What did Confucius mean when he said a good person shouldn't be a "vessel"? In this first episode, host Elliott Bernstein unpacks passage 2.12—just four characters that carry 2,500 years of meaning. We explore how the ancient term for "noble's son" became shorthand for moral excellence, why ritual vessels mattered so much in Zhou-dynasty China, and what any of this has to do with being intentional about how you use your talents. Plus: language notes for Chinese learners at every level.