Confucius Noble Teachings - Assignment Example

Though he was born in China and spent his virtuous and pious life in that region of the Earth, yet his teachings have been being studied and admired in all parts of the globe for the last many centuries. Simple and alluring in diction, but deep and thought-provoking in meanings and interpretation, the words, delivered by this great philosopher, sage, and thinker i.e. Confucius, portray the entire scenario of the developments being made in his surroundings. The passage under study has been extracted from the collection of his golden sayings, which is as under:  Golden sayings:  “There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower!

There are cases where it flowers but no fruit is subsequently produced!” Interpretation: The noble saying views the very fact that where there exists the razor of iniquity, inequality, evil and social injustice in a society, there is least probability of the blossoming of the plant of goodness, charity, honesty, and wisdom, and vice versa. And if such a plant observes flourishing under the control of such a razor, the influence of the razor will not allow the plant to produce any fruits at any cost.

The sayings reveal Confucius’s profound observation and exceptional intellect to analyze the causes, consequences, and effects of one particular custom, tradition, and incident. The razor is representative of destruction, devastation, and desolation, while the plant signifies peace, prosperity, and productivity. Similarly, the fruit represents taste, flavor, fervor, and delight in the wake of long toil the plant has experienced by undergoing the intensity of seasons, heavy rains, severe sunshine, chilly cold, and blowing air while producing the fruit.

Being the symbol of cruelty and devastation, the blade of evilness and brutality damages the plant of love, charity, and kindness in such a way that either it is unable to grow or to produce its fruit at all. Looking into Confucius’s era, it becomes evident that the rulers and powerful stratum of his times always discouraged the efforts made by the saints, preachers, and patriots for the uplift of their nation and community. Consequently, the rebels of the cruel law i.e. saints and sages had to undergo severe trials as a response to raising a voice against injustice and ruthlessness being exercised by the representatives of “blade”.

    The noble sayings of this great personality are not confined to one era or area of the world only. On the contrary, his golden words apply to every era, culture, and society of the globe at large. By analyzing his words in the current perspective, it becomes evident that the blade of war and conflict does not allow the plant of brotherhood and solidarity to grow and become strong enough to provide humanity with a thick shadow of peace and prosperity as well as delicious fruit of joy, equality, and social justice.

Consequently, the blade of nepotism, ego, prejudice, pride, and greed for pelf, power, and possession has set its awkward clutches in every social setup of the contemporary era, damaging the very budding of the plant of love, righteousness, and mercifulness.