Analects · Chapter
XXI explained
Confucius responds to a questioner who asks why he is not engaged in government.
What happens
Confucius responds to a questioner who asks why he is not engaged in government. He cites the Shu-ching on filial piety, explaining that being filial and discharging brotherly duties are themselves a form of government, so there is no need to hold an official position.
Themes in this chapter
Filial Piety
Confucius directly links filial piety and brotherly duties to the exercise of government.
Virtuous Governance
The chapter suggests that virtuous personal conduct is a form of governance, not limited to official positions.
Characters to notice
- Confucius
Quotes the Shu-ching to explain that filial piety and brotherly duties constitute government.
Key passages
“What does the Shu-ching say of filial piety?—'You are filial, you discharge your brotherly duties. These qualities are displayed in government.'”
The Shu-ching teaches that being filial and fulfilling brotherly duties are themselves acts of government.
Confucius uses this quotation to argue that personal virtue is a form of political participation.