Analects 7.38 · Shu Er
“The Master was gentle yet stern, dignified yet not fierce, respectful yet at ease.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
子溫而厲 威而不猛 恭而安 (zǐ wēn ér lì, wēi ér bù měng, gōng ér ān) means “The Master was gentle yet stern, dignified yet not fierce, respectful yet at ease.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 38.
子溫而厲 威而不猛 恭而安
- Pinyin
- zǐ wēn ér lì, wēi ér bù měng, gōng ér ān
- Translation
- The Master was gentle yet stern, dignified yet not fierce, respectful yet at ease.
- Source
- Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 38
What does this passage mean?
This is the final chapter of Shu Er, in which the disciples record the Master’s bearing in three pairs of contrasts: gentle yet stern, dignified yet not fierce, respectful yet at ease. Ordinary people grow soft when gentle, cold when stern, and stiff when respectful. Confucius held qualities that easily conflict together in harmony within one person. This was not innate temperament but the result of long cultivation; Zhu Xi explained it as the outward expression of abundant virtue and harmonious energy. It is a portrait of the balanced character that inclines to no extreme.
How can we apply it today?
Here is the image of a good leader: soft but with clear standards, authoritative without intimidating anyone, courteous without being stiff. We usually lose one quality while reaching for another. Trying to be kind, we lose our standards; trying to be firm, we lose people; trying to keep formality, we create distance. The portrait of Confucius shows that both sides can be held at once. As a parent, a manager, or a senior colleague, the first step is to notice which way you lean. Balance is not something we are born with but something we adjust a little each day.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Do you lean toward gentleness or toward sternness?
- ·Have you ever intimidated someone while trying to establish authority?
- ·Of the three pairs, which do you most want to attain?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 | zǐ | teacher | 3 | 子 (child) |
| 溫 | wēn | warm | 13 | 水 (water) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 厲 | lì | stern | 15 | 厂 (cliff) |
| 威 | wēi | dignity | 9 | 女 (woman) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 猛 | měng | fierce | 11 | 犬 (dog) |
| 恭 | gōng | courteous | 10 | 心 (heart) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 安 | ān | peaceful | 6 | 宀 (roof) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “The Master was gentle yet stern, dignified…” mean?
子溫而厲 威而不猛 恭而安 (zǐ wēn ér lì, wēi ér bù měng, gōng ér ān) means “The Master was gentle yet stern, dignified yet not fierce, respectful yet at ease.” It comes from the Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 38.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 7.38: Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 38.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Here is the image of a good leader: soft but with clear standards, authoritative without intimidating anyone, courteous without being stiff.We usually lose one quality while reaching for another.