government or INDIA

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY

CENTRAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL
LIBRARY

I Ortas' W— ^ _

I Call Kq. t8t«l _ COlL^Yu^

aij-A- re.

A

W7J^

0.

THE WISDOM
OF CONFUCIUS

•r

I;

I*

-.1

1

THE

WISDOM

OF

CONFUCIUS

lUbt,

artd tfanslaud, ttfi/A nous Ay

LIN YUTAN6

CAKLTON HOUSE » NEW YORK

ooroucHT. 193a, BY JuujixjM HOUSE, me

r„

ianu \'tv .v*'*v i>BLHi.

\ij ■ . . .

OHt* TxZ’'"/.

ijAMtjpAnTmBD m iufi united STahs df am^21Ca

TO TSUIFEISIG

important characters

MENTIONED

CONFUCIUS: from K'lmg Futse, mc^iniDg "Mailer
R'ang"*; known also as Chungnii 551^79

MHNCIUS; from Mcngatc^ ranSu next to Coafuciui in
the Confuciaa Tcmplci and .represeoii ConFuoaa
moni] Idealism; author of the Boo^ of Mendtu, io->
eluded in the Four Boo^r,

TSESZE: gnatlron of Cdofudm and teacher (?) of
Meodus, author of Crittrai Harmony and two or three
chapters in £j^i; known also as K’uug Chi; 45a-43*
and therefore could Hot have taught Mendus per¬
sonally.

HSUNTSE or Hsun Cli'ing, of Hsiifl Huaog: contem*
porary and rival of Mendus^ rtprestnung another im-
porunt development of Confuciiw^ tcAchingsi, with
onphasis on Jtcholinlijp stud rltu^f ^ his views often m-
iDOrpcrated in Lf^fj hk own books acist today; about
jiS-about 336 Mi.

VJli IMPOITANT nHARACTERS ENT I ON IP

S21EMA CH'UiN: aurbor of the great Chinese work of
bistoty^ the master «£ Chinese prose; C^)

nx.

CHENG HSUAN or Cboig K’angch'eog: most im-
pftrr^nr commcftEaior in HaJi Dynasty; 127-200 aj>*

CHU HSl: most import jjic commentator u£ iSung Dy-
nasty; through his influence the coUeetiod of Four Boo\s
came TO be studied in all Clilae$e ckmcntiry sehools;
hia commentary die only correct one rccngnizcd in civil
examinations; 1130-1=00 jlj>,

CONTUettrS* MSCIFIXS ANP IMMEEHaTH CXRCiLa

YEN HUEI or Yen YuanT Confucius" favontc disoplc,
whum the Master praised only in Aupcrbtive terms;
511-490 EX,

KTJNG LI or Foyu : Coafudus* only soiii cntiidy undis¬
tinguished; dx^

"'rSELU : oldest of the regular disciples of Confucius; iJ-
ways protested agaiust Confudus' condnet; rccdvcd
roLLgh handling in the hands of the authors of the
died in a fight bccnusc he insisted an ad)usdng
the tassels on his cap "like a gentleman” during the
fight and was thetefore wounded; born 542 i-c,

TSEKtJNGs the most devoted of Cunfudns^ disdples;
reputed tQ be a first-cluss diplomat; bom 5^

TSEI ISIA; pronounce a* T« Shb; the more scholarly
type; became a great teacher after Cbofucius' death;
bom 507 Bx:,

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS MENTIONED ix

TSEYU: also a dose disciple and a good diplomat; bom

506 B.C.

TSENGTSE or Tseng Ts'an: noted for filial piety; tlic
yopngest and most philosophical of the disciples;
teacher of Confucius* grandson; ranks next to Mencius
in the Confucian Temples; born 505

JAN CHIU or Jan Yu: a practical and able man; became
secretary to Baron K*ang Chi; later disowned by Con¬
fucius because he helped the Baron to tax the people;
born 52a B.C,

DUKE AI OF LU, BARON K*ANG CHI OF LU
(under the Duke), DUKE CHDSfG OF CH*I, DUKE
LING OF WEI: rulers of the time with whom Confu¬
cius had constant conversations.

QUEEN NANCIA: a notoriously beautiful and licen¬
tious queen, wife of DUKE LING OF WEI.

YANG HO: a powerful but corrupt official in Lu, whom
Confucius heartily disliked.

i

,4

i

1

,'1

j

’'.r •■;>?'

,!>•', . MfV "

THE PRONUNCIATION
OF CHINESE NAMES

T. Every vf^wel Id ibc Romanized spdliiij of Ctineso
k pronotifijced.

^ The vowicLf kivc as their basJi the usual Latin viiueil

d as in fatA^r

f ;u in eight
eh At in hurr
eth as m a Scotch kurr
1 as in machine and in
G as tn
a i]f In gc&jc

& as in German Wgcri (speDcd mody
HI u la ihb boukp but always ucoin
in die ooinbination A/n and in most
cases of yu)

3i The vowd sound in cumbEnatians tike tsc^ ixc dDci
not exist in Engltsh^ It is made with ddhtulty by West^
erners, hut is actually the vowel sound produced when
the sound of 7 ii prokinged and dcHnildy vocalizedi
xi

ful CUlNESENAMfia

("buzzing” sound). In this insiance, I depart htim the
Wade system:, whidi renders it as tzit, because of its
cumbersotneccss* It frequently appears In names like
Chuangti^^ Tj^ngWt

I- Tlie vowel sound indi cited by the cDcnblnadon iA does
not odsc in English, It is made when the tongue and
lip positions of tile English sh are held unchanged and
vocalized. For practical purposes* read the ih as
(or if possible as a sound in between she and Mr) j
there^s no use trying to reproduce the sound e^actlyi

5* The importa nt diphthongs are : ia, ou^ ei, f wtr
—all pronounced witli their individual approxiinatc
Latla values (A in is not pronounced).
a& may be pronounced nearly as nxt^.

6* Combtnations like in^mg^^n^ unbare pronounced with
the usual Latin values for the sounds (m, iftgr
iiJttfg). But eng are ptonounced as ern, er/jg. or for
practical purposes as wo, uag (ran, in English,
whereas Chinese un, ung must be prunounced as
oong*

y. The distincuciji between jA and Ar is a nuisance for
English readers! read both as /A for practical purpo^s.
Technically* the sound Ar is diJlcreat: end oomc? in¬
variably before / and d* Since the two groups are
dearly separated by tlie occurrence or absence of a
following i or that distinction in spelling between
rA and Ar is totally uunccomry for Chinese readerst
and meaningless for Wesieroers,

CHINESE NAMES

xiii

8. The Chinese language distinctly differentiates be¬
tween aspirated and unaspirated p, t, ch, ts. For
practical purposes read p, t, ch, ts as h, d, g, j, dz,
and read f, k!, ch\ // like the regular English
p, t, h,, ch, ts.

9. Remember therefore to follow the Latin values for
the vowels as a general principle, and for practical
purposes read:

hs as sh
ih as ce (or ir)
ieh as y-cy
eh as er
cn 2S un
eng as ung

w

I

CONTENTS

IMPORTANT CHAKACIERS MENTIONED vij

THE PKONUNOATION OF CHINESE NAMES vi

h INTRODUCTION j

j. Tlic chiiractcr of CoDfudan idcu 3. A brief
of die character of Goof udtis 3. Sourircs
and plan of rhe prcsen[ book 4. On the method of
translation

n. THE UFE OF CONFUaUS (by STcma

Qi'icn) 5j

1, Ancestry* childhood and youth (551-523
Bj^} 3l Between thirty and Efity (533-^3
3* llie period of great power (502-49& bjc.) 4.
Five years o£ wanderings (496-492 b^) 5. In ex^
trcmicies m Gh'cn and T$‘ai (49E-4B9 bjc,) 6.
Further years of wanderings (4lBfl-4S4 b,&) 7.
Scholarly lahon and personal hahiti of Confu¬
cius (484-481 ujir} & His death (479 Bx.) and
posterity

CONTENTS

xvi

III. CENTRAL HARMONY

I. The central harmony 2. The Golden Mean
3. Moral law everywhere 4. The humanistic stand¬
ard 5. Certain models 6. Ethics and politics 7*
Being one’s true self 8. Those who are absolute
true selves 9. Eulogy on Confucius 10. Epilogue

IV. ETHICS AND POLITICS i35

I. General idea of this essay 2. On the meaning of
certain expressions 3. On achieving true knowl¬
edge 4. On making the will sincere 5. On setting
the heart right and personal cultivation 6. On
the relationship between personal and family life
7. On the relationship between family and na¬
tional life 8. On the relationship between national
life and world peace

V. APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS i53

1. Description of Confucius by himself and others

2. The emotional and artistic life of Confucius

3. The conversational style 4* The Johnsonian
touch 5. Wit and wisdom 6. Humanism and true
manhood 7. The superior man and the inferior
man 8. The mean as the ideal character and types
of persons that Confucius hated 9. Government
10. On education, ritual and poetry

CONTfiHTS

svil

THItefi CUNTUCIAN aiSCQUIAEA ON SOOIA.L ORAEK

VI. HRST DESCOURSE: EDUCATIOM

TFEROUGH THE SIX CLASSICS 305

VII. 5E5COr^D DESCQEJRSE: AN INTERVIEW
WITH duke AI

vnr, THIRD DISCOURSE: THE VTSION OF A
SOCIAL ORDER

I* Tbe two orders o£ md^ x The cvoIuUmi of
ii^ or mcJal order U b:tsed on human nature
^ Li hafcd on heaven^ or nature ^ The method
of culLivatlag li

DC. ON EDUCATION 141

z. The DceJ for cduatioti 3. The aneient oduci'
tionai system 3.^ Eilra-cximeiiLir stiidis 4. llic
ideal teacher 5. The process of JeamJng

X ON MUSIC 351

T. The origin and funaion of music ^ A com-
parisnii of ritiialx and miTAic, bath based on har¬
mony with the [jusnuc order 3. Muik reveals mao’s
character 4^ On classical and modem music 5.
Confucius on the differcnc movemenri of the in-
topretative dance music of Emperor Wu

XI. MENCIUS 273

I# T”he goodness of humM nature 2* How our
original nature is destroyed 3, The higher life and
the greater «If

THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

1^ TTO CITABlACTEa OP OONTUCTA^J li>EAS

AN one be mchu$ia5tic ^ut Qiafudaaism nom^

V^yi^nys? I wonder. The answer seems to depend on
wberher one em be eathuskstic about sheer good kdjc, a
thing which people usually casmot work up very much cn-
thusiascd fofp The more impnfiDt questioa seems m be
whether one ran bdieve in Confucianism nowadays.
This Is especially impartant it> the modcra Cblaesc of
today, a question that directly challenges their minds and
rannoc be brushed aside* For there is a centrality or, dialj
1 say, uruversaUty, about the Confudan attitude and point
of view, redected in a joy in Confucian belief that 1 see
even among maturing modem Chinese who have re¬
ceived a Western educarinn. The ceruralLty and basic ap¬
peal of iti humanism have a strange strength of their owu*
During the pobtical chaos and battle cpf idca$ in the cen-
nines immediately following Con^dus^ Confucianism
won the viaory over Taoism^ Nfotianism, Naluralkm,
L^alism, Qirnmimism and a host of other phik^phiel
It maintained this supremacy over the Chinese people £of
the length of two thousand five hundred years, with tbi

3

^ THU wisnoM OP coN-Fueltrs

exception of a fcw peWs, and it always came back to ita
own sircnger than ever. Apart from Taoism which was
in fashion in the third to sLxlli centuries AX>, its itrongcsc
fiVid was Buddhism, which attained a great vogue With
the Sung schobrs. But with all iw fine m^phyacs,
Bwddliisra sucooocled only in modifying the interpreta^
tion of the method of arriving at knowledge and the aim
of this humanist culture. It shifted the emphasis to cet*
Qin ideas originally in the Confuebn daJsiH and direcred
a fuller attention to them, but did not repbee Confudan-
ism iweli Perhaps It was merely the old prestige of Con¬
fucius, but llterc was a great pride among the (^iifucbn
schobrs, a belief in their own correclness, which made
these scholars renounce Buddhism and look askance at it
with colention or contempt, as the case may have been.
The same ■-/^mmon khic that crushed the mystidsin of
Chuangtse also made them renounce the mysticisni of
Buddhism. Today Confucianism meets a still greater
rival, not Christianity, hut the entire system of Western
thought and life and the coming of a new ^ial order,
brought about by the industrial age. As a political system
aiming ar the restoration of a feudal order, Confucianism
will probably be put out of date by the dcvdopmenis of
political science and cconomia. But ^ a system
of humanist Ctiliurc, as a fundamental viewpoint conecra*
ing the conduct of life and of society, I believe it will still
bold its own. Wc have not yet progressed so far diat, for
instance, the doctrines of Karl Marx and Cunfucius no
longer meet, or have no longer a common meeting point.
Confucianism, as a live force in the Cliinese people, b

INTRODUCTION

5

^till going io shape cur nsiioflal conduct of afhhs and
modify Gomnftimism in Chb^ii if it h ever jaLrodiicecL
We wtU merely repeat the fight with Western Com-
fCtUinism ihaE Mendcii Ibugbt wiLb the early Chinese
CommujiisEs and well* It Is iii this $eDSo ihaE n siudy of
Conludanism and ks fundameaial bdieft will be of in-
Eer^t to people of the Western world, in helping them
fundameninlty ta imdeistand the Chinese and

Chinese mom.

To Western readers, Confucius is chiefly known as A
wise man speaking ?n aphorisriL'E or moral mi^iiOSj which
hardly sufTices to explain the depth of the mfluenc* of
Confudaiiism. Without a deeper unity of belief Of $ys*
tan of tliought^ nc mere ool lection of apliotisms could
dominate a nallcnV hislX^fy as Confucianism has dom¬
inated China. Tlie answer lo the puzzle of Confucius'
great prestige acitl influeace has to he sought elsewhere
Without a fyndamcntal system of beliefs which k ac¬
cepted tp be true, maxims and proverbs might easily grow
stale and outworn. Ttire Amdeclft the ConFudan Bsblfi is
such a colleetion of moral maxims, and it ia chiefly through
the that Confudanism has been made known to

the West. But the An^ea^s after all k only a callcctian oi
the cream of Confudus* Sayings, often torn apart from
their contexts, which are found with a fuller elucidation in
TAe B&oJ( of LJ\i and other books^ After all,

Coufudus did not talk the whole day in stamtu sen-
tedeei. It would be impossibJei. thcreforci to arrive at a
full appreciation of the influence and prestige of Goafu-

6 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

diis without an understanding of the system of Confa
dan ideas as a system.

To put it briefly, Confudanism stood for a rationaUzed
sodal order through the ethical approach, based on per¬
sonal cultivadon. It aimed at political order by laying the
basis for it in a moral order, and it sought political har¬
mony by trying to achieve the moral harmony in man
himself. Thus its most curious characteristic was the
abolition of the distinction between poUtics and ethics.
Its approach was definitely an ethical approach, differing
from the Legalists who tried to bring about a strong na¬
tion by a rigid enforcement of the law. It was also a posi¬
tive point of view, with a keen sense of responsibility to¬
ward one’s fellow men and the general sodal order, as
distinguished from the negative cynicism of Taoism.
Fundamentally, it was a humanist atdtude, brushing
aside all fudle metaphysics and mysdeism, interested
chiefly in the essendal human reladonships, and not in
the world of spirits or in immortality. The strongest doc¬
trine of this particular type of humanism, which accounts
for its great enduring influence, is the doctrine that “the
measure of man is man,” a doctrine which makes it pos¬
sible for the common man to be^ somewhere as a fol¬
lower of Confucianism by merely following the highest
instincts of his own human nature, and not by looking
for perfection in a divine ideal.

To be more specific, Confucianism was definitely aim¬
ing at the restoradon of a radonalized feudal order, with
dear gradations of rank, at a time when the feudal sys¬
tem of the Chou Dynasty was breaking down. In order to

INTRODUCTION

7

understand this, one has to go back to a conception of the
collapse of the feudal system in Confucius’ days and the
centuries immediately following. There were hundreds
of duchies, baronies, and townships, which had emerged
as independent states, with the stronger states growing in
power and territory and constantly warring with one an¬
other. The power of the Emperor, still holding a theoretic
sovereignty over the Chinese Empire, had dwindled to
nothing; in fact to such an extent that neither Confucius
in his time nor Mencius later, who went about to persuade
different kings to put their doctrines into practice, did
not even bother to go and see the Emperor. This was a
contradiction of his own theory of a rationalized social
order, upholding loyalty to the highest authority. The
situation was so bad that there was no point in either one
of them trying to see the weak Emperor at all. There was,
therefore, an international anarchy, resembling condi¬
tions in modern Europe. Treaties were scrapped, and
there were alliances and big and little ententes, which
never lasted very long. Taxation was frightful, in order
to keep up the growing armies, and the smaller states
were constantly worried about invasions by the powerful
neighboring states. Conferences were constandy held,
now with the ruler of one leading state and now with
that of another sitting as the chairman. Philosophers be¬
gan to develop the distinction between "offensive” and
"defensive” warfare and between "aggressors” and "vic¬
tims.” Curiously, there developed a kind of intellectual
internationalism; scholars moved about and switched
their allegiance from one state to another. The ancient

8 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

rites and insignias of rank had fallen into a terrible con¬
fusion; there was great inequality of wealth; and ^s
moral and political chaos set every keen mind thinking
about the best way of bringing about peace and order. In
this atmosphere, the greatest intellectual activity, coupled
with the greatest freedom of thought, brought about the
greatest richness and variety in Chinese philosophy. Some
repudiated civilization entirely, as Laotse and Chuangtse
did; some became budding Communists, believing that
every man should work for his livmg with his hands;
some taught the oneness of God, the love of God, and a
humanitarian, imselfish and even ascetic personal life, to
the extent of repudiating music itself, as Motse did; and
there were Sophists, Stoics, Hedonists, Epicureans and
downright Naturalists. Many people, like modem Euro¬
peans, began to suspect civilization itself, and harked
back to the primitive life, as some modem thinkers are
harking back to the African jungle or the Island of Bali.
Some others, like Confucius, were like the modern Chris¬
tians, who believe in the force of moral ideals, in educa¬
tion, in the arts, in continuity with the past, and in main¬
taining some sort of international decencies and a high
moral standard in human relationships, which were all
part of the Confucian faith.

The chapter “On the Conduct of the Confucianists” in
U\i (Juhsing, Ch. XLI) distinguishes this school of
scholars from the rest. The term Ju (Confucianism is
known in China as “the religion of the Ju" since Con¬
fucius’ time) was already current in Confucius* day, and
the scholars styled as Ju were probably a special set of

INTRODUCTION

people^ conservative In pint of view, backed by Imtoricai
sdiolarsbipk ^'ind wearing a spcdal fu cap and fa gowD ^
symbolE of thdr belief in the piisr- The following arc a
fcw extracts showing the high morsl idcaliam of this
group of followers of Confuciiis:

The Duke Ai of Lu asked Canfuctus, “fs the MaitexV
dress dut of die /«?"' Canfueius rephed, *'l grew up in Lu
and wore a gown with bnud deeves, and Later in Snog
and rhereforc wore a cap of hliek cloth. I have heard it said
that a gcjitlcman is broad in hts schataiiahip, but wears ilic
gown <rf his own counlry, I dq nor know if this gqwo fh:kt I
wear may be called a fa gown."" What about the conduct of
the far* Hiked the Duke, and Confudui replied, "I shall not
be abJe to finish it ii I were to describe all the details, and if 1
did, f would have xo stop over here and yet tiot be able to cover
It aU, even after you have changed the attcndanii ifficral
dmci." The Duke then asked Gmfudui to «i down on the
fiwip and Cemfudus sat in his company and said^

fv is like one who has ieweis in hk keeping waiting for
sale; be cultivates hia knowledge moming and night to pro-
pate himself for requests for advice; he chemhea integrity
4iid honesty of character against the time when he h ap'
pointed; be endeavors to or^r his personal conduct against
the dine when he shall be ia office. Such is hi* indepradertcel

*^A /if ii orderly In hts dress and careful in his actions; hfs
great refusals seem like lack of respect and his little refusab
seem tike false manncrih when he appears on pblic occasioiw,
he looJu aw-c^inspiringt and on small occasions he appeara
•elf-fetiring; his services are diffcdt to get and difficult lu
keep while be appears gentle and wcak^ Such is hii appear'
ancel

''A fu miy be apjimadicd by £«ntle maonm but nwy nee
be cowed by luixe; he if aiiablc bl^t be annot be made to do
what be doesn't wantj and he may be killed, hut may not ht
bumilbrcd. He k sbnpb and EnJgal m hk Hving, aOd bii
faulti Of mistakiK may be gendy explained hui not abrtipdf
pointed otu to his Eaee+ Such If his stirogtb of charactcrl^

lives with tlie modems but studies the anocnti^
iWhal he docs ttkdjiy will bc^tumfi an example for those m the
fcncnitions to followr. When be l>vci in limes of pdiiical
duos, he neither couru faYots from chiac in aathoricy, nnr
is hoDstjcd by those below. And when ihfl petty pdiDdniSi
loin hands to defame or injuie him^ his life may be thieitenedj.
but the caiiisc o£ his conduct may nut be changed. AI[hDU|;b
be lives in danger* his soul nEinainj his own^ and even then
be does noc forget the sufferings of the people. Such is his
sense of responsibility I

^'A /« h broad in his knowledge and not nanrow^mindod;
he cultivates Hif conduct without cease ^ and in his privam
life he does pot abandon hhnselb When he is succe^sfulp hn
dons not depart from the truth. In hU personal manners be
Values living Lei peace and hannony with oihtrt He maui'
tains the beauty of hb inner character and is leisurely m Ms
ways, lie admires thwe cleverer than himscif and Is general^
toward the oiaiSEs, and is fleiible in principle, Such it Ms
MBF ol niind and gcneroilty of charactcrl’*

Against this background of jnirrnatioiiai anarchy and
a collapsing andent feudal order, the different essential
lenctt of Cunfiacka teach'mgs will be more readily un-
dcrsttjod and appreciated, particubrly Cnnfudus* efforti
tu restore an ancient feudal order through ritual and
music. The charactcrbilc idea$ of this body of tcaobrngs

INTRODUCTION

II

are, to my mind, five in number, and since these are also
the ideas constantly to be met with in the following
translations, an examination of their exact import is es-
sentiaJ to a true understanding of Confucianism,

I. The identification of politics and ethics:

The whole emphasis of Confucianism upon ritual and
music and its apparent preoccupation with moral plati¬
tudes usually strikes the Western readers as queer and
almost unintelligible. And yet, nothing is clearer than the
fact that the so-called “ritual and music” embody better
than any other phrase the entire aim of the Confucian
social order. It sounds almost childishly naive to hear
Confucius say, in reply to a question about government
by his disciple: “Ah Shih, didn’t I tell you before? All
t^t one needs to do is simply for the gendeman to fully
understand ritual and music and then apply them to the
government! {Likji Ch. XXVIII).” This is easily unden
stood, however, from the Confucian point of view, if we
remember the Confucian definition of government as
merely an effort to “put things right” or “put things in
order.” In other words, Confucius was aiming at the
moral basis for peace in society, out of which political
peace should naturally ensue. The Analects reports a
conversation as follows: Someone asked Confucius, “Why
don’t you go into the government?” And Confucius re¬
plied, “Is it not said in the of History concerning
filial piety that the King of Chen was a good son and a
good brother and then he applied the principles to the
government of things? This is also being in the govern-

T1I£ WISDOM OP CONFUCIUS

picdt. Wby» thereforci should I B® goveri^eni?''
1q other words, Confucius was alniost an anarc^st, bo
Lievinc as his highest political idral b a society of poopie
Uving in moral harmony which should make govera.
picnt itself unnecessary. This is implied in his saying
that “In actiflg as a judge at lawsuits, 1 am as gpM as any¬
one. But die thbg is, 10 aim *□ that there sliouW not ^
any lawsuits at all XII). How this is to ^

achieved^will be nude clear m the foUowing paragr,iphs.
But it is unmistakable that Confndus held the final aim
of government and the criminal bw and ritual and mmic
to be tdentitadi ‘‘iTie final of ““

the oimbal law and government are the samci namely,
to bring about a commimity of the people's aspirationi
and to result in social and political order" {*ce Chapter
X"Ou Music"). Confucius was never quite satisfied vnth
the kind of iBlirical order achieved by a rigorous admin-
i$t ration ot CDforcciucDt of the criniiujl Law, Guide
people by governmental measuits," be said, and rcgi^
lace them by the threat o£ punUhment, and the people
will try to keep out of jail, but will have do sense of honor
or sbamci Guide the people by vinue and regulate them
by H (sense of propriety) and the people will have a
sense of honor and respect." There arc then two kinds of
political order, and It U in this sense that Confucius once
said, "When the kbgdom Gh'i movci a step forward,
it will have readied the culture of the kbgdojn of LiU
(hb own country), the first stage of peace that lie
■poke of; and when the kingdom of Lu moves a step for-

INTlOHUCTJaH .

ward, it will have reachal thu it^ge of tnjt dviUzariou,
!>*, the second

i or the ratlon^li^d social order;

Confudaolsm, besides being knoivo in Ch\ii^ m "^thc
leiigioa of Confucius'* and '*Lht religion of the ” if
further known as “the rdigion of h\ or rinzaL*' It wHl at
once be sensed by Western reader^ that there is much
more to this cnnccpiion of /i than merely ritualiidi itself,
or the endre Confucian system is a sham and a Me. We
have to meet this fact squarely^^ for the phrase "‘riruai and
music" occurs again and again in the Confudan tcits
and Seems to embody the entire Confucian. system of out¬
ward social order, as the conception al “true manhood"
seems to embody die oscncc of Confucian teachings ro
puding personal conducL The importance and ejcact
meaning of the phrase ^^ritual musie’^ will he made
amply dear in the Three Cemfuckn Discourses (Chs. VI,
VII, Vlll), Here it is only necewary ro point out tliat
Confucius* own dehiutions of govern men c and of ti eat'
sctly CDLRcide. Government is delitied as putting things
or people in nrdcr, bur ii is also defined as "the order o(
XXVUI). The Chin He word // therefore
Cannot be rendered by an English word. On one eaxrerae^
it mcitas. "rjiualj’* ^propriety'^J in a gc£icrali.£cci sense^ h
rimply means "good manners*'; in its highest philosophic
sense, it meaua an ideal KKt.i1 Ofider with iFverytliing in
Jti placc^ and paztJcularly a rationalized fcndal order,
which was breaking down in Confudus'' days, as I have
already pclntcd out.

