Shun (舜) was one of the five legendary sage kings of ancient China in the 23rd or 22nd century BCE. He reportedly ruled for nearly fifty years after the previous ruler Yao (堯) had abdicated in favor of him because of his higher virtue. Prior to his death, reputedly at the age of 100, he is said to have relinquished his throne to his successor, Yu (禹), who went on to establish the first recorded dynasty in China’s history, the Xia (夏朝). Continue reading Historical figures in the Analects of Confucius: Sage King Shun
Tag Archives: Confucius on music
Historical figures in the Analects: King Wu of Zhou
King Wu’s name (周武王) literally means “Martial King”. He founded the Zhou dynasty (周朝) after defeating the last Shang dynasty (商朝) ruler, Zhouxin (紂辛), in the bloody battle of Muye (牧野之戰) in ca. 1046 BCE. Continue reading Historical figures in the Analects: King Wu of Zhou
Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Music Master Zhi
Music Master Zhi (師摯) was a famous court musician of Lu, and may also have been the conductor of the state orchestra. Like most musicians of the time, he was blind. Confucius was a huge fan, commenting in Chapter 15 of Book 8: “What rich and beautiful music fills my ears when Zhi, the music master, is conducting…” Continue reading Contemporary figures in the Analects of Confucius: Music Master Zhi
Leadership lessons from Confucius: rich and beautiful music
子曰：「師摯之始，關睢之亂，洋洋乎盈耳哉。」
Confucius said: “What rich and beautiful music fills my ears when Zhi, the music master, is conducting – right from the opening passage through to the finale of the Cry of the Ospreys!” (1) (2)
What kind of music are you making with your leadership? Have you brought everyone together to work in perfect harmony with each other towards a common goal? Or do you have them playing discordant notes because you’re not giving them a clear direction to follow? Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: rich and beautiful music
Leadership lessons from Confucius: poetic inspiration
子曰：「興於詩，立於禮，成於樂。」
Confucius said: “Find inspiration with the Book of Songs; establish character with ritual; achieve perfection with music.” (1)
If you’re serious about inspiring creativity and innovation in your team or organization, you could do a lot worse than making poetry a key element of your efforts. Poetry not only teaches us how to express ourselves more eloquently; it can also give us a lifelong love of language and literature. Its ability to encapsulate complex and often conflicting emotions in powerful and evocative phrases provides powerful fuel for our imaginations – not to mention a powerful antidote to anodyne official language. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: poetic inspiration
Analects of Confucius Book 8: new English translation
Read this new English translation of the Analects of Confucius Book 8 to learn more about the teachings of China’s most famous philosopher, including his thoughts on the qualities of the ancient sage kings who laid the foundations of Chinese civilization.
Chapter 1
子曰：「泰伯其可謂至德也已矣。三以天下讓，民無得而稱焉。」
Confucius said: “It can truly be said of Tai Bo that he was a man of supreme virtue. Three times he gave up the throne of his state without giving the people the opportunity to praise him.”
Continue reading Analects of Confucius Book 8: new English translation
Analects of Confucius Book 7: new English translation
Read this new English translation of the Analects of Confucius Book 7 to learn more about the teachings of China’s most famous philosopher. It provides a vivid portrait of the sage’s personality and motivations, as well as his opinions on various followers and other contemporary and historical figures.
Chapter 1
子曰：「述而不作，信而好古，竊比於我老彭。」
Confucius said: “I transmit but I don’t create. I am faithful to and love the past. In this respect, I dare to compare myself with Old Peng.”
Continue reading Analects of Confucius Book 7: new English translation
Leadership lessons from Confucius: joining in the harmony
子與人歌而善，必使反之，而後和之。
Whenever Confucius was together with other people who were singing and they sang a song well, he always asked them to repeat it before joining in the harmony.
There’s no need to intervene when your team is performing well. Sit back and enjoy the show. Observe how closely they work together and harmonize their goals and actions. Admire their creativity and talent as you listen to the music they’re playing. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: joining in the harmony
Leadership lessons from Confucius: the power of music
子在齊聞韶，三月不知肉味，曰：「不圖為樂之至於斯也。」
When Confucius was in Qi, he heard Shao music. For three months, he didn’t know the taste of meat. He said: “I never imagined that music could reach such heights as this.”
Never underestimate the power of music to stir your senses and fuel your emotions. When you are in your darkest moments, it can help you to forget your worries and cares and bring you calm and comfort. When you are searching for inspiration, it can help you to elevate your ideas and imagination to ever greater heights. And when you are looking for escape from the daily grind, it can help you to relax and restore your zest for life. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: the power of music
Leadership lessons from Confucius: considering the moral component
子謂韶，「盡美矣，又盡善也。」謂武，「盡美矣，未盡善也。」
Confucius described Shao music as being perfectly beautiful and perfectly good and Wu music as being perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.
Is there a moral component to deciding whether someone or something has attained perfection? Confucius certainly thought so. That’s why he gives Shao music the edge over Wu music in this passage. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: considering the moral component