Honesty and Integrity Theme Analysis

The Analects of Confucius is a compilation of anecdotes about the ancient Chinese sage Confucius, complied by his disciples after his death. In the book, Confucius comments on the most important traits that people should cultivate in order to have good character, which, in his (translated) words, makes one a “gentleman.” This advice stems from the moral teachings of the Way, or the Tao. Honesty is one of the most important traits that Confucius repeatedly emphasizes throughout the Analects. In his discourse on honesty, he stresses how being sincere gives individuals the integrity necessary to make progress along the Way, and how practicing honesty in politics leads to more effective rulership. Thus, Confucius demonstrates that honesty is crucial for both personal and political success.

Confucius stresses the importance of being honest to his students, even when this means accepting an undesirable reality. Confucius tells his favorite student, “Yu, shall I tell you what it is to know. To say you know when you know, and to say you do not when you do not, that is my knowledge.” Here, Confucius frames honesty not just as a moral virtue but also as a trait that allows one to learn more effectively. Whereas proud students who don’t want to appear unintelligent might lie, pretending to know something that they don’t, Confucius teaches that instead, one must have the humility to be an honest student and to admit when one does not know something. Naturally, this enables students to learn in the future about what they admit to not knowing in the present. In this way, honesty about one’s abilities creates conditions that allow for further learning. Confucius also emphasizes how crucial it is for his students to back their words up with their actions. This form of integrity, for him, is threatened by manipulative or performative speech. He states, “One cannot but give assent to exemplary words. But what is important is that one should rectify oneself. One cannot but be pleased with tactful words, but what is important is that one should reform oneself.” In this moment, Confucius points to the differences that sometimes exist between what people who lack integrity say and what they do. By insisting that people should “rectify” themselves, he is essentially asking them to have integrity. Rather than merely saying what they think is right, he insists that they demonstrate the integrity to recognize that their actions may not align with their speech, and to make the effort to live up to their word. In this way, people can become more honest: only when actions align with words do the words have true meaning.

Confucius also believes that honesty is an important tool for politicians to be effective and moral leaders. He tells his students who are in politics (or who aspire to be in politics) that they need to “raise the straight and set them over the crooked and the common people will look up to you. Raise the crooked and set them over the straight and the common people will not look up to you.” Here, Confucius implies that leaders need to maintain their own integrity by celebrating their citizens who also exhibit integrity. He suggests that honesty is something that people inherently respect and that common people recognize when their leaders exhibit this trait. This gives honesty and integrity value not only on a personal level, but also as a means to foster respect between government leaders and their constituents. Confucius also praises the integrity of politicians who demonstrate their commitment to the Way while in office. For instance, he refers to Ch’ü Po-yü as gentlemanly because “When the Way prevails in the state he takes office, but when the Way falls into disuse in the state he allows himself to be furled and put away safely.” Here, readers can presume that Ch’ü Po-yü is a political leader in office who, due to his commitment to the Way, refuses to be in a position of leadership when the state disrespects the value system that Ch’ü admires. On the other hand, when the state is receptive to being the Way, Ch’ü takes office and leads the state in accordance with his values. This demonstrates his integrity: when the government does not act according to his values, he does not stay in office merely because it is prestigious or comfortable.

Throughout the Analects, Confucius characterizes honesty and integrity as moral values that are critical for students, leaders, and laypeople to develop. He believes that honoring one’s word, recognizing one’s faults, and encouraging honesty are all tools that create good students of the Way and effective leaders.