Yu Dan and Confucianism

On the current strong interest in China's classical texts, in particular The Analects, Yu Dan said it is important not to see the ancient text as a panacea to all problems.

"现在要反对一种新迷信，就是对国学的迷信。有些朋友问我，我一天读一条 《论语》，每天都读，我都读完的时候是不是就能悟到些什么了？那样的话我觉得太像宗教了，我天天拜佛，拜到最后是不是佛就一定把好事都给我了？还有人下岗了，或者离婚了，也问我，我看 《论语》 中哪一段对我现在能开导？《论语》 再好，它也不是万能大典啊，我们不能抱着急功近利的心。"

("Right now we should oppose a new form of superstition about the ancient texts. Some friends have asked me, if I read a paragraph from The Analects every day, will I come to some form of understanding when I have finished reading the book? If so, then it would be too much like a religion. If I pray to Buddha every day, does it mean that at the end of it Buddha will give me everything that I ask for? There are people who were laid off, or divorced, they too have approached me and asked me, "which portion should I read that would be of most help to me?" No matter how good The Analects is, it is not a panacea to all problems. We should not approach the doctrine and expect immediate benefits.")

Reflecting an all-embracing nature, Yu pointed out that The Analects is not the only classic text, Chinese culture is not the only culture (中国文化不是唯一的文化), and learning the Chinese classical texts does not mean the exclusion of western texts.

But what I really appreciate is Yu's following argument.

"刚才那个学生问这一代年轻人怎么对待国学，其实所有好东西都是一辈子的事，这辈子你喝酒可能有一段时间你就喝腻了，有一段你戒了咖啡了，还有一段不喝浓茶了，但是水这东西，你虽然觉得它没味，可它是这一辈子喝的最多的。经典也是这样。别指望我们年轻这一代，二十岁的孩子都去咏读经典。我觉得这个东西你背不背它都没关系，你是不是都看懂也没关系，只要你二十岁的时候有二十岁的体会，四十岁时有四十岁的体会，六十岁有六十岁的体会，一辈子相伴相随，只要你对自己的生命足够真诚，那么你总会有机缘读得懂它。"

("Just now a student asked how young people should view these classical texts. I want to say that some good things are eternal. At some point in your life you will get sick of drinking wine, or coffee, or tea. But as for water, even though it is tasteless, it is something that you will drink the most of during your lifetime. The same applies to the classics. We should not expect our young, those in their twenties, to read the classics. I feel that whether you memorize it or not is not essential. It is also unimportant whether you understand it or not. What matters is that when you are in your twenties you have your twenties' reflections, when you are in your forties you have your forties' reflections, and when you are in your sixties you have your sixties' reflections. It is something that will always be with you. And so long as you are truthful to your life, you will always have the opportunity to understand it."