Confucius said that there are four classes

Confucius said: "Those who are born to understand are the smartest, those who understand through learning are the first, and those who learn when they encounter difficulties are secondary." If you don't study when you encounter difficulties, you are an inferior fool. ”

Original. Confucius said: "He who is born to know, he is also superior; Those who learn and know, the second also; Sleepy and learned, and secondary; Sleepy and not learning, the people are the next step. ”

From "The Analects, Chapter 16, Ji's Chapter", Zi said: "Those who rule by doing nothing, their Shun is also the same? What is the husband?

Gong Ji is just to the south. Confucius believed that Shun, a natural sage, could achieve the rule of inaction as long as he respectfully sat in his position, so he said that those who were born to know were also superior.

Although Confucius said that there was a "person who is born to know", he did not admit that he was such a person, nor did he see such a person. He said he only found out after studying. He hopes that people will be diligent and studious, and not wait for difficulties to learn.

As the saying goes: the book is used to hate less, which is the inspiration of the story. As for not studying when encountering difficulties, it is not enough training.

Confucius said: "People today can be divided into four categories: mediocre, scholar, gentleman, and sage. ”

Lu Aigong asked Confucius, "What kind of person can be called a mediocre person?" ”

Confucius said: "The so-called mediocrity means that a person who cannot speak good words in his mouth, who does not know worries in his heart, who does not know how to choose a wise man and a good man to place his trust in himself and get rid of his sorrows, who does not know what to do in his actions, and who governs himself with seven emotions and six desires, such a person can be called a mediocre person." ”

Lu Aigong said: "Very good, then what kind of person can be called a scholar? ”

Confucius said: "The so-called scholar means that although he cannot know all the ways to do things, he can still follow them; You can't do things perfectly, but you can definitely deal with them. Therefore, he does not pursue the profundity of knowledge, but the correctness of knowledge; Do not pursue the redundancy of language, but pursue the correct words spoken; Do not pursue the miscellaneous behavior, but pursue the right thing to do.

Lu Aigong asked again: "Then what is a gentleman?" ”

Confucius said: "Speak faithfully and faithfully, but in your heart you don't think it's a great virtue; Pay attention to benevolence and righteousness, but do not take pride in it; Thinking clearly, but he is not competitive in words, so he is not afraid that others can catch up, this is a gentleman. ”

Lu Aigong said: "That's right! Can you tell me how I can be a sage? ”

Confucius said, "A sage is saying that he does things according to the rules, but does not violate his nature; Speech is enough to set an example for the world, but it will not lose himself because of this; A person who is rich but does not accumulate wealth, and can give money to others, but does not worry about his own poverty, can be called a virtuous man. ”

Traditional Chinese culture regards the pursuit of morality as the foundation of human beings, and pursues the moral perfection of human beings, while gentlemen and sages are the ideal personalities designed by Confucianism. Although they represent different moral realms, they are all morally perfect people, and this is also the fundamental difference between them and philistines and scholars. Therefore, Confucianism advocates cultivating oneself with virtue, improving oneself through morality, and perfecting oneself to reach the realm of a gentleman and a virtuous man.