After ending his fourteen-year journey through various states and returning to Lu from the State of Wei, Confucius was already sixty-eight years old. Having ultimately failed to achieve his political aspirations, he focused his later years on gathering disciples and teaching, never ceasing to instruct his students. Placing his hopes in the future, he cultivated another group of exceptionally talented disciples, including Zi Xia (a disciple known for literary learning), Zi Zhang (a disciple known for debating ritual), and Zeng Shen (a disciple known for filial piety and later compiler of The Great Learning).
According to the "Kongzi Jiayu·Liuben" (The School Sayings of Confucius, Six Roots), Confucius's disciple Zi Xia (a student known for his literary learning) once asked Confucius about the strengths and weaknesses of Yan Hui (Confucius's most beloved disciple), Zi Gong (a wealthy merchant and eloquent disciple), Zi Lu (a brave and impulsive disciple), and Zi Zhang (a dignified disciple). Confucius listed the merits of each, stating that Yan Hui surpassed him in trustworthiness, Zi Gong in intelligence, Zi Lu in courage, and Zi Zhang in solemnity. After hearing this evaluation, Zi Xia was astonished. He rose from his mat and respectfully asked again, "Since each of them excels you in some aspect, why are they still willing to learn from you?" Confucius asked Zi Xia to sit down and then explained the reason, saying, "Yan Hui is steadfast in keeping promises but lacks adaptability; Zi Gong is exceptionally intelligent but does not know how to conceal his brilliance; Zi Lu is overly brave but lacks caution; Zi Zhang is excessively solemn and finds it difficult to get along with others. I, on the other hand, combine the strengths of all four while avoiding their shortcomings, which is why they serve me as their teacher with wholehearted loyalty and without wavering." This shows that Confucius had a thorough understanding of his disciples and employed the method of fostering their strengths while avoiding their weaknesses, thereby earning their genuine admiration and submission.