After watching the TV talk show “孔子和他的弟子们,” our Chinese class students reflected on the following questions:
1) Among 孔子的弟子中 （e.g. 子路、颜回、子贡等）, who is your favorite, why?
2) Which quote from the 论语 you’ve learned strikes you the most? Why? No repeats from your classmates.
3) What was 孔子 devoted to do in his later life? or, what are the teaching philosophy of 孔子？
4) Please comment on the tragic death of 子路.
5) 为什么孔子最喜欢颜回？
6）Why did merchants have the lowest social status in the traditional Chinese society? or, Why 子贡 was considered the smartest student?
Na Hanlong –
- 颜回 is my favorite student of Confucius because he was very knowledgeable and Confucius held him in very high regard. 颜回 also was honest, as demonstrated by the story with the 粥.
- This quote from 里仁第四 of 论语 is one of the ones that strike me the most: 子曰：富与贵是人之所欲也，不以其道得之，不处也；贫与贱是人之所恶也，不以其道得之，不去也。君子去仁，恶乎成名？君子无终食之间违仁，造次必於是，颠沛必於是。 I appreciate this quote because it emphasizes the importance of being good despite it sometimes being difficult and that one must only use virtue as a means of achieving their goals.
- 孔子’s teaching philosophy emphasizes education so that people can serve beneficial roles in society. For example, many of 孔子’s teachings revolve around how to be a good leader, student, teacher, or family member. All of these roles are necessary for a functioning society.
- I think 子路’s courage even in dying is admirable, as well as his choice to demonstrate civility in his last moments by tying his head straps.
- 孔子 expected to pass on Confucianism to 颜回 as he was one of his favorite and most knowledgeable students. 孔子 knew 颜回 as an honest and wise man, even if he was misunderstood by others.
- 子贡 was considered the smartest because he could accurately forecast the market situation and was an effective diplomat, and he still preferred being 孔子’s student.
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