Bull-headed Heroism
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Once, Zilu heard Confucius praising Yanhui, and felt a little indignant. So, he asked Confucius, “Teacher, if you were to go to war, who would you take with you? ”
Zilu wanted to say that he was brave, and so, when going to war, Confucius should pick him instead of Yanhui.
Confucius looked at Zilu and replied with a smile, “I wouldn't take someone who tries to fight a tiger with his bare hands, or tries to use only his feet to cross the river, and doesn’t self-reflect even in the face of death. ”
What Confucius meant to tell Zilu was that bravery alone is not enough when doing things. When faced with a problem, it is better to use your brains to think of what to do first. Otherwise, one might either fail to catch the tiger or cross the river, or end up being bitten by the tiger or drowning in the river.
