Detailed Analysis of "The Analects": For All Those Who Misinterpret Confucius (54)

2007/3/5 11:52:12

The Master said: The junzi — not coveting and finding satisfaction in eating, not coveting and finding peace in dwelling; through affairs verifying, making speech accord with reality; exhausting what exists, making the Way correct therein — to call this love of learning is fitting indeed.

Yang Bojun: Confucius said: "A gentleman does not seek satiety in food, does not seek comfort in dwelling, is diligent and quick in his work yet cautious in speech, and goes to those who possess the Way to rectify himself — such a person may be called a lover of learning."

Qian Mu: The Master said: "A gentleman does not seek fullness in food, does not seek ease in dwelling, is swift in action and careful in speech, and constantly goes to those who possess the Way to check his own rights and wrongs — such a one can be called a lover of learning."

Li Zehou: Confucius said: "A gentleman does not pursue fullness in eating, does not pursue comfort in dwelling; is diligent in work and cautious in speech; approaches those of virtue to correct himself — this may be called a love of learning."

Detailed explanation: "可谓好学也已" is an inversion of "谓好学也可已." "已" is a phonetic loan for "矣." "谓" means to be called. "可" means apt, appropriate. Under what conditions is it appropriate to call something "love of learning"? Confucius gives the following three great standards: 食无求饱，居无求安 (in eating, not seeking satiety; in dwelling, not seeking ease); 敏於事而慎於言 (sensitive to affairs and careful in speech); 就有，道而正焉 (exhausting what exists, making the Way correct therein).

"食无求饱，居无求安" means "食无求而饱，居无求而安." As the saying goes, "食色，性也" (food and desire are human nature). "食" here represents all human desires. "无求" means not to covet. "饱" extends to the satisfaction of desires. "居" means one's present-moment living conditions and environment — not just housing. In this regard, Heidegger's "dwelling poetically" can be seen as a resonance across generations. Not coveting desires is true satisfaction. Not coveting one's living environment is true peace of mind and one's true place in life. This is the most basic requirement for a junzi's "love of learning." If one spends the whole day thinking about "coveting," viewing the world through the eyes of desire — how can one see the world clearly? Where is the "love of learning"? Note: "无求" does not mean deliberately giving things up or deliberately maltreating oneself — it means making appropriate choices based on the conditions at hand.

"敏於事而慎於言" means "於事而敏、於言而慎." "敏" is a phonetic borrowing for "拇" (thumb), its transferred meaning being "to verify/to corroborate." "慎" is a phonetic loan for "顺" (to accord with). Through present affairs, to verify and corroborate; ensuring that theory and discourse accord with present-day reality — this is the true meaning of "敏於事而慎於言."

"就有，道而正焉" — "就" means to exhaust, to investigate thoroughly. "有" means actual, real existence. "道" means to make the Way practice, to cause reality to practice the "Way of the Sage." "正" is a pictographic-indicative character: the top stroke indicates direction and goal, the bottom "足" (止) indicates walking straight toward this direction or goal without deviation. For Confucianism and The Analects, this direction or goal is to practice the "Way of the Sage" and bring it to fruition. "焉" means "in this" — in reality. To trace reality to its ultimate source, to make reality practice the "Way of the Sage" and bring it to fruition in reality — this is "就有，道而正焉."

All previous interpretations discussed things purely from the standpoint of so-called moral cultivation — which is nothing more than pseudo-moral tricks. People raised according to the interpretations of these three scholars are typical moral wastes. Every person is self-sufficient within heaven and earth; there is no need to posit a God or a moral God for rectification. Within the structure of "heaven, earth, and humanity," their morality, their conduct — all are manifested in a presently self-sufficient manner. Even the attempt to escape this presently self-sufficient manifestation can only be present. Apart from this, everything is meaningless.

Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán's Vernacular Direct Translation

子曰：君子，食无求饱，居无求安；敏於事而慎於言；就有，道而正焉；可谓好学也已。

Confucius said: The person who "hears, sees, learns, and practices" the "Way of the Sage" — not coveting desires and thereby finding satisfaction, not coveting one's living environment and thereby finding peace; through present affairs verifying and corroborating to make theory and discourse accord with present-day reality; tracing reality to its ultimate source to make reality practice the "Way of the Sage" and bring it to fruition in reality — to call this "love of learning" is appropriate indeed.

