1.8: Zǐ yuē: Zhūnzǐ bù zhòng zé bù wēi , xué zé bù gù. Zhǔ zhōng xìn, wú yoǔ bù rú jǐ zhě, guò zé wù dàn gǎi.
1.8: Master says: "(If) the Sage (is) not dignified then (there is) no power/authority, study and then not solid. Ruler/(advocate for) faithful/devoted word/speech, (do) not have companions not comprable to one’s self, mistake and then do not fear/shrink from change/improvement."
1.8: The Master says: "If the Sage is not dignified then there is no power, and learning will not be solid. Be faithful to word and speech, have no friends not comprable to yourself, and if you make mistakes do not shrink from improvement."
2 comments:
The relation between dignity and power should be understood in the context of the project of positive social charisma: the scholar-sage's mannerisms and comportment are a key part of creating a positive social dynamic - by learning the appropriate gestures, postures, rituals, etc., the sage conveys a sense of confidence and expertise that inspires others.
This is power in the sense of being capable to transform a situation. The beauty of this idea of power is that it is not raw force (as often conceived in western terms). It might better bee conceived as a person's ability to influence or change a situation simply by virtue of their personal appearance and presentation.
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