Analects · Chapter
XXII explained
Confucius emphasizes the indispensability of truthfulness (sincerity) in human conduct, comparing a person without it to a carriage lacking the essential crossbar for yoking animals, rendering it unable to move.
What happens
Confucius emphasizes the indispensability of truthfulness (sincerity) in human conduct, comparing a person without it to a carriage lacking the essential crossbar for yoking animals, rendering it unable to move.
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
- Sincerity and Faithfulness
Truthfulness is presented as the fundamental quality that enables a person to function, akin to the essential mechanical parts of a carriage.
Characters to notice
- Confucius
The Master speaks on the necessity of truthfulness for functioning in society.
Key passages
“I do not know how a man without truthfulness is to get on.”
Confucius expresses that he cannot imagine how a person lacking sincerity can manage in life.
This highlights the central role of truthfulness in personal conduct.
“How can a large carriage be made to go without the crossbar for yoking the oxen to, or a small carriage without the arrangement for yoking the horses?”
Just as a large or small carriage cannot move without its essential yoking mechanism, a person cannot function without truthfulness.
The analogy underscores the essential nature of sincerity for effective action.
