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.
Note
This concise statement from the Analects of Confucius reflects his keen observation of individual differences among his disciples and embodies his pedagogical principle of “teaching students according to their aptitudes”. The terms “simple-minded,” “slow-witted,” “one-sided,” and “coarse” are not outright condemnations but diagnostic descriptions of each disciple’s temperamental tendencies or limitations. Gao Chai’s simplicity borders on inflexibility; Zeng Shen’s deliberateness may appear sluggish, yet it stems from sincerity; Zi Zhang’s lofty aspirations lead him toward rigidity and eccentricity; Zilu’s courage comes with brashness and lack of refinement. Confucius does not deny their virtues – indeed, all four became major transmitters of his teachings – but he clearly identifies the specific imbalances each must overcome on the path to moral maturity. Such assessment is not meant to label, but to guide: for instance, Gao Chai needs cultivation in adaptability, while Zilu requires training in ritual decorum to temper his impulsiveness.
This passage reveals the humanistic core of Confucian education: it begins with honest recognition of individual character, respects diverse paces of growth, and seeks not uniformity but balanced self-cultivation. True learning, in this view, is not about conforming to a single mold, but about correcting one’s innate biases to approach the ideal of the Mean (Golden Mean or zhong yong).
Further Reading
The Master said, “Zi Zhang goes too far; Zi Xia falls short.” “To go too far is no better than falling short.” Analects 11.16 (Xian Jin)
Reinforces that Zi Zhang’s tendency (“extreme” / “goes too far”) is a known trait – Confucius consistently identifies his excess as a deviation from the Mean.
The Master said, “The virtue of the Mean is the highest! For a long time, the people have lacked it.” Analects 6.29 (Yong Ye)
Provides the ethical standard against which the disciples’ imbalances (“foolish,” “slow,” “extreme,” “coarse”) are measured – all fall short of the balanced ideal.
柴也愚，參也魯，師也辟，由也喭。
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