The Analects is a broad collection of moral principles professed by the great Chinese philosopher, Confucius, also known as the Master. After Confucius’s death, his disciples collected his teachings and formed Analects, in hope of using the Master’s quotes to set the ethical and moral standards for all. Confucius focuses on moral education and the pursuit of jen, which gives humans their purpose for living. The Master said, ‘At fifteen I set my heart on learning; at thirty I took my stand; at forty I came to be free from doubts; at fifty I understood the Decree of Heaven; at sixty my ear was atuned; at seventy I followed my heart’s desire without overstepping the line.” (“Analects” 2.4) The quote expresses the importance of self-cultivation, the process of moral education, and acquiring the status of a “superior man”.
The importance of self-cultivation is expressed at…show more content… In each line of the quote, the master outlines an age where he learns a significant task. This task eventually develops into a more complex task, until the status is attained. From the age of fifteen to the age of seventy, Confucius goes through six stages of becoming a superior man. With each stage, the master becomes wiser through education. Obtaining the status of a superior man is shown to be a lifelong pursuit.
Analects can be described as the summary of Confucius’s virtue. The quote from Analects is nearly a snippet of his master work, but accurately describes his life devotion to learning and pursuing jen. The quote further expresses the ideal of self-cultivation through encouraging education at a young age. The process of a moral education is illustrated through the aging process of Confucius. The master describes six stages in his quote and he becomes wiser in each stage. This progression allows him to eventually obtain the title of a superior man. After thousands of years, the teachings of the master
