3.7
The Master said,”Gentlemen never compete. You will say that in archery they do so. But even then they bow and make way for one another when they are going up to the archery-ground, when they are coming down and at the subsequent drinking-bout. Thus even when competing, they still remain gentlemen.”
子曰：「君子無所爭，必也射乎！揖讓而升，下而飲，其爭也君子。」
Notes
This passage from the Analects uses the ritual of archery to reveal the noble person’s approach to competition: not avoiding rightful contention, but conducting it within ritual bounds, prioritizing harmony, and maintaining humility and respect.
Its essence is ‘contending with propriety, competing without strife’, showcasing Confucianism’s profound insight into the relationship between competition and self-cultivation.
‘Having no contentiousness’ means the noble person avoids petty rivalries and does not obsess over contests for fame or status.
Confucius reminds us: Competition is not an end but a means for self-improvement and collective progress; true victory lies not only in outcome but in the character and grace displayed throughout the process.
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