Analects 12.5 · Yan Yuan
“Within the four seas, all people are brothers and sisters.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
四海之內 皆兄弟也 (sì hǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōng dì yě) means “Within the four seas, all people are brothers and sisters.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 5.
四海之內 皆兄弟也
- Pinyin
- sì hǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōng dì yě
- Translation
- Within the four seas, all people are brothers and sisters.
- Source
- Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 5
What does this passage mean?
These words in Yan Yuan were spoken not directly by Confucius but by his disciple Zixia to comfort Sima Niu. When Sima Niu grieved that he had no brothers, Zixia said that if an exemplary person acts respectfully and observes ritual propriety, everyone within the four seas is a sibling, so there is no need to grieve. The passage declares a universal kinship beyond blood and anticipates the ideal of human equality.
How can we apply it today?
Its spirit shines even more brightly in a global age. Humanity forms one community across nationality, race, religion, and culture. The kindness of a stranger while traveling, volunteer work across borders, and relief sent worldwide after a disaster all realize kinship within the four seas. The world would become warmer if we extended a sibling’s concern even to people we have never met.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Are you open to people from backgrounds different from yours?
- ·Do you think universal human kinship is realistic?
- ·When have you treated a stranger warmly?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 四 | sì | four | 5 | 囗 (enclosure) |
| 海 | hǎi | sea | 10 | 水 (water) |
| 之 | zhī | possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 內 | nèi | inside | 4 | 入 (enter) |
| 皆 | jiē | all | 9 | 白 (white) |
| 兄 | xiōng | elder brother | 5 | 儿 (legs) |
| 弟 | dì | younger brother | 7 | 弓 (bow) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Within the four seas, all people are…” mean?
四海之內 皆兄弟也 (sì hǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōng dì yě) means “Within the four seas, all people are brothers and sisters.” It comes from the Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 5.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 12.5: Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 5.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Its spirit shines even more brightly in a global age.Humanity forms one community across nationality, race, religion, and culture.