Analects 19.22

The Analects (論語), BOOK XIX. TSZE-CHANG 子張第十九

衞公孫朝問於子貢曰、仲尼焉學。子貢曰、文武之道、未墜於地、在人、賢者識其大者、不賢者識其小者、莫不有文武之道焉、夫子焉不學、而亦何常師之有、

1. Kung-sun Ch'ao of Wei asked Tsze-kung, saying, "From whom did Chung-ni get his learning?"

2. Tsze-kung replied, "The doctrines of Wan and Wu have not yet fallen to the ground. They are to be found among men. Men of talents and virtue remember the greater principles of them, and others, not possessing such talents and virtue, remember the smaller. Thus, all possess the doctrines of Wan and Wu. Where could our Master go that he should not have an opportunity of learning them? And yet what necessity was there for his having a regular master?"

James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.

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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.