Confucius said, “When raw material overwhelms refinement, you get a coarse rustic. When refinement overwhelms raw material, you get an officious scribe. Only when refinement and raw material are appropriately balanced and blended do you get a noble person.”
Refinement
12.8
Ji Zicheng said, “Being a noble person just means having substance. What need is there for refinement?”
Zigong replied, “I’m shocked to hear you speak about a noble person this way! Even a team of fast horses couldn’t catch up to these misspoken words. A noble person’s substance isn’t different from refinement and refinement isn’t different from substance. If you strip the hair from the hide of a tiger or leopard, it looks the same as the hide of a dog or sheep.”
12.24
Zengzi said, “The noble person makes friends through an interest in culture and refinement. Together, they cultivate humaneness.”
14.12
Zilu asked about becoming a complete person.
Confucius said, “The wisdom of Zang Wuzhong, the desirelessness of Meng Gongchuo, the courage of Zhuangzi of Bian, and the abilities of Ran Qiu, all refined through ritual and music.
But if you want to be a complete person today, why do you need all of that? If you see a chance for profit and think of right conduct, if you’re ready to give your life when facing danger, and if you can endure long hardships without forgetting your principles—then you, also, may be considered a complete person.”
14.18
Gongshu, The Refined One, had his family steward, Zhuan, promoted alongside him within the court.
When he heard about this, Confucius said, “Well, he certainly earned the title ‘The Refined One!’”