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In the cultural atmosphere of China which values authority, famous sayings hold a significant position. Many words spoken by renowned scholars are often regarded as unchangeable guidelines for shaping one's personal and world views. However, among the thousands of years' worth of famous sayings passed down, some have been deliberately or ignorantly distorted, deviating from the original intentions of the speakers and misleading countless audiences...
1. "Repay grievances with virtue"
Original sentence: "Someone asked: 'What about repaying grievances with virtue?' Confucius replied: 'Then how do we repay virtue? Repay grievances with justice, and repay virtue with virtue.'" —— *The Analects of Confucius*, Chapter Xianwen
It was unimaginable that after Confucius' famous phrase "repay grievances with virtue," there were actually more words. What were they? Confucius said: "If you repay grievances with virtue, then 'how do you repay virtue?' Repay grievances with justice, and repay virtue with virtue!" After reading this, it suddenly dawns on us that all of us have been tricked by some selective Confucius fans!
What really happened back then? One of Confucius' disciples asked him: Master, if someone hits me, I won't hit him back. Instead, I will be good to him, shaming him with my morality and education, making him repent. Is that good? Confucius then said, "If you repay grievances with virtue, then 'how do you repay virtue?' When others treat you kindly, you need to repay them with virtue; but now since someone has hit you, you should 'repay grievances with justice,' pick up a brick and throw it at him!"
Degree of distortion: 8
Negative impact: 9
2. "People can be led, but cannot be made to understand."
Original sentence: "Confucius said: Inspired by poetry, established through propriety, completed in music. Confucius said: People can be led, but cannot be made to understand." —— *The Analects of Confucius* • Qinbo
By combining the context of the preceding and following sentences, it is easy to derive the correct way to punctuate this sentence: "Confucius said: Inspired by poetry, established through propriety, completed in music. If people can, let them follow it; if they cannot, teach them to understand it."
Confucius' entire statement means that poetry, propriety, and music are the foundations of educating the masses, and these must be well implemented. If the people master poetry, propriety, and music, great! Let them express themselves freely; if the people still don't understand these things, we need to educate them, making them know and comprehend these matters. This is the true intention of the great educator Confucius who believed in "education without distinction."