Tailored wisdom: Confucius’s personalized advice to Zixia
Whenever one of his followers asks for advice, Confucius is meticulous in tailoring his responses to address not only the specific situation at hand but also the individual’s inherent strengths and weaknesses.
A prime example of this personalized approach can be found in Confucius’s exchange with Zixia in Chapter 15 of Book 13 of the Analects. After being appointed governor of the walled city of Jufu in the state of Lu, Zixia finds himself in a predicament after implementing reforms too hastily. In need of guidance, he turns to Confucius. Here is the passage in full:
When Zixia was governor of Jufu, he asked about governance. Confucius said: “Do not try to rush things. Ignore matters of minor advantage. If you try to rush things, you will not achieve success. If you pursue matters of minor advantage, you will not succeed in major affairs.”
子夏為莒父宰問政。子曰：「無欲速，無見小利。欲速則不達，見小利則大事不成。」
Confucius’s advice here is carefully crafted to address Zixia’s specific traits. While acknowledging Zixia’s intellectual prowess and quick thinking, Confucius is also aware of his follower’s tendency towards narrow-mindedness and fixation on minor details, often at the expense of broader implications. Thus, Confucius counsels patience and a focus on major priorities, cautioning against the allure of “matters of minor advantage.”
This guidance is consistent with other advice Confucius gives to Zixia, notably in Chapter 13 of Book 6 when he admonishes him to: “Be a refined scholar, not a common pedant.” Zixia needs to learn how to see the wood from the trees, if he is to live up to his full potential.
Related Links
Leadership Lessons from Confucius: don’t try to rush things
The Analects of Confucius Book 13 New English Translation
