When asked where Confucius learned, Zigong replies the ancient kings’ Way lives among all people. Virtuous folks grasp its core, others its trivial details. Confucius learned widely from everyone, needing no single fixed teacher.
Zixia defines genuine love of learning: gain new knowledge daily and regularly review mastered skills each month. This balanced routine of absorbing new insights and consolidating old wisdom embodies Confucius’ idea of reviewing the old to grasp the new.
Confucius said, “Those who understand by birth are the highest; those who understand through learning come next; those who learn only after encountering difficulties are yet lower; and those who encounter difficulties but still do not learn – these are the lowest of the people.”
Confucius said, “The noble person has three things to guard against: in youth, when one’s vital energies (xue qi) are not yet settled, guard against lust; in prime adulthood, when vital energies are at their strongest and most vigorous, guard against contentiousness; in old age, when vital energies have declined, guard against greed.”
When speaking of Yan Hui, Confucius said, “What a pity! I saw him constantly advancing – I never saw him stop.”