Zilu asked about strength.
The Master said:
“Do you mean the strength of the South? The strength of the North? Or the strength that is truly yours to cultivate?
To teach with gentleness and forbearance, and not retaliate when treated unjustly – this is the strength of the South; it is the way of the gentleman.
To sleep on armor and weapons, unafraid of death and never regretting it – this is the strength of the North; it is the way of the physically brave.
Thus, the true strength of the gentleman lies in this:
He is harmonious yet does not drift with the current – how truly strong he is!
He stands centered and never leans to extremes – how truly strong he is!
When the state follows the Way, he does not alter his principles despite adversity – how truly strong he is!
When the state has lost the Way, he remains steadfast unto death – how truly strong he is!”
子路問強。
子曰：「南方之強與？北方之強與？抑而強與？
寬柔以教，不報無道，南方之強也，君子居之。
衽金革，死而不厭，北方之強也，而強者居之。
故君子和而不流，強哉矯！
中立而不倚，強哉矯！
國有道，不變塞焉，強哉矯！
國無道，至死不變，強哉矯！」
Note
In response to Zilu’s question – Zilu being known for his boldness and martial spirit – Confucius distinguishes three kinds of “strength”: the Southern (gentle resilience), the Northern (martial valor), and the true strength of the gentleman (moral fortitude grounded in the Mean). This is a classic example of Confucius tailoring his teaching to the student’s character, guiding Zilu beyond physical courage toward ethical strength.
The “Southern strength” embodies the power of gentle instruction – patience, tolerance, and non-retaliation – reflecting the virtue of benevolence. The “Northern strength” represents martial heroism: readiness to die without regret, epitomizing raw courage. Both have merit, yet each leans to one extreme.
The gentleman’s strength, however, is moral steadfastness rooted in the Doctrine of the Mean, expressed in four dimensions:
- Harmonious yet unyielding: engaging with society without compromising principle;
- Centered and impartial: holding the middle path amid polarization;
- Unchanged in prosperity: maintaining integrity even when circumstances improve;
- Unshaken unto death in adversity: upholding righteousness when the state collapses into chaos.
Zhu Xi, in his Commentary on the Doctrine of the Mean, explains: “Jiao means ‘strong in appearance.’” The repeated exclamation “How truly strong!” underscores that this inner fortitude surpasses external bravery. True strength is not aggression, but unwavering loyalty to the Way under all conditions – the essence of Confucian “inner sagehood.” It is strength that conceals firmness within gentleness, stillness within action, and principle within adaptability.
Thus, this chapter not only defines the Confucian ideal of strength but also reveals that the Mean is not weakness or compromise, but a higher form of spiritual resilience and moral courage.
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