Exploring the Analects

Elliott Bernstein
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Philosophy
  • Updated Weekly

Exploring the Analects takes you passage by passage through the collected teachings of Confucius. Host Elliott Bernstein brings each quote to life with fresh translations, historical context, and insights for Chinese learners—all while showing how 2,500-year-old ideas still speak to how we live, communicate, and connect today. Whether you're a philosophy buff, a student of Mandarin, or just curious about one of history's most influential texts, this podcast makes the Analects accessible, engaging, and surprisingly relevant.

  1. May 20

    Don’t Call a Tail a Leg (6.25)

    A seven-character riddle about a ritual wine vessel becomes a lesson in why names matter. In passage 6.25, Confucius picks up a 觚 (gū) — a tall, angular bronze cup designed to make you drink slowly — and finds it's lost the very shape that gave it meaning. His complaint isn't really about pottery. Along the way: Abraham Lincoln's joke about a dog's tail, the cosmological symbolism hidden in a wine cup's dimensions, why China's first emperor 秦始皇 Qin Shi Huang burning the classics was the end of a slippery slope that started with sloppy naming, and the delicious irony of 司馬遷 Sima Qian using the same vessel metaphor to mean the exact opposite of what Confucius intended. Follow along with the episode guide at analects.net.

    23 min

  2. May 3

    A River Without Banks is a Swamp

    What is ritual really for? In this episode, four passages reveal why Confucius cared less about jade, silk, bells, and drums — and more about the bonds that wholehearted participation creates. We trace the meaning of 禮 (ritual) and 約 (keeping in bounds) through the Analects, take a detour into the 17th-century Chinese Rites Controversy — when Jesuits and the Pope clashed over whether Confucianism was a religion — and put Confucius and Pope Clement XI side by side on what it means to participate in a ritual. Along the way: why drum machines didn't kill dancing, what a bar mitzvah can teach us about bonds, and how a river without banks becomes a swamp. Follow along with the episode guide at analects.net.

    31 min

  3. Apr 4

    Is Greed Ever Good? (4.12, 4.16)

    Is Confucius against profit? Two short passages from Book 4 take on one of the most common misconceptions about Confucianism. In passage 4.12, Confucius warns that acting purely for personal advantage leads to resentment — but who exactly is he warning, and why? In 4.16, he draws a sharp line between the great and the small, the exemplary and the petty. There are two ways to read it, and both turn out to be right. Along the way, we dig into the etymology of 利 and 義, revisit the two faces of 君子 and 小人, and find out what Gordon Gekko and Confucius actually agree on. Follow along with the episode guide at analects.net.

    31 min
  4. EXEMPLARS: The Jade Disk Returns to Zhao

    Mar 29

    EXEMPLARS: The Jade Disk Returns to Zhao

    When the ruthless King of Qin demands Zhao's most sacred treasure — the flawless jade disk known as the hé shì bì — in exchange for 15 cities he has no intention of giving, a humble scholar turned royal attendant steps up to answer the call. With the fearless General Lián Pō racing to the border and the kingdom's fate hanging in the balance, Lìn Xiāngrú must outthink a king, outwit an army, and return home with the priceless disk intact. This is the story of wánbì guī zhào The Jade Disk Returns to Zhao— a tale of cool-headed courage, quick thinking under pressure, and what it means to protect something bigger than yourself. From the pages of Chinese history, told for the next generation. Part of the Exemplars series — stories for children drawn from the pages of Chinese history.

    13 min

  5. Mar 23

    Golden Handcuffs & Pearls Before Swine (7.12, 9.13)

    The Mohists called the Confucians lazy, self-indulgent, and greedy — were they right? In this episode, we explore two passages about wealth, work, and knowing your worth. Confucius says he'd take an honest job holding a whip before selling his soul to a corrupt boss, and when Zigong asks what to do with a beautiful piece of jade, the Master doesn't hesitate — but he's waiting for the right buyer. Along the way, we meet the Mohists, ancient China's sharpest critics of the Confucian school, and discover why golden handcuffs and pearls before swine are timeless problems. Follow along with the episode guide at analects.net.

    26 min
  6. EXEMPLARS: The Rooster's Crow and The Dog Thief (鸡鸣狗盗)

    Mar 21

    EXEMPLARS: The Rooster's Crow and The Dog Thief (鸡鸣狗盗)

    A retelling of the classic Chinese historical tale of Lord Meng Chang, a generous prince who believed every person had a talent worth cultivating — and whose unlikely band of friends ended up saving his life. When a powerful king's invitation turns into a trap, it's not brains or brawn that saves the day, but a robe thief and a man who crows like a rooster. A story for kids (and curious grown-ups) about loyalty, resourcefulness, and why you should never underestimate anyone. Part of the Exemplars series — stories for children drawn from the pages of Chinese history.

    11 min

  7. Mar 16

    In Days of Old When Kings Were Bold (4.8, 19.22)

    Confucius spent his life trying to revive the Way of the ancient sage kings. In this episode, we explore his most famous lament — "Having in the morning heard that the Way was being put into practice, I could die that evening without regret" — and hear how his disciple Zigong explained the Master's approach to learning. Along the way, we compare the Confucian and Daoist visions of the 道 (dào), meet the legendary kings Wen and Wu, and discover why Confucius never needed a single teacher. Follow along with the episode guide at analects.net.

    40 min

  8. Mar 8

    Hiding Behind a Smile (1.3, 6.16)

    Confucius had a front-row seat to one of the messiest love triangles in ancient Chinese history. A prince so beautiful the Duke didn't care he was sleeping with his wife. A priest so smooth-tongued he reshuffled a military alliance's pecking order with nothing but genealogical trivia. These were the people getting ahead — and Confucius was not amused. In this twelfth episode, host Elliott Bernstein tackles passages 1.3 and 6.16 — a general warning about people whose words and manners aim to please, and a specific lament naming real people whose charm earned them power their character didn't deserve. After being forced out of his home state, Confucius landed in 衛 and watched style win over substance at every turn. He eventually told the Duke he'd never studied military tactics and left the next day. Along the way: why 佞 (glibness) and 仁 (human-heartedness) are structural near-twins that mean opposite things, the Rollins Band lyrics that open the episode, a father-son war kicked off by a failed assassination attempt, and why "it sure is difficult to get by in today's world" was fifteen years of frustration distilled into a single sentence.

    29 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Exploring the Analects takes you passage by passage through the collected teachings of Confucius. Host Elliott Bernstein brings each quote to life with fresh translations, historical context, and insights for Chinese learners—all while showing how 2,500-year-old ideas still speak to how we live, communicate, and connect today. Whether you're a philosophy buff, a student of Mandarin, or just curious about one of history's most influential texts, this podcast makes the Analects accessible, engaging, and surprisingly relevant.

Information

  • Creator
    Elliott Bernstein
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Elliott Bernstein
  • Show Website
    Exploring the Analects