Book 2 Of The Analects Of Confucius

The Analects of Confucius’ meaning, that peace can be found in the darkest of times is

found by analyzing the historical context in which Confucius lived and in which the Analects

were written. The time in which Confucius lived was a peaceful time, full of innovative and

philosophical advances. Therefore, his teachings were about peace, specifically about finding it

for one’s self. This value becomes even more in depth because, though Confucius was the

“transmitter” of these original philosophical ideas, he was not the author of the Analects of

Confucius. The Analects were written by the disciples and students of Confucius after his death

during a time of “philosophical turbulence” leaving an impression on the reader that the

It would make sense that, when writing the Analects, the disciples and the students of

Confucianism were trying to remember the good times, when Confucius was alive, as compared

to the Warring States Period that they were living in. Book 2 of the Analects gives examples to

the possibility of this mentality. “The Master said, “Guide them by edicts, keep them in line with

punishments, and the common people will say out of trouble, but will have no sense of shame.

Guide them by virtue, keep them in line with the rites, and they will, besides having a sense of

shame, reform themselves”” (2.3).

Now, the first thing worth noticing is the use of “The Master” that the disciples used in

reference to Confucius. In the context it is used with the utmost respect, showing how the

authors, even though some of them may not have been a direct student of Confucius, still believe

in his teachings. The next important part to notice is that this quote is going against the idea

This means that even in the days of the ancient Chinese, the people

valued human rights and would know when they were not being treated fairly. Choosing this

quote from Confucius would mean they wanted to go back to the time when the “straight” were

in charge and times were good (2.19). The use of this quote shows how both Confucius and his

disciples wanted for find their bliss in the midst of the terror that was the Warring States Period.

Book 7 of the Analects also gives evidence that the students of Confucius wanted to

ingrain the idea of happiness into the people. “The Master said, ‘To be fond of something is

better than merely to know it, and to find joy in it is better than merely to be fond of it’”(7. There

are many meanings to this part of the text, but one main factor is the idea of joy. In this context

“to find joy” is put on a pedestal. Confucius wanted people not only to look into one idea, but he

wanted people to really understand it, to take joy from it. This was another attempt by the

authors to include this quote from Confucius about finding joy even when it is