Confucius' Saying: 'Among Three People, I Can Find a Teacher'

Original Text

子曰: "三人行, 必有我師焉. 擇其善者而從之, 其不善者而改之."
(Confucius said: "Among three people, I can always find a teacher. Choose what is good in others and follow it; recognize what is not good and correct it within yourself.")

Analysis and Vocabulary

1) 三人 (Three People)

The phrase '三人' (three people) refers to any group of three, symbolizing a diverse set of individuals: someone wiser, someone less wise, and oneself. This idea is related to a saying in the 'Analects' (Chapter 17): 'When encountering a wise person, think of equaling their wisdom; when encountering someone less wise, use it as an opportunity for self-reflection.' It emphasizes continuous self-improvement through observation of others.

2) 其不善者而改之 (Correcting What Is Not Good)

This phrase means to 'identify the undesirable traits in others (those who may be less skilled or wise) and use those observations to correct similar shortcomings within oneself.' It emphasizes learning through both positive and negative examples.

Key Terms:
• 其 (qi): Refers primarily to the 'three people' but ultimately represents the various positive and negative qualities among them.
• 不善者 (bu shan zhe): Refers to undesirable qualities or flaws observed in others.
• 之 (zhi): A pronoun in Classical Chinese, referring to the positive qualities to follow ('從之') and the flaws to correct ('改之'). Each usage of '之' highlights different aspects of self-improvement through learning from others.

Interpretation

Confucius teaches that 'When three people walk together, there is always something to learn from each of them.' By recognizing the strengths of those who are more capable and striving to emulate them, one can grow. Conversely, by identifying the weaknesses or mistakes in others, one gains the opportunity to reflect and address similar flaws in oneself. This idea encourages a mindset of humility, openness to learning, and self-awareness through observing others in daily life.