Standing by the river’s source, Confucius proclaimed: “The ‘Shì-者’ are like this flow—unyielding, day and night!” (子在川上曰：逝者如斯夫，不舍昼夜。)
Exegesis
Having “heard the sagely Way” and vowed to “guard it unto death” (朝闻道夕死), the junzi (君子) embarks on “seeing, studying, and practicing” the path. This moment of initiation—symbolized by the river’s source (川)—evokes Confucius’ solemn reflection. Unlike other passages marked simply by “The Master said” (子曰), the phrase “by the river” (在川上) carries profound symbolism: the origin of commitment to the sagely Way. Whether literal or metaphorical, “the river” signifies the genesis of bearing Heaven’s mandate.
Key Corrections
- “Shì-逝” as “Shì-誓”:
- “逝者” (shìzhě) is a phonetic loan for “誓者” (shìzhě)—“those who vow.” These are junzi resolved to practice the sagely Way.
- Parallel: The Book of Songs (诗经) states, “Shì (逝) will leave you for the land of joy” (逝将去女，适彼乐土), where “逝” similarly means “誓” (vow).
- “Day and Night” (昼夜):
- Extends the “morning and night” (朝夕) from earlier chapters, interpreted through the Heaven-Earth-Humanity triad:
- Heaven: Temporal persistence—beginning to end.
- Earth: Spatial totality—east to west.
- Humanity: Existential totality—birth to death.
- “Unyielding” (不舍):
- “舍” (shě, fourth tone) means “to cease”; “不舍” (bù shě) signifies unwavering commitment (不退转).
Core Meaning
The “vowed ones” (誓者) emulate rivers surging from their source—steadfastly flowing toward the “stagnation-free world” (不愠的世界). Like tributaries merging into the sea, they converge on the sagely path, generation after generation. Confucius’ lament is both a personal resolve and a universal exhortation: “Let the vowed ones, like this river, press onward—through adversity, through life and death—until the world is free of strife!”
This ethos aligns with:
- The Yijing: “Heaven’s vigor demands ceaseless self-renewal.” (天行健，君子以自强不息)
- The Great Learning: “Renew daily, then renew again.” (苟日新，日日新，又日新)
Yet none surpass the river metaphor’s cosmic scope: synchronizing with Heaven’s timing, Earth’s bounty, and Humanity’s harmony.