加密数字货币交易所-《论语》详解：给所有曲解孔子的人-子在川上曰：逝者如斯夫，不舍昼夜

Confucius said on the riverbank: “Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night.”

Detailed explanation: When we “hear the Way of the Sage,” “hearing the Way in the morning and dying in the evening” is enough. To “undertake” this, one must begin to “see, learn, and practice” the “Way of the Sage.” Regarding this beginning of “undertaking,” Confucius, standing “on the riverbank,” expressed the sentiment: “Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night.” Other sayings are simply “Confucius said,” but why does this one specifically include “on the riverbank”? The “river” here is not just any ordinary river but refers to its source, which more specifically signifies the beginning of “undertaking,” “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage.” “Hearing the Way of the Sage” marks the start and origin of “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage.” Therefore, the phrase “Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night” follows. Whether or not Confucius was literally standing at the source of a certain river, the phrase “on the riverbank” more importantly points to the beginning of “undertaking,” “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage.” Here, it is both Confucius’s personal reflection and a warning to the gentlemen who are about to begin “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage.”

Everyone interprets the phrase “the passing” as something like “all that disappears is like this river water, flowing day and night.” But such an interpretation is completely wrong. “逝” (shì) is a phonetic loan character for “誓” (shì), meaning “vow” or “oath.” “逝者” (shì zhě) means “those who vow,” i.e., the gentlemen determined to begin “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage.” The beginning of “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage” for a gentleman is like the source of every river—ultimately, all share a common goal, just as the great rivers flow eastward into the sea. This goal is to realize the “Way of the Sage” and establish a “world without resentment.” The “vow” (誓者) refers to the gentleman resolutely walking the “Way of the Sage,” like a river starting from its source—generations of waves pushing forward, endless and unceasing. “Day and night” refers to the “morning hearing the Way and dying in the evening” in the phrase “morning and evening,” which must be understood from the perspectives of “Heaven, Earth, and Humanity,” just as the explanation of “morning” and “evening” in that phrase. “Shed” (去, qù), in the tone of the fourth tone, means “to stop” or “to cease”; “not ceasing” (不舍) means not stopping, i.e., “not turning back.”

The difficulty in this chapter lies in the use of “逝” as a phonetic loan for “誓.” In fact, this usage is not unique; for example, in the Book of Songs, it says, “Shì jiāng qù nǚ, shì bǐ lè tǔ,” where “逝” (shì) is also a phonetic loan for “誓.” In the past, people interpreted the Analects as separate chapters, so they were confused by the character “川” (river), and naturally, they would interpret “逝” as “flowing away” or similar. But as long as one truly understands the spirit of the Analects, it becomes clear that these words align with Confucian emphasis on masculine strength, consistent with the “Book of Changes” (Yijing), which states “Heaven’s movement is vigorous; the gentleman should strive for self-improvement,” and “The Great Learning” which says “If one can daily renew oneself, then one is truly progressing.” These are all part of the same lineage. However, upon closer examination, “Heaven’s movement is vigorous; the gentleman should strive for self-improvement” only refers to “Heaven and its timing,” and “If one can daily renew oneself” only refers to “with Heaven and its timing,” which are less comprehensive than “Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night.” The phrase “Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night” embodies “aligning with Heaven’s timing,” “benefiting from Earth’s resources,” and “harmonizing with people.” Here, “the passing” (逝者) refers to the gentleman committed to walking the “Way of the Sage,” ultimately aiming to achieve true “harmony among people.” Only through this can one truly understand the meaning of “Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night.”

“Confucius said on the riverbank: ‘Time flows like this, never ceasing day and night.’” Confucius, standing at the source of the river, reflects on the past with deep emotion, offering both self-expression and advice to all gentlemen determined to begin “seeing, learning, and practicing” the “Way of the Sage”: “The gentleman who aspires to ‘see, learn, and practice’ the ‘Way of the Sage’ must be like this river, starting from the source of ‘hearing the Way,’ with waves pushing forward, endlessly, generation after generation. Regardless of the time or place, regardless of harsh or favorable conditions, even risking life and death, one must continuously ‘hold fast’ and ‘undertake’ the practice of the ‘Way of the Sage’ until ultimately achieving a ‘world without resentment’ without retreat.” It must be made clear that these words are not only Confucius’s personal reflection but also a warning and encouragement to all those aspiring to the “Way of the Sage.” Such feelings are not unique to Confucius alone; as the saying goes, “like voices in harmony,” with this heart, there must be this sentiment. This transcends time—so-called eternal shared sentiments. Whether this interpretation of the ID is correct or not, without this eternal shared sentiment expressed in these words, there is no qualification to discuss! Likewise, only with this sentiment can one speak of the Analects and Confucius.