# XXII explained — Analects

> Chapter companion for Analects by Confucius.

## 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.

## Themes 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.

## Character check-ins

### Confucius

The Master speaks on the necessity of truthfulness for functioning in society.

## Key lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/analects_se/chapters/xxii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/analects_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/analects_se/chapters