Kong Rong Jean Pear tells a story of humility and courtesy to show virtue.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (BC 156-87) seriously adopted the proposal of "ousting a hundred schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone" put forward by Dong Zhongshu (BC 179- 104) in BC 134, and immediately extended it to the whole country.

"Benevolence, courtesy, wisdom and faith" are the core of Confucianism. In the guidance of words and deeds, the principle of being a man and doing things, and the construction of ethics, everyone has not escaped the constraints of these five words. It can be said that the construction of our value system is inseparable from these five words.

Kong Rong gave up the biggest pear.

More than 300 years after Dong Zhongshu, another great scholar, Kong Rong (153-2008), was born and made great achievements in many fields. Literature has the reputation of "seven sons of Jian 'an" and is good at poetry and songs. Politically, he remonstrated with Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty many times, advocated benevolent government and abolished inhuman torture, which had a far-reaching impact on the later penalty reform. In his later years, he went to Beihai as a relative, managed this small place in good order, and played an outstanding management ability.

Kong Rong, the 20th grandson of Confucius, the originator of Confucianism, formed the habit of learning Confucianism from an early age, and set an example by paying tribute to his ancestors with practical actions, proving that he loved Confucianism from the bottom of his heart.

The story of "Kong Rong let pears" is a typical event in which Kong Rong spread the Confucian spirit with practical actions. This story has been lying in primary school Chinese textbooks and has educated generations.

Kong Rong gave up the biggest pear.

According to legend, in the autumn when Kong Rong was 4 years old, friends of his father Kong Zhou visited his home and brought homemade crisp pears to the Kong family to taste. Father told Kong Rong to share crisp pears with his brothers and sisters. Kong Rong first took the smallest pear for himself, and then divided the remaining pears according to the order between brothers and sisters.

Father was surprised and asked Kong Rong why he did it.

Kong Rong said: I am young, I should eat small pears, and big pears should be given to my brothers and sisters.

My father asked again: My brothers and sisters are younger than you, but why are their pears bigger than yours?

Kong Rong replied: My younger brothers and sisters are younger than me, so I let them.

Kong Rong's answer and practice were praised by some people at the meeting. People praise Kong Rong for being very young, but he is very sensible and will succeed in the future.

Jian 'an Qizi

Facts have proved that after more than 20 years, Kong Rong did achieve something and became a famous figure in history.

After this incident, the story of "Kong Rong Li Rang" became a household name and was handed down from generation to generation. Become a model of comity, respecting the old and loving the young, showing traditional virtues and embodying the Confucian spirit. The values conveyed by this story have become one of the most basic public customs of the Chinese nation and play a huge role in the field of education.

Since childhood, the teacher has instilled in us an idea that if a person wants to be loved by the people around him and accepted by the society, he must know the truth of respecting the elders and loving the young. Like Kong Rong, he has a sweet mouth and can talk, which makes others feel flattered. At this time, others don't want to care about you and love you, so I'm sorry.

If we further explore the values conveyed by the story "Kong Rong let pears", we can draw a conclusion: under the attitude of compromise, everything is impartial and just right, which is the "golden mean", and its core is to embody the ubiquitous wisdom.

Jian' an qizi statue

Kong Rong did this, no matter what his initial intention was, but as a result, his brothers and sisters will have infinite affection for him, and he will get more benefits and support everywhere in the future, which is beyond doubt.

History has proved that a person's success depends on whether he can play the "golden mean".

Let nature take its course; Hit the head with a stick; Sometimes there will be in life, and there is no need to force it in life; Full of losses, modest benefits; Everything is established in advance, and it is abolished without advance; People have a hundred abilities, and people have a thousand abilities; Destiny is nature, frankness is Tao, and cultivation is teaching. ...

These famous aphorisms are an accurate explanation of the "golden mean", reminding people to be humble and polite at all times and understand the benefits of keeping one hand in everything. Being able to advance and retreat freely and skillfully is the highest realm of dealing with people.

Kong Rong

Under our cultural background, Kong Rong let pears convey a kind of life wisdom, which is a cultural form bred under the "farming civilization" and conforms to the "golden mean". Modesty, reserve, self-knowledge and introspection are its essence.

Westerners have completely different cultural backgrounds and concepts from ours. Their cultural form is bred from "marine civilization", and their cultural core is advocating enterprising spirit and free spirit, carrying forward humanistic thought, advocating individual liberation and affirming individual value and dignity.

In the eyes of westerners, there is a completely different view on the story of "Kong Rong let pears", and "Kong Rong let pears" is usually used by them as a negative textbook to educate students.

A psychology professor at Harvard Business School gave evidence of this story when giving psychological education to students, so that students could speak freely.

Confucius visited Laozi.

Many students think that although "Kong Rong Rangli Pear" got a happy result, it seems to be methodical, but in fact it has no principle, which obliterates their true personality and hides their true psychological demands. Kong Rong's practice is more like a way to show off, please his father and satisfy vanity.

The students further believe that no matter a 4-year-old child like Kong Rong or an adult, the idea of "egoism" is innate, and everyone has a selfish side. Children's values are far from being formed, but Kong Rong can be so sophisticated and considerate, which is totally out of line with mainstream values.

A story can draw two completely different views, which are completely caused by cultural differences. Westerners' views undoubtedly provide us with a perspective to look at the problem.

Confucius

It is a consistent standard for westerners to bravely show themselves, publicize their personality, show their abilities without reservation, win the respect of others with their strength and gain the recognition of social rules.

However, we have been instilled with humble and polite thoughts since childhood, and the hidden concept of being a man will more or less bury ourselves in the social rules of "natural selection, survival of the fittest". So it's not publicity, but a kind of self-confidence when it's time to make moves.

In the final analysis, humility and comity, as a virtue, only stays in the Confucian cultural circle, and there is still a long way to go before it becomes a universal value in the world. If our comprehensive national strength continues to grow and our cultural influence continues to increase, in time, our nation will belong to the world, and our cultural concept can completely lead the world trend.