本集課程重點包括：

一、君子為何無所爭？

      為了名聞利養而爭強鬥狠、讚歎自己、毀謗他人，這樣不但破壞風氣，還會跟人家結冤仇，也虧損了自己的品德，失去了良師益友的協助。所以君子不爭，因為可以趨吉避凶，當中涵藏著處世的智慧。

二、君子也有所爭？

      如果說君子一定有所爭，就是射箭吧！本章特別舉出射禮，屬於六藝之一。古時候除了打仗，選人才、宴客或交誼等活動，也都會舉行射禮，當中充滿了智慧、安定力培養與禮節的往來，如果懂得分際，那會贏得很多人的好感，是一種很棒的教育。除此之外，例如當仁不讓、見義勇為，這都是君子所爭。

三、為何射禮要爭？

      射禮上台的時候要打拱作揖彼此謙讓，表現不是爭強鬥狠，不是只求名次，而是雍容大方。下台也要揖讓，還要飲酒，勝者表示：「承讓！」敗者表示：「佩服！」原來在這當中，所爭的是運動家的精神，所爭的是君子之風。

八佾篇第七章白話翻譯

【經文】

子曰：君子無所爭，必也射乎。揖讓而升下而飲。其爭也君子。

【字詞解釋】

揖讓：ㄧ ㄖㄤˋ，拱手行禮，互相謙讓。

【白話解釋】

      孔子說：君子處於世間，與人無爭，如果一定要問君子有什麼爭的事情的話，那就是射箭。射禮行於堂上，上臺之前，要先相互作揖請讓，比賽結束後，也要作揖請讓。在射擊比賽之後，有了勝負，贏的人手裡提著酒壺，斟上兩杯酒，請輸的人先喝，贏的人陪同，表示慰問承讓。君子之爭只在射箭時，各顯其藝能，求中其正鵠（ㄓㄥ ㄍㄨˇ，箭靶的中心目標），是謂之爭，雖爭卻是雍容揖讓，不同於小人，故曰其爭也君子。

【章旨】

      此章言射禮有君子之風。

《論語講要》原文

      此言君子與人無爭，若必曰有所爭，其為射箭乎。射為六藝之一，自古戰陣所必需，平時則有射藝比賽，講求射禮。揖讓句，宋注「揖讓而升，下而飲」，漢注「揖讓而升下，而飲」，今從皇邢二疏本，七字作一句讀。解從王肅注：「射於堂，升及下，皆揖讓而相飲也。」射禮行於堂上，升堂與下，皆揖讓，勝負皆飲，負者先飲，勝者陪之。唯在射時，各顯其藝能，求中其正鵠，是謂之爭，不同於小人，故曰其爭也君子。

【雪公講義】

      「集解」孔曰：言於射而後有爭也。

      「皇疏」略錄：古者生男，必設桑弧蓬矢於門左，使人負子出門而射；至長以射進仕，擇士助祭。若射不合禮樂，則不預祭。

      「射義」曰：射，仁道也。發而不中，不怨勝己者，反求諸己而已。

      「集注」略云：惟於射而後有爭；然雍容揖讓，則其爭君子，而非小人之爭矣。

      【按】此章重在君子。所謂君子，乃學而能立之士。凡功利名位，有背道違仁者，自不爭取；關乎道德仁義等，又當固執力行。經不云乎：「當仁不讓於師」，「見義不為無勇也」。其爭也君子句，更須細味焉。

Enhlish

Teacher Tang Yuling will accompany you to read The Analects  

48.Book 3 Ba Yi (The Eight-row Dance), Chapter 7

The Master said, “The student of virtue has no contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his contention, he is still the Junzi.”

Highlights of this lecture include:

1. Why does a junzi are the least contentious of all?

  An avaricious person struggles vigorously for fame, riches, would try to win praises by disparaging others. Such attitude of mind would bring malign influences to the society as a whole. It damages a person’s virtuous character, and makes more enemies than friends; not to mention those once helpful friends and good teachers who left. A junzi with the least contentious intention has an implicit wisdom in avoiding ill fate and inviting good luck.  

2. In fact, junzi has something to fight for

  Say even a junzi has to compete and be contentious with others. Or must he, perhaps, as in the competitive sports of archery. This chapter refers to the rituals of archery as an example for proper sportsmanship and the expression of courage.

  Archery was among the six arts a Confucian has to master. It was a popular ritual performance held in important events and occasions such as battling, field-test, banquet and socializing. The rituals of archery involved sensible and wise thinking that included the etiquette regulating the proceedings of the sports, pertaining a stable force in the interpersonal relationships, setting a border for social standing; and by following the rituals, participant learnt how to become a respectable archer favored people most.

  Apart from the competitive sports of archery, a junzi would not give up to forego the rightful responsibilities to others, or to stand up bravely or act courageously for what is right. A junzi can be very “competitive” in this sense.

3. Why does it need to compete in archery?

  On ascending the platform, the competing archers would bow politely to each other with clasped hands, rather than ruthlessly fight for the place and records. The players would show self-control, courage, good form and integrity with gracious decorum and compete in a mood of elegant magnanimity. After the performance, on descending, the players would proceed to bow and exchange blessings and drink wine, creating a strong sense of fellowship. The good winner and good loser expressed their enjoyment of the game by exchanging good will; the winner would say: “You are a great opponent,” and the loser would say, “Your skills are impressive.”

  Sportsmanship is achieved by showing persistence during the game, and fair and generous treatment to your opponents. This is what a junzi’s spirit to compete about.