The Master said with a sigh, “You, Zhong You! Truly, those who understand virtue are few indeed!”
Note
Though brief, this statement from The Analects – Lunyu conveys Confucius’ deep concern about the widespread superficiality of moral understanding in his time.
Addressing Zilu (whose given name was You) directly by his personal name reflects an earnest, teacherly tone – part reminder, part lament. Confucius may not only be commenting on society at large but also gently cautioning Zilu himself, whose bold and action-oriented nature sometimes overlooked the reflective depth required to grasp de.
The word “understand” here does not mean merely knowing the term “virtue” intellectually, but truly comprehending its essence, valuing it intrinsically, and embodying it in daily life. In Confucius’s view, amid social disorder and the collapse of ritual norms, people pursued profit, power, and fame while neglecting inner moral cultivation – making genuine “knowers of virtue” exceedingly rare.
This remark aligns with Confucius’ core educational aim: not to impart technical knowledge, but to awaken moral self-awareness. As he states in Analects 7.6, “Set your heart on the Way (Tao); rely on virtue.” Virtue is the foundation for living the Way. If even those who “understand de” are scarce, how much rarer are those who uphold and practice it?
The statement also carries a subtle moral elitism: true virtue demands profound insight, not easily accessible to the masses. Yet this is not a rejection of ordinary people’s capacity for goodness, but an acknowledgment of the difficulty of moral cultivation, which requires lifelong learning and introspection.
Even today, Confucius’ lament remains relevant: in an age of information overload and fragmented values, “knowing much” does not equate to “understanding virtue.” Genuine moral wisdom is still rare.
In short, Confucius observes: most people know techniques but not virtue; they can speak of virtue but cannot live it – those who truly comprehend and cherish de have always been few.
Further Reading
The Master said, “Set your heart on the Way (Dao), rely on virtue (de), abide in benevolence, and move freely within the arts.” Analects 7.6 (Shu Er)
Positions de as a foundational pillar of the Confucian path – underscoring its centrality and rarity of true understanding.
The Master said, “I have not seen one who loves benevolence or hates what is not benevolent… Perhaps such people exist, but I have never met one.” Analects 4.6 (Li Ren)
Echoes the theme that genuine moral commitment (whether to benevolence or virtue) is extremely rare in practice.
The Master said, “People gather all day long, yet their talk never touches on righteousness; they delight in petty cleverness – how difficult [to cultivate virtue] this is!” Analects 15.17 (Wei Ling Gong)
Criticizes superficial social behavior that ignores moral substance – contextualizing why “knowing virtue” is so uncommon.
The Master said, “I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as they love beauty (or sensual pleasure).” Analects 9.18 (Zi Han)
Directly parallels chapter 15.4 of the Analects – both express despair at people’s lack of genuine desire for virtue compared to worldly desires.
子曰：「由！知德者鮮矣。」
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