14 THT! Wt51>OAl OF COKPUClOt

To adbsfc 10 the philosophic mcamiig, Confucius was
trying to restore a sodal order, ha^ on love for one*
kind and respect for aathurity. of which tlic social
public worsliip and fesuvitics in niual and music should
be the outward symbols- Of course, the rituals o£ worship
lead straight back to primitive religious ntes
muaies. and it b clear that this so-cail«l relipon of
ir was truly soni-ieligious in diaractcr. bang rebted W
God at one end in the sacrifice to heaven by the Eni^r,
and related to the commun people at lire other end by the
leadlines of affection and discipline smd
thority in the home life. There have existed different
relicious sacrifices to heaven or God, to the ancestors ol
ihc rdcfs. i» the spirits of the earth and the mouncams
and rivers. Confudus, as reported Severn] imws m the
Analects and the UKi, said that he did not know of the
meaning of these particular sacrifices m God and the Im-
perbl Ancestors, known as cAmo and r'r, and dial if he
did. It would be as easy to rule the world as to turn ov«
oue^s hand, lu this a.spcct, the body of Confucian thought
resemhlc* most the laws of Moses, and it « easier to ®m*
pare Confucius in the scope of his teachings to
ihan to any other philosopher. The li of ConfucJU*, h e
the laws of Moses, covers both religious laws aud laws ol
dvU life and considers the two as integrated parts of n
whole. After all, Confucius was a product of his mnes,
living Lu what Gimtc calls the “religioui” cm.

Furthermore, ConfuQU* would undoubtedly have been
a High Churchman in tcrapcramcnt, an Episcopalian or
I Roman Catholic, if he were a Christian. He loved the

EirTIIODIJCTIDN

rituals of worships cermioly not as merely cenemonLiJ
acts without meanings but witli his dear knowledge of
bunhui psytliology, he saw that the proper rituals brought
about in the worsliipper u respectful or God-fearing stale
flf mindp Furthermore^ he was a cooservative^ like all
£pisw|ialians or Roman Citholies^ and believed in ao-
ihority and in coDiiimity with the past^ Personally^ his
artistic sense was too keen fur him not to be moved by
the appeal nf ceremonies and musiCt of whieh we have
ample evidence io the Analects (see CKh Sec, 2, 'The
Emodonai and ArtbUc Life of Confueius”)^ And 2% the
worship of God and the ancestors of llie r tilers was to
bring about a state of true piccy, so the Ceremonies of
drinking festivab and archery cuiiicst^ in the villagesi ae-
compnied with song and dance md kowtowiog, taeh
ing the vilLigcrs to observe form and order in their £cs-
dvitics^ were also to bring about a sense of general order
and courtesy among the masses.

Psychologically, therefore, the functions of ritual and
music arc the same:. Confucbniim gave a fiorr of phifo-
Sophie and even poetic meaning to ritual and music and
dance. This is nothing surprbiiigt cunsidcring that Cun-
fuduj himself was a great lover of music, learned to play
on musical iustnimcnts from a master nf musie at the
^ge of twenty-ninE:;, and constantly sang and played on
the ch*in (a scring instrument) even imiidsE his troubles.

It is definitely stated chat die sj:c hrenchw of study in
Confucius^ time were: ritual, music, arehecy, earxiage
dHvfag, writing and maLbemaLics. Confudus himself
edited the Booii of Scngs at the age of sixty foi;iuv

i6 the wisdom or cokpucius

i, said that aficf this job oi tdiiing, the different son^
were firsi shifted and properl]^ wtb tespeet in

dicira=«>mpaoyin5m.sic.lnfset,Co^u«ns own^

according to reports, seemed cuatmuaUy lo ^o with
sounds of song ond music, and Tsekung, when pbccd m
d^ge of a town, began m teach the p^plc f sing, wh^
induced a smile and a joke from Cor^uam (CK V
The philosophic meaning of mual and music is fully
ivdoped in Chapter X. The gist of it is= 'Wn you S«
a nation’s dance, you know the character of thc^ple ;
"music comes from the heart, while r JWal comes from the
outslde-’s "music is a «n« of joy-whM
strained or replaced from the human heart 5 the (U-
femnt kinds of music in different countries are an wdj-
cation of Ihc different more/ oE the different p^ple* .
"music harmoniaes the Kimmunity, while ritual dram
its sodal distinction"; "music represents h^ven or
abstract, while ritual represents the earth or the concrete ;
fballv "Ihereforc the andent kings instituted nrual and
music not only to satisfy our desires of the wr and the
cyt and the mouth and the stomach, but in or^ to
the people to have the right taste or the right Ukm and dis-
likes and restore the human order to its normalcy.
Naturally, the whole system of U embodies aim a con*
Crete plan of a sndal hierarehy, conduding with a prt^
dieinus ani™nt schobrship regitding rules and
mnnies for the religious sacrifices, the fescvitia of
drinking and archery and the conduct of l^n
and children and the takmg care of old people. Th
branch of Confudan historical scholarship was be« tJ®*

vdopcd by HsuaEse; a great philosopher whose hoahs
ctill CX35C and who was a conLemporary and livd of Men-
dtis, while Its philosophic meaning is also fully dcwloped
in the Lt{i {see the Thro: Confudan Discourses^ Chap
cers Vf, Vllj VIU), which largely reflect liiiuntsc's ih-
rerpreradons.

This undersfMiding of the iniportaiacc of Is helps ui
also to undcrstajid another coroUary of Conrudus' doc-
trincsit the importance of icnninolcgyi^ diet everything
should be called by Its right oaniCL Thcicfoi^ when Cco-
fudus wrote the politico! anniils of hb Itmc and the two
preceding centuries^ called the cAWAVtf or Spring and
Autumn^ his intexition was largely to restore the sodal
order by sharp distinctions in lemiimlogy, A ruler killing
a rebellious f^cral would be culled sfta, while a prince
Or a mimster killiiig liLs ruler would be called When
the Baron of Wu assumed the title of ”fciog," Confudua
merely wroie down "Baron WUi*’ dunking that he bad
degraded him by that single word In his Chmnides,

^ Humanism:

The finest phllcsaphLc; penpepdon of Confucius, it seems
TO mCf is his recognition that "the measure of tnan Is
iTiiin.** If it were not sOj the whole system of Cbnfuckn
ethics would &II to pieces* and would immediately be^
come impracdciahlc. The whole phiJosophy of ritual and
mu^ic is but tn **sct ttic human heart rights*' and the king¬
dom of God is truly within the man himselt The problem
for any man mtending to eddvare hia prsonal life is
merely to start out an a hunt for the best in his buman

l8 TUI WIBPnM OF

nature and stcadfcisdjf to keep EO Tint is practicaU|
the essence of Confucian cducs* This, re^tills in the doe-
rrinc of the GoWen Rule, and k best eatpbifled in Chap-
trt HI, “Central Hannoiiy " Of course as a part of this
liumani*m, ih«e i$ a high and lint conec^oa of /en or
*'irue manhood,** about which Confuciui constantly
talked, but which, as a qualificatinn, lie consistently re-
fmed to allow to all except two u£ hb disciple* and th«*
great men in tuscory, Cnnfudiis was constantly rtlucrant
m fia this concept of a “true man,” and when he was asked
whciher such and such a good man was a **1030 mao, in
nine eases out of ten he refused to apply that epithet w
a living man. But, as is made dear in the chapter on “Cen¬
tral Harmony," Confudua also pointed out that in order
to climb high, one had to begin fmin the low ground,
and in order to reach a distant place, one had m begin by
making a first step, and once he said, “Being a good
ion and a good younger brother pravidc* already the
basis for being a tme man "

The conception jai (true manhood) is W difficult to
translate a* the conception of li. In Chinese writing, ^s
character is composed of “two" and man, signifying
the relationship between menj Ln its present pronuncia¬
tion, it is idenficil with the sound for “man,** but in llie
ancient language it had a pmnuociatiolt which was iden¬
tical to that o£ “man" in a particular phrase, quoted by a
Han commentator, but unfocognizahle today. In certain
instances In Confucian books, the word for "true man¬
hood” is actually used interchangeably with the common
word for "niao,” the dearest instance of which occurs in

HfTlODUCtlOfJ ig

the AnalccU, where a disdplc ipcalu ahouz "a m-m tl!
mg mio a well/' die word for being writicu with

the word for '^mjc manbuod," mually translated as " ki nd-
ness" or "benc%Tilcace/' Anyway the ossociadon of iJcaj
is dear, la tJie Englisli bnguage m diiTcrcnt words, sudi

as huTnuniiariant and AuTJtumlyt tht J.isc

word h.iK a double meaning of "mankind “ and "kiod-
ocss.” Both Confudus and Mcodtis also once defined
"irue manhood'^ as tlic “bve of mm^' But the marter i*
not so simpJe, la the first plac^^ as I have pointed out,
Confudus refused to give a concrete cianiplc of a Uue
man, whereas certainly he would not have icfoscd to give
a concrete example al merely “a kind man." In the sec¬
ond place^ chk "true manht^" is often described as a
state of mind, a state rhat one 'V^rdics for," "attains,"
"feels at peaLc in," "dcpaits from," “is based upoa," and
(Mendus) ''dwells as In a house.

The essential idea of is therefcrc a conception nf
the state when man is truly himscLff and fmm thb point
oOj Mendus starts out on his whole philosophy about the
essence of Iiuman naturep and finds that "human nature
IS good/' while I I$untse^ believing that human nattire is
bad and faking up the other end of ConRician teachings
regarding educatinn and music and the system of sodal
order and outward forms of moral conduct^ develops the
idea of it\ with emphasis on ncscraint fo common Eng¬
lish phrasoobgy* we speak of certain people among our
acquaintances as real man" or ’^^a real person," and this
seems lu come closest to llie Cbafudan concept bn of ien*
On the one hand, wc begin to understand why Conbxcim

^ TKB WISDOM OP eONPUCrUB

refused lo give so oiany good men of bis day ihat bbcl,
as we can Kc uxky how many men or women wc would
be willing to call “a real person ” in its most ideal tease,
(Abraham Linecin ccrUiiily was one.) Ou ibe Other hand,
we do bad that the approach to being a teal man is after
all nor so difficult, and that anyone can be a real pusuo
if he keeps iib heart right and has some contempt for the
aTtifidalide* of civilizatina— in other words, every com-
muii person can be a real man if he wants to. This RiUy
fus in with the Confuciaa and Mcacian statement that
to be a real mait, one merely needs to Stan out by being a
good son or daughter or hroiher or sister, ora good citizen.
I consider, therefore, my translation of jen as "true man¬
hood** fully accurate and adetjuarc. In certain placci, il
will have to be rendered merely as "kindness** just as the
word li in certain places will have to be rendered merely
ws *Viltud” or "ceremony'' of "“jmiuicr?."

ActUially, Mencius ar rived ac the pakion lint me a arc
all created equal la goodness oF heart, aud that rnen
can be like the Emperars Yao snd Stain'' (the Confuciin
modcU of perfect virtac). 1 1 is this humanisde approach
of dknblng high from the Io\v and reaching ihc distance
from the nearby, aad of making an easy start ia virtue
or the development of chancier that accouate for ilie
grat fascinatiod of Confudanism over the Chinese peo¬
ple, as distiaguished from ihe much more idealislic doc-
trine of Morse* tmiuiig actually the "farherhood of God"
aad **univi:rsal love,” so akin to ChrUtianiiy. The human¬
istic idea of measuring man by man not only forces one
to discover the true «lfi but naturally also rwults la the

INTlOD VGTIDM

IT

Golden Rultj known in Qimeie sa sAa^ p^imdy, av O^n*
fucius repeatedJy saidj ''Do not do unto others wlui you
would nqr have others do unto you/' Confudus not only
^vc this ^ A ddinitkin o£ the ''true nun^" but also sjid
dial it was oeotrd ibread oi all his teadiiogs. The
word for jAu (rnwning ^reciprocity") is wriircn in Ghi-
ncu; whh Lhe two cleixhcnts “a heut" and “dikcL.'^ In motU
era Chinese^ it usually means forgiveness," but the traosi-
tion is easy to understand^ for if you assunae that all men's
reactions arc the same in a pitJcnUr dreumstanoe^ and
if you place yourself ia die nther man's posllkm^ you
would naturally forgi^. Confudanisinj therefore;* con-
standy reverted ro the personal teat of how would you foci
yourself or '^finding it to yourselL” Hie best aiialDgyt as
given in Chapter Jllj is dwt of a carpenter trying to make
an Me-handle-Kall he needs ro.do is to look at the handle
of the axe in hLx owa hand for a iiiodeL He will OOt have
to go far. The measure of man is man*

4. Personal cultivation as the basis of a world order:

The cthiud approach o£ Confudamstn to the problems
of politico has already been made dear. Put in the plains
cot terrost Conhicius believed that a natioD of good sons
and good brothers could not help making an orderly,
pcaccftil nation* Confucianism traced hack the ordering
of a aaticnal life to the regulation of the family life and
the regulation of the family life to the cultivation of the
personal life. That means very much abour the same
thing os when modern educators cell us that the reform of
the present chaotic world after all must ultimately depend

22 tUB WlAUOM 0? CONFUCIUS

on educarioii. ITtC logical connfictioiu between a world
o^der aa tlae final aim and the cultivation of the personal
life by individiiaLi m a necessary itart are made perfectly
pbin in the chapter, "EtWes and Politics” (Chapter
iV) and also in Chapter Ill, Sec. fi, and throughout the
Chapters VI, VII, VUI, The Chinese picocaiptioii with
moral maxims and platitudes becomes then intelligible,
for they arc out detached apbofisms, but a/e pn of a
well-rounded political philosophy.

Interpreted in the light of modern psychology, this doc¬
trine can ht reduced easily to two theories the theo^ of
T.flKir and the thooiy of imitation. The whole emphasis on
"filial piety,” more clearly translated hy myself as bciog
a good son,” is psychologically based on the theory of
habit. Confucius and Mencius Hierully said that, having
acquired the habits of love and respect in tbe hom<^ one
could not hut extend this mental attitude of love and
respect to other people’s parents and dder brothers and
to the authorities of the state. As stated in Chapter IV,
"when the individual families have learned kindness
then the whole nation has learned kindness, and when the
individual families have learned courtesy, llien the whole
nation has learned courtesy." The teaebiug of young diU-
drcD ID love their parents and brothers and to be respect*
ful to their juperiars lays the foundation of right menial
and moral attitudes for growing up to be good citizens.

5. The intcllertual upper class:

'Phe theory of imitation, or the power of example, rev
suits in the doctrine of the intellectual upper class and of

INTRODUCTION 2'^

‘‘government by example.” The intellectual upper class
is at the same time a moral upper class, or it fails in its
qualifications to be considered the upper class at all. This
is the well-known conception of the Confucian “gentle¬
man” or “superior man” or “princely man.” This princely
man is not at all a super man of the Nietzschean type. He
is merely a kind and gentle man of moral principles, at
the same time a man who loves learning, who is calm
himself and perfectly at ease and is constandy careful of
his own conduct, believing that by example he has a
great influence over society in general. He is perfectly at
case in his own station of life and has a certain contempt
for the mere luxuries of living. All the moral teachings of
Confucius arc practically grouped around this culdvatcd
gentleman. The Chinese word for this, chuntse, was a
current term given a new meaning by the usage of Con¬
fucius. In many places, it definitely meant “the sovereign”
and could not be translated as “gendeman” and still make
sense; in other places, it obviously meant only a culdvatcd
“gentleman.” With the existence of an intellectual upper
class of rulers, the two meanings merged into one another,
and formed a concept very similar to Plato’s “philosopher
king.” The theory of the power of example is fully de¬
veloped in Chapter XII of the Analects (sec Chapter V o£
this book, Sec. 9). Confucius had an overweening con¬
fidence in the power of moral example. When a rapacious
rich official, Chik’angtse, told Confucius that he was wor¬
ried about the prevalence of robbers and thieves in his
country, Confucius bluntly replied, “If you yourself don’t

THfl WISnnM of CONl*UCltfS

love money, you tan gi™ *'i= money to [be thiews and
they won't take it."

n. K BdU£F ESTIMA™ Of TtlE OHAKACrER OF {MKfUCtUlS

The great prottge of Confucius and Cbnfucian teachings
during the centuries tm mediately after his death, as well
as in subsetjuciil Chinese history, must be ascribed to
three factors; first, the intrinsic appeal of Confudan Idas
to the Chinese way of thinking; second, tlie enormous
historical learning and acholiirsbip accnmnlated and prac
tically rnonopolined by die CoofucianisU, in contrast to
the other schools which did not bother with historical
learning (and this body of sdiobtship carried enough
weight and pratige o£ its own) ; and thirdly, the evident
charm of personality and prestige of the Master himself.
There arc in this world cetLam great Deachers, whose per¬
sonality seems lo account for their influence more than
thdr scholarship. We think of Socrates, or of St. Francis
of Assisi, whn themselves did not write any books of
account, but who left such a tremendous impress on Lheir
generation that their infiucnce persisted throughout the
ages. The charm of Confudus was very much like the
charm of Socrates; the very fact that the btier enm-
manded the affcabn and respect of Plato is sufficient
evidence of the power of his personality and his ideal.
It is true Confudus edited the Soo\ of Songf, and tt is
aim true that he wrote the bare skeleton of events, chron¬
icled in the Spring and Aattitnn, hut after aU the great

l^tKODVCtlOVt

25

imditJan of hli ttachiog^ was puL dywa by his disdpld
uid fulure £ollowcfs.

Thtrt of course, rrujny charactmTsrifliis of Con¬
fucius’ pcrsoQzlity la tht various CooEuciaa books. Wc
get a fofdiiitc of k at tht cud of CKapctr III* on '’Qatnil
HafMOUy/’ His discipk Yen Hud also lauded him to the
skies, comparing hLtn to a great mysterious sametbing:
'^You rurn up youx head and look at It and it seems so
high; you try to drilJ thxough it and ir Mcms so hardr it
appears to be in front of you and aJl of a sudden it appears
behind you-” Some of the best diaractcrixations, hmvever*
am the foilowingi It was said that he was ^"gentle but dig-^
nificd, austerci yet not harsh^ plitc and completely at
case/' Confucius^ sclf-charactcrizadons were Still berTcr*
Once a king asked one of kis disdples about Confudui
and the disdple could not make an answer. The disciplc
then returned to tell Confndiis nf the Incident^ and CdrN
fucius replied, *'Why didn’t you tell him that I am a man
who forger* to cat when he h cnthiMiastic about some*
thing, who forgets all his worries when he is happy, and
who Is not aware that old age Is oomlng on ?'* In this state-
tzicnt, we see something o£ the joy of life, the enthusii^^
and the psitivc, persistent urge for dning sOmcthifig+ He
also said of himself several rimes that be wjis not a iaiut,
but that be admitred he was tireless in fcamjag and in
teaching other people. Aa an iUiasrratioo of this posirivc
urge in Confucius, there is also the following record. One
of hia disciples was putting up for the night at a place, and
the gatekeeper asked him where be ws* froiTL Tselu re*
plied that he was from Confudus aitd the gatekeeper re-

26 THE wrSDOM OF CONFUCIUS

marked, "OA, is he the felloa/ who ^nows that a thing
cant be done and still wanU to do it?" There was a high
moral idealism in Confucius, a consciousness of a mission,
that made him completely believe in himself.

The charm of Confucius’ private character rcaUy lies
in his gentility, as is so clearly shown in his conversational
tone with his disciples. Many of the sayings of Confccius
contained in the Analects can only be interpreted in die
light of a leisurely discourse of a humorous tMcher with
his disciples, with an occasional shot of witticism. Read
in this light, some of his most casual remarks become
the best. I like, for instance, such perfectly casual sayings
as the following : He remarked one day to two or three
intimate disciples talking with him, “Do you think that
I have hidden anything from the two or three of you?
Really, I have hidden nothing from you. There is nothing
that I do that I don’t share with the two or three of you.
That’s I.’* Another instance: Tsekung loved to criticize
people and Confucius said, calUng him by his intimate
name, "Ah Sze, you arc very clever, aren’t you? I have
no time for such things.” Another instance: Confucius
said, “I really admire a fellow who goes about the whole
day with a well-fed stomach and a vacuous mind. How
can one ever do it? I would rather that he play chess,
which would seem to me to be better.” In one instance,
3onfucius said something derisively about what one of
his disciples was doing. The disciple was puzzled, and
Confucius explained that he was merely pulling his leg,
implying that really he approved. For Confucius was a
gay old soul. His gentility and hospitality toward all

INTRODUCTION YJ

desiring to learn are recorded in the following incident,
resembling a story in the Bible when Jesus said, “Suffer
the little children to come unto me.” The people of a
certain village were given to mischief, and one day some
young people from that village came to see Confucius,
and the disciples were surprised that Confucius saw them.
Confucius remarked, “Why be so harsh on them? What
concerns me is how they come and not what they do
when they go away. When a man approaches me with
pure intentions, I respect his pure intentions, although I
cannot guarantee what he does afterwards.”

But Confucius was not all gentility. For he was a “real
man.” He could smg and be extremely polite, but he also
could hate and sneer with the hatred and contempt of a
“real man,” which was shared by Jesus in his hatred of
the scribes. There was never a great man in this world
who did not have some genuine good hatreds. Confucius
could be extremely rude and there are recorded in the
Analects four or five caustic remarks made about people
in their presence. He could be rude in a way that no Con-
fucianist dares to be rude today. There was no class of
persons that Confucius hated more than the goody-goody
hypocrites whom Confucius described as “the thieves of
virtue.” Once such a person, Ju Pei, wanted to see Con¬
fucius, and Confucius sent word to say he was not at
home. When Ju Pci was just outside the door, Confucius
took up a string instrument and sang “in order to let him
hear it” and know that he was really at home. This pas¬
sage in the Analects has confused all Confucian critics,
who proceeded upon the assumption that Confucius was

2^ THE WttHOM OP CONPUCIXfS

a lamc ariti flot a humaa beiogf and waj aipf'ays polite.
Such Drthodoi criltdim aaiur^illy eomplcEtlf dehuman¬
ized Coofucios- AiuothcJ- passage la chc Analsct^t ^
cnfdcd in Mcndiif, also piizzJcd the critics, A cormpc
olEcinl, by the nsnae of Y^g ilo, presented Confudus
with a leg o£ pork. M the two persons heartily disliked
each other, Yang Ho found out wheii Confudui would
not be at home and then pn:scntcd the leg of pork at hii
home as a nianer of enurtety. Confucius aho took the
trouble to Hod out when Yang Ho was uot at home and
then went to say ihaoks to him and leave his card, la
rtply to a quciLion from his disciples enneerning the
rulers of dayi Confucius repflarkedn Oh, those are
rice bag^!'* (i-c, getod only for filling themselves with
rice). At another time he made this remark abom 3 man
who was reputed to have mdiJged in Hnging at his
mothcr^s death. "'As a pung boy, you were uunilyj when
grown up, you have acoompljalicd nothings and now in
your old age you refine tn die. You are a thief I** And Con¬
fucius struck his shia with a walking stick.

There was, in kci^ 0 bt of fun in Cemfucius. He led 3
fullp joyous life, the fijll human life of feelings and strtistk
taste. For he was a man of deep emorionalit-y and great
&cJi5itive taste. At the death o£ his favorite dEsapIe^ Cna-
fuctus wept bitterly. When he was asked why he wept a
and was so shakco, be replied, 1 don t weep bitterly
at the death of such a person, for whom else shall 1 weep
bitterly?" His curious sensitiveness and capadey for
vhcxlding tens was shown in an instance when he passed
by casually a funeral of one of his old acqiiaintafia^- He

INTIOUUCTIOTT

wtnL m, acd moved by die wriepin^ of others he also
Wrpe, When be c^itnte Out^ he a^ked his diidplc to mice ^
pn of the ^iccoutremenij on hb hor$c qj q Iimeral giLt^
and judj '^T:ike it Id as my formal preunr« I bared rbii
weeping without reasoo-"

This man^ who song pbyed musical ImtrymeiiLj
{ffAVn, lek, apd and edited a book of iviih

accompanying was an ardsL As 1 Lave alrady

poimed ouii he was a lover of ritual and music. As an
bistraLion of his Episeopslian temper^ there was the fol¬
lowing iDcidenl which ooDlrastcd him sharply with Jesus
wbo had much less respect for the laws and the prophets
and ail the ritualism that went with them. Jesus allowed
a person to save a cow out of a pit on the 5abbatb» Con¬
fucius might have approved^ or he might not. His dis*
dpic Tsel^ng once proposed to abolish the winter sacri*
fices of ]ambs> and Confudm repliedi "Ah Ssse* you love
the Iamb, but I lave the ritual!" Anpvay, he w'asn'^t inter¬
ested in animals. Far on hearing that a stable was burnt
down by Fre, it was recorded that he asked whether any
persons were hurt but "did not ask about the htiraci.*'
The anifC in him made him £,iy that a man's education
should begin with poetry^ be strengthened by proper
conduci^ and “consummated in music.^ It was also re¬
corded that when be heard another m.in sing and liked
iti he would ask for an r#nore and then join in the rcfraln.
The anise in him also made him very fastidbus about his
food and hU dress. 1 have already pointed out eUewhere
that his fastidiousness about focxl wai most probably the

^ THE OF CONPtrclUS

Qitise o£ his wife’s ruDoing away.* He refused to cat when
anythmg was not in season, or OOi pinpcrly cooked^ or
not srLTved with its proper sauce. And he had taste
in maiching colors in Ids dressi A nMxicrn modiste could
easily understand why he would match a black lamb
Hja: with a black covering, a white faun emt with a whiw
covering, and a fox otxit with a yellow covering. (This
"covering" corresponds to the ’'lining in \Vcitcin for
coats, for Chinese fur coats arc worn with the fur Oft the
inside and the silk on the outside.) He was also something
of an inventor in the matter of dress. His bedclothes were
longer than his body by half, to avoid cold feet, and he
struck upon the beautiful idea of making his right sIcctc
shorter than hiS left sleeve fur convenience at work, which
must liave also exasperated his wife and caused tliia
woman to run away from the crazy man. (For all these
facts sec Chapuer X of the AnalecUf or Chapter V, Section
a, in this bouL The aristocracy of hii taste ralended even
to divorce. For three successive generations, the Master,
his sun, and his grandson were divorced or separated from
their wives. On the intellectual lineage (the Master, his
great disciple TsengtsCi and Tsengtsc’s disaple Tseszc),
the record of divorce was also unbroken for three and a
half geoeraijons, it being reported that the imellsctoal
fourth generation, Mencius (who studied under Tsesze),
iUmott divorced his wife. So, although none of them was
particularly rid), they were undoubtedly aristocrats.

