Analects 7.16 · Shu Er
“Eating coarse grain, drinking water, and using a bent arm for a pillow—joy can still be found among these things.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
飯疏食飮水 曲肱而枕之 樂亦在其中矣 (fàn shū shí yǐn shuǐ, qū gōng ér zhěn zhī, lè yì zài qí zhōng yǐ) means “Eating coarse grain, drinking water, and using a bent arm for a pillow—joy can still be found among these things.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 16.
飯疏食飮水 曲肱而枕之 樂亦在其中矣
- Pinyin
- fàn shū shí yǐn shuǐ, qū gōng ér zhěn zhī, lè yì zài qí zhōng yǐ
- Translation
- Eating coarse grain, drinking water, and using a bent arm for a pillow—joy can still be found among these things.
- Source
- Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 16
What does this passage mean?
In the Shu Er chapter, Confucius describes his attitude toward life. 飯疏食飮水 means a simple diet of coarse grain and water, while 曲肱而枕之 means a humble bed on which one's bent arm serves as a pillow. Confucius follows this statement by saying, 'Wealth and rank gained through unrighteousness are like floating clouds to me' (不義而富且貴 於我如浮雲). It is a declaration that a poor life aligned with what is right brings truer joy than abundance acquired by unjust means.
How can we apply it today?
In an age that centers material wealth as the measure of success, this passage asks a fundamental question: what truly matters? Which life is happier—earning an enormous salary while betraying one's conscience, or earning less while living with a clear heart? Confucius could find joy in coarse food and water because he sought the meaning of life in the Way, not in possessions. Happiness depends not on how much we own but on the direction of our lives.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Where does my joy come from now?
- ·Have I ever refused something because I could obtain it only through unjust means?
- ·Am I closer to a simple but meaningful life, or to a glamorous but empty one?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 飯 | fàn | cooked rice | 13 | 食 (eat) |
| 疏 | shū | rough | 12 | 疋 (bolt of cloth) |
| 食 | shí | food | 9 | 食 (eat) |
| 飮 | yǐn | drink | 13 | 食 (eat) |
| 水 | shuǐ | water | 4 | 水 (water) |
| 曲 | qū | bent | 6 | 曰 (say) |
| 肱 | gōng | forearm | 8 | 肉 (meat) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 枕 | zhěn | pillow | 8 | 木 (tree) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 樂 | lè | joy | 15 | 木 (tree) |
| 亦 | yì | also | 6 | 亠 (lid) |
| 在 | zài | exist | 6 | 土 (earth) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 中 | zhōng | middle | 4 | 丨 (line) |
| 矣 | yǐ | grammatical particle | 7 | 矢 (arrow) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Eating coarse grain, drinking water, and…” mean?
飯疏食飮水 曲肱而枕之 樂亦在其中矣 (fàn shū shí yǐn shuǐ, qū gōng ér zhěn zhī, lè yì zài qí zhōng yǐ) means “Eating coarse grain, drinking water, and using a bent arm for a pillow—joy can still be found among these things.” It comes from the Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 16.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 7.16: Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 16.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
In an age that centers material wealth as the measure of success, this passage asks a fundamental question: what truly matters?