Analects 14.42 · Xian Wen
“Cultivate yourself with reverence; cultivate yourself to bring peace to others; cultivate yourself to bring peace to all the people.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
修己以敬 修己以安人 修己以安百姓 (xiū jǐ yǐ jìng, xiū jǐ yǐ ān rén, xiū jǐ yǐ ān bǎi xìng) means “Cultivate yourself with reverence; cultivate yourself to bring peace to others; cultivate yourself to bring peace to all the people.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 42.
修己以敬 修己以安人 修己以安百姓
- Pinyin
- xiū jǐ yǐ jìng, xiū jǐ yǐ ān rén, xiū jǐ yǐ ān bǎi xìng
- Translation
- Cultivate yourself with reverence; cultivate yourself to bring peace to others; cultivate yourself to bring peace to all the people.
- Source
- Analects, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 42
What does this passage mean?
In the forty-second chapter of Xian Wen, Zilu asks about the exemplary person and Confucius answers in three stages. First he says: cultivate yourself with reverence. When Zilu asks whether that is all, he says: cultivate yourself to bring peace to others. Asked again, he says: cultivate yourself to bring peace to all the people, adding that even the sage kings Yao and Shun found this difficult. All three answers begin with self-cultivation. Even the great work of bringing peace to others and to the world starts from cultivating oneself, and this passage is the most concise expression of the Confucian ideal of cultivating the self in order to govern others.
How can we apply it today?
Many people want to change the world; few begin by changing themselves. Confucius’s three stages have an order: first govern yourself, then bring peace to those close to you, and only then move outward to the wider world. Trying to lead a team without governing your own emotions, or debating society without bringing peace to your own family, is the order reversed. The reach of your influence cannot exceed the depth of your self-cultivation. The greatest social contribution you can make today may be to make yourself a slightly better person.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Do you put more effort into cultivating yourself or into changing the world?
- ·Whom are you bringing peace to?
- ·Does your influence match the depth of your cultivation?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 修 | xiū | cultivate | 10 | 人 (person) |
| 己 | jǐ | oneself | 3 | 己 (self) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 敬 | jìng | respect | 13 | 攴 (tap) |
| 修 | xiū | cultivate | 10 | 人 (person) |
| 己 | jǐ | oneself | 3 | 己 (self) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 安 | ān | peaceful | 6 | 宀 (roof) |
| 人 | rén | person | 2 | 人 (person) |
| 修 | xiū | cultivate | 10 | 人 (person) |
| 己 | jǐ | oneself | 3 | 己 (self) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 安 | ān | peaceful | 6 | 宀 (roof) |
| 百 | bǎi | one hundred | 6 | 白 (white) |
| 姓 | xìng | surname | 8 | 女 (woman) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Cultivate yourself with reverence…” mean?
修己以敬 修己以安人 修己以安百姓 (xiū jǐ yǐ jìng, xiū jǐ yǐ ān rén, xiū jǐ yǐ ān bǎi xìng) means “Cultivate yourself with reverence; cultivate yourself to bring peace to others; cultivate yourself to bring peace to all the people.” It comes from the Analects, Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 42.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 14.42: Book 14 (Xian Wen), Chapter 42.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Many people want to change the world; few begin by changing themselves.