On the Teacher - Han Yu
/师说 - 韩愈/
Reflections on the Role and Worth of Teaching
师说
On the Teacher
古之学者必有师。
In ancient times, every student surely had a teacher.
师者，所以传道、受业、解惑也。
A teacher is one who imparts the Way, hands down knowledge, and dispels doubts.
人非生而知之者，孰能无惑？
No one is born omniscient; who can claim to be free of confusion?
惑而不从师，其为惑也，终不解矣。
If one is perplexed but never consults a teacher, that confusion will remain unresolved.
生乎吾前，其闻道也，固先乎吾，吾从而师之；
Those born before me may have grasped the Way earlier; I learn from them as my teachers.
生乎吾后，其闻道也，亦先乎吾，吾从而师之。
Those born after me may still have heard the Way before I did; I learn from them too.
吾师道也，夫庸知其年之先后生于吾乎？
I honor the Way itself as my teacher—how does it matter if that teacher is older or younger?
是故无贵无贱，无长无少，道之所存，师之所存也。
Hence, whether one is high or low in status, whether old or young, wherever the Way resides, there a teacher can be found.
嗟乎！师道之不复，可知矣。
Alas! It is clear that the tradition of honoring teachers is no longer upheld.
巫医、乐师、百工之人，君子不齿，今其智乃反不能及，
Shamans, musicians, and artisans—once scorned by the noble—now sometimes possess insights the so-called gentleman cannot rival,
其可怪也欤？
which is rather astonishing indeed.
圣人无常师。
Even sages have no single, unchanging teacher.
孔子师郯子、苌弘、师襄、老聃。
Confucius studied under Tan, Chang Hong, Shi Xiang, and Lao Dan.
郯子之徒，其贤不及孔子。
These men, including Tan, were not as wise as Confucius,
孔子曰：“三人行，则必有我师。”
yet Confucius said, “When I walk with two others, one of them must be my teacher.”
是故弟子不必不如师，师不必贤于弟子。
Thus, it is not certain that a student is inferior to the teacher, nor that a teacher is superior to the student.
闻道有先后，术业有专攻，如是而已。
Some may learn the Way earlier than others; some are specialists in different fields. That is all there is to it.
李氏子蟠，年十七，好古文，六艺经传，皆通习之，
Li Pan of the Li clan, at the age of seventeen, loved ancient writings and studied thoroughly the Six Classics,
不拘于时，学于余。
unfettered by worldly norms, and came to learn from me.
余嘉其能行古道，作《师说》以贻之。
Admiring his pursuit of the ancient Way, I composed “On the Teacher” and presented it to him.
Han Yu (768–824), a renowned writer of the Tang dynasty, penned “师说” (“On the Teacher”) as both a critique of societal attitudes toward learning and a call to restore respect for teachers. In this brief but influential essay, he observes that no one is born with complete knowledge: to master any subject or discipline, a person must seek instruction. Han Yu also challenges the notion that only those older or of higher status can serve as teachers; instead, anyone who has grasped a given truth or skill before another can serve that role.
Central to his argument is the idea that teaching and learning transcend social hierarchies. A true teacher is not necessarily the most socially esteemed individual, nor must a student always be less capable. Rather, it is the Way—referring to moral and intellectual wisdom—that should determine who teaches and who learns. By citing Confucius’s own willingness to learn from others, Han Yu highlights the importance of humility in learning.
He also laments the neglect of “the Way of the Teacher” in his era, wherein people esteemed as ‘gentlemen’ often looked down upon individuals outside the official or scholarly elite. Yet, Han Yu points out that these overlooked groups sometimes surpass the so-called higher classes in terms of practical knowledge. His essay both endorses the necessity of continued study and celebrates the egalitarian principle that anyone can be a guide if they possess the knowledge or virtue.
Ultimately, “师说” remains a classic reflection on the student–teacher relationship, underscoring that the pursuit of learning knows no boundaries of age or status. In an age where superficial social norms often overshadowed genuine scholarship, Han Yu calls readers back to a simpler and more inclusive principle: follow whomever can illuminate the Way, and remain open to wisdom regardless of its source.
Key points
• True knowledge often requires guidance, and being willing to learn from others—regardless of age or social standing—fuels genuine progress.
• Teachers and students need not be bound by hierarchical roles; each might learn from the other.
• Han Yu’s essay stresses humility, advocating that we value insight and virtue over status or convention.
• This timeless call to honor teaching and seek wisdom resonates even today, encouraging open-minded and reciprocal learning.