One of the most important charaaeristics of Gonfudn*
which really accounted for his great prestige was simply

* Stt q{ IJFPfff. Pijfc

INTRODUCTION 3I

his scholarship and love of learning. Confucius said this
repeatedly of himself. He admitted that he was not one of
those *‘born to know the troth/* but that he was an in¬
defatigable reader and teacher, tireless in his search after
knowledge and learning. He admitted that in every ham¬
let of ten families, there were some righteous and honest
men as good as himself, but none who loved learning
the way he did. He counted as one of the things that
would trouble him “the neglect of his studies.” In one ol
his sayings, I note a sigh of regret which is the regret of
a modern research scholar. In his efforts to reconstruct the
religious practices, ceremonies and customs of the ancient
dynasties, he went to the city of Chi to search for survivals
of the customs of Hsia Dynasty, and to the city of Sung
to Icam of the surviving religious practices of the ancient
Dynasty of Shang. He said, “I should be able to talk about
the religious customs of the Hsia Dynasty, but there are
not enough evidences in the city of Chi. I should be able
to talk about the religious customs of the Shang Dynasty,
but there arc not enough evidences In the city of Sung.
There arc not enough historical documents and evidences
left If there were, I should be able to reconstruct them
with evidences.” In other words, he was essentially a re¬
search scholar in history, trying to salvage from existing
customs as well as historical documents the ancient social
and religious practices which had decayed and the theoc¬
racy which had broken down. Nevertheless, he did his
best, and the result of his labors was the coUection of the
Confudan Fwc Classics which were strictly history (dio
turn of a Ch’ing scholar, Chang Hsuch-ch’eng), as disrin^

^ THB WISDOM OF CONFUCIDS

gubhcd from iht Four BaaJ^s- 1 hs vc no dotibE tlut pa>
pk were attracted to CoDlLiduSr Itss because he was die
wisest mm □£ Ills Umt; than because he was the most
learned idiolar, the only one of hb day who could teach
them abotir the andeot books and ancient scholarship.
There was a great body of historical Jcajomg euoccriiing
the governmental systems of ancient dmes^ and there was
jtiU a greater body of historical Teaming (xinccming the
religious rites and ccrenronics of a decaying or decayed
thcDcxacy, particularly that of the Shaug Dynastyj as we
can ste from Coafucius' Fwe Ctasikf. lit was reported to
have had three thousand pupils in all, of which number
seventy-two were accomplished in the ofSan^e^ the
BaoJ( of HUtory and the theory and practice of rituals and
music. He believed in history and the appeal of history^
because he believed in conunuity. It will be seen in the
chapter oo ^‘Central Harmon/* (Chapicr III), diac he
regarded as the three essential requisites for governing
the world; Charatter* poddon of auihoriryi and the ap
peal to historyT and that lacking any one of these things^
no one could succeed with a govcrnmcAtaJ sysLeoi and
^'cotntpand credence,"" however excdleot it might be, iTie
actital result was that there grew up within the Coofudan
lehnnl a great body of hisforico] learning which the other
jKduxiU cuiircly lacked^ and personaily I believe th-c vic¬
tory of the Cou/ucian schnul over the other schools of
Laotse and Motse was as much due to Its prestige in
scholarship as lo its intrinsic philosophic value. The Con^
fudan Leadicrs liad mmetbing dcfioite to teach and the
Confudan pupib had something defimte to leam, namely,

1 NTROUtrCTJ DN ^

historical Icaroiag, while the odica' cchoots were fcroed to
air iMrcljf their own opinionsj, either on "universal ltive“
or on *^Joifc of onescifi"

A word must be itiid libout the genial humor of Goa
fudus, both because it supports and iUustfatea what if
have said about tii living a fuU^ joyous lifc^ so dUfcfcnl
from the convcnrbnd picture of Coofuciiu presented to
us by the killjoy Sung doctrijiaircs, and because it hdjn
lis to see Ills iimplicity and grcalnc$s, Cbiiftidus was not
a cheap wit, hut oecasionaJly he cnuld not resist tuming
a clever bne, $uch as the following: man who docs nut
say to himself 'What to do? What in do? —indeed I denial
know what to do with such a pcison"; or thb^ *'Know
whac you know and know that you don’t know wlial
you don't know— dual ia the characteristic of one who
knows” (or in Chinese faslubn^ ‘'Know, knowi don't
know, don't kuow^hat is know”) ; or this, “A man wJio
knows he bos committed a mistake and doesn't correct
it is oomirtltting another imsiakc.” SomelLmcs lie was also
Capable of 3 lifile bit of poeiic humor or occasional License.
There was a passage in the in which the

lover complained that it wasn't that she did not think
of her sweetheart# but that ’"his house was so far away."
Commenting upon this passage^ Cnnfucins remarked^
*^he really did nor think of him at aJIf if she did, how
could the house seem far away?”

But the most diarjcterisde humor that we find iu Con¬
fucius was also the best kind of huranr generally, the
humor of laughing at his own expense. He had ploily d
chance to laugh at his own outwaid hiilures or of adinir'

TKIS WisnOJiE lUJ' CONFUCEtJA

34

fing ihat other peoplc^s enndsins of him v^tfc <juiic cor*
rca. Some of this humor waj merely casual Jjghi railJery
between ihe Master and his disdples^ Oqcc a man fmm
M ucrtujA village remarkedj "'Great indeed is CoEfudttsI
He knows about everything and is expert at nothing/"
Hearing this commcnti Cnnfodus mid his disciples^
"What shall 1 spedalize in? Shall 1 spcdallai: in axdiery
or io driving n carriage (In this connectloH he once ad-
mitted jokingly that if wealth could be achieved eniircly
by human cfTurt, he would achieve It even if be had to he
t cab driver.) During the failure of Ids pohucal career^
Tsekung once remarked^ "'Here is a piece of precious
\ndct preserved in a casket and waiting for a good prke
for sale-” And Confudus repliedj “For sale I For sale! I
am the one waiting for a good price tu he soIdP Refusal
to see humor in Ccnfuciua would land the criEics and cofin'
mentators in ridiculous dilScuttks over such a passage.
Eut as n matter of fact^ rhe Master and hts disciples con-
stancly joked back and forrh^ Confucius was once in dif
Gculiles whde travdling. Being misraken for a certain
Other mad who had maltreated die pcoplCp he was sur*
mimded by iroops. Ife Hnally tscaped^^ but hh favorite dis-
dpic Yen Hud failed to euro up till later, and Confadtir
said to him,. "I thought you were killed."’ Yen repliedp
"As JoDg as you llvc^ haw dare I he killed 1“ In aor^Thcr
story, Once the Master and his disciples had lo^ track of
each orhtr. The disciples fmally heard fnam the crowd
that there was a tall man standing at the East Gate mth
a hkgti forehead resembling some of the ancient empemrs,
but that he looked crestfallen like a homeless wandering

u^rmoaucTiow

dog. The disciples finally found tun and toM him abauT
this remark and Confucius replied, "I don't know about
my resemblmg those ancient empemn;, m far re^
rcmMng a homtless, taandmng dog, he is sjttite right!
He is ^«ite right! This is the best type of humor, and
what appeals to me most is that passage in The Life of
Canfuciui (Chapter U, Seciioa 5), where CbnfudUs was
acTiially singing in the rain. There is a deep pathos about
that group of wandering scholars^ roaming for three years
in the wilds between Ch’en and Ts’ai, having just escaped
trouble^ all dressed up in their tremendous scholarship
and having nowhere to gn. These last years of wandering
became the turning point of Cbofud us* career, after whh:h
he admitted liis full failure in seeking a politiad career
and returned to his native country to devote himitelf to
editing and authorship. He compared himself and hU
disciples to n nondescript band of aniimls, “neither buf
fains, nor tigers'' wandering in the wilds, and began to
ask his disciples wliat was wrong with iilm. After the
third answer, Confucius approved and said to the dis-
dple who made that clever answer, smilirgly, “Is that
so? Oh, son of Yen, if you were a rich man, I watdd he
your hutler!" That is a passage that completely won me
Over to Confucius. Taken as a whole, that passage has a
beauty and pathos comparable to Celfasemanq except
that it ends on a cheerful note.

3*

THl W II DOM Of CONFUCIUS

□I. SOURCES AM> plan OF THE PKE^EHT BOOS.

I have remiiiktd thai the Confudan scliool practically
monopolized the hjstortc sehoLirsLiip oi ibo^ days, io-
eluding the ability to read wlsal was then already an
archaic script, anti diis body of histone learning was
handed down os the Coofuckn Fwff Clauici- lo llie year
313 B.C,, the ''buroiog of hooka" (with the exception of
books On medidhe, asttnology and hoitictiltttre) took
place, and in the foUnwiiig ycafj, 112 4&J Confucian

scholars were buried alive for crititmng Ch'in Shih-
huang. the builder of the Great Walk It happened, how-
ivtr, that this Emperor*$ Dynasty, founded for "ten thou-
tand generations,^ collapsed five years after llie massacre
and many old Confudan scholars who had committed
rheelassics to memory had survived iL lliese old schniat?
thus had salvaged the Conf udao classics by an oral tiadi-
tiou and by sheer memory, assisted, I siispect, ntvcrthelcas
by some inscrihed pieces of bamboo that they had hidden
away. These people then taught their disciples and had
these cLassiea written down in what was tlien Called the
^modern script,” for Chiuese writing went through 0
greac process of simplification duritig the rdgn of that
great Emperor. In the century foUowing and nfLerwards^
however, there came to light ancient bamboo inscriptions^
w'riEicn in the “ancient script," which had been hidden
away and had escaped dett ruction. The mosr notable iH'
stance \vas the discovery of ancient cotts by a "King of
Lu," who had opened up the walls of Conhidus’ own

i NTilOUTrCTION 37

bouse uiid lemple jjid found thtse prcHzrvai As they
were JD arebak script, sdiobrs set about tn decipher
them, 0. difficult but not izopoft^ihle job in diosc timcf.
There grew up, therefore, a separate tradicson, known as
the ^ancient script" tradition, whieh in part differed from
the tradinon o£ die “modem script," notably in regard lo
the records of the andtnt forms of soctety and systems
of governmenc and concemiDg die mythokigka] rulers^
These TWO different tradUIons were noted ol^dy in the
Han D'ynasfy, but the greatest eommentator, Cheng
Hstian, for instance, tried to harmonise the two. A coni'
promise was effected. Tlius throughout the succeeding
dynasties, the orthodox version and interprecatJon of the
Boo\ of Soffgf and die Spring anJ jiuiumn were based
upon the ‘'ancient script," while the lJ\h admtned as one
of rhe FiW C/afficf^ decidedly belonged to the tradition
of the “modern script*" The distincrinu her ween the two
traditTons wos not sharply drawn until the Cb'ing scholars
of the ijth, rSth and ijth eenturio set nboiit with their
sdciiEific comparative meth-od to restore rhe ir.ididon of
the “modem script." Every available scrap of evidence and
every methcNj of historic^ critielsm and philological le-'
scareh was brought to bear upon this quesrion, the most
notable achievement being the conclusive proof of forg*
cry of Ewenty-five out of the fiftyrcight existing chapEers
in rhe o/ History^ thus restoring this da^tc to a oot
lection of thirty-three chapters, representing the tradi
ikn of the “modern script." The general posidon is, no;
that the arduuc script itself was a forgery, but that our

3? WISHOM DF CONVVClVi

pFic!jeDt; version af the sodllccl arehiiic script was s

forgciy.

llie term ^'Coiifudaii today u^UiiIIy refers to

the CLtsskf nnd the Four Soo\s, The Fu*e Ctas~
firs as I have pointed oot formed the body of historical
learning editird, taught and handed down by Confucius
bimsdl, wliile the Four Booi(s oq Lhe whole represeated
die works of hb foilowcts, their records of Cbafudus'
sayings and their interpretations or developments of Con¬
fucius^ thnughts. Then at other rimes^ we aba !;peak of the
TAtrUen CiasFrs. The contents of these dlflerent i^llee-
tions wiil be niade plain by the Tables on pages 40 and
1t should be rcmcmberedi however^ that in Conludus^own
day, there were Six Cforifcr instead of fVWe, the addidonal
one being TAr Boo^ 0/ Musics the rcmainijig portions
of which survive today as one of the chapters of U\i
(Chapter X of diis book). The oomparative Tables on
pages 40 and ^t will show the relationships- indicates
the '^ancient script" {iiuwat) tradition; "#’''iiidicatcs the
“modem scripc^^ (tAitm^cn) tradldoD^

The usual approach to the study of Confuclan wi^om
by directly attacking che AnotecU is a mutahe, because
it lends nowhere- The Afislcos is a promiscuous and un¬
edited collection of Confucius' sayings, often taken out
of their oontuits in longer discourses recorded elsewhere,
which would make the meaning clearer. There are also
duplicate quotations existing in differcjit chapters, of
which there are twenty, showing titar the work grew
by itself in separate hands and was noi edited by any nnc
man. Some of the chapters;, evidently compiled by the cUa-

JKTSO&VCTJON 39

ciplo of Tscngtsc^ w^tild cociLukE mare of

Tscngtse. Tlic iliiTcrcnt sayings ia jmy ooe dupEcr arc
0OE arranged ai all id sequence of ideas; sofneunies odc
can detect a mam thccoc^ but. more often one cannot*
There are eviclcnt later additions ac the cud of some cliap-
ier$^ and some Hnes in tbe textp Jbr instance thoK at tlie
end of Chapter Xj ait dearly incomplete.

But the greatest difficulty for a Western reader in ap¬
proaching die system of Cunfueian thought through the
Afiiii^cis lies in the Western rcudei’a habit of readings
He demands a connected dUcoursC;^ and is contect to
listen while he expects the writer to talk on and on. llicrc
is no such thing as reudiiig a Ime out of a book and taking
a day or two co think about it* to chew and digest It men¬
tally and have it verified by one^s own rcfiecdons and
experience. AeLiially, the Ansil^cis must be read, if it it
10 be read At aJi,. by having the Jilfeient aphoHrms spread
out on the separate days of a calendar blocks and letting
the reader ponder over one saying each day and no more-
This is the orthodox method of scudying the AnalectSt the
method of taking a line or two and [horoughly masrexing
the thought ^nd its implications. This evidently canmiE
be done with respect to modern readers^ Besides^ no one
can get a wdl-rounded and consecutive view of the de¬
velopment of Confucius" thoughts by merely reading the
Anaiccii.

lliU is die reason why In the present pbn^ I am fenced
to select from the Coufudau classics and the Fowr Bpa\f
those chnipters which represent connected t^ays or con¬
nected discourses on any one topic. In fact, there exist in

thirteen OLASSICi

DOM OF CONFUCIUS

s'S a-B ?

lal S'l
•i i § “ >

o i “i.a
S ^ S si

e SI'S g-S

i 'l-§ i$ i

3 O I

•^Js bOS 3
^13

o ^:2 o u
a§B^>2

■^1 8'“ -a
fl^Jf

E s E

VM S g "3 ^

O S M-S “■

>» >* S 5 S3

•g.:! 5.3

6

>%

*5

F

in?

s

I-

U.5

m

4-.3

q"^

I"

S

8

n

- r

fDisfri3

3AIJ

•is

iNTaooucrioN'

5=3 <4

I l^lif ^

42 riJE wi5D07^r of coNrvcrua

the Lif(i cDQncctc J CoDfucio^ dUlo^c^ oE wluch Clulp-
ters Vlj Vll eq J VIII axe good example* In Chapters III
and I V| on “Ceniml Harmony” and "'Ethics and Politics,"
we lind also a connected clcvclopmcnL of Ideas iit the
form of cssaya. Actually, of the ojjie chapters of Coof iidan
teats (ix, exdudmg ibe Lf/c by Sitema Ch'jcii) selected
and uajislatcd by myself in this tookj seven are chapters
from the Zj^xV while the remaining two chapters consist
of one selection from Mcnci tis and nne cuUecLloii of *^Aplv
□rkros n£ ConfLicius,^ arranged or da$silied sayings se-
Iccted from the Affnicas^ with a few sdections from other
chapters of Uf^L By looking at the above table, J: will be
seen tliat besides introducing oetv thaprers torn ihc
tJ\j\ it coven In four chapters (TIT, IV, V, XI) the same
field as the Four svhich Chinese childrcu were re¬

quired tu learn. In the dcmeniary grades. This method
is therefore orthodox. I'wo of the fmr *‘Ccn*

ral Harmony" and 'Tersonal Culiivatiooi” were taken

from the lJI(i anyway and elevated into the position of
parts of the Foixr together witJi tlic AfiiilcftS

and ibc Bao/^ cf Mendui only by die Sung scliolat Chu
Hsi (iijcKrioo), and there is no reason why the other
chapters £>f thcLiJ^j should not have equal authority with
those two chapters %vhich Chu Hsl selected-
There is the general quotion as to the validity and
accuracy of records of Qmfucitis^ sayings in and even

in the Amhefs. This is the general question of what ex¬
actly Confurius or Buddha or Socrates said and to what
cxtcut we can believe, for insrance, that PlatoV accounts
of the Socratic dialogue were literally accumte. A synopEic

INTRODUCTION 43

Study of the Four Gospels of the Christian Bible reveals
discrepancies enough. And we find the same variations
of the sayings of Confucius, given in slightly different
words in the Analects, the Bool( of Mencius and the IJ\L
It was inevitable that Plato colored the sayings of Socrates
through his own pen, and the same was true of many
of the chapters of the L/^/. Modern politicians who have
the occasion to be interviewed by reporters realize the
practical impossibility of obtaining a literally accurate
report of what they have said. Nothing short of a dicta¬
phone can convince the politicians of what they actually
said themselves.

The Ul{i itself, as I have already said, is only a collec¬
tion of various records in the possession of the Confucian
school, and is definitely of extremely diverse origin. Some
of these, including the essay on “Central Harmony” arc
ascribed to Tsesze, the grandson of Confucius, and some
others, particularly a few in the “Great Tai” collection,
arc undoubtedly handed down by Tsengtse or his dis¬
ciples. The chapters on education and music doubdess re¬
flect the ideas of the Confucian philosopher Hsuntsc, a
contemporary of Mencius who spoke of the latter with
contempt (“a gutter philosopher” was the phrase used).
For the rest, a shocking proportion of the Uf^i is devoted
to discourses on funeral ceremonies, while the “Great
Tai” collection is devoid of these discussions. A good
number of chapters arc devoted to the philosophic mean¬
ing and actual ceremonial robes and vessels of public wor¬
ship. There arc also chapters on the rules and custqms
pertaining to all kinds of festivities— marriage, archery

44 the wisdom of confucius

contests, dance, village festivals, drinking and games
(Chapter XL for instance, describes a game in detail, simi¬
lar to those we see in shooting galleries). An important
chapter. Chapter V, is the basis of the “modern script*^
school on the ancient system of administration, as the
Chouli is the basis for the “ancient script” school. There
arc other chapters dealing with the conduct of women
and children and ordinary points of etiquette. The very
6rst chapter, for instance, besides giving the philosophic
justification for ritualism, also covers advice such as the
following:

“Do not roll rice into a ball, do not leave rice on the tabic,
do not let your soup run out of your mouth. Do not smack
your lips, do not leave a bone dry, do not turn over the fish,
do not throw bones to the dog, and do not persist in trying
to get a particular piece of meat. Do not turn rice about to
let it cool off, and do not take porridge with chop sticks. Do
not gulp the soup up, do not stir the soup about, do not pick
your teeth, and do not add sauce to your soup. • . • bite
o£F boiled meat with your teeth, but do not bite o£E cured
meat with your teeth.”

This reads like Deuteronomy, and it is important that it
be understood that the “religion of L//' like Judaism,
embraces both religious worship and daily life, down to
the matter of eating and drinking.

The present plan of the book is therefore as follows:
Chapter II gives for the first time in English a translation
of The Life of Confucius^ the earliest and in fact the
only biographical sketch of Confucius, written by the
great historian Szema Ch’icn. Chapter III on “Central

INTRODUCTION ^5

Harmony” gives a complete and adequate philosophic
basis to the whole Confucian system, while Chapter IV on
“Ethics and Politics” develops a coherent argument,
whether sound or not for the connection between ethics
and politics, between personal life, home life, national life
and world order. Chapter V then gives the “aphorisms”
of Confucius, selected and re-grouped from the Analects,
on the whole the most witty chapter of the whole book.
Chapters VI, VII, VIII form what I call the “Three Con¬
fucian Discourses” on the social order, which should
sufficiently explain the true meaning of li, erroneously
represented as mere ritualism. Chapter VIII in particular
contains a short but important statement of Confucius* vi¬
sion for world peace and his highest ideal of a moral or¬
der. Chapters IX and X then give us the Confucian ideas
on education and music, singularly modern in point of
view. The chapter on music is one of the longest in Ul^i
and is actually compiled from a dozen chapters from the
lost book on music. After all this, the reader is given a se¬
lection from Mencius, which represents a most impor¬
tant and influential development of Confucian philosophy.
All the chapters except VIII and X are translated in full,
the two exceptions being entirely too long.

I have done the translation of all the following texts
myself with the exception of the chapter on “Central Har¬
mony.” Ku Hung Ming’s translation of that chapter is
so brilliant and at the same time so correct and illuminat¬
ing that I am sorry he did not translate more of the Con¬
fucian texts. It makes that chapter intelligible to the mod¬
ern man. I havQ however, considered it advisable to

46 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

leave out hls own comments bringing Goethe and Mat¬
thew Arnold and the Proverbs from the Christian Bible
to elucidate the meaning of Confucianism; readers who
are interested should go to Ku Hung Ming’s own book
{The Conduct of IJje—]6\in Murray, London). I have
found it necessary also to make a number of corrections
where Ku departs slightly from the Chinese text; besides,
I do not accept Ku’s rearrangement of the chapter, and
have made my own. I have generally refrained from mak¬
ing comments, and have confined myself to making sec¬
tional divisions and providing sectional headings which
will help the reader to follow the argument or the de¬
velopment of ideas more readily. But comments are im¬
plied throughout in the work of translation, and I regard
a translation of this kind as commenting itself, for there
is no really intelligent translation without the translator’s
interpretation of the text to be translated. This is especially
true of translation from an ancient Chinese text into mod¬
em English. In the first place, the words used arc neces¬
sarily so different in their general connotation, and in the
second place, the ancient texts are unusually terse and con-
dse, almost oracular in character at places, and one has
to supply the necessary connectives and other words made
necessary by the English syntax. Furthermore, Chinese
interpretations of the same text vary a great deal, and the
translator has to choose from one of them, or make a new
one himself if he is convinced that he has new light on
the subject. I therefore withhold myself from adding com¬
ments in the Ku Hung Ming manner, except where such
comments are strictly necessary for guiding the reader

INTfcOD UCTI ClK

with regard to die dcH^dupmcnt of idca^ or ior crphming
CErL:dD Icrms.

Finally, I Jiavc found ii necessary in Chaprets ill and
IV lo rearrange or re^idit the ancient Lcjfbi. 1 realize fully
lueh a responsibUiiy. On tlic other hand* it b generally
admjLtcd dial the icxt5 of CbapLcrs III and IV eontain
possible omlaicsf in arraxigemcnt* due tq the fact ikiE the
separare paragraphs were Inscribed On ilifferenr pieces of
bamboo and lied together in bundles. There arc signs
of reshufRing when these hambciD inscriptions were tran¬
scribed on iilk in the Han Dynasty. Anywayp everyone
admits thar succeeding paragraphs in “Ccniral Harmony"
do not follow one another logically, aldjough die main
theme is always there. Chii Hsi look the bold seep to re¬
ed it the chapter on ‘^Ethics and Pohtics/" resulting in the
iransference of a whole section to an earlier part of the
esjjyy and ntaklng the devdopmmt of thoughc tauch
easier to follow. He even went as far as to wice a para¬
graph of his own* declaring that he did so b order to
supply a missing paragraph, but in the process enabling
him to put a hir of Sung phiJosopliy into the sicred text
about meditation of the universe. However, if one con¬
fines himself to mere reshuffling of already existing texts^
with a view to establishing a mnre connected develop¬
ment of thought^ without personal additions to the text
itself, I bdieve it is justifiable on the ground of making
a clearer presentation of ideas its sole aim. Naturally, 1
have not Undertaken such reshuffling without the tnosi
Careful consideration and undcFstanding of the reasoc
why such derangerntnls of the origlna] text took plapc

THE WISDOM OF OONi^tJClUa

fV. OPJ rifE METHHH OF TRAf^ SLAT J Off

A Kctlc marc must be said about the [ircsent method (J
itrunslatiija. 1 consider n fransbdon in this Case as iodis^
dnguisbable from paraphrase^ and bcliei?* chat is the best
most satisfyitig method.

The situatioo i$ as follows: The andent texts were ex¬
tremely sparing b the use u£ words^ owing of course to
the merhod of imeribiog on bantboo sticlcAf Most of the
Jmprtant ideas and character] jritbns that cHVered a
whole class of qualities were expressed by monosyilabk
words, and m jccardanDC wldi the general nature of
Chinese grammar, the meaning was indiated by syn¬
tax or word order rather than by the usual English con-
neetives^ hlerc arc two extreme Lnsbuices la the Chinese
Conn: “Confndus eomplctcly'dit-off four — no idea-^o
must— no J(;h— no T'j “1-anguage expressive only ” It is
clear dial unless connectives ar^ supplied by the transfamr,
the translation would be practically mueadahJe. The ex-*
tent to which connectives and amplifying phrases arc d-
low^iblc has by necc-'uity to be left to the discrcUon of die
translator^ and for this the tramtamr has no other guide
than his ow^ insight into the w^Isdum of ConfuduSi as^
ssted, of coursqi by the commentatars.

