Analects 3.3 · Ba Yi
“If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with ritual propriety? If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with music?”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
人而不仁 如禮何 人而不仁 如樂何 (rén ér bù rén, rú lǐ hé, rén ér bù rén, rú yuè hé) means “If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with ritual propriety? If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with music?” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 3 (Ba Yi), Chapter 3.
人而不仁 如禮何 人而不仁 如樂何
- Pinyin
- rén ér bù rén, rú lǐ hé, rén ér bù rén, rú yuè hé
- Translation
- If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with ritual propriety? If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with music?
- Source
- Analects, Book 3 (Ba Yi), Chapter 3
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Ba Yi chapter, Confucius explains the relationship between humaneness, ritual propriety, and music. 如禮何 asks rhetorically what use ritual propriety could be, implying that merely displaying its outward forms is worthless. Confucius was criticizing the feudal lords of his day, who staged magnificent ceremonies while inwardly devoting themselves to struggles for power. It is his uncompromising declaration that without the inner sincerity of humaneness, ritual propriety and music are empty shells.
How can we apply it today?
An obsession with form while substance remains empty is common in modern society too: a couple holds a lavish wedding but lacks mutual respect; a company has an impressive office and generous benefits but does not genuinely care for its people; politicians observe elaborate protocols but do not serve the public. Form is a means of expressing inner sincerity, not an end in itself. Form without sincerity is hypocrisy, while sincerity without form can become discourtesy. The two must be brought into harmony.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Is there any part of my life in which I concentrate on form while sincerity is missing?
- ·Have I felt the difference between ritual propriety practiced sincerely and the same forms performed mechanically?
- ·What in my life needs to be built upon the inner foundation of humaneness?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 人 | rén | person | 2 | 人 (person) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 仁 | rén | benevolent | 4 | 人 (person) |
| 如 | rú | same; like | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 禮 | lǐ | ritual propriety | 18 | 示 (spirit) |
| 何 | hé | how | 7 | 人 (person) |
| 人 | rén | person | 2 | 人 (person) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 仁 | rén | benevolent | 4 | 人 (person) |
| 如 | rú | same; like | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 樂 | yuè | music | 15 | 木 (tree) |
| 何 | hé | how | 7 | 人 (person) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “If a person lacks humaneness, what can that…” mean?
人而不仁 如禮何 人而不仁 如樂何 (rén ér bù rén, rú lǐ hé, rén ér bù rén, rú yuè hé) means “If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with ritual propriety? If a person lacks humaneness, what can that person have to do with music?” It comes from the Analects, Book 3 (Ba Yi), Chapter 3.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 3.3: Book 3 (Ba Yi), Chapter 3.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
An obsession with form while substance remains empty is common in modern society too: a couple holds a lavish wedding but lacks mutual respect; a company has an impressive office and generous benefits but does not genuinely care for its people; politicians observe elaborate protocols but do not serve the public.