The Master said, “Why is You (Zilu) playing the se [a zither-like instrument] in my school?” His disciples consequently began to show Zilu less respect. The Master then said, “You has ascended to the hall – but has not yet entered the inner chamber.”
Note
This passage from the Analects reveals Confucius’s masterful pedagogy and deep understanding of individual character. His initial remark – “Why is You playing the se in my school?” – was not a dismissal of Zilu’s ability but a critique of his style: Zilu’s bold, impetuous nature likely made his music too forceful, lacking the harmony and restraint that the se, as an instrument of ritual refinement, should embody. However, when Confucius saw that other disciples took this criticism as grounds for disrespect, he immediately clarified with the metaphor of “ascending the hall but not yet entering the inner chamber.” This affirmed that Zilu had already achieved a high level of moral and intellectual cultivation (“ascending the hall” means he has genuinely entered the path of learning), though he had not yet reached its most refined and complete stage (“entering the inner chamber”). In doing so, Confucius both protected Zilu’s dignity and taught his disciples to appreciate progress without demanding perfection.
This episode embodies a core Confucian educational principle: rigorous standards must be balanced with compassionate encouragement. It also illustrates that self-cultivation is a gradual process – flaws in one area do not negate overall merit. The metaphor itself became a lasting idiom (“ascending the hall”, entering the inner chamber”) in Chinese culture for describing stages of mastery.
Further Reading
Using the metaphor of piling earth to build a mountain, this passage illustrates that learning requires accumulation over time and steady progress; to give up halfway is to undo all previous efforts. Both statements emphasizes lifelong learning and incremental progress.
子曰：「由之瑟奚為於丘之門？」門人不敬子路。子曰：「由也升堂矣，未入於室也。」
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