Galleries and Translations > Confuscianism > Honourable and wise persons cultivate their foundations ... (君子務本，本立而道生.)
Honourable and wise persons cultivate their foundations;
once foundations are established, the proper way shall emerge.
(君子務本，本立而道生.)
67cm X 34cm
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once foundations are established, the proper way shall emerge.
(君子務本，本立而道生.)
67cm X 34cm
Click to Enlarge
Honourable and wise persons cultivate their foundations; once foundations are established, the proper way shall emerge. (君子務本，本立而道生.)
67cm X 34cm in cursive script (草書)
Remarks
(I)
This phrase was spoken by Confucius, as documented in The Analects of Confucius - Xue Er (《論語∙學而》):
子曰："君子務本，本立而道生." (1)Confucius said, "Honourable and wise persons cultivate their foundations; once foundations are established, the proper way shall emerge."(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
Prioritizing one's foundation is a central tenet in Confucian philosophy. The canonical Great Learning (《大學》) dictates:
物有本末，事有終始. 知所先後，則近道矣. (2)All things have their respective foundations (本) and ramifications (末); all affairs have their own conclusions (終) and beginnings (始). If one knows which comes before and which comes after, then one shall not be far from The Fundamental Way (道) of the Great Learning.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
(II)
For rulers, cultivating good foundations is not only beneficial for themselves but also for their governance, according to renowned Confucian scholar Liu Xiang (劉向, 77-6 BC):
孔子曰："君子務本，本立而道生." 夫本不正者末必倚，始不盛者終必衰 … 有正春者無亂秋, 有正君者無危國…是故君子貴建本而重立始. (3)Confucius said, "Honourable and wise persons cultivate their foundations; once foundations are established, the proper way shall emerge." Alas, an improper foundation leads to ramifications that will go astray, and an impoverished beginning will conclude in a downfall … A proper Spring does not give rise to a chaotic Autumn, and a proper ruler does not give rise to a nation in peril…Thus, honourable and wise persons hold building their foundations in high regard and pay great attention when establishing a beginning.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
Indeed, good foundations (本) beget good ramifications (末). In parallel to this, Mengzi (孟子, 372-289 BC) contended only good rulers are awarded loyal subordinates:
君之視臣如手足，則臣視君如腹心；君之視臣如犬馬，則臣視君如國人；君之視臣如土芥，則臣視君如寇讎. (4)If rulers regard their subordinates as their own hands and feet, then their subordinates shall regard their rulers as their own abdomens and hearts; if rulers regard their subordinates as dogs and horses, then their subordinates shall regard their rulers as ordinary laymen; if rulers regard their subordinates as dirt and grass, then their subordinates shall regard their rulers as sworn enemies.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
It is then clear that a ruler must first become fit to be a ruler before a subordinate becomes fit to be a subordinate. Hence, Confucian philosopher Dong Zhongshu (董仲舒, 179-104 BC) once wrote:
父不父則子不子，君不君則臣不臣耳. (5)If the father is unfit to be a father, then the son shall be unfit to be a son; if the ruler is unfit to be a ruler, then the subordinate shall be unfit to be a subordinate.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
Confucian philosophy originally never endorses "blind loyalty (愚忠)" nor asks one to "blindly pay respect to their parents (愚孝)". Rulers and parents must do their part first.
As defined by Xu Shen (許慎, 58-148 AD) in Shuowen Jiezi (《說文解字》), "The character 'Benevolence (仁)' is derived from the characters 'Person and Two (从人二)' " (6). Benevolence is always bilateral, never unilateral.
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(1) 《論語∙學而》. See 朱熹,《四書集註》. Hong Kong: 太平書局, 1968 , p.1.
(2) KS Vincent Poon, Calligraphy Meets Philosophy Talk 1. Toronto: The Senseis, 2022, p.24.
(3) 劉向,《說苑》, Vol.3, 建本. 欽定四庫全書子部說苑, 乾隆四十六年版, p.1.
(4) 《孟子∙離婁下》. See 朱熹,《四書集註》. Hong Kong: 太平書局，1968 , pp.111-112.
(5) 董仲舒, 《春秋繁露》, Vol.1, 玉杯. 欽定四庫全書經部春秋繁露, 乾隆四十二年版, p.9.
(6) 段玉裁,《說文解字注》. Taipei: 藝文印書館, 1966, p.369.