The first job is of course to deicrmbe the scope and con-
notation of a term in the gmrral classleal usage and sec^
ondly its particular meaning and shade of meaDing in a
given sentence. In the above instance of the ward \u, litis
word meant several things: ‘'strong,” “stubborn*” "per*

IWTRODUCTIGH ^

(istcnoc,’’ "narrow-imodcdncaj,” '"vulgarity," lirnited ic
Imowlctlgc," and “mmcrinitt also." From these different
possible JSeaaiags, the translator lias to in.T]te liis dioice.
That ti ilie terrible responsibility atid tJie latitude given
to tbc translator of ancient Cbincse texts^ and it Is clear
that a dioicc of a differcDC word would alter tie t^nt- of
the line completely. In this particular iostancej J have
transinted the passage as follows; "Cbufucius dcnotmced
(or tried compleiely to avoid) four things; arbitrariness
of opinioji, dogmatism, narrew-mindcdncts and ego¬
tism.'’ It of course, open to question wliethcr the phrase
“no must" should be translated as “don't insist upon a
particular course/* “don’t be persistent," “don’t be in¬
sistent," or "don't assume that you mtui be right (or
don’t be dogmatic).” Any of these translations involves
as much parapbrasLng as the others. In translatiag the
phrase "no idea," I have paraplirascd it as meaning '"don't
start out with preconceived notions,*’ or “don't be arbi¬
trary,’’ That is n sense or shade of meaning won from a
knowledge of the general meaning of the word “idea" la
tbc Chinese langu.ige, md from an [nsight into the whole
character of Confucius* conduce But the mere use of
the phri^ ’'prcDunpcived notion" or ^^bitriuiocs$ of
opinion/^ pecessariiy expresses what ac best was only im¬
plied in the Chinese word "ida.'*

Id the rnorc fundamental concept^^ like /4 Asin,
cJtur^g,. etc., I Iiavc adopted a method of provisboally
^nslating these words in my mind by a cenain English
concept and going over the body of tlse texts ciontainiog
these words to see which one would cover the field of

50 THE WISDOM OP CONFUCIUS

rnuning mE>jt adrcju^tcly in Lbc majority of CAJCS, eiHow^
ing, of course, severd me^Iogs for one word. Thus I
have comt to th* conclusion that !i usually trandjitcd as
‘^nLuar* or "^ceremony" must be translated aa ^ihc prin¬
ciple of sodaJ order” in die geoeraJ social phdoSOphy of
Confucius, asitl as “moral discipline" in ceitam passages
dealing with personal conduct* I have also come to the
conclusion that the translation of the viiord fen as ‘^kmd-
ncsi," "eharity,” or ^'benevDleiicc'^ is completely ijiade-
qiiate, buE represents CoDfudus' ideal of the “true inaUp^
Of the "gre^c man'^or the 'Wsc complete man.” Likewise
Attn cannot be tr.inrbtcd ns “honesty" or "keeping one's
promise,^ which latter quality Confudus rather despised
and aetually didn't care about m bis own conduct. Some-
times hm means a condition of "mtiitinl confidence in the
imet'* and sofnetimea j£ means "faithfulness."

In the actual act of translation^ the translator is faced
Wtdi two jchi after he has grasped the meaning of the
sentence. First he is faced with the choice of one of a
number of synonyms, and failure to get at the exact
word would cumpJclely foil to render the meaning of the
remark clear to the reader. I found it impassible, fnr in-^
Stance^ aJwviys to translate the word fcA as “virtue" or
•'character*” or the meaning would be hopelessly lost for
the reader^ Thus, Confudus said, “Thoroughbred^ don^t
pti^ise its strengdi praise its cAnrader" Tlic meaning bo-
cDuies clear only when we traosJate k os fijllows: ""In dis-
cuBsing a thoroughbred^ you don't admire bis atieagthi
hut admire his Now comes this same word for

"charactef" in another passage: “0>nfiidus said* 'One

iHTioDucrion ^1

having vJnut mujit Live wurda; one having wmdi not
alway* has vinne.' " The meaning bemmes dear unly
when ivc tmndaie the word for "character^ nr ‘Virtue"
here by die word soul jn the TngJish language,, as fbl*
lows: "Confuciua sid, 'A tnan who has a beautiful soul al¬
ways has lome bcauilM things to say, but a man who say*
beautiful rhtngs does not necessarily have a beautiful
soul. Then again occurs the same ivotd elsewhere in the
phrase /e/i yin; to translate this a* ''viTtuous sounds" may
give the impreision of scholarly Hdclity, bur merely hides
the lack of understanding on the prt of the scholarly
translator that it means "jarred music." Again Omfudus
said, "Ejjtravagaut than not humble; frugal than (vul¬
gar Of sttibhom, etc,). Rather than not humble, be {u"
The cotmecUoo hctKTcn exmavagance and Lick of humil¬
ity must be quire vague, and becomes dear only when we
reabze that people who live extravagantly are liable to be
etmcnled. A fully dear and adequate rfiinslation must
therefore involve a sure choice of words- 1 believe it should
be transbied as foUuws: "Confucius said, The people
who live cxtmvaganiiy are apt to be snobbish (or con-
ceited), and the people who live simply are apt to be
vulgar. 1 prefer vulgarity to snobbery (or I prefer the
vulgar people to the snubs)/ "

In the second place, tlie traasbror cannot avoid putting
the thought in the more precise concepts of a modern
bnguage. The translator does not only have to supply
the connectives, but has also to supply a liner definition
of ideas, or (He English will be extremely bald. Thus in
the example given above, "Language cxpresitve only,**

146M

5J tnt WISDOM Ol» CONFUCIUS

the modcin tr^ioshtior is forced to trandiite it as foUoTOI
"Expressivciicss is the onJy prindph ol knguage,** or
"eipfcssiveness is the sole coftceffi, or aim^ or principl^^ ni
rhetoric.” It is clear ibat there arc at least a riozca ways
of trajislating tlib line in any case. But it h inevitable that
the translator liquid have to slip in a word like “prio-
ciple” or "aim" or "coocern*^ or "standard ” It simply can-
not be helped, if the traoslatwi is not to become onread-
able.

TAr of p&reniArfci^hi the resulting text of the
translation, 1 have to resort to the use of prcnthcscs after
dodging the fltpove difficulties. The parentheses fite used
for two purposes* First, for giving an aheruate rmiisla^
tjorip usually indicated by **(or ****** ).” The situation
is often such that no one Can be sure that a particular
interpretation Is the only correct onr^ Secondly, the paren¬
theses ore used exclusively for explanatory matter neceyi-
sary to a dear ufidcrstanding of the test without refci^
cnee to foctuotes. Without this device, xudi explanatory
icfcrcDces wotild be endless. In thix case, tlie parentheses
are used with the sole purpose of supplying the minimuFTi
explanations to enable the reader to read a p.i5S3g£
tmootkly and understand its meaning without difficulty.
The footnoies are then reserved for my comments and
other reference material.

I

Chapter II

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS

{Kungtse Shihchia—Shil^i, Book XLVII)

The following is a translation of the life of Confucius
in the Shil^i by Szema Ch’icn who lived about three
hundred years after Confucius (145-85? B.C.). The
translation of this document is important for two reasons.
First, it is the earliest and in fact the only connected bio¬
graphical sketch of Confucius, and it exists in that great
standard book of Chinese history, written by a man who
is acknowledged to be the father of Chinese historians
and a prose master. The authority of the Shif{i is unques¬
tioned, and Szema Ch’icn himself travelled extensively
and visited the birthplace of Confucius and talked with
old people who kept alive the ancient tradition about
Confucius. It is therefore as accurate a picture of Confu¬
cius’ life as we can get. In the second placc^ Szema Ch’ien
was thoroughly open-minded and unbiased; he was
strictly an historian and not an advocate of Confucianism,
taking sides in questions. While he expressed his intense
admiration for Confucius, he was not himself a strict ad¬
herent of the narrow Confucian school. The result was.

53

I

54 wiSBOM np caNJUcitJS

he gftvc UA a. picture of Confudus the m.in, rather ih.iD
Coofuciuj the Sdlor^ ^nd many Cbnfucian critics have
cried [O diston the meaning of several passages lu dm life
by far-fetched interprctatioiiSp and sometimes evea to
deny outright the coitectoess of the siofy. At any rat^ we
can take it a$ a t^ery fair picture, of Confudus as conedved
to the mind of the moit Iismcd scholar of his Limesj living
about tKrex centuri^ after Goalucius.

THE LlPB QF CONFUCItrS

55

li AN'CESTHF, CIilIiJHDal> ANU TOtmi (5^1-523 MjC.)

Confucius was bcni in the town qf Ts&y, in the munty
of Ch'angpingj in the country of Lii- His early ^nccftor
ivus K'ung Fangshu (who was 2 ninth-genf ration de
sccadiaL of a king of Sung £iDd the foimh-gcncration an
cestor of Coofudus), Fangshu was the fatlicr of Pohsia,
and Pohsia was the fiither of Shulfang Ho^ Ho was tlic
bdicr of Confucius by extm-raajital union with a girl of
the Yea faxniJy * She prayed at tie hill Nidi'iu and begat
Confucius in answer to Jicr prayer, in the twenty-second
year of Duke Plsiaug of Lu (551 B.C.)+ There was a no*
Liccahlc cauvoJution on his hMd at his birlli, and that was
wliy he was caJIcd "Ch"b" (meanirig a '"hiir')* His lit¬
erary name w^ Chimgni^ and his surname w*a$ K'uog^
("Cnnfudus'* means '^K^uog tJir Master'’).

Soon afrer Con/udus wa$ horn, his fatJier died, and
was buried at Fangshai^ which was m Eastern Lu (in
Shantung), Tliereforc Caufudus was in donbr as to
the place of his father's lombi hccaiise hia maihcr had
concx.iled rhe truth from him. When he was a child, be
used to play at making sacrifidal oHcriiigs and perfomv
Ing the ceremonies. When Confudiu^ mother died, he

* Canfuctu** r^Otbcr’i Dime wa* Ttfa- C3i£:qU4L TIif n^l^Aaf wimfi fm

"ntnE-JTiPTita]'' ubjj^ ait exr uiaidD„'" |»obdbf}

jsn^nirip -union in \hu wildi. Soffl£ iAurpmtrt trr na cxpLiio ih'u
by (bt (hr wwd "wiW.” itmpijr incMJ lhac the marna^fc wai

not la zkiiiianbtite with nmnil hk falher nurryii^ the pti

after the a^e of plKEy-fptrrt ■ficr iriairinf Aitnthcr ifilc mad pa-

■iuced eiAE diuj^^hicfi, lui osa iob^ ki me Tet-

irtcherL

56 THE WISBtJM OF CONFUCinS

buried her temporarily^ for caudoo^s sake^ la the Suvec of
the Five Faihtrs, sod it was aoc until in old womatip the
moibcr of Wanfu ot Tsou^ informed him of die whcrcy
ibouts of Jiis fotberV firive^ that he boded his pirenls
cogeiher ax Fangsh-m, Once, n Baron of Lti, Chj^ was
giving a b^^nquct to die scholars of the town, and Con*
fiidua irait wliile still m motiming, Yang Ho^ 3. corrupt
berated Confucius, saying, “The Baron is giving
a banquet to the scholars and is not contemplating the
pleasure of inviting yoii.*^ So Cdiifiicius left*

When Confudus was seventeen years old, Baron Li
Mcng fell sick* On his deathbed he gave his son, Biron
Yi Meag the following advice: “K'ung Ch’iu {that is>
Confudus) IS a descendant of great fiohJemea. The house
of the K’ungs wis destroyed ia the counrry of Sung (Con-
fudus^ ancestors were persecuted out of the country by
ihdr rivals and migrated to the country of Lu)* His great
ancestor^ Fufu Ho, was the oldest son of the Duke of
Sung, hut gave up the ihiooe in favor of his brother, who
became Duke Li* In a later generation;, Chengk^aefu
assisted the Dukes Tai, Wu and Hsum of Sung in the
government* His humility increised with bis three succes*
(ivc pmmotiam. Hence the Cilpod of the K’ung house
bote the inscription I 'With the first promotion, I bend nay
head; with the second promotion, I bend my nock; and
with the third promodon, I bend my back. 1 walk, along
the wall, and nn one dares insult me. Herein I have my
rice; and herdn 1 have my porridge, tn feed my mouth,"
Such was his hunulity* 1 have heard that philosophers
must come from the houses of great men, although they

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 5;

may not be in power. Now K’ung Ch’iu is young and a
great lover of historic learning. Perhaps he is going to be
a philosopher. When I die, you must go and follow him.”
On his death, his son Baron Yi went to study under Q)n-
fucius, together with Nankung Chingshu (most probably
his younger brother). That year Baron Chi of Lu died,
and his son Tai succeeded him.

Confucius was born of a poor and common family, but
when he grew up, he was put in charge of the granary
of the house of Baron Chi, and he was noted for the fair¬
ness of his measures. He also was made to take charge
of the cattle and sheep and the catde and sheep quickly
multiplied. He was then promoted to be a minister of
public works. But soon he left his home country Lu, was
unceremoniously sent away from the country of Ch’i,
driven out of Sung and Wei, and landed in difficulties
and bodily danger in the suburbs between Ch’en and
Ts’ai. After all these wanderings he returned to Lu.

Confucius was nine feet six inches tall (the ancient unit
of measure was very much shorter, for King Wen was
reputed to be ten feet tall), and people all marvelled at
his height and called him “a tall person.” The government
of Lu had always been courteous to him, and therefore he
later returned to Lu. His disciple Nankung Chingshu
asked permission from the ruler of Lu to go on a trip to
the Emperor’s capital, Chou. The Duke of Lu gave them
a carriage with two horses and a page, and they both went
to Chou to study the ancient rites and ceremonies and saw
Laotsc there, ^\^cn Confucius was taking his depanure,
Laotse sent him off with the following advice: “I have

jB rnt wisPOM op conkucius

heard diaE rich people pre^nE people with money and
kind persons present people with advice, and I am going
to present you with a piece of advice: A man who ia bril-
lianE and thoughtful is often in danger of his life because
he likes to cridcize people. A man who is Jearned and svcll
read and clever at arguments often endangers himself
bed use he likes to reveal pcoplc^s foibles. Du not tbiikk vl
yourself only as a son or a niloisEcr at court,

m BETWJTPS' THIRTT ASP PCFTT (5:21-503 HjC.)

Confucius ihea returned from Chou to his own countryi
L\}f and more and more disdplcs came to study under him.
At this dme, Duke P'Lng of Chin was a prufiigatc. His six
minisiers took the power In their bands and indulged in
invasions of the country to the case. King Ling of Ch*ti
(whose rainrry was to the southwest of Lu) had a
powerful army which dominated China. Ch7 was a big
country lying right next to Lu (on the no^th)* Lu was a
small and weak country; if it allied itself with Ch^u, Chin
was angry, and If it allied irself with Chln^ then Ch'u
would come and invade the country; and if it failed to
cement its friendship with Ch'i, Chi too wotdd invade
the coixoiry. In the twentieth year of Duke Chao of Lu
(p2. B.Cs)i when Confucius was already thirty years old
(or twenty-nine in the English reckoning}, Duke Chlng
nf Ch"i came to visit Lu> together with his minister Yen
Ying. The Duke of Chi asked Confucius, ^'How is it
that Duke Mu of Ch^in was able tn dominate the other
eountriei, although his country was then small and situ-

LIVE OF COeSTPUCEUS ^

sictl at a far-away comer of the empire ?” "'Aldiougli
Ch'ia was rcpliecJ Omfuciiis, "its ambittoa was

greaC| and altbough it was situaLcd at a far-away corner^
iheir cooduci of sffnirs was in. accordance with the main
rnaral principlca. The Duke took Poll ilsi from prison
and raised him to the rank of a nnhie. After lalkjog with
him for three days, he put him Id dtarge nf the govern-
ment* That was how the Duke cpmc mio power. He
might even have become a ^kiog^ and not merely n *dic-
tator' doiiiioaLing the tidier states as he did." The Duke of
Chi was pleased at Confucius' remark.

When Ceinfucjus was thiny-five years old (517 B.Q)^
Barun Ping oE Chi displeased Duke Chao nf Lia because
of a quarrel witli Count Clmo of Huu over a ctKik fight
Duke Chao Jed his troops to attack Baron P'ing, and
Baron P'ing, together with the other two barons of Luj
Baron Mcng and Baron Shusun, fought the Duke, The
Duke lost the battle afitl tan away tcj Ch!ir where he was
given a township at Kanhoti. Soon after this, the country
of Lu was plunged into disorder^ and Cbnfueius went to
Ch\ wlient he served as the secretary la Earon Chao KaO|
in the hope of establishing a connection with the Duke of
aCL He also discussed musk with the Master of Mtisk
in ChT There he heard the music of Hn'ao (symbolic
dance music ascribed to an andent Emperor ShUD^ ^^55"
0204 B.C) and tried to learn iL For three DDonths he for¬
got the taste of meat. The people of Ch'i were greatly
impressed. One day the Duke a^^ked Confucius about
go vernmenr^ and COnfueius replied, "The king should be
like a ting, the ministers like ministers^ the fathers Lite

6o THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

fathers and sons like sons.” “Goodl” replied the Duke.
“If the king is not like a king, the ministers not like min¬
isters, fathers not like fathers, and sons not like sons, how
can I have anything to eat even if there is plenty of grain
in the country?” On another day, he again asked about
good government from Confucius, and Confucius re¬
plied, “Good government consists in limiting state ex¬
penditures.” The Duke was pleased and was going to
give the land at Nich’i to Confucius. Then minister Yen
Ying spoke to the Duke, ‘The Ju (later identified with
Confucianists) are bad models to follow because of their
garrulousness, and they make bad subjects because of
their pride and egotism. Their doctrines should hardly be
applied to the people because of their emphasis on funer¬
als and their habit of letting a family go bankrupt in or¬
der to provide an expensive burial. They also make bad
rulers because they go about preaching and begging and
borrowing. Since the great men have died and the im¬
perial dynasty of Chou is in decline, our rituals and music
today have degenerated or been partly forgotten. Now
comes Confucius with his insistence on ceremonial robes
and the details of ceremonial processions and court eti¬
quette. One can spend a lifetime and not be able to master
these studies, or spend entire years without being able to
master the details of ceremonies. I rather question whether
it is advisable for you to put him in power and change
the customs of the country, bearing in mind the impor¬
tance of considering the common people.” Thereafter the
Duke always received Confucius politely, but did not ask
him questions regarding the historic rites and ceremonies.

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 6l

Another day, the Duke said to Confucius with the desire
of keeping him in the country, “I’m not able to offer you
the position of Baron Chi, but I will give you a position
somewhere between the Barons Chi and Meng.” The
nobles of Chi were plotting against Confucius, which
came to Confucius’ cars. The Duke said to him, “I’m
sorry I m too old now to be able to put your doctrines into
practice.” Confucius then left and returned to Lu.

When Confucius was forty-two (51 1 B.C.), Duke Chao
of Lu died an exile at Kanhou. Duke Ting succeeded
him, and in the summer of the fifth year of Duke Ting’s
reign, Baron P ing of Chi died, and his son Baron Huan
succeeded him. (Here follow two brief anecdotes. Con¬
fucius was consulted as a learned historian about certain
finds which had been unearthed. One was about the dis¬
covery of animal bones during the razing of a city wall.
One of the bones was said to be as long as an entire car¬
riage, apparently the remains of some dinosaur, and a
king sent a messenger all the way from a distant place to
ask Confudus what bones these were, and Confucius was
ready with an answer from early history.)

Baron Huan had a favorite secretary by the name of
Chungliang Huai who had a private quarrel with Yang
Hu (also referred to in the Analects as Yang Ho), and
the latter wanted to drive him away from the city, but
stopped on the intervention of Kungshan Puniu. Yang
finally arrested him and Baron Huan angrily protested,
upon which Yang put the Baron in prison and made him
rign a pledge before releasing him. Henceforth Yang be-

fa TMt TVfsnow nF eoWPUCius

liawd ail tier more aJTOganrly toward the Baron, bur on
his part Barca Hum Chi had also usurped the authurity
uf the Dulcc^ so that ibc govemmcnc of Lu fell iuto die
hantk of the Barons, The country was tliertloK plimifcd
into a stale of tucra] chao.^ from tiic lofds down to the
people^ and Qjflfuclus dodded aot lo go into the govern-
ojciiit, but retired to study, or edit the books of poetry and
liistoiy and niual and music ^Tbe numbci of his disciples
rapidly grew, aad there were many who came from dis-
lani parts of lie land^

in. Trifi POIICIO OF OftEAT PflWER a.c)

In the eighth year of Duke Ting of Lu (502 B.C.)i
Kungshan Puniu did not get along with Baron Huan
Chi and allied himself with Yang Hu to stir up a rebd^
lion* displace the eldest son of the Damn .md make the
children of their coaeubines, who were friendly to Yang*
their heirs. They therefore arrested Baroti Huan Chi* but
the biter escaped by a msc, and in the foUowiog year,
Yang was defeated and escaped to die country of ChT
At this time, Confucius was fifty years old* Knng^han
Purdu started a rebellion against Baron Huan in the city
of Pi, ajid Baron Huan sent a messenger to ask Cdnfucms
to see him* Confucius had then* for a long time, devoted
himself to the pursuit uf learning* he was mild and mellow
and did not know exactly where to begin to ripply his
teachings to die practice of govemmenL He said* *Thc
Kings Wen and Wu rose to power from the small dlics of
Kcag and K"ao and finally cstabluhed the empire of Chou.

THE OF COHruCiUS 6j

Vif I know, h imiiU place, hue perhaps j smy try " So
Confucius waj about tOgOi bul lus disciple, Tselu (a kind
of St. Peter), was dispicastd aud Ifkd lo stop him- “Sinoe
the Baron asks to see me," replied Cbnfuduj, "he muit
have a phn In hi* mind, and if he would put tne in powo^,
we might achieve jorncthing resemblmg ihc work o£
Emperor Fiog” (who rcsiored the pwer of the Cboti
Dynasty, beginning the so-called Chou Period). But
after all he did nor go.

Later on Duke Ting made Confuciiu the magutniEe of
Chimglu. AIlcj: a year the town became a model city for
all its neighbors. From the magistracy of Chungrti, he
was promored to the office of the Secretary of Public
Works (or Labor) and finally became dbc Grand Secr^
toiy of justice. Jn the spring of the tenth year of Duke
Ting {500 B.C.)| Lu signed a Utaty of friendship with
Ch'i and in the summer a Ch'i tomiatcr^ by the name of
Li Chu said to the Duke of Ch'i, "‘Thi* jj getting danger¬
ous for us with Confucius in office at Lu." They ihen ar¬
ranged for a good will conference at Chiaku betwoco the
two cDun tries. Duke Ting of Lu was going to attend the
good'^will conference in his carriage, hut Cdnfiidirs isx
his capacity as an acting Chief Minister, saJd^ "1 tiavc
heard k said that in attending dvil conferences* one must
scud along a military delegation^ and in attending military
conferences, one must amd along a dvil delegation. The
rulers of ancient times always provided themselves with
a roilitary escort when they visited a foreign camntry. I
recommend that we bring dong the Right md Left
Sodictaries of War." To this the Duke gave his consent

tHE WISflOM OF COrJPUClDS

and they siartfd om foward Chbkn with the S«rmarfes
of War. Thff formal meeting place where the oat ti was to
be uikcn was provided with an iltar surroonded hy three
juicccssi VC can hen rerncE^, The rwo delegations met
with die tijuaj cercmoiiies. Th^ bowed to each other
went Up fhe terrace, and after drinking the ceremonial
ctip of wine, an official of Ch’i came fonvard and requested
permission for the playing at an orchestra from diflcrent
kinds. Tlie Duke of Ch'i gave hi5 approval, and thcii the
enfertaincTi came forw'srd started a big noisci the
civil dancers with their banners and pcfinaois of OH-tai! and
pheasant fcathcrSj the milirary dancers with their spears,
forks, jwords and shields. Confucius dicn came forward
up iKc step, and advanced just below the first terrace; he
lifted his broad elccve^ and said, ^'Why the presence of
these barbarian muoidatis, when the rulers are celebrat¬
ing a good-will confereace? 1 request that they be dis¬
missed The Ch'i ofRcial tried to send therri away, btit the
musicians refused to go. Everybody turned his eyes to¬
ward the Duke of Ch’^i and his Minister Yen Ying, The
Duke was greatly embarrassed and then weaved his hand
for the etiieriainef J to leave the place. After a while,, the
Master of Ceremonies of Ch'i came forward and re¬
quested permission for ihc performing of palace musicp
and the Duke gave his consenti The actors and dwarfs in
costume then ^gaii to play, and again Dsnfudus went
forward up the steps and advancing to the first terrace; he
oaid* “Common people who Lry to corrupt the rulers should
be kilkdi I jnequest an order from the Master of Gere*

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 6^

monies. The Master of Ceremonies had these actors exe¬
cuted and their limbs were separated from their bodies.

