A true king

Richard Brown
2 min readDec 22, 2024

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In Chapter 12 of Book 13 of the Analects, Confucius expresses a longing for the emergence of a great ruler akin to the fabled sage kings of antiquity, who would restore benevolent governance to a nation in turmoil through their virtue. The passage reads:

Confucius said: “If there were a true king, it would take a generation for goodness to prevail.”
子曰:「如有王者,必世而後仁。」

This chapter is often interpreted in contrast with the previous one, highlighting a distinction between the “most able men” (善人/shànrén) and a “true king” (王者/wángzhě). While the former might need a century to eradicate cruelty from society, a true king, embodying the highest level of virtue, could transform the moral landscape of the nation in just one generation.

Note: The three legendary sage kings, Yao, Shun, and Yu, are celebrated for establishing the cultural, moral, and administrative foundations of Chinese civilization through their exemplary governance. Yu is traditionally credited with founding the Xia Dynasty around 2070 BCE, primarily due to his success in controlling the devastating floods that plagued ancient China. Although these men have often been held up as ideals of rulership, including by Confucius, some versions of the myths surrounding them suggest that they were not quite as virtuous as they have been portrayed.

Related Links
Leadership Lessons from Confucius: digital transformation
The Analects of Confucius Book 13 New English Translation

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Richard Brown
Richard Brown

Written by Richard Brown

I live in Taiwan and am interested in exploring what ancient Chinese philosophy can tell us about technology and the rise of modern China.

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