Monday, 16 February 2026
Good morning, Principal, teachers, and fellow Shungtakians. We are the representatives of 3P, speaking to all today about our theme: “Be good at listening and be willing to serve.” Today, we’d like to talk about someone more traditional in our Chinese culture. Everyone has heard of him, but few have dug deeply enough to truly appreciate him—Confucius, otherwise known as Kong Zi.
Let’s start with a brief introduction on Confucius—who is he really? Confucius was a Chinese sage, philosopher, politician, and teacher in the late Spring and Autumn period of the Chinese dynasties. His philosophical teachings, called Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, harmonious social relationships, righteousness, kindness, sincerity, and a ruler’s responsibilities to lead by virtue. He is also remembered as a great teacher, having had over 3,000 students, selflessly sharing knowledge.
While it may sound cliché, the famous Chinese philosopher connects deeply with our theme. We’ll start with how Confucius excels at listening. It’s obvious how a teacher must be good at listening—how else can one teach? To listen is the foundation of being a teacher. However, Confucius takes this a step further; he teaches according to his students’ needs. Even when different students ask the same question, he would provide varied answers tailored to each one. This demonstrates how he has a keen ear for understanding and listening, showcasing his greatness as both a teacher and a person.
To truly become a better person, one must also be willing to serve. People might perceive serving as a position of lesser importance, but that’s simply not true. To be willing to serve is a way of being humble, not thinking of oneself as superior to others. Once again, Confucius demonstrates this through his teachings. With over 3,000 students, one might assume Confucius made a lot of money as a wise and esteemed figure, but that’s not the case—the “price” to attend his classes was as low as a literal beef stick. Confucius believed that all people are the same, and he refused to discriminate, especially since society at the time placed significant importance on wealth and status. This kind of selfless servant leadership is incredibly valuable, and it’s another lesson we can learn from Confucius.
In conclusion, Confucius is an absolute legend worth looking up to. From his willingness to listen, his attention and care for his students, to his wisdom in serving—treating his students and himself as equals—these are all qualities we should strive to emulate.
3P