(To be continued)

Plagiarism is strictly prohibited; violators will be prosecuted.

Appendix — afraid people won't see it, so posting it here:

Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán 2007-03-05 21:14:20
Just got back. Today's broader market movement was completely within the scope laid out by the theory. A top divergence in the morning, a bottom divergence in the afternoon — that's basically the sum of today's movement. But today's bottom divergence created a new low for this adjustment. The line connecting 2888 from the 28th with today's 2858 will form the key resistance for subsequent movement. If subsequent top divergence positions fail to break above this line, the market will continue weakening until the line is broken.
During consolidation, absolutely do not underestimate small-level divergence — especially those divergences occurring during departures from the hub. For example, today's one top and one bottom covered about 130 points, and many stocks had over 10% intraday swings. These are excellent opportunities to reduce cost basis. The market has been oscillating here for more than 3 sessions. If you'd caught all of them technically, as a retail investor, your cost basis could already be reduced by 30%. Consolidation occupies the majority of trading time. If you can't make use of consolidation, you're basically still a beginner.
Those whose technique isn't up to par can completely leave during consolidation and return when the market strengthens. For example, a weekly hub takes at least several months to form — you could go home and take care of the kids. But for true killers, consolidation is paradise. Consolidation often creates more profit than rallies — after selling you can buy back, and you can freely move between sectors. But reaching this level requires diligent study and training. If you can't learn it, just leave. This ID will teach you the simplest method: wait for the weekly chart to show a bottom divergence before coming back. This way, you only need to check the market once every N years — how easy is that?
During consolidation, you must dare to sell and dare to buy. Once a third-type sell point appears triggering a breakdown plunge, you must wait until the decline is thorough — wait for some level of divergence before re-entering. This way you avoid the decline while not wasting consolidation's oscillation opportunities. If your technique isn't polished, reduce position size. The broader market is what it is — a perfect practice field for consolidation trading. Treasure it.

2007-03-05 21:20:30
[Anonymous] 忠实的粉丝

2007-03-05 20:59:07
Dear blogger: I am one of your loyal readers. Since discovering your blog, reading your articles whenever I have time has become my daily required course. I'm still working hard at it because I haven't mastered the foundational theory yet, so I don't dare send you messages lightly. These past few days (especially today), watching stock markets — the markets around the world are all in deep decline. The Shanghai A-share daily chart clearly shows a big M pattern. We're very worried whether this bull market has already been M'd out?! Very much want to know how the blogger views this round of the market.
==
The judgment on the broader market was stated long ago. Currently, it's merely an adjustment within the first wave of a mega bull market. It may evolve into a weekly hub — the premise being that no upward breakout movement appears after this consolidation. Because the current movement still has the possibility of being just an extension within the first segment's daily level, the broader market still could be just a daily-level adjustment before continuing to new highs — the same level of adjustment as after May last year. If the market truly extends to 6 segments forming a weekly consolidation — that is, a larger-level adjustment than the May one — that's also no big deal. After a weekly level completes, it means an upward move at least at the scale of the previous rally — meaning a 1500+ point upward process can be anticipated. As for the bull market, it's far from over. The previous bull market ran 13 years; this one is less than 2 years in — the tail hasn't even played out.

Replies

缠中说禅 2007/3/5 11:56:42

I have to go to Diaoyutai this afternoon, so posting early. After learning the "trend ambiguity" lesson, failing to exit this morning at the sub-1-minute divergence at 10:17 only proves you haven't passed the test. The method for operating during this kind of consolidation has been explained: sell when divergence appears at the highs, buy back when divergence appears at the lows. If a third-type sell point triggers a breakdown plunge, wait until the decline is thorough with some level of divergence before re-entering.

Now Ping An has become the traitors' weapon — not only shorting in Hong Kong but also constantly suppressing here. And today's news about capital investigations doesn't help sentiment recovery. Actually, in this kind of market, only continuous up-and-down oscillations can better cleanse. Letting public fear dissipate more will benefit the subsequent development of the market.

