Analects 13.30 · Zi Lu
“To send an untrained people into battle is to cast them away.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
以不教民戰 是謂棄之 (yǐ bù jiào mín zhàn, shì wèi qì zhī) means “To send an untrained people into battle is to cast them away.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 13 (Zi Lu), Chapter 30.
以不教民戰 是謂棄之
- Pinyin
- yǐ bù jiào mín zhàn, shì wèi qì zhī
- Translation
- To send an untrained people into battle is to cast them away.
- Source
- Analects, Book 13 (Zi Lu), Chapter 30
What does this passage mean?
Paired with the previous saying, this passage appears near the end of the Zilu chapter. 不敎民戰 means making untrained people fight a war, and 棄之 means that this is equivalent to throwing them away. In Confucius's age, ordinary people took up weapons and fought directly, so entering battle without training meant almost certain death. Confucius severely criticizes leaders who treat the people's lives carelessly.
How can we apply it today?
Exposing people to danger without preparation is little different from abandoning them. We do this when we give a new employee a difficult client without training, send someone to a hazardous worksite without adequate safety instruction, or burden a person who lacks basic skills with excessive responsibility. These are all modern examples of 'sending untrained people to war.' If leaders want to employ people, they must first teach them. Demanding results without instruction is a dereliction of leadership.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Have I ever given someone a difficult task without enough preparation?
- ·Am I myself sufficiently trained for the challenge I am undertaking?
- ·What costs result from withholding education and preparation?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 教 | jiào | teach | 11 | 攴 (tap) |
| 民 | mín | the people | 5 | 氏 (clan) |
| 戰 | zhàn | fight | 16 | 戈 (halberd) |
| 是 | shì | this | 9 | 日 (sun) |
| 謂 | wèi | say; call | 16 | 言 (speech) |
| 棄 | qì | abandon | 12 | 木 (tree) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “To send an untrained people into battle is…” mean?
以不教民戰 是謂棄之 (yǐ bù jiào mín zhàn, shì wèi qì zhī) means “To send an untrained people into battle is to cast them away.” It comes from the Analects, Book 13 (Zi Lu), Chapter 30.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 13.30: Book 13 (Zi Lu), Chapter 30.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Exposing people to danger without preparation is little different from abandoning them.