The Duke of Ch’i was gready ashamed and impressed
and thought that he had better return to his country.
Speaking in a tone of great concern, he said to his minis¬
ters at court, “The people of Lu have helped their ruler
to act like a gentleman, while you people have taught me
to behave like a barbarian. And now I have committed
an offense in the eyes of the Ruler of Lu. What shall I
do? An official replied, “When a gendeman repents of
his mistake, he makes amends by acts, and when a com¬
mon man repents of his mistakes, he makes amends by
words. If you are sorry for what you have done, then I
suggest that you make amends by real acts.” Therefore
the Duke of Ch ’i returned the lands of Yun, Wenyang
and Kueit’ien which they had taken away from Lu, as a
token of apology. In the summer of the thirteenth year of
Duke Ting (497 B.C.), Confucius said to the Duke, “A
subject ought not to keep a private armour, and a lord
’ ought not to have a town with over a hundred parapets
(each parapet representing thirty feet).” The Duke then
made Tselu, Confucius’ disciple. Secretary of the Barony
Chi, and ordered the razing of the cides of the three great
Barons. First, Baron Shusun’s city of Hou was razed.
Baron Chi was going to raze his city Pi, but Kungshan
Puniu and Sun Cheh led the people of Lu to attack the
Duchy of Lu. The Duke and the three Barons went to
the palace of Baron Chi and went up the Terrace of
Baron Wu. The people of Pi attacked them there, but
could not capture the place. The batde then raged around

i6 THE WUUOM 05 CONFUCIUS

the Duke, anfl Confucius ordered the lords Shen Kouhsu
and Yq Ch’i to go down sind m«E ihe attackers. The
rebels were defeated and the soldiers of Lu clusc J ihem
and defeared them ac Kumi. The two Batons Shusun and
Chi then fled 10 the ajuntry of Ch’i, and the city nf Chi
was razed down ro the gioundi T. he city of Ch citg, die
itjoaghold of Baron Meng, then came iicjil in order to
be raaed, and die magistrate of Cb’cng said w> Baron
Mengi "Wben this dey is razed, tlie people of Ch'i wdll
have an open way to attack Cn £rOtn the north. Besides,
Ch'ciig is the stronghold of the Meng house. Without
Cb’cng, there will be no Mengs. I refuse to hove it razed."
In December, the Ehikc laid stage to the city, but did not
uptiirc it^

ill the fouriccTirh year of Dufe<? (^96 Uon*

fiiCJU4 wris fifty-si;t years old^ From the position of ihe
Grand Secretary of JustiK, he was prompted 10 that of
ihc Chief Minister, Confucius showed signs of evident
pleasure at the news* and his disciples said, "I hear that
a gentleman [5 uot at the sight of disaster and not

delighted at iuertss/* 'Is that so?*" rcinarked ConfuduSs
*■15 Ll not said that one ia happy because he rises to a posi¬
tion above ihc common people?** He then esccuicd
Shoochengmao, a minbter who had plunged the govem-
ment into disorder. After three mouths of his prcmlcrshipp
the mutton and pork butchers did not adulicratc their
meat^ and men and women foUovvcd different lanes in
^he (if«i Ji Things lost on the streets were not atolenj and
foreignera vialting the country did not have 10 go tn the
pohcc, but all come to Lu like 3 country of their own-

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 67

When the people of Ch’i heard this, they were gready
worried and said, “If Confucius remains in power in Lu,
Lu is certain to dominate the other states, and when it
becomes a dominating power, we being the nearest neigh¬
bors would be the first to succumb. Why not cement
friendship with them by presenting them with a bit of
land?” The minister Li Chu said, “Let us try first to
block him, and then if we fail, it won’t be too late to give
them some land.” They then selected eighty of the pret¬
tiest girls of the country who were dressed in embroidery
and could dance the dance. These maidens were
presented together with a hundred and twenty line horses
to the Ruler of Lu, and they made a display of the girl
entertainers and line horses outside the South High Gate
of Lu. Three times Baron Huan Chi went in plain clothes
to see the show and thought he was going to receive this
present, and told the Duke to go and see them by a cip
cuitous route. So then the Duke and the Baron hung
about the place for whole days and neglected their gov¬
ernmental duties. “I think it’s time for us to quit,” said
Tselu. “Wait a minute,” said Confucius, “it is near the
time for the Sacrifice to Heaven now, and if the Duke
should remember to send the burnt offerings to the min¬
isters after the public worship, I will yet choose to stay.”
Baron Huan finally received che gift of girl entertainers
of Ch’i, and for three days did not attend to his duties,
nor did he remember to send the burnt offerings to the
ministers. Confucius then left. While stopping over at
the city of Tun, Shihchi said to Confucius on parting,
“Master, I know you are not to blame for leaving Lu.**

68 THi WISDOM OF CONPVCIUB

Confudus replied^ ^May 1 slug a song?" TTioi he sang;

of a to-nguc^

Sofflier or bitf you'll gjet smug.

Bcwuc of a woman ifjstt
Sooner or later youJU get ir+

Hdgh hof Heigh bol
Vm going TO run away."

Sliilicbi returned and Baron Huon asked birUj "Whir
did Confucius say?" Shilidu told Kim die trurh^ and
Baron Huan Leaved a sigh and said^ ""The Master is di^
pleased with lUe cU account of those wenches.”

IV. PIVE VEiUtS OP WANOEIUr^OS (496-^92 B*C.)

Confucius ibcn went to the couaLry cf Wd (to the wot
rf Lu) and stopped at the hoxnc o£ Yen Tuisou^ who was
the brother of Tselu'i wife^ Duke Ung of Wei asked
what salary Confuems had received in Lu and he was
told thii he bad a salary of sbuy lliousaud bushels of rice,
and the state of Wei al» gave him a salary of sixty thou¬
sand bushels. After staying in Wd for a time^ someone
ipokc evil of Confucius to the Duke, and the Duke asked
a Kuugsun Vuchia, who Was dressed in full military
uniform, to piKi in and out of the rooiU occupied by Con-
fucius- Confucius took diis as a gcDtJe bint and left Wei
after having been there for ten mundis*

He then went in the country of Cb'en (further west)
and had to pass through the city of K^uang, Yenk^ch was
icting as the driver.^ He pointed with his whip to a crack
in the dty wall and lernarked, “You krtoWr I wem into

t][l LIFa qf cokfucius 69

the diy ifai^ugh that crack the last time" This remark
wa$ overheard the natives who theo [ba tight it waa
Yang Hu of Lu cemkig to the diy. Now Yang Hu had
once been very enicl to the natives ol KWng and the
natives thctelure surrounded Confucius. Coofudtis lookr^]
like Yang and was arrested for five days; Yea Yuen (or
Yen Hud^ his favorite disciple) turned up laterr nnd
Confudus said to him, *"1 thought you were killed" "How
ebre I be killed^ so long as you livef" replied Yai.

The situation became more threatening; and the db-
dplcs were afraidp hut Confucius said, "Since King Wen
died, is not the tradition of King Wen (the moral tradi¬
tion of King Wen, who crFtbodicd the ideal system of
goveromenc according to Confuciiis) in my keeping or
posse$«inn? If h be lieavcQ s will that thJa moral tradi¬
tion should be lost, posteriry shall never again share In
the knowledge of tills tradition. Eut if it be Heaven's will
that this tradition should not he lostf wh^t can the people
of K'uang do to mef ” Confudus then was allowed 10 g<>
away by asking one of hb folio wm, B.irDn Wu Ningi to
go and serve In the government of WcL
After this, he pssed through P’u where he stayed for
over a month and then returned to Wei. He stopped at
the home of Chu Foyu (a cidturcd old gcntlcmait whoTn
Confucius respected). The Queen Naneia of Wd sent a
message io Confuciusi saying, 'The gentlemen of foreign
cuuntrics who do ua the honor of visiting nur country and
wish to be friends nf our King always sec me- May 1 have
the pleasure of your company?^ Confucius tried to dc^
dine, but could tm get out nf iL The Queen saw Con-

yo the wisdom of coMPucitja

fuditS from bchifid a curLaiii of Until* Conftidus cnticrEd
and kowtowed tidugnoriU^and ihc Qukd nude a double
curtsy from behind the cunnin, 2ud her jade hangings
jingledi After the Interview, Confucios not

mtend to SEC her, but during the interview, we saw cadi
other wiEh perfect dcOonJm*'’ Tselu waa greatly displeased
(for Naudii was notoriously loose in her morals) ? and
COnfudus swore an oath, saying, “If 1 bad done anything
wrongs may Heaven strike me! May Heaven strike meP
Confudus stayed for over a month at Wei. One day the
Duke was riding in a carriage with die Queen, the eunuch
Yung Chu acting as the driver and Confucius following
behind in a second carriage (or occupying the sccund
driver's scat). Tlius they paraded through the streets, at¬
tracting the pcopk^s attention, and Conludus remarked,
^1 have never yet seen, people atitacted by vinuous schol-
ars as they are hy beautifuJ wumcn/* Confuciua regarded
this as a disgrace and Jeft Wei for Ts^ao. That year (4®
B.C,) Duke Ting of Lu died.

After leaving Ts^an, Canfucius went to Sung and atuih
ifd the practice of ceremony with his disciples under a
hig tree. A military officer of Sung, Huan Tud, wimted
to kill Confucius and uprooted the big tret Confudus
decided to leave Sung and his disciplea said, “We had bet¬
ter hurry*" Confucius said, "Heaven has endowed me
with a moral destiny (or mission). What can Huan Tuti
da in me?”

ConfueJus went on to Cheng (in motlciti North Ho¬
nan) and the Master and disciplca lost track of each
other. While Confucius stood alune at the East Gate of

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 7I

the outer city the natives reported to Tsekung, “There is
a man at the East Gate whose forehead is like that of
Emperor Yao, whose neck resembles that of an ancient
minister Kaoyao, and whose shoulders resemble those of
Tsech’an; but from the waist down, he is smaller than
Emperor Yu by three inches. He looks crest-fallen like a
homeless, wandering dog.” Tsekung told Confucius this
story (when they met) and Confucius smiled and said,
“I don’t know about the descriptions of my figure, but as
for resembling a homeless, wandering dog, he is quite
right, he is quite right!”

Confucius then went on to Ch’en (Ch’en, Cheng,
Ts’ai, and Sung were all quite close together) where he
stayed for over a year at the home of the magistrate of
the city Tsengtse. The King of Wu (a big country to the
southeast in modern Kiangsu) invaded Ch’en and cap¬
tured three of its towns. Chao Yang invaded Chuko
(494 B.C.) ; the army of Ch’u laid siege to Ts’ai and the
people of Ts’ai migrated to Wu. Wu defeated King Kou-
chien of Yueh (farther down southeast in modern Che¬
kiang) at Kueich’i. A hawk, with an arrow piercing its
body, descended at the court of Ch’en (where Confucius
was staying) and died. The arrow was made of f(u wood
and was provided with a flint arrowhead, a foot and an
inch long. The Duke of Ch’en sent a messenger to ask
Confucius about this arrow, and Confucius replied, “This
hawk must have come from very far away. This is an
arrow used by the barbarians of Shushen. When Emperor
Wu conquered Shang and built roads across to the ‘Nine
yr and ‘Hundred Man’ barbarians, he ordered tribute

73 THE WrSBOM OF COMFtlClUS

£rom the differeac lands as a sign of their perpetual hom¬
age. The barbarians of Shiishcn then sent in tributes of
arrows with wood and flint arrowheads^ a foot and
an imrli long. The Enipcrof gave these arrows 10 his eldest
princess as a sign of his Jove- 5he was married to a
Duke YuhU| who became the first Duke of Ch'en. It
was the custom to prsent gifts of jade to the Emperor*:^
Tcjativcs of the same aurnamc as a symbol of alTcction,
and ta bring tributes from distant lands to the Emperor’s
relatives of a di/Ferent surname, that they might not for^
get their allegiance to the Im periaJ House* That was how
the Shushen arrows came to ChVn- You may look in the
old archives and may be able to find some yet ” ActuaUyi
they did find simUar arrows in the archives^ as ConfucLcts
had told them.

Confucius stayed m Ch^en for three years. It happened
that the countries Chin (modem Shensi) and Ch'u (mod¬
ern Hupei) were fighting for power and often invaded
Ch’en. When the euuiitiy Wn invaded Ch^cn and Ch^cn
Ch'kng was attaeked, Coniuriiis said, ^'A hj let us go home I
I’hc young men of our courttry are cither brilliam and
errade, or simple and retiring* But they have not lost their
original simpJidty of character." Confudus therefore left
Ch'cn and was passing through die dty of P'u.

It happened that a certain Kungshu was siartiiig a re*
ExdJlDn at P^u and the people of P^u surrounded Confuclusi
He had, bowever* a tlisdple by the name of Kungliang
Ju who was following Confucius with five carriage.
Kungliang Jti was taJL able* and di^tingiiisbed for hif

bravery. He said, “Isn’t this fate? the last time I was ao
companying you at K’uang, we ran into trouble, and now
we run into trouble again. I would rather fight and die
this time.” There was then a furious battle and the na¬
tives of P’u were afraid and said they would be wilUng to
release Confucius if he promised not to go to Wei, and
Confucius pledged an oath that he would not go there.
He then left by the East Gate, but went straight to Wei
“Why, can one break an oath like that?” asked Tsekung.
“Yes,” replied Confucius, “it was an oath under duress,
which is disregarded by the gods.”

The Duke of Wei was delighted to hear that Con¬
fucius was coming back and went to the suburb to wel¬
come him. “Do you think I could attack the city of P’u?”
asked the Duke. “Certainly,” replied Confucius. “Bui
my ministers think it inadvisable,” said the Duke, “foi
P’u serves as a buffer state to protect us against Chin and
Ch’u. Isn’t it inadvisable for us to attack it?” Confucius
replied, “The men of P’u are ready to defend their coun¬
try to the last man, and their women, too, are ready to
defend their homes. What we want to punish, however,
are only four or five of the rebel leaders.” “Good,” said
the Duke. But actually he did not attack P’u.

The Duke was then old and did not attend to his duties
and was unwilling to put Confucius in power. Confucius
sighed and said, “If some one will put me in power, I
shall need only one month (to lay the foundation for a
new order), and in three years time, I shall accomplish
great results.”

Confucius then left Wei. A certain Pi Hsi was acting

tHfi WJlDO^f OF CONPUCIU5
a$ iht tnagisiniic of Chuugfuou (in the country of Cbio)i
and Baron Chicii Chao WiiS fighring with Fan Chung*
hsing and attacked hU Cicy* Pi H-d then rcbdkd and sent
a tne^enger to Confuduii to come and hdp liitn.
Confudus was thinking of going, but Tsclu protested*
saying. "'Master, 1 Iiave heard from you that a gentleman
does nut enter the country of a ruler vvho IcacU a bad per¬
sonal life. How is it now rhat you arc going to help litis
rebel Pi Hai at Chungmou f ” "Yes, I did say SO*** replied
Cfinfucjus. "But as tlic saying goes* a truly hard substance
is otjt afriiid of grindkigp and a truly white aubstance is
acjt afraid of dyes. Am I a dried up gourd that can slaiid
hanging on the wall and go widiout food (for days)

C^nfucLua was pLiying on a musical stone, the
and a man carrying a wicter basket was passing his dfjor
and said, "How can a man have the heart to enjoy pLiy"
ing idly on the musical stone like tliaL? Sucb $. stodgy
person doesn’t Acem to know lilmself^ What can I say
about such a person?""

Confucius was once learning to play on (a string
ifistruTTienr) from the mtiuc master Hdaiigtse^ did
not seem to make much progress for ten days. The music
master said to him* "You may well learn something else
iiJid Confucius replied, *i have already learned the
melody* hut Kive not learned the beat and rhythiU yet*^
After some time, the music master said* ^*YoU have now
learned the beat and rhythm* you mu$t take ihe nest
Btep.^ have not yet learned the expression*" said Con¬
fucius. After ;i while* the music m.istcr again said, "Now
you have learned the cspiessinn, you must Lake the next

THE tJFlE OF CON Py Cl US

And Coafudus replied, have ncjt yet ao
linage m my tnmd of the per$caaiily of the compose r*^
After 3»mc time the mmic master $aid, “Tlicic's a man
behind this musics who Is occupied in deep reEectton and
who sometUnM happily lifts up liis head and looks far
away, fising his mind upon the eternal" “IVc gof it
nuw*"" said Confucius. “He is a lailp dark man and liis
mind fetms to be that of an empire builder. Can it be any
other person than King Wen himself (tlic founder of
the Chou Dynasty)?" The music ouster xOS? fruto hh
scat and bowed twice to Couftidua and saidp ^tt is the
composition of King Wen.'"

Confudtis felt that he could not do anything In Wei
and therefure was going west to Chin to see El ton Chien
Chao. On reaching the bank of the Yellow River, he
heard the news of the death of Tu ^liagtu and Slum Hua.
He stood an the hank and sighed, “How beautiful Is the
water! Eternally it flaws I Fate haa decreed that I shil^ld
not cross this river,” do you raean?” asked Tsc-

kung coming forward- And Confudus repliedp ‘'Tu
Mingtn and Shun Hua are good mjnustcrs of Chin.
fore Baron Chleo Clmo got into power, he said that he
would insi^ on raking these two men, should he get into
pwer, and now that he is in power^ he luis killed ihcm,

I have heard that when people diaembowe! embryns or
kill the young, the unlcora refuses to appear in dte coun-
trysidc^ and ihac when people dry up a pond m order to
catch fish^ the dragon refuses to bring the yio and yang
prlneiplcs into hannoTiy (resulting in famine or BcKxl)p
and that when people snatch birds' nesu and break birds'

76 !rH£ WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

eggs, the phocnis refuses ta colnt. Wily? Because a gejl'
dcmjii avoids those who kill thdr dwo kiod^ 11 even the
birds and beasts avoid the unrighteous, how much more
should I do the samci"* He therefore returned to the
village of Tsou and composed a piece of music for a
stfiag initnimcni ciUed "Tsou li'ao'' m coaimtmora-
bon of ihe two good mjnisi:er&

Confucius then returned to Wd again and stopped at
tht home uf Chu PoytL One day, the Duke of Wd naked
him about militery tactics and Confucius replied, "*1 knuiv
mmetbliig about the ceremonkl sacrjficeSy but as for the
sdcncc of warfare^ 1 know nothing about it wharsoercr*’*
The next day when Conf udua was talking with the Duke,
the latter merely turned up his head and looked at the
flying wild geese in the sky and did nor seem to pay any
attention to Confucius. And so Confucius left for Ch'cn
agaicL

In the summer ol that year (^193 B.Q), the Duke died
and was succeeded by his grandson Chch, who was known
as Duke Ch^u of Wei. In June, Chao Yang gave the eldest
son^ Kuei Huci, refuge at GhTf Yang Hu lieu sent eight

ii dI cHine in ^miur^itfElDn tr> u-IhE he wJ b I^d

shovi il)4 pmcnlill^ ane, wEifii tuir liuIrcJ Uk go tu
mDu. Huirtan mtapc ll lull d luch coecta^kcbni, but Conihjciu enua
wkiuliJ |j[7t lot fvntndicUDEii b CnnJ^ciui' lilc. Ouk'

fuenu' icmaik diMal liu Wftflilc Up withnuE £nc«i'' *"11 1* a

up in the j.bcive bodn-nt^ musiC \je ti^cD m i tiufflorout

irnrirk. Moru 19 h^impnltt Conludiu' diJlcrcci aEEiEuJct m the tw<7
lALuicQtj vrtmEd be futile.

Y The ddeil km wai a^pfrvfl! of hb rbEitlul nicraaiMi to ihe DmJjJ
bcowic of the ina^uu cif Uv nptorimn ijuecti Niinda wlm haJ hci
nWgie mocced the dcujirtd Duke.

THE LfPl OF COWftrCTUS 7W

rntJi dncMccJ iii mourning w wela>mc Kuci Hud, pc*
tcucUng tlisiL dicy were nccompacying hiiu directly [rom
his own Dnchyi Wei, in recognition of hh rights- Tbi
welcoming dcleg^itiork waiJed in like Luiial fashion of ^
funci^ proce^&ion, and Kuei Hiid hcocefordi rcnLimecl
Bt Cbl

In the winijcr^ the state of Ts'ai removed irs capital m
Cboulai 'ITiii wa^ in the third year of Duke At of Lu
(49a B.C.)^ when Confucius was sixty years old* The
Jtaie of Chi then scot an army to help Wei besiege the
city of Chi * where the exiled prince Kuci Huci wai
staying. In the summer, the ancestral temple of Huanli
in Lu was btimt down and Nuukung Cliingshu led the
pnple to fight the fire, Confucius was in Ch'en at thii
moment, but when he heard of the fire* lie said that it
must have been the ancesiraJ temple of Huanli that wat
burnt (because the wrship at Uuanli was against die
rules of the ancient feudal order), Lat*r Uiey found that
Con funus" guess was right.

In the lummcr Baron Umn Chi was ill imd lie drove
over to the city of Lu, Upon seeing the city wall, be sighed
and said, ^*This Lu once had a chance of becomiiig a strong
state, but unfcrtUDatdy k lost that opportunity because 1
had offended Coafudus.^ Then be turned zround and
spoke to bis heir Baron K'ang Chi and said, know that
when 1 die you will become the Chief Minister of Lut
and when yon do, you must call Confucius hxck into

* Thii cky oT rUiH trai itnl in tbr mke ilfa\ thr Iwe nunc: bdn^
ditlcrenlJv in CiitmuE^

^ THU WIElIDM OP COWl^VCIVi

pomtJ* Hu^in died a few days afterwards and

Baron K^ang mccjccdcd bim:. After the buriij ccremonyi
Kc was going to «nd for ConfuciuSj when \uk brother
Yii Siikl, “Our deceased Eachcr once appoidicd Coofutiiis
to a position of power and tlicn foiled to go through wkb.
it, thus making himself a laughing stock of the ocher
Dukes. Now^ i£ you Uy to appoint him again and then
change your mind^ you wiJl again make yourself the
laughing stock of the other states.” "Whom then woidd
you KiiggcBt?" askird Baron K^ang^ “Send for fan Ch‘iu”
{a disciple of Confucius)^ was the reply. A measenger wai
therefore sene to ask for Jan Ch'iu^ When Jiin Ghlu was
about to d£parij Confucius said, "When die people of Lu
send for Chiu, they are going Co give him real authorityi
and not merely a small position.** That day Confucius
said, “Lee us go bome! Let us go honicl The young men
of our country are either brilliant and crradc or too simple
and rciirijig. They make good material, and T must try
lo cut them into shape." Tsekung knevr chat ConfuduE
was thinking of going home and on prting he spoke 10
Jan Chiu, "Whtii you are m power, you must send for
Confucius^

V. IN K.^irK£UlTLEit IN CH^EN iiND TS"a1 (49X-48g BjC.)

After Jsn Chiu had Icft^ Omfudus proceeded In the
following year (491 B.C) from Ch'cn to Ts'oL The Duke
Chao of T$^ai wa^ going to Wu in obedience to 3 sum-
molts from the King of Wu. Now Duke Chao had pre¬
viously deceived his subjects when he ixloved bis caplEoI

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 7^

to Choulai, and when he was going to Wu, his ministers
were afraid that he was going to move his capital once
more, and Kungsun P’ien shot the Duke and killed him.

The next year (490 B.C.), Confucius went from Ts’ai
to Yeh (another small state), and the Duke of Yeh asked
Confucius about good government, and Confucius re¬
plied, "Good government consists in winning the loyalty
of the people nearby and attracting the people far away.”
Another day, the Duke asked about Confucius from his
disciple Tselu, and Tselu did not reply. When Confucius
heard this, he said, “Ah Yu (familiar name of Tselu),
why didn t you tell him that I am a man who pursues
the truth untiringly, and teaches people unceasingly, and
who forgets to eat when he is enthusiastic about something,
and forgets all his worries when happy or elated, and who
is not aware that old age is coming on?”

After leaving Yeh, Confucius returned to Ts’ai. Ch’ang-
chu and Chiehni were plowing the field together. Con
fucius thought they were retired philosophers and sent
Tselu to inquire the way of them. “Who is that fellow
driving the carriage?” asked Ch’angchu. “That’s Con¬
fucius,” was Tselu’s reply. “Is he K’ung Ch’iu of Lu?”
And Tselu replied, “Yes.” “Oh, then he ought to know
the way.” And Chiehni asked Tselu, “Who are you?” “I
am Chung Yu.” “Are you a disciple of K’ung Ch’iu ?*
Tselu replied in the affirmative, and Chiehni said, “Oh,
the world is full of those people wandering about, but
who is ever going to change the present state of affairs?
Furthermore, rather than follow one who avoids certain
types of people, why not follow one who avoids society

So THH WISDOM OF CDf^FUCIUS

altogether?’' Tsclu told this to Confucius aiitl Coafudui
sighed and saiilp "Birds and bcasia {or tho^e who tiy to
imitate diciEiJi are nos right cotopaiiy for tiSi If there were
a moral order in the present worldj why should 1 bother
to change it?"

