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"The Analects" is a classic text shared among intellectuals in the East Asian Hanzi cultural sphere. Through various interpretations, one can observe the rich and diverse development of Confucianism throughout history. This study focuses on the chapter "At fifteen I set my heart on learning," selected due to curiosity about the different facets of Confucius' life. It examines the interpretations of this chapter by Confucian scholars from the 15th to 19th centuries in China, Japan, and Korea. During the Joseon and Edo periods, Confucian perspectives were based on Zhu Xi's "Collected Notes on the Analects." In China, starting with Zhu Xi's commentary, the study explains how he interpreted Confucius' process of aspiring to learn, establishing oneself, reaching maturity, understanding fate, being receptive to guidance, and adhering to moral principles. The issue of whether the "sage who learns while standing" truly went through stages of learning is also addressed. In the Ming Dynasty, "The Complete Collected Notes on the Analects" further strengthened and expanded on Zhu Xi's interpretations. Following the rise of Yangming Neo-Confucianism, scholars proposed the interpretation of "aligning the mind as a compass." In the Qing Dynasty and beyond, there was a greater emphasis on textual research and the characteristic of "using classics to verify classics." This study aims to analyze the interpretations of the chapter "At fifteen I set my heart on learning" in "The Analects" by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean scholars, comparing their similarities and differences. It sheds light on the overall development trends and regional distinctive characteristics of Confucianism in East Asia.
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