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Zilu asked, “When I hear a truth, should I act on it immediately?” The Master replied, “You still have your father and elder brothers alive – how can you act on it as soon as you hear it?”Ran You asked the same question: “When I hear a truth, should I act on it immediately?”…
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Gao Chai is overly simple-minded; Zeng Shen is slow-witted; Zi Zhang is one-sided and extreme; Zi You (Zilu) is coarse and impetuous.
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When Min Ziqian stood by Confucius’s side, he appeared gentle and respectful; Zilu looked resolute and forceful; Ran You and Zigong were relaxed, cheerful, and articulate. Confucius was delighted. But then he sighed, “As for You (Zilu), I fear he will not meet a peaceful end.”
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Among Confucius’s disciples, each excelled in different areas: Yan Yuan, Min Ziqian, Ran Boniu, and Zhong Gong stood out in moral character; Zai Wo and Zi Gong were gifted in speech (diplomatic eloquence and debate); Ran You and Ji Lu (Zilu) were skilled in state affairs; and Zi You and Zi Xia excelled in…