Another day Tselu was walking on the road and he
met an old man who carried a wicker baskes and asked
the lutceti *’Havc you seen the The old man re-

plied^ "Who is die "MaiSCr?— a man who doesn't work
with his arms and legs^ and who doesn t know how to
difldnguhti between the different kinds of grainsl” And
the old man pbnted his slick on the graund and began
to weed the field. Tidu told this jfory to ConfuciuSi and
Confucius saidf must be a reLired philosopher."
Tsclu went again so find him, but he had disappeared-
Confucius wandered in Ts^ai for three years. The sUW
of Wu W'as attacking Ch'eOi and Ch"n came to the rescue
of Ch'cn (this wa* in 489 B.C.) . The army of Cb ti was
encamping as Ch'engfu, and when they heard that Con^
fudu$ was somewhere between Ch^cn and Ts^aj* they
sent wmebndy to ask for ConfuciuSp Confucius was going
to pay his respects. Then she ministers of Ch'cn and Ts’ai
plotL^ together, sayingi "Confucius is a very -ible mail.
He has pointed out the weaknesses of the rulers of the
dififerent states. Now he has remained for a long time
amund here and he doe50*^i seem to like what we are dj>
ing. Now Ch"o is a powerful ^tatc and Is thinking of itS'
tng Confucius, and if Canfudus should ever get into
power in Ch'tii our countries would be in trouble and we
ounclvcs the nunislers would be in danger.” They there-

THE LIFB OF CONFOCtUS 3t

fnn? sent soldicrx to surround CemfuCtus in die country^
side. Couludus^ party cauld not geE away and Lhey were
short of food supplies. Many of those in thn party fell sick
and were confined to bed^ but Coafnclus kept on reading
and singing and accompanying himself wdth a string ifi*
strument Svilbout stop. Tsdu came to Confucius with
evidenr anger in his fao: and sdek ^Doca a gentleman
sometimes aJso find Wmsclf in adversity?” ''Yes,"* repJiec.
Cnnfuciui^ "a gendrman also somedmej finds himself in
adversity;, but when a common man finds hirmdf m ad-
versify* he forgets himself and does all sorts of foolish:
things.” Tsekung waa evidently impressed with the apt¬
ness of the remark and Confudua said in him, *Wh Szc,
do you think that 1 have merely tried to learn as much as
possible and store it away in memory?" "I think so* hn\
it truc?'^ said Conrucius, "1 have a cciiLral thread

whicli runs through all my knovviedge**

Confucius knew then that his disciples were nfigry or
disappointed at heart, and so he asked Tsdu to come in
and questioned lum* "It is said In the 0/ SongSt
"Neither buffalos* nor tigers, they ™nder in the desert.*
(A comprison ro themselves.) Do you ifiink that my
teadiinga are wrong? How is it that 1 find myself now In
this situaduii?'^ Tsclu replied* "Perhaps we arc not grc.it
enough and have not been able to win people’s confi¬
dence in us- Perhaps we are not wise enough and people
am not willing tn follow our teachings*^ ^'Is that SO?” said
Confucius. ”Ah Yu, if the great could always pin the

• Tt(k h rtifwbaT mipUincil iri tKe to- be ihe Gulden JUUc OC

ibe -ut Kj;x:ipfeKityL

Ba -THE WISDOM OF CONFUCHra

of The pcopltr did Poyi ond Shuth^i have
10 go ,irid die dE starvation in the mouniains? If the wise
TTica couIJ a] wap have rhdr reaching^ fol lowed by oLhers^
why did Prfnec Pi lean have to cojnmjt suieldc?*^

T#elu came out and Tsekung went iDi imd Confuciui
said, “Ah Sze, it is said in the Soo\ of Sangx^ 'Neither
hudalos, nor tigen^ they wuzidcr in the deserts* Are my
teachings wmng? How is it that 1 find myself now m
this sicuationf” Tsekung replicdp '"The htistcr's teachings
arc too gncai for die people^ and that i$ why the world
cannot accept them. Why don't you come down a little
from yotir heights?" ConEudLis replied, ’^Ah Sstc, a good
birnier plants the Held but eannot guarantee the harvest^
and a good .inisan mn do a skillful job> but he cannot
guarantee to please his cEistoidcrs. New you are not in¬
terested in cultivating youndves, but are only interested
in being accepted by the people. I am afraid yon arc not
setting tbc highest Standard for yourself"

Tsekung came out and Yen Huci wenE in, and Caa-
fucius said, "Ah Hue!, it is said in the Boo^ of
T^euher buifalDfl, nor tigers^ they wander in the desem'
Are my teachings wrong? Huw is tt that I find myadf
now in this situation F' And Yen Hud replied* '*Thc
Master's teachings arc so great- That is why the world
caonot accept ihenL Howevcr> you should just do your
best to spread the ideas. Whai do you cart if they ore not
accepted? The very fact that your teachings are not a&
cepLcd shows that you arc a true genrlcman. If the truth
is not cultivated, the sliame is oursj hut if we have already

'TltE LIFE DP CONFirO^trs 8^

sutnuously cultivated the i:ci.ichiag$ of a moral order and
They are not accepted by tlic people, it is ihe iLjmc of
those: in power. What do you caic if you are not accepted?
The very laet that you are not accepted shows that you
arc A true getuleman.^ And Ganfuclus wa$ pleaded and
Kiid smilingly, “Is that so? Oh, sun of Ycrii if you were a
rich man, I would be your hutlcrl'*

Confucius then sent Tsetung to Ch'u, and King Chao
of Ch'n scaiE an army to welcome Confucius, which got
him out of Ills diihculiy. The king was going to give Con^
fudus land of seven hundred /i (or sctdcmrcnts nf twenty*
five families each). A minister of Ch'u by the name nf
Tschsi said, “Docs your majesty have a diplomat as able
flS Tsekung?** "No," was the King’s reply* 'TDoci your
majesty have a chief inmlster as good as Yen Huci?"
“No," said the King again. "'EJoes your majesty have a
general as good as Tselu?" “No," said the King* *T)oes
your majesty have an adnuDistrotor as gr>ocf as Tsai Yu ?**
’‘No/ said the King. ’'Besidta^*’ condnued the minfater,
“the afiowror of the rulers of Ch"u was appobced to ibb
country with the mnlc of a Bamn, and its original rerri^
tory was only fifty /i (/f, about one third of a mile). Now
comes Confuciusp who is caUdng all the time about the
ancient systems of the Three Great Kings and the moral
tradirion of Duke Chou and Duke Shan* How do you
expect our country m gn on ruling thoLisands of square
miles from gencralioo ta generation if Confucius is able
TO put Into practice his ideal social order? King %Ven
rose from the dry of Feng and hi-*! son King Wu rose from
the dty of K’ao, starting only with, a territory of a hurt'

84 WI«J>OS4 OF CONFUCIUS

drcd tif but Lbey fi4ifllly lueccEdDd in cstaijU^hing an cm*^
pirc over lIjc wfaolc of China. 1 hardly think that h ia for
die ff3<jd of our CDtmtry to put Confudua in posi^cuion of
a territory, with stKh able disapits aasiiling This
coimpleidy changed the King"* miiid.

In the autumn of that year (4B9 B.C)^ King Chao died
at Ch'cngftL There was a tnaduum of Ch*u by the name
of Chiehyu who sang as he passed Confucius in the Al¬
lowing manner,

"O phoeniKl D phoenud
What has happened to ihy eharactet,*

Let by-gones be by^gones.

But make amends for what still lies ahead.

Alaek-a-day [ A tfwusand pities for the rulers of today 1*^

Confudus got down from his carriage in order to talk
with him, but the Laiter ran away, and Confudus Ailed
to hiivft an interview with lilitL Therefore Confudus re-
tumed from Ch'u to WeLThat was the fifth year of Duke
Aj of Lu (still 48^ B.C.), when Confudua was sbcty-tbrcc
years old*

VI. f UnTIl££ VEAltS OF WAKDEHnsrcs (433-4B4 1J.C.)

The ncKt year (488 B.C), Wu and Lu were having a cOO-
fertnee and q hundred $acrifidn] cows were oilercd or
the alLar (ibis being a presumptuous number and aga iniE
the forms of Confucian feudal ordcr)^ Tiie Wu minister
P‘i asked Baron K’ang Chi to represent Lup and, BaiOn
* Tb< 11 a BiytbaoJ bird rracfubJifijE ^ paradhc atiJ t

^TTiitwl ol perfect

THE L:rFE OF ODNFUCIUS 8^

K^nig being udwiEbg to go, got away by ^dlog Tse^
kung in hia place. Now Cooftidus had said Lu and Wet
were cousins (the firac ancoiori of die two ruling houici
we^e brochers)i and at liiia time the succe^r to die Wei
Duchy W3B staying abtoodi unable to have himself ei-
tablishcd in his country^ and the ruieii of the differoT'
Slates were constuady cun^idering possible future devel .
opments,

Cnnfudiis then had many disciples who were already
in the goveriuncnr of Wei* and the ruler of Wei wanted
to secure the services of Confuciiii;, Tselu asked^ *^if the
ruler of Wei should put you in powetj how would you
begin?” "T would begin with esiabliilung a correct usage
of terminology" (of ranks and titles)^ Con fud us amwered.
*Do you really mean it?” asked TmIu. "How c>dd and
impractical you arel What db you want to esUblixh a mr-
rcct terminology for?** '*Ab Yo, you are simple miadcd
Endeedl" Confudujt replied, "If fhc icrminology is no^t
c^)lTecr|^ then the whole style of one's speech Mis out of
form; if one's speech is not in form^ then orders cannot
be carried out; if orders are not carried out, then the
proper forms of worship and social mtercDursc (In ritual
and music) cannot be restored; if the proper forms of
worship and social intercourst art not restored, then legal
justice in the coumry will fail;* when legal justice fails^

"Tbii pu&^e bcfc! 1:1 iidit ratal fuJly Uie phUoufilik
hici^ anacbed bl '^riliuJ uid miuk" and alloWi inadc^bl^ of
tnriflntuif CfimcK phrue /i and yo metdy si “riniai jnet muiic/^
The annnorteaq ntuaS aod ii wc mliranly iii>~

Krprtt ihfap tKwmWr wnd the idminiurRti^R bxal jtiiiieg cdimEA \m

JnuJc, rnitf lit WV umplify jj. piUkdfillfll

86 THE WISDOM OP CONFUCIUS

then the people ire aL a Ims lo know whoi to do or what
not to du. Wlieft a geodem-m iratitetea somcdiixLg, he is
jure by wh&c terminoJogy li should be called, and wheni
be gives 5n order, he knows that the order can be carried
out without queslion. A gendemao nerer uses hk ter¬
minology IndiscruiiiaaLelyh"

The following year (4^4 B-C,) * Jan Ch'iu^ who was
then jsskiing in the atlrnuu^LtalloD of the government of
Lu, led the army o£ Baron K'ang Chi against Ch'i and
defeated the latter H the banlc oE Lang. And Baron
K aog asked Jan Ch‘iu, "How did you eutuc to know the
science of warfare? Did you Imrn it by study or by na^
tore?" Jan Ch'iu replied, "I learned it from Dmfucius."
"What kind of a person is Confurius?" asked Baron
K'ang, And Jan Ch’iu replied, ^‘If you should put him io
power, his reputatinn would spread immediately* You
cDuJd apply his teachings to the people and lay them be¬
fore the gods, Qiu) even the gods will find no fault widi
them. What he is seeking is to put a country into a con¬
dition of perfect moral order. Even if you should give
him the nik over iStOfio families, he would not abuse die
power for his own selfish cndii.'’ ^^May 1 tliexi suaamon
him?” asked Baron K.'aiig. "No,^ repLi^ Jan Ch^iu, “you

lonal iinler (“formi nf putilb Mwiliip hktIjJ lQlcr£mirK"‘>, m wi[l
be mAil? ddr iu Chapttn. VI tci< VlIJ. Tbc phiJoup^ie rricanin^ IkTa
ii ikiT it the buk EivorjJ and kcuI order ii sm rotoml and dtr
proper hstiu of miod we aot embtiahed, it n iPfjrrfitiat foDy » hope
for the atabluhment of prk? pJmI ntetr hy Klying on ptlRUhiiti dw
U«r

* There k UHat ttmTuuDd] Ld the chrofiotonv hac^ but cvidtsAci; eluwt
k wu 111 4^4 fi.Cr

shonlcj iiQf wciilci |>c ijnpolitCj

mg bim like a common iiMO j j^ou should i^nirta^ him lo
It happened then ih^st K'ung WentM of Wei Wiis
going lo aimck T’uiihu. He ii^^kcd G>nfudus* advice
about tactics^ and Conludus declined pohteJyt by saying
that be didu^t know about tatties. After the interview,
Confucius ordered Ids carrbgc for departure, sayingp ‘^A
bird cna choose a tree for it* hahiradon, but a U:cc ennnot
cluxpie the bird.” K'uog WetiLsc sdll tried to make hjjn
Slay, I hen Baron K^ang Chi drove away Kung Huat
Kung Pin and Kung Lin^ and sene presents lo Confuciui
Lu welcome him. iTieo Confudus returned to his own
country Lu. So Confucius had left Lu and been abroad
for fotirtocn years before he returned to Lu (in 48^ B-C).*

vif. smfoiAxz.r unoRS and personal tf ahjts of coNirocivi
(484-^481 B^)

Duke Ai of Lu asked Conf ucius about govemmedt^ and
Confucius rephetk ''Hit secirct of governmem lies in se
ieedng the right ministers/* Barun K^ang Chi asked Con
fuclus concerning government, and Cuofudiis replioth
“Raise the nghtcous men into pwer and Jet them serve
as the measure for the unrighteous, and the unrighteous
will return to nghteousuess." f Baron Kang was worried
about bandits or thieves in the country^ and Canfudus

* i J |can. -couniilia ^D^ieq hii learlag Lu m 4^^ BJX TV chii^Di^

logical dam Siosa Ql'kil Eiftudf give the year oI de-

pitmuv 31 49a B.Gl, vhkh ccatrHiictf hb own

t An mini^k of ihe Ccmfudin theory of imiradoB, to the

hirin dT the doocrinc by EJL4ffi|3t («r duptET V* Set sh

8S THIS WISHDM OP COKTVCITI^

said, “If you youricii do floL love jwoneyj, even chough
you should prcscjii iKe lUcvc$ with money, thty won't
uke h'*

But aftcf allg the government of Lu did not m its way
cicsif to putting Qjnfuciua id powcfi nOr did Confueiui
desire or seek nffia^ In die time of Confurius;, the power
of the Chou Etnperois had dedinedj the forms of worship
and social intercourse! Cntusl nod music^) had dcgeii'
erated, ^od tcarniDg and scholarship had fallen mto dtoiy.
Confucius studied the religioui or cercmnnial order add
historical records of the three dyoastics (Hsb, Shang and
CKod), and he traced the events from the times of the
Empemrs Yao and Shun down to the times of Duke Mu
of Ch’in and airajiged them in chronological nrdcr. And
he once said, “1 should be able to talk about (he feudal
order {it or “rituab'*) of Hsiai but there arc not enough
surviving cusiottis in the city nf Chi (ruled by itic de*
scendants of the Hsia rulers )< I should be able to disniss
the feudal order of the Shang Dynasty (noted for the rule
of the priestcraft):, hut there are nnt enough aurvLving
customs in the ciry of Sung (ruled hy the dcaoendaULs oi
the Shang limperon)^ If there were enough surviving
cuslomsj I should be able to reooruttrna them with evi^
denoc.” And he surveyed tlie changes of customs between
the Hsia and Shang Dynasties, and aficr noting how these
customs ran on into the Chou period with rnodilkaiioiis,
he wid, "1 am even predict hnw the future historicil de-
vdopuicot will be for a hundred generations/" He noted
how one dynasty (Shang) represented a culture with a

THEI^fFEOFC0NFi;CllJ^
veilfh of ceremonial forms^ aild how die oLber dyniist)^
(Hsia) represented :i rultum of the simple life, and how
the Chotj Dynasty iuid cumbincd and merged the two
previous cultures into a perfect, beaudful pattern, and ht
thcrcTorc decided that he would choose the Cbou culture
as the jded,* Therefore, Confudus handed down a m*
dition of historic records (for lOStanec, the present BaoJ^
of Hiftory) and various records of sindePt customs and
ethnolngy.

la discussing music with tlie Grand Music Master of
Lu, he said, 'The principles of music may be kuowo. A
performance should begin peacefully^ then it devrlop
ialLi full harmuny and clarity, and doses with a condnua^
uon or repetition of the theme*'' He oooe also laid, "Aftci
my return ro [m from Weit I have been able to renort
the miuical tradition and classify the music of rriir^ (cer¬
emonial anthems) aud yu (classical music of Chou) and
restore the songs to their respective origiaol music.f In

* CciofiidLii thcnffcKTC laid worked wjt i cwicrrtF Ktcat intmi o£ kvc^
anlrr ipflij ricff pFwl rirfelnutnn mSuI IkliUaii:, \a ttM OklLQ tilt

Cluau (x iio-ul B.C.) pattern, ^bkh Wu A mciA betwoea the limpltf
tjmna o^ Hlla Caaj^5-i;94 &,C,> md the more eiibonlx rjiVrm of
Shin^ ^oc Vifl, C-tX). Tfeii rmtiadiwl in ib*

tKink CitntiiMf ivhiirli par^'Kii'Erd lit lu.vi*' bciiD ilcfiifd by Duke OaAU II
ibc lauaAisis ^ llu: Chisti DjrCLlity, iCCotdwg to l£ic icnpt"

Kh»a. The "isoderfl icripi'' kIwoI rctuili the prpicnf rr^i tJ
ei A ^li:c. lAd Tnijankiu, -moTvywrit that i>iiifu£itrf wu iht jireHeH

fc^UTf, tryinfT to jii*c hlinmt jtutbDfky to tui own Mdl ooDCCpoofli, by
it bi Pukr CbuUp a tume U fCAjurt With. The h*m of thii
’^tnudem icrifrt” idbcul ic 'T'^f Kififj Ordrr.** Cba|AcT K of likK m
wbkh a complete fowimcaR] ryFim ii iwtfinei3,

+ The Boo^ ef Sorsjj^ edited by CoofudiPH fchfiwi at preteaf i cbiilfica-

licH] iibik] fiotir fti|Uii:4l ^txgttTKfi fl} the iHWgt (a) the greH yt, (j)

po T HI WISDOM Of CONFUCIUS

the ancient tinted, there were over three ihoownH mngj,

but Confudus look uut the duplicates and selected Lbuse
that wtrt suited to foim.* The collect ioa began with
die songs of Clfi and Houchi (mythological aocesion of
the Chou Emperors)* covered the great period of the
Shang and Chou kings stud carried ir down to the times of
the cyranrs Vu and Li. It begins with a song of marital
love, and therefore Jt is said ”thc Song Ku&f$^^ lA heads
the collection of /'Vflg; laming heads the oollcction of the
'Little Y^: heads the collection of ‘The Great

Yti/ ind Ch'fngmiao heads the collecrion of the
Confucius personally swg all the three hundred and Bve
songs and pbyed the music on a string instrument tn
make sure that it fitted in w'ith the score of Ajtaoji wu, ye
and fuDg. Through his effnrtSp the iradirion of ancient
rifcs and music was dietcfofe rcsaied from ohllvJna and
handed down lo pMerify, that they might help in the
carrying out of this ideal of a king's government and in
(he teaching of "the sb aru^* (the six brandies of snidy
in the schools of Confucius^ days : eercmunlcS^ musics ardi-
cry^ carriage-drivings reading and iiiathemalics; also tahen
ns synonymous w'ith the "six classics")*

In his old age, Confucius developed a bve for the study
of Vising, or the lioo{ of CAang^s, ita Pre/iwre, Tuen,

rtkc natv Jttf, ud (4) tbt /•Cftf, nr pcipula# folk mUlk af hii da;^ ptoupftS
accocdinv ta the crvunlrva- A|kut from the mUfiTb vlmnn m tract ^
ditfcniKr ran lir ffluflil in the diUercili h dj iIk KXI ■

canrafciciL

^Ckiafudui dkJ ineludt an amiiuflg numhef nf law irfSiyp, of irtfei
meefiflFi of lavcfi ind cfapcmenl*, whicli wm in tfafJllfd va rvcJ«li
but wtri^k li*i^ aliwit)4 £fl^ahctn«i the Ccnfiiciin raviici m

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS

91

Hsi, Hsiang, Shuol^ua and Wenyuan. He read the Vising
so thoroughly that the leather strap (holding the bundle
of bamboo inscriptions) was worn out and replaced three
times, and he said, “Give me a few more years to study
the Vising, and I should be pretty good at the philosophy
of the mutation of human events.”

Confucius taught poetry, history, ceremonies and music
to 3,000 pupils, of whom 72, like Yen Tutsou, had mas¬
tered “the Six Arts” (probably referring to the Six Clas¬
sics). There were a great number of people who came
to study under him.

Confucius taught concerning four things: literature,
human conduct, being one’s true self and honesty in
social relationships. He denounced (or tried to avoid
completely) four things: arbitrariness of opinions, dog¬
matism, narrow-mindedness and egotism. He showed
concern and care in three circumstances: ceremonial bath
(in preparation for worship), war and sickness. He sel¬
dom talked about profit, heaven’s will or destiny or fate,
and the true man.* If a man was not deeply concerned
or determined to find out the truth, he would not try
to explain and stimulate his thinking, and if Confucius
told him one-fourth of what he wanted to say, and the
• This last statement is literally incorrect because Confucius was talk¬
ing all the time about the true man; only when it came to pointing out
fiving examples of *‘truc man/* he constantly held back, as explained
in my introduction. Evidently terms like “gentleman** and **a true man**
and “a real man** can become quite current concepts or expressionst
without anyone being able to define them. Who can define what is
•‘true manhood**? Socrates talked about “knowing thyself/* but philoso¬
phers as well as common men will never be able to come to an agree
mcnr as to what is our true selves.

THB WISDOM" Of CQKPOCIOS
man did not go back and reflect and think out the inipli-
cations m the rcmaiamg three-fourths £or htmsdf, he
wDLild nor teach him agiin.

In Its. private in his native vilhgc at with bk
own people* he was gende &iid rcfinedi like one who
could ROi ult much, but a[ the pbcci oi public worship*
anti At the courts, he was eloquent, yet very carcfiJ in
his choice of wards, Ac court, he wauid calk very serenely
and respectfully with his superiors^ and quite a^ably with
his inferiorsn On entcrinE; a public hall, he wuuld bow and
hasten forward respectfully. When a king's jUMsengcr
he would at once asisume a serious demcajm, and
when A king sununoued hitn, he would go wnhaiit wail¬
ing for die carriage- When fish or meat were not fresh,
or when they wtre. not cut neaily, he would not cat them.
When ihc mat was not Lid oui properly, he would not
lit down. When he aic in the corupony of people in
jnfltiming, he would not cal hi$ fill* ^ should cry
(at a funeral oeremoay), he would not sing that day»
When he saw people in mourning Or passed by blind
people, he would change his couUtcnancCp even though
they were children, (He said) *1 never take a walk in
the company of three persons, without hnding that one
of them has something to teach me." “What concern or
worry me aj"c the following: that 1 have forgotten to
oiltivatc my character, that I liavc neglected my studies

■ TliF murri^l bere, il wdl « maPV qiictwiiM* in Lhu » nri-

4enih t-ktii from ibc 4fnir^. Mflii d Uk ^OfEnEiolii ajk £tlUv

d^Miab noi tJiMri TcrfaHy identic ^tb tina in tbe

Aa^tert.

THE LIFE OF CONFUCIUS 93

that I have not been able to follow the right course when
I see it, and that I have not been able to correct my mis*
takes.” When he heard a man sing and liked it, he would
ask for an encore, and then join in the refrain. He refused
to discuss the mythological, expbits of physical prowess,
unruly people, and the spirits.*

Tsekung said of Confucius, “The Master taught us
literature and scholarship; this we can learn from him.
What we cannot learn from him or what he did not
teach us was what he thought about Nature and the ways
of Nature (or Heaven).” Yenyuan (or Yen Huei) sighed
and said, “You look up to it and it seems so high. You
try to drill through it, and it seems so hard. You seem to
see it in front of you, and all of a sudden it appears behind
you. The Master is very good at gendy leading a man
along and teaching him. He taught me to broaden myself
by the reading of literature and then to control myself by
the observance of proper conduct. I just felt carried along,
but after I have done my very best, or developed what
was in me, there still remains something austerely stand-

* Confucius had a deep religious sense and feeling of awe before the
gods, whom he frankly declared that he could not know. He was, in
any case, deeply concerned over the ceremonies or religious worship,
and he also prayed, not in words, but apparently by a silent attitude.
For when he was seriously ill and one of his disciples asked him to pray
by going to the temple, he replied by saying that he had been praying
for a long dmc. Also, he did not believe in answers to prayers m die
usual sense of the church-goers, for he said, **A man who has com¬
mitted sins against Heaven has nowhere or no God to pray to.** The
evident implication was that he did believe in prayer under other dr-
cumstanccs, and the efficacy of such a spiritual communion lay in put¬
ting the man's own heart or conduct in harmony with God’s laws.

94 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

ing apart, uncatchablc. Do what I could to reach his posi¬
tion, I can’t find the way.” A young man of Tahsiang
said, ‘‘Great is Confuciusl He knows about everything
and is an expert at nothing,” and when Confucius heard
this he said, “Now what am I going to specialize in?
Shall I specialize in archery, or in driving a carriage?”
Tselo said, “Confucius said of himself that he didn’t go
into the government, and that was why he had plenty of
time to study the different arts and literature.”

In the spring of the fourteenth year of Duke Ai of Lu
(481 B.C.), there was a hunt in the country and Baron
Shusun’s driver, by the name of Chushang, caught a
strange animal which was regarded as bad luck. Con¬
fucius lcx)kcd at it and declared it was a unicorn, and then
the people brought the animal home.* Confucius then
said, “Alas, no tortoise bearing magic anagrams has ap¬
peared in the Yellow River, and no sacred writings have
come out of the River Lo. I have given up.” t When Yen
Huei died, Confucius said, “I see Heaven is going to
take away my mission from me.” And when he saw
the unicorn during the hunt in the Western countryside,
he said, “This is the end of it all.” And he heaved a sigh,
saying, “There’s no one in this world who understands
me.” And Tsekung said, “Why do you say that there is
DO one who understands you?” And Confucius said, “I
don’t blame Heaven, and I don’t blame mankind. All I

•Confucius* own annals. Spring and Autumn, ended with this year,
and it is usually said that this book ended with the appearance of a
vnicom, a sign of the appearance of a sage.

t According to tradition, the appearance of these things would be con¬
sidered an smen of the appearance of philosopher>king.

THU LIFfi OF CO NFUClUfi gj

fry to do i% my best to ac<]uire knuwJcdgc^ and to aim
at a higher ideal. Perhaps Hmen is die only one who
imderstunds taeP He £aid of Poyi and ShodiU that dicy
did not coinpromise llieir prindplesj and were not dis*
graced (thcw persDCtS and the foLto^ving were Earnouf
sciiohra living as rcdujtes) ; he said of Uuhsia Huci and
ShaolicQ that diey compromised their principles and wcie
disgraced^ he $aid of Ytichung and Yiyi that they lived in
seclusion and indulged in high talks of philosophy, but
that these people were at least aot matcrialiitie and that
they adjusted themselves to their circumstances according
to rhe principle of expediency. ‘^Bnt I'm different from
all of them. I decide according to the dreumstances of
the time, and act accordingly” (literally "no mny^ no may

Confucius aaid, *TliLs won't do I This won't do! A
gcatlcmaxi is ashamed to die withour having accomplished
sometbingp I realize that I cannot get into a position of
power to put Into effect my governmental ideal. How
am I going to account for myself in the eyes nf posterity
He therefore wrote the Spring and jiutamn (Chronicles)
on tile basis of the existing histories, heginning from
Duke Yin (7x3 B.Q) and coming down to tfic four¬
teenth year of Duke Ai (4S1 thus covering the

period of twelve Dukes (of Lu), He wrote finom the point
of view of Lu* but tried to diow proper respect to the
Chou Emperors^ harking back to the Shang Dynasty and
showing the changes in the systems of the Tliree Dynaj^
tks. He adopted a most concise style, but injected into ir

^ THS WlAUOM OF CONFUCIUS

SI profound meaning. That was why, altkjugh die rulers
of Wti and Ch'u usurped the tide of ^^kings/' the Spring
and Aiitamft degraded ihcir ranks and simply called
them “Barons.*^ At a cerLtio ooufereoce, the Emperor was
actually summoned by the Dukes to appear^ but the
Spring and Auiumfi, lA an effort to wlutewash the mat¬
ter, wrote, **The celestial emperor c&itie to hunt at Hoy-
ang" In thb manner, he used different words implying
approval or condemnatioD In critidsm of the practices of
his times, in the hope that should a gtcat king appear m
the future and open that book and adopt the prinoplei
implied diercio, the unruly princes and robbers of power
would be ashamed and restrain themselves. When Con¬
fucius was an ofidsil, he would gn avn- die cases of law¬
suits and nSicial documents with his colIe^Lgues and seek
their Opinions, and nnt make his own decisions, but in
writing the Spring &nd Atttamn^ he wrocc down and de¬
leted exactly as he thought fit, aixl the disciples like
Tsehsla were not able to put in a word^ When Confucius
caught the Spring ^rtd A^4^umn to his disciple^ he said*

• The future generations shall understand me through the
Spring ffnd Anistinn and shall also judge me on the basis
of the Spring find An/uTitn ”

vm. WJS (479 BJ&) AND FOSTEJUTY

Next year (4S0 B.G.) Tselu died in Wei^ Gonfudos him*
self also fell iU, and Tsekung came to visit him. Confuciua
WHS just then walking slowly around the door, supported
by n walking sticki and said to him, “Ah Secji why do

THE LIF£ OF CONFUCIUS 97

fou turn up so l^tc?" ConiLldlJS tkcil figlicd aod
u soLigi

"Ahf ih£ T"jii}iarL (Maan»ln) is tnifl^hling down!

11i£ ptllsr Is falling dowfiE
The phileMoph« is |Mssifigou!i!’'

He then shed tcajA and spoke to Tsekungi *Tof a long
firnc the world Luis been living id mond ckans^ ond no
ruler bds been able \o bUow me. The people of Hsia
Dynasty kepc iheir cedins before burlap above
eni stepf (of the Chinese couityard)^ the people of Chou
Dynasty kept their coifias above the weslcm steps, and
ihe people of Shang Dynasty kept them (in the jnaiJi
hah) between nvo pillars; Last night I drcnnit I was
ting and reociving (or maldog) a libauon between die twe,
pillars. Perhaps it was because 1 am a descendant of the
Shailgs/’ Seven days afterwards he died, aged seventy-
three (or 5cvcnty-twn accorcling to Englisli reckoning).
Tliia was on the day of Aprih in th«= ftixteemh

year of Duke Ai (-179 B-C).

Duke Ai sent 3 prayer to tlie fuuera! of Confuduij
which said, “AJasl Heaven has po mercy on mC| and hai
nut spared me the Grand Old Man. He has left me, ihf
poor self, alone and helpless at the head of the statC;^ and 1
am a sick person now. Alas! Father Ni (or Chung Ni,
Confiicjus" name) t Great is my sorrow! Do not forget me
(literally 'do not mind yoursclF)!" Tsekung said^^ 'Did
not Confudus die within the country of Lu? (It was the
Duke's fault that Conf udus was not pul in power,) "rhe
Master said, 'When ihe ceremonies are improper, thingr

^ THB WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

become disorderly, and when the terminology used is in-
correct, then things are out of place. Disordcrlincss
means that a man who has lost his moral principles, and
out of place means that a man does not get what he
deserves (or is not placed in the right position).’ When
the Master was living, he could not use him, and waited
till he is dead to send a prayer to his funeral, which is
improper. In calling himself a poor self, he also uses
a wrong terminology.”

Confucius was buried in Lu, on the River Sze in the
north of the city. His disciples all observed the regular
mourning of three years, and after the three years of
mourning were over, they said good-bye to each other and
left, weeping again at the grave before they departed.
Some stayed on, but only Tsekung remained in a hut
near the tomb for six years before he left. Over a hun¬
dred families, consisting of Confucius’ disciples and na¬
tives of Lu, went to live near the tomb ground, and there
grew up a village known as K’ungli, or “K’ung’s Vil¬
lage.” For generations sacrifices were offered at the
Temple of Confucius at proper times, and the Confucian-
ists also held academic discussions and village festivals
and archery contests at the tomb. The tomb ground con¬
tained a hundred mow!^ and therefore could accommo¬
date the disciples in its halls. The personal belongings
of Confucius, his caps, gowns, string instruments,
carriages and books, were preserved in the Confucian
Temple by succeeding generations. This was kept up
for over two hundred years down to the time of the First
• A mow is about oxic-sixtb o£ an acre.

tHE LlJiE DP CONFUCIUC ^

Emperor o£ tile Han Dynasty (frooj ^ B.C), whn
wor$Jiippcd Confucius with gra.n(l olTcrings (of cows^
tb«p and pigs^ a great boDOf). WJieiicvcr priocfis and
high ministers arrived ar the pbee* they first paid tlicir ro
spects at tlic Coitfutaan Temple before assuming oiQce
CodIucIus begat Li^ aJias Puyu, whn died before C6j>
fuel us at the age of 50; Poyu begat Ch*^ Allaa Tscaar.
who died at 62^ who waa nnce arrested ia Sung and wlw?
wrote the C^ntrat Harmony; Tsesze begat Po, alias Tse-
shaxigp who died at ^7^ Tseshang begat D^iUp alias Tso
chia* who died at ^5; T«chb begat Ch'i^ alios Tsecliin^
who died at 46; Tseching begat Ch'uanp alias T scelcaOj, who
died et 51 k T^ekao begat Tseshen^ who died at ^7, whr
once become the miaisier of WeS; Tseshen begat Fuj
who died at 57^ who was once fiofhih (sehoW or master
of partietilar Clauicii) under King Ch'cn Shch ^nd died
at Clren: Fu"s younger brotberp Tschskog, who died at
once served as poshih tioder Emperor Hsiaohud (of
Han) and again as magistrate of CltWgsha and was nine
feet six inches talli Tsdui-ong begot Chungp wli^o died ai
57J Chung begat Wu; Wu Yen-isien and Ankuo^
Ankua was poshih under the present Emperor and was
once magistrate of Linhuai and died young; Ankuo bc>
gat Aug and Ang begat Huan^

The Master riisccrtan soys: • *Thc Boo^ of Songs say^
High is die mountain I look up lo, and bright is hii

* 52r/iij €lt\rn WU d!k;h\ Tor ihi FTiD CcKin. ncnici^r fram

A fjmib wiikh ZieEd ihlt polittoCL '"TaJ-fiiih^kiiitjr" or “Maitcr
tOfim" 11 bit o^dil dtft Af the end pF r^etf b lin

hr H Imr omuneBt^ ipprecbitifia ot crilkum vC [hr lii44'*f

Charulcr.

example for our emulation! Although I cannot reach
the top, my heart leaps up to it.” As I read the books
of Confucius, I thought to myself how he must have
looked. When visiting Lu, I saw the carriages, robes and
sacred vessels displayed at the Temple, and watched how
the Confucian students studied the historical systems at
his home, and hung around, unable to tear myself away
from the place. There have been many kings, emperors
and great men in history, who enjoyed fame and honor
while they lived and came to nothing at their death,
while Confucius, who was but a common scholar clad
in a cotton gown, became the acknowledged Master of
scholars for over ten generations. All people in China
who discuss the six arts, from the emperors, kinjp and
princes down, regard the Master as the final authority.

Chapt^ JII

CENTRAL HARMONY
f^Chungyung: ong^iull^ LHh CL XXXI)

This is the book of Ciungyung, tmially iraosbrcd
as "The Doctfiiie of the Mean/* or *Tlic Coldco
MeaD«^ k coo$tituic5 the second of the "Four Books, ^

the following chapter (IV) being the £rsL its impoixiace
in rhe Confucian philosophy wUl be readily Mcn from
the text iLsdi I have put il here at the bcginiimg of the
CoDfuciao texts because it gives the best approach to
Coftfucian philosophy. In itself it fbnus a fakly adequate
and complete basis for the philoxaphy of GooXudanism^
The bookj according to early authorldesj was wriiien by
TseszCt grandson of Confucius^ disdple of Tsengtse and
teacher of Mencius. Besides this chapter, Tsesze Is iradi-
tiuoally said to have been rtsponsible for Chapters XXX,
XXXll and XXXIIl of U^i also. The identity in ityli
and thought berween Mcociiis and this essay, capeaally
Scciions I, 7, 8, is unmistakable, and part of Section 7 is
actually repeated in A/crtcriw. But if Tseszc was respon*"
sibie for this work, he was a worthy teacher of Mendst^
for we here certain germinal idca^ which maliije

101

THE WISDOM OF CONPUCIVS

and ripeD into the full eloquence of McJicitis* Careful
studcDts will sec u deep conneaTon beiivecci dus chapter
ood the philosophy of Mencius (Chapter XT).

This is the oaly chapter In which I have not made my
owu transbtion* rhe one used being by liic late Kj
Hungming. Ku's translation has merits winch are suffi¬
ciently apprent to make any josfification for its use here
suprRuoua. It Is iniercstiug to note that Ku iranslaics
as “the ttior^ sense," yi as "the sense cf justice " // as
"moral and religious insLiLuEions (of the Thicc Dynas^
ties)/’ and elsewhere as "the laws and usages of social life/^
too as “ihc moral law," as "the mural man,“ Arwo-

fjfl 33 “the vulgar man/" and ^ die "universal

moral order" and in another place as ‘To find the central
due In our moral being which unices us to the universal
order*"' Thotc rcnderixigs are esscncially concct; some
arc even bnllianL I have, hcwever, found it neccSsaiT m
add, delete and substitute phrases or lines, bringing about,

I believe, a closer adherence to the original, and have
na rurally changed cettijin spelling! of Chinese names
lo make them uniform with ihc rest of the book-
Ku hiis made a rearrangement of the sections, which
1 have not followed. It is admitted in general that the dif¬
ferent sections or "chapers" OS they are called in Chinesiv
are put togetlicr without a pretense at a propf order, the
most evident cases being the "Chapters" ^ 14 :ind 16
(uujuberi in the original, not jndicated below). "Chapter
28" is 3 very bad chapter, with a dearly bter intcxpolstion*
which I have deleted; the rest T have incorprated into
"Chapter 19" in Seoinn 7 here* It is not pssible to g)0 hiln

dfiajJcd npUn^tians here without uking up a great dca[
of ipaoc to dJicitu the intcrnaJ evidences. For the mn-
tcaitace of students who iuve access to the Chinu teittj
J give below the aumbers of the Chinese "chapters” and
thdr present sequence as rearranged now under the dif¬
ferent ECCtloDS:

Section One: i. Section Two: a, 4f 5i^ 7i' ^ 9r
Section TArcc: la, i6* Section Four: 131 X4, SeCtioit

Fjoe: ^ 17, 18, Section Six: the greater part of aOj ex¬
cept the end. Section Seven: the end of aOj Section
Eight: 22, 23* 24, 25, a6. Section Nine: 271 28 (partly de¬
leted and partly coEttbined with 29)1 29, 3i» P* Sec^

cion Ten: jj*

104

THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

I. THE CENTRAL HARMONY

What is God-given is what we call human nature. To
fulfil the law of our human nature is what we call the
moral law. The cultivation of the moral law is what we
call culture.

The moral law is a law from whose operation we can¬
not for one instant in our existence escape. A law from
which we may escape is not the moral law. Wherefore
it is that the moral man (or the superior man) watches
diligently over what his eyes cannot sec and is in fear
and awe of what his ears cannot hear.

There is nothing more evident than that which cannot
be seen by the eyes and nothing more palpable than that
which cannot be perceived by the senses. Wherefore the
moral man watches diligently over his secret thoughts.

When the passions, such as joy, anger, grief, and pleas¬
ure, have not awakened, that is our central self, or moral
being When these passions awaken and each

and all attain due measure and degree, that is harmony,
or the moral order (Ao). Our central self or moral being
is the great basis of existence, and harmony or moral or¬
der is the universal bw in the world.

When our true central self and harmony are realised,
the universe then becomes a cosmos and all things attain
their full growth and development.

CENTRAL HARMONY

105

n. THE GOLDEN MEAN

Confucius remarked: “The life of the moral man is an
exemplification of the universal moral order {chung-
yung, usually translated as “the Mean”).* The life of the
vulgar person, on the other hand, is a contradiction of
the universal moral order.

The moral man's life is an exemplification of the imi-
versal order, because he is a moral person who unceas^
ingly cultivates his true self or moral being. The vulgar
person’s life is a contradiction of the universal order, be¬
cause he is a vulgar person who in his heart has no regard
for, or fear of, the moral law.

Confucius remarked: “To find the central clue to our
moral being which unites us to the universal order, that
indeed is highest human attainment. For a long
time, people have seldom been capable of it.”

Confucius remarked: “I know now why the moral
life is not practiced. The wise mistake moral law fbi
something higher than what it really is; and the foolish
do not know enough what moral law really is. I know
now why the moral law is not understood. The noble
natures want to live too high, high above their moral
ordinary self; and ignoble natures do not live high

•Chung means •‘central,’’ and yung means -constant” The whole
idea expresses the conception of a norm. It is possible diat Sections 2,
3, 4, 5, 6 originally formed a separate book, later amalgamated with
the other Sections (i, 7, 8, 9. *<>)• Th^ »^*cs of the two parts are
quite di^erent This accounts for the abrupt change from chungho
(central harmony) in the first section to chungyung (Golden Mean)
in die second section.

THK WISDOM OF GOMFUCrOfl
enough, fiC+i HOC Up Co their uiuniJ ordinary rnie ici£
There is no one who does not MC dud drink, Bui few rhero
are who really know ilavor.'^

Confucius remarked^ '■^TTicre is m the worJd now really
DO rrwr-il sodil order at aU*"^

Confucius ronarkedj '"'Men all say "I am wLse'j bur
when driven forward and taken in a net, a trap, or a pjc-
fall, there is not one who knows how lo find a way of es¬
cape. Meo all say, '1 am wise^ but in finding the true
central clue and balance in their moral being (j,c.^ their
normal, ordinary, true sdf }, they arc not able to keep it
for a round month/'

Confudiis remarked of hh favorite disciple. Yen
Hnci: "Huet was a nmu who all hia Jffc sought the cen¬
tral due in hi« moral being, and when be got bold of
one thing that was gfiod, he embraced it witli all hii might
and never lost it again " *

Confucius remarked: "A man may be able to pm a
aiimtjy in order, be able to spurn the hoiiors and axiolu^
menta of olhre^ be able lo traiiiple upon bare, naked weap
one with all that he is srill not able to find the umtnil clue
in his moral being."

Tscfij asked what constituted strengih of character,
Coofudus said? “Do you mean strength of character
of the people nf the southern countries or force of char¬
acter of the people of the notthern countries; or do you

^ ftWf ^ iCtf HtfJtgfamg: Am. ihp Fjiffmcif ^han la ihc icxf afeffTfi if
ihc type rif |}ic irndl^nul Oiiluri^ rcpFdcuBtiTC of w^tt Mr-
Maidicw Arjuilkt dOi Hdlcnlinip ^ Ytn Hlu?! Im^c U the tjpc of

itr cm^tkifU^ nr rrli^riogj nature, We Aprwc]ia£ive lof Whal

Uf. AfMd coJU Bdbnkm.

CliNTaAU HARHDUT

mean strcngtli of cliaracteT of your type? To be paiiect
and gentle, ready to teadi, leittroing nnt evil for evil:
that is the strength of character of the people of the souih-
cTfi Kunmes, It is the ideal plate for the moral man. To
he under arms and meet death xvjdiuut mgret^ that h the
wrength of dunmr of llie people of the northern Coun-
tries- Ic ii the ideal of brave men of your type* Wherefore
the man with the true strength of moral chamctcf li one
who Is gentle^ yec firm. How nnflinchiDg is his strength!
When ihcic h moral sodsl order m the country, if he
enters pubtic life he does not change from what be wcti
when in rccttcnicnt. When there is no moral sodil order
in the country, he is content imio death. Hew ujiJKnehing
is hj$ strenglliP

Cjonfucius remarked^ "There are men who seek for
the abstruse and strange and live a singular life in orefor
that they may leave a name to pc^tenty. Thh is what I
never would do. There arc again good men who try to
live in conformity with the moral law^ but who, when
they have gone half way,, throw it up. T never Could give
it Up. Lastly, there are truly moral men who uncon¬
sciously live a life in entire harmoDy with the universal
moral order and who live tinknowa to the world and
unnoEtced of men without any enneem* It is only men
of holy,, divine natures who arc cap.ihle of thls*^ ^

• For fuller lod cxpc^kubi. Cif tire Gdkfcn McM, Kc Oupti^r

Stf hnni ^ psruiaiUfly Sectkiu 8 (iJm tTpn of

flKIUI lutej).

rUE WISDOM OF CONPUClLTK

rctS

ttl. UOftAL U^W £V^VW£J£&£

The moral law is to be found cverywhete, and yec h k
a secret.

The simple Intdligence of ordinary men and women
uf the jKuple may uodersUiiid sometlung of the moral
Llw; but in its utmost readies there is somedmig which
even the wisest and holiest oE men csinnot understamL
The ignoble natures of ordinary men and woinen of the
people may be able to carry out the moial law; bltt lo its
Utmck^l reaches even the wisot and holiest of men eznnot
live up to JL

Great as the Universe is, man is yet nnt always ^itis-
ijisd with it- For there is nothing so great but the mind
of the moral man can conceive of sonicLhIng itill greater
which oodiing in the world can hoidp There ts nothing
50 small but the mind of the moral man cm ooncclve of
something still smaller which nothing in the world can
sptlu

The Boa\ of Songs aays: “The hawlc soars to the heav^
tm above and £$hes dive m the depths below.^ That is
to say, there is no place in the highest heavens above nor
in the deepest waters below where the moraJ law u not
to be found- The moral man finds the moral law begin¬
ning in the reladon between man and woman; but end¬
ing In the vast reaches of the univerK.

Confudus remarked: '*Thc power of Apirirual forcca
in the Universe— how active it is cvcrywherct Invisible to

CENTRAL HARMONY IO9

the eyes, and impalpable to the senses, it is inherent in all
things, and nothing can escape its operation.”

It is the fact that there are these forces which makes men
in all countries fast and purify themselves, and with so¬
lemnity of dress institute services of sacrifice and religious
worship. Like the rush of mighty waters, the presence of
unseen Powers is felt; sometimes above us, sometimes
around us.

In the Boo\ of Songs it is said:

“The presence of the Spirit:

It cannot be surmised.

How may it be ignored!

Such is the evidence of things invisible that it is im¬
possible to doubt the spiritual nature of man.

IV. THE HUMANISTIC STANDARD

Confucius said: “Truth docs not depart from human na
turc. If what is regarded as truth departs from human
nature, it may not be regarded as truth. The Bool^ of
Songs says: ‘In hewing an axe handle, the pattern is not
far off.* Thus, when we take an axe handle in our hand
to hew another axe handle and glance from one to the
other, some still think the pattern is far off. Wherefore
the moral man in dealing with men appeals to the com¬
mon human nature and changes the manner of their lives
and nothing more.

When a man carries out the principles of conscien¬
tiousness and reciprocity he is not far from the moral

110 THE WltDOM OF CDNFUCIIll

lair* Wliat you do noi wiah oLh^ri ihodd do unto you*
din Tint do unto ihcm.

"There are four dungs in the moml life of a man* not
ooe of wtiich 1 have been able ro cany out in my life-
To serve my 6ther as I would expect my amn to serve
me: that I have not been able to do. To serve my sovereign
as I would expect a minister under me to serve me: tliaf
1 have not been able to do. To act lowards my elder broth-
£fs as I would expect my younger brother to act towards
me: That I have not been able to do. To be the first to be¬
have towards friends as 1 would expect theni to behave
towards me: that 1 have Dot been able to do.

"In the discharge of the ordioAry dudes o£ life and in
the exercise of care in ordinary conversauon, wheoerer
rherc h shortcoming, never fail to strive fnr improve¬
ment, and when there is much to be said, always ixy
(css than what is necessary; words having respect to ac-
dons and actions haviiig respect to words. Is it not jujt
this thorough gcauinencss and absence of pretend which
characterizes the moral man?***

The moral life of man may be likened lo traveling to
a distant place: one must start from the nearest sLagc* It
may also be Likened to ascending a height : one must be¬
gin from the lowest step. The of Songs says :

"*When wives and cliildreo and their um are one,

Tis like the harp and lute in unison.

When brothers live id concord and at peace
The sirain of harmony #hall never cease.

* Frtf lurthrr cbodabooi dse 1b4ifnuiiiilc fdodird ol ''EnrtHidpf
nan. by iMiJip" m qwtrtkuu irooi tbr ''iWefi/, CXiapfcr V. 6.

C^^XkJLL HAHuaNT Hi

The hmp of hippy udLoq Ji^htj the bcRiic,

And biig^ht d;t|a iciUow when ilic ^lildrcD camtJ^

Confucius, cofumeaung on the above, rcmarlced;
stfcb a ttare of iiiing£ whn more jatiitactwn an parents
baveP"

Tbe moral maa conforma himielf ro Iu4 Hfc circum^
atincxj; he doci ant desire anything ouUide of hit pan-
doiL Finding hInucEf in a posidoix of wealili honor^
he Uvet ai becomes one living in a poaidon of wealth and
honor Finding himself In a position of povertj and
humble clrcumjtances, he lives as becomes one Jiving in a
pDsidoii of poverty and humble dreumstancet. Finding
hicuself in imdvilLxcd cnimiria, he Hvu as becoitiei ooe
living in undviliEed ajuacdei. Ftnduig hirmdf in dnajm-
itanoEf of danger and difficulty^ he aett according to what
is ncqulred of a man under such drcumstances. In one
word} the moral man eziui find bimsdf in no dtuation in
life in which he is not master of hmudf.

In a high position he docs not domlaear over his sub-
ordinates. In a subordinate poiitlcn he Joes not ojurt ihe
favors of Jib superiors. He puts in order Jiis own per-
iOiml conduct and seeks noLhing from others; hena he
has no ojiiipJainE m uiakcp He complains not against Ood,
nor rails against men.

Thus It is that the moral man lives out the evetj cencf
of his life, calmly waiting for the appointment of God^
whereas the vulgar person takes to dangerous courses,
expecting the unceitalEi dianccs of luck*

Confucius remarked: *'1d the practice of archery we

112 THE WMDOKi DP CDNFUCZUt

hive fomcdiing resembling the prmdple ia a. moral man'f
lift. When die archer miiscs the center of Lhe target, he
i^trL« mimd and sceka for die c^use of bi$ failure witkld
himself."

V. CfiJtTAIH MODiLS

Couiucius remarked: "There the Emperar Shun*
He wai perbap what may be considered a tmly great in-
lellecf i Shun had a natiual curloplty of mind aiid be laved
TO jDf^tlire into ordinary eonvemation. He ignored the
bad (words?) and broadcast flic good. TaJdag two eic-
treiw cou niseis, he took the mean between them and
applied ihcm in dealings with his people* This was the
charactedsdc of Shun'i great intcllea.^"

Confudus remarked: ^'The Emperor Shun might per*
haps be cotuidcrcil in die tligtical sellsc of the word a
pious man. In moral qualities he was a saJnt. Zn dignity
of D^Kc he was the ruler of the ernpire* Tn wealth all that
lhe wide world contained belonged to hlttu After his
death his spirit was sacrificed to in the ancestral temple,
and his children and grandebiidren preserved die sacev
fice for long generadons.

"*Thuji h is dull he who possesses great moral qualitia
will certainly attain to corresponding high poshion, to
corresponding great prosperity* to corresponding great
name, to corresponding great age.

'Tor God in giving life to all created things is surdy
bountiful to them according to their qualities* Hcnec the
tree ihit is full of life He histcri and sustains, \vliile that

CENTRAL HARMDNr Ifi

which is ready to £sJl He cun olT and destroys**

Tlic of Sf}ttgf ^ays:

That RTOi and noble Prirw dlsplsycd
The KCK of n^br ir\ all he wrought;

The sparit of bk wisdom swayed
Peasant and peer; the cmvdp the court
So Hcav'n, that crowned his lireSji mtored
Tlic cDuodcu honors they bad known;

For Hcav'n aye k«peth walcb and wardj
The Mandate gave to mount the diionc.

li JS therefore true that he who posicwes exircediiigly great
mor^ cjuglilies wLU certauily receive the divine jn;n3tlate
to the TmpcriaJ throne*"

Confucius rernarlicd: "ITie man perhaps w'lio enjoyed
the niest perfect happiness was the Emperor WetL For
father he had a rctmukahlc man^ the Emperor Chi, and
for son also a remarkable maUp the Emperor Wii* Hit
lather laid the foundation of hb House and hi* *on car¬
ried it OIL The Emperor Wii, conrinuiDg the great work
begun by his ancesturp the great Emperor* his grandfather
Chi and his father the Emperor Wen, had oniy to buckle
oji his armor and the Empire at once ^me to his posses-
siotL la dignity of ofHcc he was the ruler of the Ernpire;
ia weaJtJit all that the wide world contained belong^ to
him. After his death his spirit wa* sacrificed to in the
ancestral temple* and hb children and granddiildrcn pre¬
served the sacrifice for long generations*

■I Caiuxit fdfnin fram fBjrifii; tiibotc lo Ku Hgjjpming iw Itfldcf-
iQr thii wktli T|ir luf^isEnjr thuif ii Uui It Ir

ilizmjn ^iULbil » tflfi fidfiML

114 wisnoM OP cowFUCiti*

*'Tht Emperor Wu received Heaven'^ mandare to rule
in hU old ^tge. His brother^ Duke Chutij ascrlBed the
*chicveTnent of himding die Imperial House equaltj
to die morai qualities of the Emperors WcQ and Wiu
He carried the Itnpcriai title up to the Great Emperor
(Wen^s giaadfaEher) and die Emperor Chi (Wen's
father). He saeriBced to aU the past reigning DuJtes of
the House with imperial honors*

(‘"'lliis rule is now unlvcrsalLy observed from the reign¬
ing princes and nobles \o the gentlemen and common
people. In the case where the father is a noble and the
ioD is a airnplc gentleman, die father, when he dieB» is
buried with the honors of a noble, but sacriiiced to as a
simple gendemaiL In the ease where the Either is a simple
grndeman and die son a noble, the father, when he dieSj
is buried as a simple geodeman, but sacrificed to with
the honors of a nobleman. The rule for one year of moum-
ing'for idarivci is binding up to the rank of a noble, but
cbe rule for three years of mourning for parents is bind¬
ing for all up to the Emperor. In mourning for parcoti
there is only one rule, and no durinedon i$ made between
noble and plebeian.^) *

Confucius remarked t ‘^Tlie Empemr Wu and his
brother, Duke Chou, wene indeed cmiiiently pious men-
Now^ true filial piety consists in successfully edifying out
the unfinished work of our forefathers and transmlLtiag
their schicvenicnts to po.'^crity.

