Confucius Ritual Propriety Analysis

Confucius spent most of his life teaching his way of ritual propriety to his disciples. In The Analects of Confucius, he states, “It is a rare thing for glib speech and an insinuating appearance to accompany authoritative conduct” (1.3). One of Confucius’s main lessons is the teachings of Ren and communication between one another. When Confucius states “glib speech” he is speaking of one as shallow, thoughtless, and misleading. Many times throughout Confucius’s teaching he mentions “glib tongue” or “glib speech” and he “hates those with a glib tongue” (11.25). Confucius says, “One stands to be improved by friends who are true, who make good on their word, and who are broadly informed; one stands to be injured by friends who are ingratiating, who feign compliance, and who are glib talkers” (16.4). Confucius would rather someone be honest and follow through with their word than flatter an authoritative figure to make their image as individual better. …show more content…
In his teaching about Xin, Confucius states, “The exemplary person wants to be slow to speak yet quick to act” (4.24). According to Confucius, actions speak louder than words and one should live their life following that motto. He used the ancients as an example of exemplary behavior when he states, “The ancients were loath to speak because they would be ashamed if they personally did not live up to what they said” (4.22). The ancients acted this way because every word said is taken into serious thought and they would not want to speak and not follow through on their word. If the ancients were not loath to speak they could potentially have the “glib tongue” that Confucius hates. Confucius acknowledges the ancients because they had no intensions of smooth talking anyone or having an insinuating appearance; therefore, they followed ritual