“He is no disciple of mine. My little children, beat the drum and assail him.”

There is some surprising moments tucked between Confucius's sage advice on becoming a 君子 (superior person). Maybe it's the translator's particularly odd word choices, but Confucius was certainly quotable:

My ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth

The accomplished scholar is not a utensil

The filial piety nowadays means the support of one’s parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support

Most of his advice is common sense, or generally good ideas: act right, seek knowledge, and treat people well and you'll be treated well in return. Basically, don't be a dick about the social contract.

What holds this back for me is two parts, and biggest is that it's hard to really understand without commentary. It's very fragmentary at times, and refers to people and states I don't know from Adam (it certainly doesn't help that Confucius refers to his disciples by multiple names).

The other problem is I just plain don't always agree with the often contradictory points of view. It seems like the writers of this, his followers, put very different messages in his mouth, like:

If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself heard of, then indeed he will not be worth being regarded with respect.”

or

I will not be afflicted at men’s not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men.

Maybe there's a subtle difference, but more likely it's two guys who wanted Confucius to be a certain way -- either the strict arbiter of order, or the wise hermit sage.

Its flaws, though, make it fascinating as a view of both Confucius the man and the myth -- whatever his followers thought was important to know. And I love that at least one of them felt it essential to mention that, for all his propriety and self-restraint, he sure loved booze.

It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself