Third, still learning
When it comes to learning, people often encourage each other with “Xue er zhi zhi” (learning and knowing). This phrase was said by Confucius. He said: “Some are born knowing, some learn to know, and some only come to know through hardship. He believed that ‘those who are born knowing are the highest; those who learn to know are next; those who come to know through hardship are second; and those who do not learn through hardship are considered the lowest among the people.’”
The idea of “being born knowing” is now rarely believed; even Confucius himself said he was not “born knowing.” Has there ever been anyone in the world who was “born knowing”? A baby calls “mama,” which is probably the first major event related to “the beginning of human nature” and knowledge. However, apart from myths, in real life, who has ever seen a child who can call “mama” immediately after birth? It always takes learning, including multiple mistakes, to go from not knowing to knowing how to call “mama.” The more complex knowledge than calling “mama” can only be “learned to know.” Confucius did not know about space rockets, which is not because his talent was “second” or “next to.” It was simply because, at that time, human knowledge was still very limited; not only could one not be “born knowing,” but also could not “learn to know.” Saints and sages were no exception.
Since people can only “learn to know,” then, is “hardship in learning” also “second” in talent? According to explanation, “hardship” means “not understanding,” “seeing the rites and moral affairs with insufficient understanding after long observation, and then beginning to learn.” Confucius despised those who “learn through hardship,” but there is actually no reason for that.
Just as we cannot wait until we master the art of war before starting a revolution, we also cannot wait until we learn a complete set of skills for socialist construction before beginning to build. “Having seen socialist affairs and feeling insufficient” is very natural. Only by taking action, working while learning, can we master a set of skills. Our People’s Volunteer Army generals are very good at fighting. Everyone knows they are neither “born knowing” nor simply “learning to know,” but “learning through hardship” and “knowing through hardship.” Evidence shows they learned quite well, not “second.” Otherwise, why did General Clark from the U.S. say he was the first American general to sign the agreement to surrender? Why can fighting be “learned through hardship,” but economic construction cannot?
Here, it is not meant to oppose learning some basic knowledge before encountering various “not understanding.” Our younger generation has better conditions than their elders and can make some necessary preparations in school. However, our cadres at work have even more favorable conditions to learn the theories of socialist construction, which often involve encountering “not understanding.” The same article, “On Contradictions,” not only evokes different feelings in different readers but also different feelings in the same person under different circumstances. When do feelings deepen most? Probably when facing difficult problems at work. It feels as if it’s the first time reading it, each sentence seems written for me today, very fresh and very close. Some even sigh: “It would be better to read it early!” In fact, reading it early might indeed “be better,” but it might not be “really better” because you haven’t encountered so many “not understanding” before. Repeating reading, you still might not truly understand. Once you “learn through hardship,” it becomes easier to understand. Without “learning through hardship,” it is very difficult to truly “know through learning.” Clearly, “learning through hardship” is not “second,” but “highest.”
The problem lies in “hardship without learning.” Some people, when encountering “not understanding,” expect their superiors to “resolve it.” Of course, superiors have the responsibility to “resolve it,” but more importantly, it depends on oneself to resolve it. Why do people naturally find time to go to the movies without needing a call to do so? Simply because they feel the need. To clear the way forward, “learning through hardship”—can we not find time for it? “Not learning through hardship,” Confucius said, “the people are considered the lowest!” We are not afraid of this old master scolding us; what we fear is that work gets “stuck” there, and our socialist cause suffers losses. That is something no true Communist would want. Whether we can do more, faster, better, and more economically depends largely on how effective our “learning through hardship” is.
“To reform our national institutions, we must set ourselves the task: first, to learn; second, to learn; third, still to learn, and then to check, so that knowledge truly penetrates into our flesh and blood, truly and completely becomes part of our life, rather than turning into rigid rules or fashionable words.” This was said by Lenin in his article “Less but Better.” It is the last article Lenin left us. Although we are not reading these words for the first time, every sentence still deserves our deep reflection. To truly “make knowledge penetrate into our flesh and blood, and become part of our life,” what else can we rely on besides “learning through hardship”?
July 9
