“I am seventy already,” said Duke Ping of Jin to his blind musician Shi Kuang. “Though I want very much to study and read some books, I feel it is too late.”
“But why not light the candle?” suggested Shi Kuang.
“How dare a subject joke with his master?” cried the duke angrily.
”A blind musician, I dare not!” protested Shi Kuang. ”But I have heard that if a man is fond of study in his youth, his future is as bright as the morning sun; if he applies himself to study in middle age, it is like the noon-day sun; while if he begins to study when he is old, it is like a candle’s flame. Though a candle is not very bright, at least it is better than groping in the dark.”
The duke agreed with him.
Allegorical Meaning
The story of Duke Ping of Jin studying at seventy powerfully conveys that it is never too late to learn and pursue self-improvement, and that such pursuit is intrinsically valuable regardless of age or status.
Age is No Barrier:
The Duke’s advanced age initially makes him question the point of learning. His minister, the great musician, Shi Kuang’s emphatic response reframes the act: even starting late illuminates the present path, unlike remaining in the “darkness” of ignorance. Learning always offers immediate benefit.
Confucian Ideal of Self-Cultivation:
The story embodies the core Confucian principle of lifelong self-cultivation(continuous growth). Cultivating virtue and knowledge is a perpetual duty, not confined by age.
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