Activity No.

6
Self – Check Test

1. B
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. B
6. B
1. Biography Writing

Biography of Confucius
“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop”. This saying is
one of Confucius proverbs that teaches us about perseverance, hard work, and
patience. Kung Fu-Tzu or Confucius is widely known as the First Sage of China. He was
born poor in the state of Lu and became orphaned at an early age. He held several
minor government posts and advanced to become minister of justice but lasted only for
a short period because of conflicts. He died at the age of 72 but his works are recorded
and significantly remembered by his disciples who spread and carried on his teachings.

Confucius founded Confucianism which became a religion and his teachings had
been directed to the discipline, behavior and his notion in political aspect. But he never
really discuss or correlate his teachings with religion. His philosophical system has
dominated sociopolitical life for most Chinese history and largely influenced several
cultures. And also his philosophy to superior people which people learn from and are
naturally inclined to emulate virtuous model to achieve moral development.

The disciples of Confucius recorded all his discourses and sayings that Mencius
successfully revived and organized into books. The Book of Analects is the best out of it
that teaches essential goodness of man’s nature. Until today, Confucius live up to his
name and as for being known as the best teacher in his time. His teachings largely
contributed in the development of China.
2. Analyzing Poetry

A Wife Mourns for Her Husband

Paraphrase

The plant flourish and enclose its prickle,

Around is the dragon-plant slinking and wither.
My lover is gone far and I grieve –
What kind of abode I have, alone and sobbing?

Casing the fruit from what plant produce,

The sepulcher that numerous dragon-plants enclose;
And where is the one upon which chest I’d want to lay and rest?
I have no abode, having no beloved!

Upright to sight was the cushion of wonders,

And make the room with furnish;
Yet my love is nowhere near, and I grieve
Isolated, and awake for the daylight to come.

While summer pass just like seconds,

And the cold season have gone away with tracks.
I’m desolate! Until centuries have elapsed.
Then I’ll feel his warmth again.

I’m consumed with worries during the cold nights,

I’m unhappy on the endless sunny days;
Still, when centuries and centuries of time have already gone
And I’ll be his – and his always!
Tone or Language

The subject of the poem is the wife’s unending love for her husband. She mourns for her husband
because they are apart for a reason and she is longing for love but she waits for him. It could be death or
something else that separates them from each other. The tone of the speaker is sad, lonely and weeping
for her husbands’ absence. The wife is sad because many days have passed, plants have grown, seasons
are gone and everything is in its place except for her husband who isn’t home yet. In the paragraph,
“The dolichos grows and covers the thorn, O'er the waste is the dragon--plant creeping The man of my
heart is away and I mourn--What home have I, lonely and weeping?”, it shows mournful and sad feeling
of the wife for her husband.

Theme

The theme of the poem is about love. The genuine love of a wife to her husband even they are
apart from each other. The commitment and patience that the woman showed in the poem.
She’s in loneliness and sadness but she still wait steadily no matter what. Her heart is yearning
for him and her love for her husband prevails in her waiting times.
3. Explaining the famous Analects

“A heart set on love will do no wrong”

This analects means that a heart build from love, will never do the wrong things. Love comes
with trust, loyalty and respect and when you have that, you can never go wrong, for love lead
us in the right direction. When you learn to love, you will protect that at all cost and avoid
things that may destroy it. When you truly desire love and set your heart on it, then love will
help you prosper and elude wrong doings or mistakes. Love is right and just, if you put your
heart and mind to it, you can never go wrong always. I have experience this in my relationship
right now and we are great together because we genuinely love each other and our foundation
and our heart is built on real love.

“A gentleman is calm and spacious; the vulgar are always fretting”

This analects means a polite and intelligent man is still and does not worry for he thrives and he
is humble. But a vulgar who does not do anything is always anxious and loud. A gentleman is
composed of dignity and an open mind that will help him succeed in life. A vulgar will remain
ignorant and will complain about everything. A man like this will flourish in life but a vulgar one
will never improve and prosper. I have seen many people like this with no dreams and overly
anxious with everything and I have also seen the consequence of this. That is why growth is
essential and being a gentleman, attracts everything in life.