The Lunyu 論語 (“Discourses”¹) of the state of Lu 魯 has twenty chapters. The Lunyu of Qi 齊 adds “Wen Wang” and “Zhi Dao,” totaling twenty-two chapters. Of their twenty chapters in common, there are considerably more passages in the Lunyu of Lu. The ancient 古 Lunyu, found within the Kong family’s wall, divided the “Yao Yue” chapter by making the “Zi Zhang asked” passage into its own, thereby having two “Zi Zhang” chapters, totaling twenty-one chapters in all, and their order differs from the Lunyu of Lu and Qi.²
– He Yan 何晏³
魯論語二十篇。齊論語別有問王、知道,凡二十二篇,其二十篇中章句,頗多於魯論。古論出孔氏壁中,分堯曰下章子張問以為一篇,有兩子張,凡二十一篇,篇次不與齊魯論同。
The book of Discourses was compiled by the pupils of Youzi and Zengzi. For this reason it solely designates these two as “Master.” ⁴
– Chengzi 程子
論語之書,成於有子曾子之門人,故其書獨二子以子稱。
When reading the Discourses, there are those who read and finish completely without incident. There are those who read and finish, afterward gaining one or two phrases that delight them. There are those who read and finish, afterward coming to recognize its value. And there are those who read and finish, afterward becoming unaware of their hands waving and feet dancing.
– Cheng Yi 程颐
讀論語:有讀了全然無事者;有讀了後其中得一兩句喜者;有讀了後知好之者;有讀了後直有不知手之舞之足之蹈之者。
People today do not know how to read books. For example when reading the Discourses, if after reading one is still the same person they were before reading, they have not really read it.
– Cheng Yi 程颐
今人不會讀書。如讀論語,未讀時是此等人,讀了後又只是此等人,便是不曾讀。
I myself have been reading the Discourses since the age of seventeen or eighteen. At that time, I already understood the meaning of the text. The longer I read it, however, I discover the profound and far-reaching significance of its concepts.
– Cheng Yi 程颐⁵
頤自十七八讀論語,當時已曉文義。讀之愈久,但覺意味深長。