A polished jade disc is not born ready—it must be cut, shaped, and refined before it becomes a vessel of worth. So too with human beings: without study, one cannot come to know the Way. These lines—“Jade uncarved does not become a vessel; person unlearned does not know the Way”—appear in the *Book of Rites*, specifically in the chapter *Xue Ji* (“Record of Learning”). They open a passage that treats learning not as ornament but as essential formation—comparable to the careful work of the artisan on stone. The text goes on to say that ancient rulers, in founding states and guiding people, placed teaching first. It compares unlearned wisdom to an excellent dish left uneaten: however fine, its flavor remains unknown. Learning reveals our own limits; teaching exposes our uncertainties—and from that awareness comes self-reflection and growth. The *Book of Rites* thus presents education not as accumulation of facts, but as disciplined engagement that aligns the person with deeper patterns of meaning and conduct.