Analects 7.19 · Shu Er
“So intent am I that I forget to eat, so joyful that I forget my worries, unaware that old age is approaching.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
發憤忘食 樂以忘憂 不知老之將至 (fā fèn wàng shí, lè yǐ wàng yōu, bù zhī lǎo zhī jiāng zhì) means “So intent am I that I forget to eat, so joyful that I forget my worries, unaware that old age is approaching.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 19.
發憤忘食 樂以忘憂 不知老之將至
- Pinyin
- fā fèn wàng shí, lè yǐ wàng yōu, bù zhī lǎo zhī jiāng zhì
- Translation
- So intent am I that I forget to eat, so joyful that I forget my worries, unaware that old age is approaching.
- Source
- Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 19
What does this passage mean?
In Shu Er, Confucius uses these words to describe himself. Being so intent that one forgets food and so joyful that one forgets worry reveals the intensity of his passion for learning. When the governor of She in Chu asked Zilu what sort of person Confucius was and Zilu could not answer, Confucius supplied this description himself.
How can we apply it today?
Have you ever become so absorbed in something that time disappeared? Psychology calls this a state of flow. A person fortunate enough to have an activity that makes food, worry, and even aging recede can live happily. It need not be grand: cooking, gardening, coding, or writing may become that activity. Finding your own absorbing passion is one secret of a fulfilling life.
Questions to reflect on
- ·What activity makes you lose track of time?
- ·What is it about that activity that absorbs you?
- ·Do you experience moments in daily life when joy makes you forget your worries?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 發 | fā | raise | 12 | 癶 (footsteps) |
| 憤 | fèn | strive intensely | 15 | 心 (heart) |
| 忘 | wàng | forget | 7 | 心 (heart) |
| 食 | shí | eat | 9 | 食 (eat) |
| 樂 | lè | enjoy | 15 | 木 (tree) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 忘 | wàng | forget | 7 | 心 (heart) |
| 憂 | yōu | worry | 15 | 心 (heart) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 老 | lǎo | old | 6 | 老 (old) |
| 之 | zhī | possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 將 | jiāng | about to | 11 | 寸 (inch) |
| 至 | zhì | arrive | 6 | 至 (arrive) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “So intent am I that I forget to eat, so…” mean?
發憤忘食 樂以忘憂 不知老之將至 (fā fèn wàng shí, lè yǐ wàng yōu, bù zhī lǎo zhī jiāng zhì) means “So intent am I that I forget to eat, so joyful that I forget my worries, unaware that old age is approaching.” It comes from the Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 19.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 7.19: Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 19.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Have you ever become so absorbed in something that time disappeared?Psychology calls this a state of flow.