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they use in their dealings with others, so they havemany friends who cherish the same ideas and follow thesame path. No matter how many friends a true junzihas, they will always be like oxygen in the air we breathe,making their friends feel happy and cared for. TheChinese character, for 'enter into cliques' looks liketwo people standing close together. This means that pettypeople prefer to get together in their own little cliques,they don't like to be absorbed into the big collective.For example, at a party a junzi will feel completelyat ease with everyone there, whether old friends orstrangers; but a petty person will skulk in a corner withtheir best friend, the two of them muttering away to eachother, as thick as thieves.Why are there such differences between people？Again, it is because the junzi and the petty do not existin the same moral state. Confucius said: 'Thejunzi is easyof mind, while the small man is always flail of anxiety.'(Analects vii) The reason why the petty are often foundconspiring with others is that they have an uneasy con-science, and want to plot for their own advantage andprotect what they already have. When we talk aboutcronyism or forming cliques this is exactly what we mean.The mind of the junzi, on the other hand, is contentedand composed; because he or she is in a state of peacefulIn China, we have always regarded harmony as a thingof beauty, but what is true harmony？ Confucius repeat-edly shows us it is a tolerance towards others, a kind ofmelding and mingling, all the while maintaining differentvoices and different viewpoints. This is the way of thejunzi in society.
Because there are so many differences between ajunziand a petty individual, you will find your dealings withthem will be very different.
Confucius said: 'Thejunzi is easy to serve but difficultto please. He will not be pleased unless you try to pleasehim by following the Way, but when it comes to employ- ing the services of others, he does so within the limits of their capacity. The small man is difficult to serve but easy to please. He will be pleased even though you try to please him by not following the Way, but when it comes to employing the services of others, he demands all-round perfection.'
Confucius explains these differences in a way that is extremely easy to understand, because he always puts the junzi and the petty side by side in order to compare them.