Zigong said, “Suppose there is a fine jade here – should we keep it stored away in a case, or should we look for a good buyer and sell it?” Confucius replied, “Sell it! Sell it! I am waiting for the right buyer.”
Note
This dialogue from the Analects uses the metaphor of a “fine jade” to represent the moral virtue and talent of a noble person (junzi). Zigong poses two options: to withdraw from the world and conceal one’s virtue (“store it away”), or to seek office and put one’s principles into practice (“sell it to a good buyer”). Confucius unhesitatingly chooses the latter, showing he is not a passive recluse but actively seeks an opportunity to realize his political ideals. The phrase “I am waiting for the right buyer” is crucial – he does not rush to sell himself indiscriminately, but awaits a discerning ruler who truly understands and respects the value of the Way (Dao). This reflects the Confucian principle of flexible engagement: “When employed, act; when neglected, withdraw” (Analects 7.11). One should neither stubbornly pursue office nor willingly let one’s talents lie idle; rather, one remains ready to serve a virtuous state while upholding moral integrity. Moreover, by comparing himself to jade awaiting a buyer, Confucius expresses the scholar’s confidence in his ethical and cultural worth, and his hope for a union between moral principle (Dao) and political power.
Further Reading
The Master said, “When employed, I act; when neglected, I withdraw. Only you and I can do this!” Analects 7.11 (Shu Er)
Both express the balanced Confucian stance on public service – readiness to engage when conditions are right, without desperation or resentment.
The Master said, “Be steadfast in faith and fond of learning; hold fast to the good Way even unto death. Do not enter a perilous state; do not reside in a chaotic one. When the world follows the Way, appear; when it does not, withdraw.” Analects 8.13 (Tai Bo)
Reinforces conditional engagement – serve only when the ruler and state align with moral principles, consistent with “waiting for the right buyer.”
子貢曰：「有美玉於斯，韞匵而藏諸？求善賈而沽諸？」子曰：「沽之哉！沽之哉！我待賈者也。」
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