Closed Reading Assignment “Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about the way of governing, saying, “In order to realize the moral way, how about if I were to kill those who do not live by it?” Confucius replied, “As head of the government, why would you need to kill anyone [to bring about moral order]? The character of those at the top [junzi] is like that of the wind. The character of those below [xiaoren] is like that of grass. When wind blows over the grass, the grass is sure to bend”” (Confucius' Analects 12.19). Introduction and Contextualization: The Analects was a book that I found very interesting and enjoyed the most. The Analect is basically a collection of Confucius’s teachings, sayings, and conversations compiled by his disciples after his …show more content…
I personally feel like the theme of this passage is focused on the nature of leadership and governance, specifically the morals of leadership. Since Ji Kangzi suggested that order in society can be achieved by killing whoever disobeys it, Confucius has a more of a harmonious way of dealing with things. Confucius focused more on the moral solution rather than simply “getting rid of the problem” by murder. Confucius’ response to Ji Kangzi’s statement, “Why would you need to kill anyone to bring about moral order?” From this, we can tell that he does not agree with the statement and in a way criticizes it. His core belief that morality cannot be imposed through fear or violence again was proven. Instead, he started talking about what he believed true leadership was from the virtue of the ruler. This idea is central to Confucian philosophy, where governance is seen as a form of moral guidance, not enforcement. Confucius suggests that leaders should set an example to their followers and inspire them, rather than fear them. In this passage, there is also a metaphor for the wind and the grass. In this metaphor, Confucius compares Junzi to the wind and the people to grass. The use of the wind and grass metaphor is very significant for its reflection of the natural order that Confucius envisions in society. By using this imagery, Confucius is saying that as the wind can