If there is no word "Tao" in the following article, we will come to the conclusion that Confucius taught people to be poor and happy. As a poor class in society, we should not only be content with poverty, but also enjoy this state, which is obviously an ignorant thought. It will damage the image of Confucius in people's minds. There is a word under the word "Yue" in Huang Kan's book, and future generations should follow this opinion when interpreting it.
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Tao is a concept of learning, similar to the concept of truth. Learning should aim at truth, so it can't be understood as Taoism. Confucius said, "If you listen in the morning, you can die at night." This Tao is the meaning of truth and the highest pursuit of scholars. So I think that when Confucius talks about music, he actually talks about learning. Being poor and happy means being poor and eager to learn. Although people live in poverty, they must have ideals, ambitions and lofty goals of serving the country and protecting the people. This idea is inconsistent with the idea of being content with poverty and enjoying poverty, and it teaches people not to forget to make progress.
It is good to be poor without flattery and rich without arrogance, but it needs to be better, that is, poor without learning and rich without courtesy. This is the icing on the cake, keep improving. "Poetry" says, "If it is incisive, if it is polished, if it is polished". Most scholars believe that this poem appears here as a metaphor for tempering oneself in moral knowledge and not being satisfied with small achievements.
Zi Gong thinks that "being poor but not flattering, being rich but not arrogant" is commendable, but Confucius' demand is higher, and he also demands "being poor and happy, being rich and polite", which is the poem's "incisive and polished". If you deal with ivory bones, you should cut them and smooth them. Those who deal with jade should polish it after cutting it to make it delicate.