A boy from Que Dang was sent to deliver a message. Someone asked Confucius, “Is he someone who seeks self-improvement?”
The Master replied, “I saw him sitting in an adult’s seat and walking side by side with his elders. He is not one who truly seeks improvement – he merely wants to achieve success quickly.”
Note
Through this everyday observation, Confucius reveals deep insight into the proper attitude toward learning and the natural rhythm of personal growth.
In ancient ritual norms, seating arrangements and walking order were strictly regulated: the young were not allowed to occupy seats reserved for adults or walk alongside their elders, as a sign of humility and respect. This boy’s violation of such etiquette exposed his inner impatience and eagerness for recognition.
Confucius did not deny the boy’s intelligence or potential, but criticized his impure motivation – not learning to cultivate virtue or deepen understanding (“seeking improvement”), but chasing external status and rapid advancement (“wanting quick success”). Such an attitude contradicts the Confucian principle of gradual, steady progress through diligent practice.
This aligns with the warning in Analects 13.17: “If you rush, you will not arrive.” True growth comes from consistent, humble effort – not from mimicking the outward forms of maturity or usurping social roles prematurely.
The passage also illustrates the Confucian method of judging character: “Observe conduct to know the heart.” From small behaviors – how one sits or walks – one can discern a person’s cultivation and aspirations.
More profoundly, Confucius critiques not just this boy, but a broader societal trend of impatience and disregard for ritual propriety. He emphasizes: genuine development begins with reverence for norms and matures through quiet accumulation; those who are restless and leap ahead without foundation will never become true talents.
Further Reading
Zixia, serving as steward of Jufu, asked about governance. The Master said, “Do not desire speed; do not seek petty gains. If you rush, you will not arrive; if you focus on small profits, great undertakings will fail.” Analects 13.17 (Zi Lu)
Both warn against haste and superficial ambition; true achievement requires patience and long-term vision.
Ziqin asked Zigong, “Whenever the Master arrives in a state, he always learns about its government…” Zigong replied, “Our Master gains it through warmth, kindness, respectfulness, modesty, and yielding.” Analects 1.10 (Xue Er)
Contrasts the boy’s immodest behavior with Confucius’own humble, respectful demeanor as the proper path to influence.
闕黨童子將命。或問之曰：「益者與？」子曰：「吾見其居於位也，見其與先生並行也。非求益者也，欲速成者也。」
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