Analects · Chapter
XLVI explained
Confucius rebukes Yüan Zang for his disrespectful posture and idle life, striking him on the shank with his staff.
What happens
Confucius rebukes Yüan Zang for his disrespectful posture and idle life, striking him on the shank with his staff.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs when Confucius directly confronts Yû with a list of six virtues—benevolence, knowled…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Ritual and Propriety
Yüan Zang's squatting posture violates proper conduct, prompting Confucius's rebuke.
- Self-Cultivation
Confucius criticizes Yüan Zang for failing to cultivate himself in youth and manhood, leading to a worthless old age.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“In youth not humble as befits a junior; in manhood, doing nothing worthy of being handed down; and living on to old age:—this is to be a pest.”
If you were not humble when young, accomplished nothing notable as an adult, and now live to old age, you are nothing but a nuisance.
Confucius condemns a life devoid of virtue and contribution.
