The role of comparative reasoning in Han Yu's teacher's theory

Shi Shuo is an argumentative essay written by Han Yu, a writer in the Tang Dynasty. This paper expounds the truth of studying from a teacher, satirizes the world that is ashamed of being a teacher, educates young people and plays a role in changing the atmosphere. In this paper, the positive and negative examples are compared and demonstrated repeatedly, and the necessity and principles of learning from teachers are discussed. Although the full text is not long, it has profound meaning, distinct arguments, rigorous structure, thorough reasoning and strong persuasiveness and appeal.

On the basis of criticism, the article turns to the positive discussion of "saints are impermanent teachers". With Confucius' remarks and practice, it shows that the relationship between teachers and students is relative, and anyone who is better than himself or has a skill in Tao and industry can be a teacher. This is a further demonstration of the view that "the Tao exists and the teacher exists", and it is also a further criticism of the phenomenon that the scholar-officials are ashamed of those who are "inferior" and "near the age".

The last paragraph of the article explains the reason for writing this article. Li Pan's "can do the ancient road" means that he can inherit the long-lost "teacher's way" and is willing to learn from the teacher. Therefore, this ending can be said to be a further criticism of today's people who abandoned their teachers' way by commending "walking the ancient road" The "ancient road" and the first paragraph "ancient scholars must have teachers" are echoing at a distance.