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.”
Note
This passage from the Analects of Confucius – Lunyu reflects his profound classification of cognitive capacity, attitude toward learning, and moral character, with a core emphasis on the supreme importance of “learning” and a deliberate rejection of blind admiration for innate genius.
Confucius acknowledges natural differences in endowment (“understanding by birth”), yet he does not treat this as the primary basis for moral worth or achievement. Instead, he highly values “understanding through learning” – acquiring wisdom through diligent effort – which forms the bedrock of the Confucian tradition of valuing study.
“Learning only after encountering difficulties,” though reactive, still shows a willingness to seek knowledge and improve, and thus remains redeemable; but “encountering difficulties yet refusing to learn” represents a complete abandonment of self-cultivation – remaining numb and unreflective in adversity, which Confucius regards as the most lamentable state.
Notably, Confucius explicitly denied being a “born knower” himself (Analects 7.20: “I was not born with knowledge; I love the ancients and diligently seek it”). This shows his intentional downplaying of innate talent in favor of earnest study, aiming to encourage ordinary people that self-perfection is achievable through learning.
The statement also implies a demand for “unity of knowledge and action”: true understanding is not mere theory but manifests as proactive inquiry when facing real-life challenges. Refusing to learn in difficulty reveals both a lack of intellectual will and moral courage.
Pedagogically, Confucius opens the path to virtue for everyone, regardless of innate ability: as long as one is willing to learn, it is never too late; only refusal to learn constitutes true degradation. This proactive view of learning remains a spiritual cornerstone of East Asian educational culture.
In short, Confucius teaches: While innate talent is admirable, learning is the indispensable path to becoming a noble person; those who reject learning shut themselves out from progress.
Further Reading
The Master said, “I was not born with knowledge; I love the ancients and diligently seek it.” Analects 7.20 (Shu Er)
Directly complements 16.9 by showing Confucius’s own stance – he rejects innate knowing and champions active, humble learning.
孔子曰：「生而知之者，上也；學而知之者，次也；困而學之，又其次也；困而不學，民斯為下矣。」
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