Detailed Analysis of "The Analects": For All Who Have Misinterpreted Confucius (60)
2007/3/26 15:19:01
子贡问君子。子曰：先行其言而后从之。
Yang Bojun: Zigong asked how to be a gentleman. Confucius said: "First practice what you intend to say, and then say it [that would be enough to qualify as a gentleman]."
Qian Mu: Zigong asked what makes a gentleman. The Master said: "A gentleman acts before he speaks, and then speaks in accordance with his actions."
Li Zehou: Zigong asked what is a gentleman. Confucius said: "First carry out what you say, then speak about it."
Detailed Explanation: Zigong, one of Confucius's most famous students, was intelligent and eloquent — precisely the type of person Confucius described in the previous chapter as "语之而不惰者" (one whose speech never weakens in debate). But in Confucius's heart, there was a distinction between him and Yan Hui, which is not difficult to discern from the relevant chapters in The Analects. In this chapter, Zigong asks about the standard for being a gentleman. In truth, this is a false question — the gentleman "hears, sees, learns, and practices" the "Way of the Sage," which is not something a static moral standard can define. Zigong hoped to obtain a fixed, definitional standard, but Confucius instead gave a present-moment response: "先行其言而后从之."
The interpretations of the three scholars above seem to suggest "action precedes speech," but what hasn't been spoken aloud is still "speech" — language is the home of existence, regardless of whether it is verbalized. This kind of logic that emphasizes whether something is said or not is the perfect breeding ground for hypocrites. In fact, "先行其言而后从之" is an abbreviation of "先行其言而后从其言." "行" (háng), to connect, to run through continuously; "言" (yán), not merely referring to discourse, but encompassing all of a person's thoughts and corresponding actions; "行其言," to continuously connect one's discourse, thoughts, and corresponding actions — which is what Confucius later expressed as "吾道一以贯之" (my Way is threaded through by one principle). Only through "行其言" can one achieve "一以贯之" (threading with one principle). "从" (cóng), through to "纵" (zòng), meaning extensive/broad. Merely "threading with one principle" without being able to "从之" (make it extensive) — without being able to spread it broadly — would be nothing more than a small clique's or even an individual's self-gratification, which has no real significance.
Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán's Vernacular Translation
子贡问君子。子曰：先行其言而后从之。
Zigong asked about being a gentleman. Confucius said: "First make one's discourse, thoughts, and corresponding actions continuously connected and threaded through as one, and then make this extensive."
子贡问曰："赐也何如？"子曰："女，器也。"曰："何器也？"曰："瑚琏也。"
Yang Bojun: Zigong asked: "What kind of person am I?" Confucius said: "You're like a certain vessel." Zigong said: "What vessel?" Confucius said: "A precious jade vessel used in the ancestral temple for holding grain offerings."
Qian Mu: Zigong asked: "What about me?" The Master said: "You are a kind of useful vessel." Zigong said: "What kind of vessel?" The Master said: "You are like the jade vessel used for holding grain offerings in the ancestral temple."
Li Zehou: Zigong asked Confucius: "How am I?" Confucius said: "You are a kind of vessel." "What kind of vessel?" "A sacred jade vessel for worshiping the gods."
Detailed Explanation: This chapter shows that Confucius was a person with quite a sense of humor. Zigong was clever but lacked wisdom, yet was quite self-satisfied with his cleverness, so he asked Confucius "What am I really like?" — hoping for Confucius's affirmation. "赐" (Cì) was Zigong's given name. Confucius gave a dual-meaning reminder to Zigong with "the gentleman is not a vessel" (君子不器) — but Zigong didn't understand and thought Confucius was calling him some kind of vessel, so he asked "what vessel?" Confucius, with great humor, told him: a 瑚琏 (hú lián) — a precious jade vessel used in the ancestral temple for holding grain offerings to the spirits.
Intellectuals and scholars have always had a tradition of preening. In truth, nothing is more useless than a scholar. The scholars' little games ultimately all become cannon fodder for greater political and economic games. Intellectuals either get used as weapons or waved as flags — or else they spend a hundred years as cold-door poor souls crying like shivering birds. Confucius's humor here is even more exquisite: a precious jade vessel for holding grain offerings in the ancestral temple — even if they enshrine you, you're still nothing more than an ornament on the altar. As for the "fame" that intellectuals love to compete for, it's merely like the quality of the jade in that ornamental vessel — no matter how fine the jade's quality, it's still just an ornament.
Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán's Vernacular Translation
子贡问曰："赐也何如？"子曰："女，器也。"曰："何器也？"曰："瑚琏也。"
Zigong asked: "What about me?" Confucius said: "You — a 'vessel.'" "What kind of vessel?" "A precious jade vessel like the one used for holding grain offerings in the ancestral temple."
(To be continued)
Strict prohibition on plagiarism — violators will be prosecuted
Replies
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:23:32
[Anonymous] Little Bird
2007-03-26 15:22:00
Haven't been here for a while due to other things,
Hello sis!
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All well.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:33:30
[Anonymous] Stock Louse
2007-03-26 15:23:13
Miss Chan: Using your methods — buying at buy points and selling at sell points — I've had some good gains recently, but I've also encountered some issues during operations. Could you please help clarify:
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Last Friday (the 23rd) I noticed 600271's 30-minute divergence, and the 5-minute also showed divergence, consistent with the interval nesting principle. I entered at 44 yuan in the morning, but in the afternoon it plunged sharply with the broader market. Was my initial judgment wrong? Later I noticed the chart hadn't deteriorated — the divergence still held — so I added to my position around 43 yuan. Was this appropriate?