Those whose technique isn't good should reduce operations and positions in this market. For those who can master this ID's theory, this kind of market is the best game — sell at sell points, then wait for buy points to emerge from the decline before re-entering. Use mid-term potentials as your watchlist and constantly do round-trip trades. This ID's theory is the most flexible. Also — absolutely do not chase highs to buy stocks. No stock is worth chasing. Nor is it necessary to panic-sell into a decline.

I have an important meeting this afternoon — won't be able to come. Signing off first. Goodbye.

缠中说禅 2007/3/5 21:14:20

Just got back. Today's broader market movement was completely within the scope laid out by the theory. A top divergence in the morning, a bottom divergence in the afternoon — that's basically the sum of today's movement. But today's bottom divergence created a new low for this adjustment. The line connecting 2888 from the 28th with today's 2858 will form the key resistance for subsequent movement. If subsequent top divergence positions fail to break above this line, the market will continue weakening until the line is broken.

During consolidation, absolutely do not underestimate small-level divergence — especially those divergences occurring during departures from the hub. For example, today's one top and one bottom covered about 130 points, and many stocks had over 10% intraday swings. These are excellent opportunities to reduce cost basis. The market has been oscillating here for more than 3 sessions. If you'd caught all of them technically, as a retail investor, your cost basis could already be reduced by 30%. Consolidation occupies the majority of trading time. If you can't make use of consolidation, you're basically still a beginner.

Those whose technique isn't up to par can completely leave during consolidation and return when the market strengthens. For example, a weekly hub takes at least several months to form — you could go home and take care of the kids. But for true killers, consolidation is paradise. Consolidation often creates more profit than rallies — after selling you can buy back, and you can freely move between sectors. But reaching this level requires diligent study and training. If you can't learn it, just leave. This ID will teach you the simplest method: wait for the weekly chart to show a bottom divergence before coming back. This way, you only need to check the market once every N years — how easy is that?

During consolidation, you must dare to sell and dare to buy. Once a third-type sell point appears triggering a breakdown plunge, you must wait until the decline is thorough — wait for some level of divergence before re-entering. This way you avoid the decline while not wasting consolidation's oscillation opportunities. If your technique isn't polished, reduce position size. The broader market is what it is — a perfect practice field for consolidation trading. Treasure it.

缠中说禅 2007/3/5 21:20:30

[Anonymous] 忠实的粉丝

2007-03-05 20:59:07
Dear blogger: I am one of your loyal readers. Since discovering your blog, reading your articles whenever I have time has become my daily required course. I'm still working hard at it because I haven't mastered the foundational theory yet, so I don't dare send you messages lightly. These past few days (especially today), watching stock markets — the markets around the world are all in deep decline. The Shanghai A-share daily chart clearly shows a big M pattern. We're very worried whether this bull market has already been M'd out?! Very much want to know how the blogger views this round of the market.

==

The judgment on the broader market was stated long ago. Currently, it's merely an adjustment within the first wave of a mega bull market. It may evolve into a weekly hub — the premise being that no upward breakout movement appears after this consolidation. Because the current movement still has the possibility of being just an extension within the first segment's daily level, the broader market still could be just a daily-level adjustment before continuing to new highs — the same level of adjustment as after May last year.

If the market truly extends to 6 segments forming a weekly consolidation — that is, a larger-level adjustment than the May one — that's also no big deal. After a weekly level completes, it means an upward move at least at the scale of the previous rally — meaning a 1500+ point upward process can be anticipated.

As for the bull market, it's far from over. The previous bull market ran 13 years; this one is less than 2 years in — the tail hasn't even played out.

缠中说禅 2007/3/5 21:21:38

[Anonymous] 酒吧心情

2007-03-05 21:20:05
JJ, thanks for your hard work tonight.

Was just discussing stock index futures with everyone.

Reminded me of the financial storm from N years ago.

Everyone's very interested in hearing Chan JJ tell this story.

Maybe you were involved in it too.

When will you tell us about it?

Today's bottom divergence was basically caught by everyone.

Hope JJ can satisfy my request.

==

If you can't even judge the broader market's movement freely, you're talking about futures? Get the basics right first — otherwise there'll be big trouble.

缠中说禅 2007/3/5 21:37:03

Sorry, today's meeting went too long. A bit tired — need to sign off first. Questions can continue tomorrow. Sorry.

Signing off. Goodbye.