The Confucian Analects
《论语》
The Confucian Analects or The Analects is a collection of the sayings and teachings of Confucius and his disciples. It was complied in the early Warring States Period，over 70 years after the death of Confucius，from the notes that his disciples taken according to the answers the Master gave to their questions. During the Han Dynasty，there were two versions of The Analects，the OldsTexts and the New Texts. The Old Texts version was composed of 21 chapters，and there were as many as three New Texts versions: the Qi version of 20 chapters，the Lu version of 20 chapters and an anonymous version of 19 chapters，all of which are nonexistent today. The present-day Analects is based on the Lu version，which embodies the Confucian concept of ren or humanity or benevolence. Ren is rich in content，and varied in form. The core of the concept is“ The benevolent love of others" or universal love，which is the basic virtue of a gentleman of noble character. Confucius believes that being benevolent does not mean being without principles. One should be clear about what to love or hate. Ren comes from learning and self-cultivation; it can be seen from a person's appearance. Sure enough，Ii or rites and yue or music are important. Yet，ren is the No. 1 principle of being a decent man. It is actually the essence of Ii and yue. Without ren，Ii or yue would be meaningless. Apart from ren，Confucius put forward another concept，which is yi or righteousness. Yi is the codes of conduct under the guidance of ren.“While the virtuous man cherishes a respect for the law, the vile man cherishes generous treatment.”In short，The Analects is terse and refined in language，and rich and varied in form.
《论语》是孔子的弟子和再传弟子为追记孔子的言行思想编纂而成，全书20篇,498章，是儒家思想和中困文化最重要的典籍孔子，名丘，字仲尼，生于公元前551年，死于公元前479年,孔子少时贫贱，做过管仓库和放牧的小吏，30岁开始创立了中国第一所私学，一生主要活动是从事教育，传说有弟子3000人，其中优秀的有72人;孔子是孺家学派的创始人，春秋末期的大思想家、大教育家。孔子的思想，中心足讲做人的道理他提出“为政以德”的主张，认为治国要以道德教化为基础;为改变当时“天下无道”的局面，恢复社会安定，他提出以“仁’为核心的道德思想体系，并致力于道德教育《论语》的思想，融政治、道德与教育为一体，而中心是做人的道理，其中包含了许多有普遍意义的原则他强调，道德与刑政不同，单纯依靠刑罚和行政手段，百姓摄于刑罚，不敢做坏事，却不会有知耻之心;只有实行德治，才能使百姓有知耻之心，自觉不做坏事。他提出了正人先正已，先富后教，取信于民等重要原则。在仁学中，方面倡导爱人、匹夫不可夺志，提倡独立的人格精神，另一方面又要求以仁为己任，见利思义，见义勇为，把社会责任放在第一位，提出了一种把个人人格与社会责任、社会义务相统一的人生观;在人我关系上，他提出“己所不欲，勿施于人”，“‘己欲立而立人，已欲达而达人”，推已及人的原则;提出了孝、悌、忠、信、恭、宽、敏、勇、直等一系列道德规范;还特别强调“仁由己”，启发每个人的自觉道德精神，提出了不少重要的修养方法;并且论证了道德思想与礼仪规范的关系，要求人们仁礼兼备，文质彬彬。在教育方面，孔子提出有教无类、启发式教学等许多有价值的思想这些思想对中国教育和文化的发展有深远的影响。《沦语》中许多话都成为格言流传于后世。读《论语》要着重吸取其有普遍意义的精华，以提高我们的道德意识、贡任感和使命感。孔子处上2500多年前的宗法等级制社会，《论语》的内齐也不免带有时代的烙印。今天继承吸取其精华，也要注意剔除其旧的时代内容，赋予它新的时代内容。
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