Great Works at 10.20am Spring 2015

Confucious – The importance of Education

Confucianism is all about relationship between people in the society where we are living in. Naturally, human beings are seeking for what they desire and try to get it. some of them try hard to find an easy way to get what they want. problem is the easy way they find may affect someone’s life. To prevent to harm and conflict with others by one’s lust and greed, people set the rules what we must follow and educate ourselves to be a gentlemen. As we read in the text, Confucious emphasized the importance of education. He believed that edcuation is a basic way to be a gentlemen.

Confucious wanted people to be educated and be a good student to respects and learn from the words and deeds of his teacher. Teacher would be a person who are older and knows well about the ways of the past and the practice of antiquity. The Confucious said: “Even when walking in the company of two other men, I am bound to be able to learn from them. The good points of the one I copy; the bad points of the one I correct in myself.’ (Analect 7.22) By observing other people’s behaviors, we could find out what is good and bad to be done. Also, we should be careful listening to people who’s next to. people who’s next to me, watch how i behave in any specific situation. Although people have many different opinions and perspectives on other people’s behaviors, it probably shows how i have relationship with other people and gives me a chance to evaluate myself. Thus, the education that confucious tells us about, is not just to read text in the book. the individual we see around might be a text book, and a teacher.

It is very important to use the knowledge what we learned from someone or books. The gentlemen is not a person who is highly educated, is a person who uses his knowledge wisely. We should not think that is not enough to study. it is meaningless not to do behave as we learned. Confucious said, “He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” (Analects 2.15) Through this texts from Analects, education confucious believed is finding a balance between formal study and intuitive self-reflection. Confucious never asks how much you learned and knows about. He teaches people to understand and to think about what comes out from learning. it seems most important step what Confucious expects from people to demonstrate their understanding  and accepting it to improve their life.

The education could be simple as depth of knowledge. however, Confucious emphasizes the depth of understanding what you know and wants people to influence that in good way. Confucious’ teaching is not easy to study and understand fully, but it is meaningful to improve each other. The road of education is endless, and what should be worried to death.

Taehyun Nam