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Recently I've noticed that stocks with buy points are basically high-priced stocks above 10 yuan, while low-priced stocks are basically all at sell points. I estimate the next hot sector should be quality high-priced stocks. Is this estimate correct?
Stock Louse
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This question was addressed long ago. Third-tier stocks without genuine themes face heavy regulatory pressure. 600271 on Friday had a 1-minute divergence, followed by a bounce, but with limited strength. The 5-minute at that point did not show divergence — even looking at MACD, there was no obvious pullback.
Note: it's best to choose stocks whose weekly charts have just left the bottom. Especially for those with weaker technical skills — even if your judgment is wrong, there's time to correct it.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:35:07
[Anonymous] wsmrzw
2007-03-26 15:31:42
Sister Chan, how about 600855? The military sector hasn't moved again. Very worried.
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Sectors need to rotate. If all stocks went up on the same day, what would rise tomorrow?
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:42:21
[Anonymous] whq999
2007-03-26 15:33:59
Today I don't care about stocks. I'd like to ask Sister Chan about the property market, preferably Shanghai's. For a poor person, when is a good time to buy? I don't want to be busy trading stocks on one hand while property prices go up on the other — all for nothing. Thanks.
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I wrote an article before saying real estate definitely wouldn't crash, and got cursed for it. This ID stated facts. Look at Beijing housing — what happened afterward? It's been going up the whole time, never once dropped. For housing to crash, there must be a hard landing. But before the country finds a new growth engine, the government also has many concerns. In short, housing prices can only have minor corrections — major corrections would require China's economy to fail. This ID supports a dual-track system for housing: regular housing should be built by the government or employers; only high-end properties should be commercialized. Without taking this path, housing prices cannot possibly come down.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:45:23
[Anonymous] wsmrzw
2007-03-26 15:36:51
Why won't you answer my post? Depressed.
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Sorry, didn't see your post. Please repost it.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:47:14
[Anonymous] 中信海直
2007-03-26 15:43:23
Reporting in.
May I ask, can this theory also be applied to European and American stock markets? US markets have T+0 and no daily price limits — does applying this theory require any special attention?
Thanks.
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All the same, no difference. The slight difference with futures is because the trading margin is variable in real-time. Stocks don't have this issue.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:58:26
[Anonymous] Sina User
2007-03-26 15:36:32
600640, bought at 15.42. It's been a week and it's still at this price. I don't know if this stock has risks — I don't have any insider information. After all, it already had a big rally. Hoping the blogger can give guidance. Should I continue holding?
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This kind of thematic stock has been somewhat afraid of regulation lately. The chart isn't bad. For now, treat it using the hub oscillation method. There's still a medium-term opportunity for another wave ahead, but the immediate concern is making sure it doesn't get hit by regulators.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 16:02:09
[Anonymous] aaaaa
2007-03-26 15:53:52
Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán
2007-03-26 15:42:21
[Anonymous] whq999
2007-03-26 15:33:59
Today I don't care about stocks. I'd like to ask Sister Chan about the property market, preferably Shanghai's. For a poor person, when is a good time to buy? I don't want to be busy trading stocks on one hand while property prices go up on the other — all for nothing. Thanks.
=
I wrote an article before saying real estate definitely wouldn't crash, and got cursed for it. This ID stated facts. Look at Beijing housing — what happened afterward? It's been going up the whole time, never once dropped. For housing to crash, there must be a hard landing. But before the country finds a new growth engine, the government also has many concerns. In short, housing prices can only have minor corrections — major corrections would require China's economy to fail. This ID supports a dual-track system for housing: regular housing should be built by the government or employers; only high-end properties should be commercialized. Without taking this path, housing prices cannot possibly come down.
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Boss, this dual-track system also has problems: if the government builds, the departments in charge of housing construction can embezzle massively; if employers build, wealthy organizations can distribute houses — one person getting several units — while employees of poor organizations still have nothing, fighting tooth and nail for a single unit.
Haha.
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As if the current housing market doesn't have these very same factors? Right now everyone is footing the bill for real estate authorities and the like. This is actually a shared problem. Solving it belongs to an even larger level of affairs.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 16:03:43
Sorry, need to go to a certain street again. If I don't leave now I'll be stuck in traffic.
Leaving first. Goodbye.
缠中说禅 2007/3/26 15:20:49
Today the market moved according to plan, breaking through the overhead resistance line. Of course, its validity still needs confirmation. Bank of China was held back from rising — that is the greatest support for the broader market. With the traitors having no opportunity to cause trouble, other sectors keep rotating. Today the second-tier stocks around 10 yuan performed very well, and this momentum should continue.
The most amusing thing: today someone has already spread the word through certain channels to this ID, saying that tomorrow is the one-month anniversary of the last big crash, and it's also a Tuesday. They plan to go all-out to crash the market tomorrow and destroy this ID. This ID is waiting. This ID only lights the fire; I never hold the line by brute force. Today it was a nationwide launch — let's see how the traitors perform tomorrow.
No need to discuss individual stocks. Among third-tier stocks, those with real themes will still rise; the biggest risk is otherwise regulatory risk. Second-tier is currently the best choice — around 10 yuan, or up to around 15 yuan if the earnings are especially good. These will be the focus going forward. If you don't know how to find them, look at CSI 300 components in the corresponding price range — not hard to find.