This refers to intelligence and wisdom, also written as "Zhi" (knowledge). Confucius said: "The Junzi (Exemplary Person) has three things... The benevolent are free from anxiety, the wise are free from perplexity, the courageous are free from fear" (The Analects, Chapter 14, Xianwen). Here, "Zhi" (Wisdom) is listed alongside "Ren" (Benevolence) and "Courage," showing that Confucius incorporated wisdom into his moral system and emphasized it prominently. The functions of "Zhi" (Wisdom) are as follows: First, "the wise are free from perplexity"—this is its most basic function. Whether a person's actions are correct largely depends on their judgment and analysis of things; thus, "the Junzi has nine considerations: in seeing, to see clearly; in hearing, to hear distinctly; in expression, to be warm; in demeanor, to be respectful; in speech, to be loyal; in conduct, to be reverent; in doubt, to seek clarification; in anger, to consider difficulties; when seeing gain, to think of Yi (Righteousness)" (The Analects, Chapter 16, Jishi), and "when seeing a worthy person, think of becoming their equal; when seeing an unworthy person, reflect inwardly on oneself" (The Analects, Chapter 4, Liren). Because "the wise are free from perplexity" and can control themselves, they can "be diligent in affairs and cautious in speech, and seek correction from those who possess the Dao (The Way)" (The Analects, Chapter 1, Xue'er). Confucius valued "Zhi" (Wisdom) as a fundamental condition for moral cultivation, regarding wisdom as an intrinsic quality for becoming a Junzi.
Second, the wise person does not miss out on people. Confucius said: "When you can speak with someone but do not, you lose the person" (The Analects, Book 15, Chapter 8). "Losing the person" means missing out on talent, and the reason for missing talent is the inability to know people. Fan Chi (a disciple of Confucius) once asked what Zhi (Wisdom) is, and Confucius said: "Knowing people." He further explained: "Raise the straight and set them over the crooked, and you can make the crooked straight" (The Analects, Book 12, Chapter 22). This means that to promote the worthy, one must first know and recognize the worthy; and knowing and recognizing the worthy is wisdom.
Third, the wise person does not misspeak. "Missing the mark in speech" means speaking to someone who is not worth speaking to (The Analects, Book 15, Duke Ling of Wei), which is a sign of lacking Zhi (Wisdom). Thus, Zi Gong (a wealthy and eloquent disciple of Confucius) said, "A Junzi (Exemplary Person) can be known as wise by a single word, or as unwise by a single word; therefore, one must be cautious in speech" (The Analects, Book 19, Zi Zhang). Confucius used the standard of wisdom to regulate and require people's speech; the wise person knows what to say, and therefore the wise person never misses the mark in speech.
Fourth, "the wise benefit from Ren (Benevolence)." Confucius said: "The person of Ren (Benevolence) is at ease in Ren; the wise person benefits from Ren" (The Analects, Book of Li Ren, Chapter 4). "The person of Ren is at ease in Ren" means that a virtuous person feels at ease in practicing Ren and uneasy if not practicing it. "The wise person benefits from Ren" means that an intelligent person recognizes the long-term and immense benefits of Ren and therefore practices it. Zhi (Wisdom) is the means to practice Ren; without wisdom, one cannot recognize the benefits of practicing Ren and thus will not practice it. The wise person, relying on their wisdom, not only benefits from Ren in action but also adapts flexibly to circumstances: "The Junzi (Exemplary Person) takes office to fulfill Yi (Righteousness)" (The Analects, Book of Wei Zi, Chapter 18), and "When the state follows the Dao (The Way), they serve; when the state lacks the Dao, they can roll up and hide their talents" (The Analects, Book of Wei Ling Gong, Chapter 15). Toward friends, "give loyal advice and skillfully guide them; if they do not accept, stop, and do not bring disgrace upon yourself" (The Analects, Book of Yan Yuan, Chapter 12). Zi You (a disciple of Confucius) also said: "If you serve your ruler too frequently, you will be disgraced; if you advise friends too frequently, you will be alienated" (The Analects, Book of Li Ren, Chapter 4). The flexible adaptation described here refers to the diverse methods the wise employ to benefit from Ren in action, without violating the principle of Ren.
Confucius emphasized the role of Zhi (Wisdom) in moral cultivation, and he likewise valued the cultivation of wisdom. He believed that to achieve “Zhi,” one should pay attention to the following points: First, “To know what you know and to know what you do not know—that is wisdom” (The Analects, Book II, Chapter 17). That is, one must maintain an honest attitude toward things—neither deceiving oneself internally nor misleading others externally, nor using ornate language to conceal one’s ignorance in order to deceive others. To achieve this is a sign of intelligence and wisdom.
Furthermore, Confucius said: "Loving learning is close to Zhi (Wisdom), practicing with vigor is close to Ren (Benevolence), and knowing shame is close to courage" (Book of Rites, Chapter 31, Doctrine of the Mean), emphasizing the important role of learning in achieving wisdom. Confucius believed that "by nature, people are similar; through practice, they become far apart" (same source). Learning and education greatly influence a person; everyone can perfect themselves through acquired learning and education. Therefore, loving learning is the prerequisite for wisdom.
Furthermore, Confucius said, “Ning Wuzi (a virtuous minister of Wei State) when the Way prevailed in his state, he was wise; when the Way did not prevail, he was stupid. His wisdom could be equaled, but not his stupidity.” (The Analects, Book 5 Gongye Chang). Here, Zhi (wisdom) and Yu (foolishness/stupidity) are relative terms; that is, wisdom and stupidity can be artificially transformed according to the state’s political situation. When the Way prevails, one should be wise and serve in office; when the Way does not prevail, one should be foolish and retreat into obscurity, “rolling up and hiding one’s talents.” Such foolishness is actually wisdom disguised as folly; though appearing foolish, it is still wisdom, and thus unattainable by ordinary people. Confucius once asked Zi Gong (his eloquent disciple) what he detested, and Zi Gong replied, “I detest those who steal others’ achievements and pass them off as their own wisdom” (The Analects, Book 17 Yang Huo). “Stealing achievements as wisdom” means taking credit for others’ accomplishments and presenting them as one’s own cleverness. This behavior is no different from that of a petty person who deceives the world for fame, and is morally wrong. Therefore, Zhi (wisdom) also encompasses the quality of honesty and integrity.
In summary, Confucius placed great importance on the role of Zhi (Wisdom), affirming that everyone has the potential to become a wise person, which has positive significance for improving human character and perfecting moral cultivation. However, it should also be noted that Confucius's discussion of wisdom was limited to the realm of morality and did not fully reveal the rich connotations that wisdom encompasses.