, "To know when you know, and when you do not know; that is wisdom."

Analects by Confucius

[apaladinsventure]

“If you want to make a stand, help others make a stand, and if you want to reach your goal, help others reach their goal. Consider yourself and treat others accordingly: this is the method of Humanity.”

——

The Analects, Confucius 📖

#Art 🎨 by Gary Frank

[tmarshconnors]

"Be loyal and trustworthy. Do not befriend anyone who is lower than yourself in this regard. When making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it."

Confucius, born Kong Qiu was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Confucius's teachings and philosophy underpin East Asian culture and society, and remain influential across China and East Asia to this day.

Born: Qufu, Jining, China

Died: Lu, China

Life and Times: Confucius, also known as Kong Fuzi or Master Kong, lived during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history, around 551–479 BCE. He was born in the state of Lu (modern-day Shandong, China) during a time of political and social unrest.

Founder of Confucianism: Confucius is considered the founding figure of Confucianism, a philosophical and ethical system that emphasizes the importance of moral values, social harmony, and the cultivation of virtue. His teachings are primarily compiled in a collection known as the "Analects."

Five Relationships: Confucius emphasized the importance of social harmony through the concept of the Five Relationships, which include ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife, elder brother-younger brother, and friend-friend. Maintaining proper conduct within these relationships was seen as essential for a harmonious society.

Ren and Li: Two key concepts in Confucianism are "Ren" and "Li." Ren refers to benevolence or compassion, emphasizing the quality of humaneness and the importance of cultivating virtuous relationships. Li encompasses rituals and proper conduct, emphasizing the importance of social etiquette and moral propriety.

Legacy and Influence: Confucius' teachings have had a profound and lasting impact on Chinese culture, ethics, and philosophy. Confucianism became a central part of Chinese thought and greatly influenced the moral and social fabric of East Asian societies. Even today, Confucian principles continue to shape aspects of Chinese culture and governance.