Q0497
“The Master said: The gentleman seeks harmony but not sameness; the petty…” — Confucius (Analects 13.23)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Analects 13.23. Theme: order.
English
The Master said: The gentleman seeks harmony but not sameness; the petty man seeks sameness but not harmony.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 13.23 and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Confucius
Confucius (Kong Qiu, 551–479 BCE) taught in the late Spring and Autumn period amid the Zhou order’s political fragmentation. Born in the state of Lu, he briefly held local office and then spent years seeking rulers who would adopt ritual-based, virtue-centered government.
How to read this passage
Philosophers ask whether order is discovered in nature, imposed by rulers, or cultivated through custom. Chaos and creativity stand as its counterparts. This passage enters that discussion through order, otherness.
Concepts in this quote
- Order
- Order names cosmos, ritual, law, and the patterned stability that makes shared life possible—or oppressive.
- Otherness
- Otherness appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat otherness as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Confucius. (n.d.). The Master said: The gentleman seeks harmony but not sameness; the petty man seeks sameness but not harmony. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0497
MLA: Confucius. “The Master said: The gentleman seeks harmony but….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0497.
Chicago: Confucius. “The Master said: The gentleman seeks harmony but….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0497.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The Master said: The gentleman seeks harmony but…”?
The passage is attributed to Confucius, Analects 13.23. The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 13.23 and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Confucius mean by order?
Philosophers ask whether order is discovered in nature, imposed by rulers, or cultivated through custom. Chaos and creativity stand as its counterparts. This passage enters that discussion through order, otherness.