SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

  • The Analects – Chapter 17.13

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    Ana

    Confucius calls unprincipled people-pleasing villagers “thieves of virtue”. They pretend decent to win praise yet blur good and evil, misleading the public. True gentlemen stay harmonious without compromising moral principles, rejecting such deceptive hypocrisy.

  • The Analects – Chapter 17.12

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    Ana

    Confucius criticizes hypocrites who look stern yet cowardly inside, comparing them to sneaky wall thieves. He stresses sincerity and consistency between inner virtue and outward bearing, condemning hollow posturing that lacks genuine moral fortitude.

  • Why did Yan Ying reject Confucius?

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    Rob

    This article explains why pragmatic statesman Yan Ying blocked Duke Jing of Qi’s appointment of Confucius. He criticized Confucian complex rituals, costly lavish burials, impractical scholars, and abstract theories, clashing ideal Confucian ritual governance with Qi’s frugal, down-to-earth ruling demands.

  • The Analects – Chapter 17.11

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    Ana

    Confucius questions whether ritual merely means jade and silk, or music only bells and drums. He criticizes empty formalism, stressing their true essence lies in inner reverence and harmony rather than superficial ceremonial objects.

  • The Analects – Chapter 17.10

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    Ana

    Confucius asks his son Boyu whether he studied Zhou Nan and Shao Nan, the foundational poems of The Book of Odes. He compares those skipping them to someone facing a wall, blind to family ethics and social norms, stressing poetry’s vital role in moral self-cultivation.

  • The Analects – Chapter 17.9

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    Ana

    Confucius urges students to study The Book of Odes, outlining its four core functions: inspiration, observation, sociability and proper grievance expression. It cultivates filial piety and loyalty while expanding knowledge of plants and animals, serving as a versatile moral and educational textbook.