Confucian Analects, Confucius, 500 B.C., Parts 19 & 20
Tsze-chang said, "The scholar,
trained for public duty, seeing
threatening danger, is prepared to
sacrifice his life. When the opportunity
of gain is presented to him, he thinks
of righteousness. In sacrificing, his
thoughts are reverential. In mourning,
his thoughts are about the grief which
he should feel. Such a man commands our
approbation indeed
Tsze-chang said, "When a man holds fast
to virtue, but without seeking to
enlarge it, and believes in right
principles, but without firm sincerity,
what account can be made of his
existence or non-existence?"
The disciples of Tsze-hsia asked
Tsze-chang about the principles that
should characterize mutual intercourse.
Tsze-chang asked, "What does Tsze-hsia
say on the subject?" They replied,
"Tsze-hsia says: 'Associate with those
who can advantage you. Put away from you
those who cannot do so.'" Tsze-chang
observed, "This is different from what I
have learned. The superior man honors
the talented and virtuous, and bears
with all. He praises the good, and
pities the incompetent. Am I possessed
of great talents and virtue?-who is
there among men whom I will not bear
with? Am I devoid of talents and
virtue?-men will put me away from them.
What have we to do with the putting away
of others?"
Tsze-hsia said, "Even in inferior
studies and employments there is
something worth being looked at; but if
it be attempted to carry them out to
what is remote, there is a danger of
their proving inapplicable. Therefore,
the superior man does not practice
them."
Tsze-hsia said, "He, who from day to day
recognizes what he has not yet, and from
month to month does not forget what he
has attained to, may be said indeed to
love to learn."
Tsze-hsia said, "There are learning
extensively, and having a firm and
sincere aim; inquiring with earnestness,
and reflecting with
self-application:-virtue is in such a
course."
Tsze-hsia said, "Mechanics have their
shops to dwell in, in order to
accomplish their works. The superior man
learns, in order to reach to the utmost
of his principles."
Tsze-hsia said, "The mean man is sure to
gloss his faults."
Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man
undergoes three changes. Looked at from
a distance, he appears stern; when
approached, he is mild; when he is heard
to speak, his language is firm and
decided."
Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man,
having obtained their confidence, may
then impose labors on his people. If he
have not gained their confidence, they
will think that he is oppressing them.
Having obtained the confidence of his
prince, one may then remonstrate with
him. If he have not gained his
confidence, the prince will think that
he is vilifying him."
Tsze-hsia said, "When a person does not
transgress the boundary line in the
great virtues, he may pass and repass it
in the small virtues."
Tsze-yu said, "The disciples and
followers of Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling
and sweeping the ground, in answering
and replying, in advancing and receding,
are sufficiently accomplished. But these
are only the branches of learning, and
they are left ignorant of what is
essential.-How can they be acknowledged
as sufficiently taught?"
Tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said,
"Alas! Yen Yu is wrong. According to the
way of the superior man in teaching,
what departments are there which he
considers of prime importance, and
delivers? what are there which he
considers of secondary importance, and
allows himself to be idle about? But as
in the case of plants, which are
assorted according to their classes, so
he deals with his disciples. How can the
way of a superior man be such as to make
fools of any of them? Is it not the sage
alone, who can unite in one the
beginning and the consummation of
learning?"
Tsze-hsia said, "The officer, having
discharged all his duties, should devote
his leisure to learning. The student,
having completed his learning, should
apply himself to be an officer."
Tsze-hsia said, "Mourning, having been
carried to the utmost degree of grief,
should stop with that."
Tsze-hsia said, "My friend Chang can do
things which are hard to be done, but
yet he is not perfectly virtuous."
The philosopher Tsang said, "How
imposing is the manner of Chang! It is
difficult along with him to practice
virtue."
The philosopher Tsang said, "I heard
this from our Master: 'Men may not have
shown what is in them to the full
extent, and yet they will be found to do
so, on the occasion of mourning for
their parents."
The philosopher Tsang said, "I have
heard this from our Master:-'The filial
piety of Mang Chwang, in other matters,
was what other men are competent to,
but, as seen in his not changing the
ministers of his father, nor his
father's mode of government, it is
difficult to be attained to.'"
The chief of the Mang family having
appointed Yang Fu to be chief criminal
judge, the latter consulted the
philosopher Tsang. Tsang said, "The
rulers have failed in their duties, and
the people consequently have been
disorganized for a long time. When you
have found out the truth of any
accusation, be grieved for and pity
them, and do not feel joy at your own
ability."
Tsze-kung said, "Chau's wickedness was
not so great as that name implies.
Therefore, the superior man hates to
dwell in a low-lying situation, where
all the evil of the world will flow in
upon him."
Tsze-kung said, "The faults of the
superior man are like the eclipses of
the sun and moon. He has his faults, and
all men see them; he changes again, and
all men look up to him."
Kung-sun Ch'ao of Wei asked Tszekung,
saying. "From whom did Chung-ni get his
learning?"
Tsze-kung replied, "The doctrines of Wan
and Wu have not yet fallen to the
ground. They are to be found among men.
Men of talents and virtue remember the
greater principles of them, and others,
not possessing such talents and virtue,
remember the smaller. Thus, all possess
the doctrines of Wan and Wu. Where could
our Master go that he should not have an
opportunity of learning them? And yet
what necessity was there for his having
a regular master?"
Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great
officers in the court, saying,
"Tsze-kung is superior to Chung-ni."
Tsze-fu Ching-po reported the
observation to Tsze-kung, who said, "Let
me use the comparison of a house and its
encompassing wall. My wall only reaches
to the shoulders. One may peep over it,
and see whatever is valuable in the
apartments.
"The wall of my Master is several
fathoms high. If one do not find the
door and enter by it, he cannot see the
ancestral temple with its beauties, nor
all the officers in their rich array.
"But I may assume that they are few who
find the door. Was not the observation
of the chief only what might have been
expected?"
Shu-sun Wu-shu having spoken revilingly
of Chung-ni, Tsze-kung said, "It is of
no use doing so. Chung-ni cannot be
reviled. The talents and virtue of other
men are hillocks and mounds which may be
stepped over. Chung-ni is the sun or
moon, which it is not possible to step
over. Although a man may wish to cut
himself off from the sage, what harm can
he do to the sun or moon? He only shows
that he does not know his own capacity.
Ch'an Tsze-ch' in, addressing Tsze-kung,
said, "You are too modest. How can
Chung-ni be said to be superior to you?"
Tsze-kung said to him, "For one word a
man is often deemed to be wise, and for
one word he is often deemed to be
foolish. We ought to be careful indeed
in what we say.
"Our Master cannot be attained to, just
in the same way as the heavens cannot be
gone up by the steps of a stair.
"Were our Master in the position of the
ruler of a state or the chief of a
family, we should find verified the
description which has been given of a
sage's rule:-he would plant the people,
and forthwith they would be established;
he would lead them on, and forthwith
they would follow him; he would make
them happy, and forthwith multitudes
would resort to his dominions; he would
stimulate them, and forthwith they would
be harmonious. While he lived, he would
be glorious. When he died, he would be
bitterly lamented. How is it possible
for him to be attained to?"
Confucian Analects, Confucius,
500 B.C.
20
Yao said, "Oh! you, Shun, the
Heaven-determined order of succession
now rests in your person. Sincerely hold
fast the due Mean. If there shall be
distress and want within the four seas,
the Heavenly revenue will come to a
perpetual end." Shun also used the same
language in giving charge to Yu.
T'ang said, "I the child Li, presume to
use a dark-colored victim, and presume
to announce to Thee, O most great and
sovereign God, that the sinner I dare
not pardon, and thy ministers, O God, I
do not keep in obscurity. The
examination of them is by thy mind, O
God. If, in my person, I commit
offenses, they are not to be attributed
to you, the people of the myriad
regions. If you in the myriad regions
commit offenses, these offenses must
rest on my person." Chau conferred great
gifts, and the good were enriched.
"Although he has his near relatives,
they are not equal to my virtuous men.
The people are throwing blame upon me,
the One man."
He carefully attended to the weights and
measures, examined the body of the laws,
restored the discarded officers, and the
good government of the kingdom took its
course.
He revived states that had been
extinguished, restored families whose
line of succession had been broken, and
called to office those who had retired
into obscurity, so that throughout the
kingdom the hearts of the people turned
towards him.
What he attached chief importance to
were the food of the people, the duties
of mourning, and sacrifices.
By his generosity, he won all. By his
sincerity, he made the people repose
trust in him. By his earnest activity,
his achievements were great. By his
justice, all were delighted.
Tsze-chang asked Confucius, saying, "In
what way should a person in authority
act in order that he may conduct
government properly?" The Master
replied, "Let him honor the five
excellent, and banish away the four bad,
things;-then may he conduct government
properly." Tsze-chang said, "What are
meant by the five excellent things?" The
Master said, "When the person in
authority is beneficent without great
expenditure; when he lays tasks on the
people without their repining; when he
pursues what he desires without being
covetous; when he maintains a dignified
ease without being proud; when he is
majestic without being fierce."
Tsze-chang said, "What is meant by being
beneficent without great expenditure?"
The Master replied, "When the person in
authority makes more beneficial to the
people the things from which they
naturally derive benefit;-is not this
being beneficent without great
expenditure? When he chooses the labors
which are proper, and makes them labor
on them, who will repine? When his
desires are set on benevolent
government, and he secures it, who will
accuse him of covetousness? Whether he
has to do with many people or few, or
with things great or small, he does not
dare to indicate any disrespect;-is not
this to maintain a dignified ease
without any pride? He adjusts his
clothes and cap, and throws a dignity
into his looks, so that, thus dignified,
he is looked at with awe;-is not this to
be majestic without being fierce?"
Tsze-chang then asked, "What are meant
by the four bad things?" The Master
said, "To put the people to death
without having instructed them;-this is
called cruelty. To require from them,
suddenly, the full tale of work, without
having given them warning;-this is
called oppression. To issue orders as if
without urgency, at first, and, when the
time comes, to insist on them with
severity;-this is called injury. And,
generally, in the giving pay or rewards
to men, to do it in a stingy way;-this
is called acting the part of a mere
official."
The Master said, "Without recognizing
the ordinances of Heaven, it is
impossible to be a superior man.
"Without an acquaintance with the rules
of Propriety, it is impossible for the
character to be established.
"Without knowing the force of words, it
is impossible to know men."
THE EN
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