Chen Kang* once asked Boyu**: “Has our teacher Confucius given you any special instruction?”
“No,” answered Long Li. “One day he was standing alone in the courtyard. When I passed by him, he stopped me and asked me whether I had learned The Book of Songs, and my reply was ‘not yet’. Then he advised me, ‘Without learning The Book of Songs, you will not be able to speak a refined language.’ So, I began reading The Book of Songs. On another day, my father was standing in the courtyard without any of his disciples around when I passed by.
Again the asked me whether I had learned The Book of Rites, and my answer was again ‘no’. as before, he admonished me saying: ‘Without reading The Book of Rites, you know not how to behave properly.’ As before, I listened to his advice and went back to read The Book of Rites. These were the only two things I have heard from my father.”
Hearing this, Chen Kang withdrew, feeling satisfied. He said: “I have raised one question, but I have learnt three things—I am now aware that I should learn The Book of Songs, read The Book of Rites and that a man of character like Confucius does not give special favor to his own son.”
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Sometimes, you can ask for a little information and get a lot more answers than you had expected. In Life, we are almost always given more information and knowledge than we had asked for. We just did not know that. It is always good to reflect back on earlier conversations, decisions and analyze if there is additional information or knowledge to be gleamed.
* Chen Kang name was Zi Qin, and who came from the State of Qi. He asked the question because some people were suspicious that Confucius must have taught his son more than his disciples.
** Boyu is Confucius' son Kong Li
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