Analects 1.2 · Xue Er
“The exemplary person works at the root; once the root is established, the Way grows from it. Filial devotion and respect for elders are surely the root of humaneness.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
君子務本 本立而道生 孝弟也者 其爲仁之本與 (jūn zǐ wù běn, běn lì ér dào shēng, xiào tì yě zhě, qí wéi rén zhī běn yú) means “The exemplary person works at the root; once the root is established, the Way grows from it. Filial devotion and respect for elders are surely the root of humaneness.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 2.
君子務本 本立而道生 孝弟也者 其爲仁之本與
- Pinyin
- jūn zǐ wù běn, běn lì ér dào shēng, xiào tì yě zhě, qí wéi rén zhī běn yú
- Translation
- The exemplary person works at the root; once the root is established, the Way grows from it. Filial devotion and respect for elders are surely the root of humaneness.
- Source
- Analects, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 2
What does this passage mean?
This passage from the second chapter of Xue Er is spoken by Master You, a disciple of Confucius. Having observed that people who are devoted to their parents and respectful to their elders rarely defy superiors or stir up disorder, he draws this conclusion. To work at the root means to attend to fundamentals; once the root stands, the Way grows of itself. The root he names is filial devotion and fraternal respect. The character read as ‘younger brother’ here stands for the virtue of respecting one’s elders. In the Confucian picture, the feelings formed in the closest relationships of family radiate outward and become humaneness. The great virtue is not sought far away; it begins in the daily life of the home.
How can we apply it today?
When we chase results, we tend to reach first for what is visible: follower counts, sales figures, certificates. Meanwhile the foundations that support those numbers slip into neglect. Master You’s words restore the order. A healthy root sends out branches on its own, but branches held up without a root eventually collapse. In work, the root is fundamentals; in relationships, it is how we treat the people closest to us. Someone who is gracious in public but curt at home has a graciousness that will not last. Those who do well close to home are the ones who go far.
Questions to reflect on
- ·What in your life deserves to be called the root?
- ·How do you treat the people closest to you?
- ·Have you ever skipped the foundation in your hurry for results?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 君 | jūn | ruler | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 子 | zǐ | son | 3 | 子 (child) |
| 務 | wù | strive; devote oneself to | 11 | 力 (power) |
| 本 | běn | root | 5 | 木 (tree) |
| 本 | běn | root | 5 | 木 (tree) |
| 立 | lì | stand | 5 | 立 (stand) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 道 | dào | the Way; road | 13 | 辵 (walk) |
| 生 | shēng | emerge | 5 | 生 (life) |
| 孝 | xiào | filial devotion | 7 | 子 (child) |
| 弟 | tì | courteous | 7 | 弓 (bow) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 者 | zhě | thing; one who | 8 | 老 (old) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 爲 | wéi | become | 12 | 爪 (claw) |
| 仁 | rén | benevolent | 4 | 人 (person) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 本 | běn | root | 5 | 木 (tree) |
| 與 | yú | question particle | 14 | 臼 (mortar) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “The exemplary person works at the root…” mean?
君子務本 本立而道生 孝弟也者 其爲仁之本與 (jūn zǐ wù běn, běn lì ér dào shēng, xiào tì yě zhě, qí wéi rén zhī běn yú) means “The exemplary person works at the root; once the root is established, the Way grows from it. Filial devotion and respect for elders are surely the root of humaneness.” It comes from the Analects, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 2.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 1.2: Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 2.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
When we chase results, we tend to reach first for what is visible: follower counts, sales figures, certificates.Meanwhile the foundations that support those numbers slip into neglect.