Analects 1.9 · Xue Er
“Attend carefully to funerals and remember distant ancestors, and the virtue of the people will return to depth and sincerity.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
慎終追遠 民德歸厚矣 (shèn zhōng zhuī yuǎn, mín dé guī hòu yǐ) means “Attend carefully to funerals and remember distant ancestors, and the virtue of the people will return to depth and sincerity.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 9.
慎終追遠 民德歸厚矣
- Pinyin
- shèn zhōng zhuī yuǎn, mín dé guī hòu yǐ
- Translation
- Attend carefully to funerals and remember distant ancestors, and the virtue of the people will return to depth and sincerity.
- Source
- Analects, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 9
What does this passage mean?
This saying by Zengzi appears in the Xue Er chapter. 慎終 means conducting funeral rites for the dead with care, and 追遠 means honoring distant ancestors with sincere memorial rites. 民德歸厚 means that the people's virtue will return to generosity and depth. Zengzi believed that a society that does not neglect the dead will also cherish the living. This passage became a foundation for Confucian reverence for ancestors and helped form the intellectual basis of East Asian ancestral-rite traditions.
How can we apply it today?
Although ancestral rites are becoming simpler in contemporary Korea, the spirit of this passage remains relevant. Remembering those who have died is an expression of gratitude and respect for the past. Even in a company, an organization that honors the achievements of former employees tends to value its present members as well. People who remember their roots can stand more firmly in the present. The tradition of families gathering during holidays to remember their ancestors can also be a precious opportunity to strengthen family bonds.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Do I make time to remember and thank those who have passed away?
- ·What meaning does knowing my roots give to my present life?
- ·What precious values have I inherited from my ancestors or predecessors?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 慎 | shèn | be cautious | 14 | 心 (heart) |
| 終 | zhōng | finish | 11 | 糸 (silk) |
| 追 | zhuī | pursue | 9 | 辵 (walk) |
| 遠 | yuǎn | far | 13 | 辵 (walk) |
| 民 | mín | the people | 5 | 氏 (clan) |
| 德 | dé | virtue | 15 | 彳 (step) |
| 歸 | guī | return | 18 | 止 (stop) |
| 厚 | hòu | profound | 9 | 厂 (cliff) |
| 矣 | yǐ | grammatical particle | 7 | 矢 (arrow) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Attend carefully to funerals and remember…” mean?
慎終追遠 民德歸厚矣 (shèn zhōng zhuī yuǎn, mín dé guī hòu yǐ) means “Attend carefully to funerals and remember distant ancestors, and the virtue of the people will return to depth and sincerity.” It comes from the Analects, Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 9.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 1.9: Book 1 (Xue Er), Chapter 9.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Although ancestral rites are becoming simpler in contemporary Korea, the spirit of this passage remains relevant.Remembering those who have died is an expression of gratitude and respect for the past.