“Ill spring ^jid autumn they repaired and put in order
the anccitrsd temple, arranged the saoifi^cial vcucli^

•Hie torcfeuif piTj^aph II |3Mt fli the otiginil Cootucka ic».

0£^TKaL JI5

hibited the regalia and hcirlooim of the family;, and pre-
Kfltcd the appropriate uffcringi of ihe sseason.

'The principle m the order of precedence iO the cere¬
monies o£ worship in the ancescnil temple is^ in the fint
place^ TO arrange the members of the family according to
descent- Ranks are next considcredi in order to rMog*
nition to tile principle of wclal dbtinaioiL Services ren¬
dered are neit con^dered as a recognition of diidnctiDn in
moral worth. In rhe general banquet those below take
precedence of those above in pledging the company, in
order to show that eoimderacion b shown to the meanesL
In conclusion^ a separate feast is given to the eldcn, in
order to recognize the principle of senioriry according to
age.

**To gather in the same places where our fathers heiort
ua have gathered f to perfonn the same ceremonies whieb
they before us have performed; to play the some music
which they before us have played; to pay rcipect to those
whom they honared; to love those who were dear to them
— in fact, to serve those now dead as if they were hving^
and now departed as if they were sHIl with us: this i$ the
highest achievement of true filial piety.

’"Tlic performance of sacrifices to Heaven and Earth is
meant for the service of God. The performance of ccie-
monies in the ancestral temple is meant for the worsltip
□f ancestors. If one only understood the meaning of the
sacrifices to Heaven, and Earth, and the significance of
the services in ancestral worship in summer and auiimui,
it would be a$ easy to govern a naiiou as to polnr a finger
at the palm^**

Il6 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

VI. ETHICS AND POLITICS •

Duke Ai (ruler of Lu, Confucius’ native state) asked whai
constituted good government.

Confucius replied: “The principles of good govern¬
ment of the Emperors Wen and Wu arc abundandy il¬
lustrated in the records preserved. When the men arc
there, good government will flourish, but when the men
are gone, good government decays and becomes extinct.
With the right men, the growth of good government is
as rapid as the growth of vegetation is in the right soil.
Indeed, good government is like a fast-growing plant.
The conduct of government, therefore, depends upon the
men. The right men arc obtained by the ruler’s personal
character. To culdvatc his personal character, the ruler
must use the moral law (fao). To culdvatc the moral law,
the ruler must use the moral sense (/en, or principles of
true manhood).

“The moral sense is the charactcrisdc attribute of man.
To feel natural aficedon for those nearly related to us is
the highest expression of the moral sense. The sense of
jusdcc (yi or propriety) is the recognition of what is right
and proper. To honor those who arc worthier than our¬
selves is the highest expression of the sense of justice.
The rcladve degrees of natural affection we ought to
feel for those who arc nearly related to us and the rcladve

* This section must have been placed here from other **ancient records.**
Confucius had a number of ioterviews with Duke Ai, some in the “Great
Tai** collection; aee for comparison Chapter VII of the present book.

CEVTHAL MARMONT

grades of honor we uughl to show to those worthier than
oursdves: these give rise to the forms and distinctions in
social life {it, or principles of social order). For tiniefii
locbl inequalities have a true and moral bads {or unless
those being ruled fed their proper place witli rcipcct to
their rulers),, govcrqnicnt of the people is an impoisibil-

Therefore it is necessary for a man of the goverming
class to set about r^ulating hk personal conduct and
character. In considering how to regulate hia persona]
conducl and charadcr, it is necessary for him to do his
duties toward those nearly rclarwi to him. In consideriiig
bow to do hh duties toward those nearly related to him^
it is neccssajy for him to understand the nature and or^
ganizstion of human society. In considering the nature
and organization of human society it b necessary for him
lo understand the laivs of Godd
''The dudes of uoivcrsal obligation are firCt and the
moral qualities by which they are carried out are three-
The duties are chose between ruler and subject, between
lather and son, between husband and wife, between elder
brotlier and younger, and those in the kiiercoufse be¬
tween friends. These are the five duties of universal ob«
ligation. Wisdom, compassion and cuuragt * — these are
the three universally recognized moral qualities of mau.

It matters nor in what way men come to ibe exercise
of tlicsc moral qualities, the result is one and the aamc»
"Some men arc born with the knowledge of these moral
quaJirJesj some acquire it as the result of education; some

* Ka IraiiU^ics tbrin u *'inir[fijrnnc^ nioni cbinclcr Aiict

ir8 THii wiiDOM OF co^rFcrc]us
acquire it ^ cbe resuk of li^rcJ cspcncncc. Bui when ihe
knowledge h iicquircd^ it aimat to one and liic lame
thing. Some exerdse these inoral qualides Djilu rally and
osily; some hteause dicy find it advantageous to do jo^
same with effort and diffiodey. But when die achicver&ent
b made it <ume$ to one and ihe same thing.”

Confucius went on to say: "Love o£ knowledge b akin
DO wisdom. Strennoiis atteotioii to conduct b akin to mm-
pouicEL Scnsitivcacss to dtatne is akin lo courage.

"When a man understands the nature and use of dicsc
three moro] qualitieSj he will then understand bow to put
in order his penooal conduct and ckaracler. When a man
understands how to put in nrder hb personal Ejonducc
and character, he will understand hnw to govtrn men-
When a man understands how to govern men, he wtU
then tinderstoad how to govern nations and empires.

^'For every one caUed to die governmetiL of nations and
empires diere arc nijic cardinal directions to he auendod
to:

r. Culdvating bb persooal conducL

Honoring worthy men*

3* Cherishing alTectson for, and doing hb duty
toward, hb kindred.

^ Showing respect to the high minbters of state.

5. Identifying himself with the imercsti and wel«
fate of the whole body of public officers.

6. Showing himself as a father to the common peo*

pie.

7. EncouidgiDg the iocfoducuon o£ aU ^rtL

CENTRAL HAAUONT

1. Showing ia itrangcrs from laf coiiU'

tricx.

9, Tating intcrut in ihe welfare of the prirKxs of
the Empire.

'"When the ruler pays attCDtion to the cultivadon of
his personal conduci, there wUI be respect for the raorat
law. WJien ilic nilcr honors worthy men^ he wall not be
deceived (by the crafty oilioa.b)« When the ruler cher¬
ishes a^crion for hh kindredj there will be no disailec^
tion among fhc members of hb family. When ihc niler
shows respect to the high ministers of statCj he will not
make mistakeSv When the ruler identifies himself with the
interests and welfare of the body of pubLie nfiiecrs, there
will be n strong spirit of loyalty among die genticinen of
the country. When the ruler becomes a father to the com¬
mon people, die mass of the people will eKcn themselves
for the good of the state. When the ruler enmumges fhc
introduciion of all useful arfs> there will be sufficiency of
wealth and revenue in the tountry. When the rolcr shows
kindness to the strangers from far countries, people from
all quarters of the tvorld will flock to the country. When
the ruler takes inicrcjt m rhe condition and welfare of
the princes of ihc empire, he will inspire awe and respect
tor his authority diroughout the whole world.

^By attending to the dcanliuess and purity of bb per
son and to the propriety and dignity of hb dress, and la
every word and ad permrldog nothing which b con^
trary to good taste and decency f that is how the ruler
cultivates hb personal oonducL By hanishing all Eatterers

Jio irni WISDOM OF cox fuc tits

and keeping away from die society of woitica, hcjldlng
In low estimation pcKsessio© of worldly goods, bur valu¬
ing moral qttalitles in men^Iiar is hnw the ruler give*
eoccuragemeni to worthy men. By raising them to high
places of honor and bestowing ample emoluments for
their maintcmiritc; sharing and sympathising with their
tastes and opinions-^tiiat rs how the ruler inspires hvc
for bis person among the members of hh family. By ca-
teoding the powers of their functioiis and allowing ihem
discretion in the employ menr of their subordinates— that
ii how the ruler gives enmuragement to the high minis¬
ters of state. By dealing loyally and punctually with them
in all engagements wliicli he makes widi dieni and allaw-
ing 0 liberal scale of pay— that is bow the ruler gives en¬
couragement to men In the public service. By strictly
limiting the time of jiheir service and making nil imposts
as light as possible — that is how the ruler give^ encour^
agcmcni to the tuoss of the people. By ordering daily in¬
spection and monthly examination and rewarding each
acojidJug to the degree of his workmanship— that i$ how
the ruler encourages the artisan elass. By welcoming them
when they come aud giving them proteetinn when they
gOj commending what is good in ibcm and making aU
bwance for their ignorance— that is how the ruler siiows
kindness to strangers from far countri^ By restoring
lines of broken succession and reviving subjugated s^tes,
putting down anarchy and disorder wherever they arc
fbundp and gi vliig support m the weak against the strong,
iiieiag stated rimes fur ibcir atiendancc and the attefidaner
of their envoys st court, luading them wiih presents when

CKNTIAL IfAAMOKr m

they leave, while exacting little from them in the way of
CODlributioQ wfjcn they coine^hac 15 Iiow the mlcr fates
interest in the welfare of the princes of rhe empire*

“For every one who is c*tUeJ to the govemmeot of na¬
tions and empire, these are the oine cardinal direaiooi
to be attended lo; and there h only one way by which
they can be carried oou

“In all marrers success depends on preparation ^ with¬
out prcpaiatioa there will always be failure* When what
is to be said is previously determined, there will be no
difFoilty in carrybg it our. W'htn a line of condud is
previously determined^ there wiB be no occasion for vexi-
Lbn. When gcncraJ principles are previously deter mined,
there will be no pcrplejilty to know what to do**'

VI n i£iNe nifE's jhue sitF

“If the people in infcrbr positions do not have conJidenee
in diose above them, govenimem of the people is an im¬
possibility* There is only one way to gain confidence for
one's authonry: if a man is not trusted by his friends, he
will not have confidence in ihow above hiriL There is
only one way to be trusted by ooeV friends: if a man is
nut affectionate towujrd hJs parents, he wiU not be trusted
by his friends. Tticre is only one way to be uffectlonaie
reward one's parents: if a mail, looking into his own
hearty is not true to himself, he will not be affectionate
toward bis parents* Therv is only one way for a man ta
be true to himself. If he does not know what Is good,
man cannot be true to himself.

UZ THS wriflOW OF CONFtJOrus
''iking true io oncscll is ibo law ut God. To try to b«
true Eo oneself is the law of raao,*

who is niEumlly irue to is one who, with^

out dfort, bits upon what is righi^ and without think¬
ing undcrstantls what he wants to know^ whose life it
easily and naturally in harmnoy with the moral Iaw« £uch
a one b what we oaLI a saint or a man □£ divine nature.
He who learns lo be hb true sdf b one who finds out
whar is good and holds fast to ic.

“In order to learn to he one's true self, it b necessary ta
obtain a wide and extensive knowledge of what has been
sold and dune In the world; entJcsIly to inquire into it;
carefully to ponder over It; dearly to aifi it; earnestly
to carry it out.

”It ma tiers nor whac you learn; but when you oner
learn a thing, ynu musf never give it up until you have
mastered it« It matters not what you Inquire into, but
when you Inquire into a thing, you must never give ii
up until you have thoroughly Understuud iL It matters
not what you try m think out, but when you once Liy
to ihink out a diiug you must never give it up undJ you
have got what you wanL It matters not what you uy to
j:ift out, but when you once try to sift out a thing, you
must never gi^'e ic up until you have sifted it out clearly
and distinedy. h matters not wlial you try to carry out,
hut when you once try to carry out a thing you must never

■ TEbj pwfi t^rnn tbc bcffliUlinff ^ Kcliofl m in ihr p/

McAatUf thkJe IV, Part |+ Tljc completfi iatimfkw k aIu Iq

■‘Cwfueiui' Fllllil]r RdUDinU'^ CAuyu}^ witheut the ifiC-

tvn llul follfftn immediaty^Ty-

ClKTJIAli |!4]lllON*r

give it up until you hn^t doDc k tborougbljr and vrell.
If aiuthu- man succeed by one cfforEj you will \m a huo-
drccl cHort^ If anoilicr nrni succeed by ten cliortSi you
will me a ihousaod dlorta.

'*Lct a man really proceed m this imnocrp and, Uicugh
dull, be wUJ surely become infelligent^ though wedc, be
will surely bocDme strung,'^

To arrive uoderscanding from bemg one^s true sdi is
called nacurct and ro arrive at being true self from
understanding is called culticrc. He who is bis true hai
tbcieby undenUDding^ and he who has undentanding
find^ thereby bb true $el£*

VUl. THOSE WUO Afut AfiSoLUTR HtUE SELVES

Only those who arc their absolute true sel ves In the world
un fullil ihdr own nature^ Only those who fulSl their
own mture can fulfil the nature of others; only those who
fulfil the nature of others can fulfil the nature of thiDg^;
those who fulfil the nature of thiop are worthy to help
Mother Naluje iu growing and sustaining lifn; and these
who are worthy to help Mother Nature in growing and
sustaining life are the equals of heaven and earth.

The next in order are tho$e who are able to attain to
the apprehension of a particular branch of study. By such
studies^ they are also aNe to apprehend the truth. R^iza-
tion of the tnte sdf mnipels expressiou} expression be-
comes evidence; evidence become$ clarity or lumiiKMity trf

■ ThJ* panfrapb Ccmstlitiaij a ”diapi£r" br iudf m ^ doMf ifitL
Tlic tmuUitiDn of rtiiJ pjraj^pll ind the fbJlowdir two par^gTMphl-
II caikvlj miae, dUHefiai fra™ Kii'#.

J24 TH£ WI5]>02bl DF CONFUCIUS

knowledge; ckrity or iumincsiEy of knowledge
Active knowledge becomes power and power becomc^c a
perv£dii)g infiuecce^ Only those who arc absolutely their
trtie selves io chi^ world can have pervading influence
Iz 14 an atu'ibtite of the possession of the absolute true
self to be able to foreknow^ When a nation or family is
abaiit to dourisb, there are sure tn be lucky omens^ When
a nation or family is about to perish^ there are sure to he
signs and prodigies. These tbiugs manifest iJicmsclvci izi
the mscruments of divination and in the agiutiou of the
human body. When happiness or calamity is about to
tsamc^ it Can be known beforehand. When it is gpodt it can
be known beforehand. W^hen it is evil, it can also be
known beforehand. Ttiereforc he who has realized bis
true self is like a cel^iiaJ spiriL
Truth means die fulfilment of our self; and moral law
means following the l.iw of our being. Truth j$ the be¬
ginning and end (the suh^inncc) of matenai existence^
Without truth there is no uiatedal existence. It h for this
reason that the moral man values trtiLh*

Truth ii not only the ftilfilment of our Own being; it is
that fay which things outside of us have an CKi$tence- He
fulfilment of our being is moral sense. The fulEJment of
the nature of ihingi outside of us is inrcUect, These^ moral
sense and intellect^ are the powers or bcultica of uur bc^
ing. They combine the inuer or subjective and outer or
objectiTc use of the power of the mlnd^ Therefore, with
truth, everything done is right
Thus absolute truth is indwrticiiblc. Being indcstnjcti'
hie, it IS cternaL Being ctemab it is self-exisrent. Being

CEKTItJlL UkRUOHt

wlf-cxistcnij It is lafiDlLCK Brkig IdiinitCt it 15 vflJt
deep. Bcii^g V2MX and deep* it is transceadciit:i] and mtd*
ligexLL It is because it 1% vast and deep dial it cuutaiiu aU
exi^encf. It is became it is tranic^ndeiarat and intelligent
that it embraces all exigence. It is bcciuK it li infinite and
eternal tliat it fulfils or perfects aJl exislence. In vastneu
and depdi it is like the Earth. In Transcendental intelli*
gence it is like Heaven^ loiiuitc and etenuk it is the 1>-
finire itself*

Such being die naLure uf absolute iruthi it tnanifestt
itself WJEhout being seen; it produces effects without mO^
tk>n; il accomplishes its ends without action^
ihe priudplc in the ooursc and npefaibn of nature
may be sumiucd up in one word : because it obeys only jt«
own immurabJe law, the way in which it produces the
variety of things is uo fathomable*

Nature is vaitt, deep, high* intelkgeni, infinite and eter¬
nal. The heaven appearing before us k only this bright*
iliiniog daass^ but in ita immeasurable exieiir;, the *un*
din moon^ Stars and constenaiiom are ^spended In it*
and all things axe embraced under iu The earth, appear^
ing before k bur a handful of soil; but in all its breadth
and depths it sustaiiis mighty mouutaitLs without feding
their Wdght; rivers and seas daah agaiuit it without cam-
Jng it to leak. The mountain appearing before uj is only
a mass of rock ; hut in aU the vastuexs of \n aizc, grass and
vegetation grow upon it, birds and beasts dwell on it,
and treasures of precious minerals are fbtitid in it* The
water appearing befpre mj ii but a kdleful of liquid; but

126 THB WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

in all its unfathomable depths, the largest crustaceans,
dragons, fishes, and turdes are produced in them, and all
useful products abound in them.

In the Boo^ of Songs it is said:

**Thc ordinance of God,

How inscrutable it is and goes on for ever.”

That is to say, this is the essence of God. It is again said:

“How excellent it is,

The moral perfection of King Wcn.^

That is to say, this is the essence of the noble character of
the Emperor Wen. Moral perfection also never dies.

IX. EULOGY ON CONFUCIUS

Oh, how great is the divine moral law of the Sage. Over-
flowing and illimitable, it gives birth and life to all created
things and towers high up to the very heavens. How
magnificent it isl How imposing the three hundred prin¬
ciples and three thousand rules of conduct I * They await
the man who can put the system into practice. Hence it
is said: Unless there be the highest moral character, the
highest moral law cannot be realized.

Wherefore the moral man, while honoring the great¬
ness and power of his moral nature, yet does not neglect
inquiry and pursuit of knowledge. While broadening
the scope of his knowledge, he yet seeks to exhaust the
mystery of the small things. While seeking to attain the
highest understanding he yet orders his conduct accord-
•TTiiiik of Deuterontma.

127

ing m die middk course {litenill^ Going

over what he has already learned^ he gains tome nirw
knowledge. Earnest and simple, he rcspccLi and obeyi
the Uws and usages of social life (/i).

Therefore^ when in a posiEbn of auihoriiy^ he Ii not
proud; in a Bubordinatc position^ he b not msuboxdiiLltc.
When there h morJ social order in the coLintry^ what be
jpedcs will bring prosperity to the nadon; and when them
is no tnora] soda] order in the country, his silence will m-
furc forbcanmcc for himself.*

In the HgoJ( of Sortgs k b said:

*lVhb wisdom and good serucp
He guards hi* life from hum.*'

That ii the description cf the moral mao.

To attain to the savereigdty of the worldj rhere am
three imporiant tilings necesiaiyj which would mate it
perfcct.f

Although a man may occupy a position of authorityi
yeti unless he possesses the mor^ character fining him for
bis task, he may not take upon himaclf to make changes
In the established religious and artistic inslitudDDS (liter-'
ally “ritual and music"). Although one may possess the
moral character Hiring him for his task, yet, unless he
occupies the posiEion of aurhoriry, he may not take upon

* rWr m icaDiuclkM] bciwixll tbe of llnr trifr pdf

and hamwiijr wiih lEie ouukle worU* tKtwnn

Bvsnf "

t'ni^ fdlinwii^ PBra pftf]igfjptu arc bcvfporaud ticfc fnjfn ^bipWf
aS^" Tht ^'threc unportAdE thioffi" (po^WU dbanevs ud ■PiNil ^
historr) becorae odicrwiic uaijiiEitifibb.

128 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

himself to make changes in the established religious and
artistic institutions.

Confucius remarked: “I have tried to understand the
moral and religious institutions (li) of the Hsia Dynasty,
but what remains of those institutions in the present state
of Ch’i does not furnish sufficient evidence. I have studied
the moral and religious institutions of the Shang (Yin)
Dynasty; the remains of them arc still preserved in the
present state of Sung. I have studied the moral and re¬
ligious institutions of the present Chou Dynasty, which
being now in use, I follow in practice.”

Coming from those in power, a system may be lacking
in historical authority (“historic evidences”), however
excellent it may be; what is lacking in historical author¬
ity cannot command credence; and what cannot com¬
mand credence the people will never obey. Coming from
those not in authority, a system may not command re¬
spect, however excellent it may be; what docs not com¬
mand respect cannot command credence; and what can¬
not command credence the people will never obey.

Therefore every system of moral laws must be based
upon the man’s own consciousness, verified by the com¬
mon experience of mankind, tested by due sanction of
historical experience and found without error, applied to
the operations and processes of nature in the physical uni¬
verse and found to be without contradiction, laid before
the gods without question or fear, and able to wait a hun¬
dred generations and have it confirmed without a doubt
by a Sage of posterity. The fact that he is able to confront
the spiritual powers of the universe without any fear

Cfil^TKAl. HAftMDNY

fhowx tKit he uadcrsuiids the \^ws, of God. The £ict
that he is prepared Lo wail a huodred geoeratiuoi for
confirmLttion from the Sjge of posterity without any mil*
giving shows that he imdcrAt.inds the bw« of mm.

Wherefore k b tliaL k U true of Lhe rcuily great mot^\
man that every move he makes becomes an example for
generations; cveiy acr he does becomes a mndd for gen-
eratinps and every word he uticn bccDoica a guide for
geuerallons. Tliose who are far away look up to him^^
while those who are near do not deeresie their respet for
him- ta the of Songi it b said!

"There they found no faidr of him,

Here they never tife of him;

Thus from day to day and night to oighe
Tliey will perpetuate his praise T

Tliere never was a moral man who did not answer this
description and who yet could obiain timely recognition
ihjuughuut the worlds

Confucius taught the truth originally handed down by
the ancient Empemn Yao and Shun, and he ado[Hed and
perfected the system of social and rdlgious taws esfab-
ILshed by the Emperors Weji and Wu* He shorn that they
haiinonize with the divine order which govemf tlie revo-
lutioiu of the seasons in the Heaven above and that they
fit in wi[h the moral design which is to be lecn in phyiical
nature upon the Earth below«

Tlicx moral laws form one system with the laws by
which Heaven and Earth support and contam, over¬
shadow and canopy all thJngL These mnrat Uwi form

jyo THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

the same system with the laws by which the seasons suc¬
ceed each ocher and the sun and moon appear with the
alternations of day and night. It is this same system of laws
by which all created things arc produced and develop
themselves each in its order and system without injuring
one another, and by which the operations of Nature take
their course without conflia or confusion; the lesser forces
flowing everywhere like river currents, while the great
forces of Creation go silently and steadily on. It is this
(one system running through all) that makes the Uni¬
verse so impressively great.

It is only the man with the most perfect divine moral
nature who is able to combine in himself quickness of
apprehension, intelligence, insight and understandings
qualities necessary for the exercise of command, mag-
nanimity, generosity, benignity and gentleness— quali¬
ties necessary for the exercise of patience; originality, cn-
ergy, strength of character and determination — qualities
necessary for the exercise of endurance, piety, noUe seri¬
ousness, order and regularity — qualities necessary for the
exercise of dignity, grace, method, subdety and penetra¬
tion— qualities necessary for the exercise of cridcal judg¬
ment.

Thus all-embracing and vast is the nature of such a
man. Profound it is and inexhaustible, like a living spring
of water, ever running out with life and vitality. All-em¬
bracing and vast, it is like Heaven. Profound and incx-
hausdble, it is like the abyss.

As soon as such a man shall make his appearance in
the world, all people will reverence him. Whatever he

CENTRAL HARMONY I3I

says, all people will believe it. Whatever he does, all peo¬
ple will be pleased with it. Thus his fame and name will
spread and fill all the civilized world (literally “China”),
extending even to savage countries, wherever ships and
carriages reach, wherever the labor and enterprise of man
penetrate, wherever the heavens overshadow and the
earth sustain, wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever
frost and dew fall. All who have life and breath will
honor and love him. Therefore we may say: “He is the
equal of God.”

It is only he in this world who has realized his absolute
self that can order and adjust the great relations of human
society, fix the fundamental principles of morality, and
understand the laws of growth and reproduction of the
Universe.

Now, where docs such a man derive his power and
knowledge, except from himself? How simple and self-
contained his true manhood!* How unfathomable the
depth of his mind! How infinitely grand and vast the
moral height of his nature! Who can understand such a
nature except he who is gifted with the most perfea in¬
telligence and endowed with the highest divine qualities
of character, and who has reached in his moral develop
ment the level of the gods?

• Ch'en Li regards this phrase as the best descriptioa of /cw, or *'mi I
manhood."

X. EPILOGUE

In the Boo\ of Songs it is said :

“Over her brocaded robe.

She wore a plain and simple dress,”

in that way showing her dislike of the loudness of iu
color and magnificence. Thus the ways of the moral man
are unobtrusive and yet they grow more and more in
power and evidence; whereas the ways of the vulgar per-
son are ostentatious, but lose more and more in influence
until they perish and disappear.

The life of the moral man is plain, and yet not unat¬
tractive; it is simple, and yet full of grace; it is easy, and
yet methodical. He knows that accomplishment of great
things consists in doing litde things well. He knows that
great effects are produced by small causes. He knows the
evidence and reality of what cannot be perceived by the
censes. Thus he is enabled to enter into the world of ideas
ind morals.

In the Boo^ of Songs it is said :

How deep the fish may dive below.

And yet it is quite clearly seen.'*

Therefore the moral man must examine into his own
hem and sec that he has no cause for self-reproach, that
he has no evU thought in his mind. Wherein the moral
man is superior to other men consists even in those things
that people do not notice.

CEKTRAL harmony 13J

In the BooJi of Songs it is said;

“In your secret chamber even you arc judged;

See you do nothing to blush for,

TTiough but the ceiling looks down upon you/’

Therefore the moral man, even when he is not doing anj^
thing, is serious; and, even when he docs not speak, if
truthful.

In the Boo^ of Songs it is said;

“All through the solemn rite not a word was spoken,
And yet all strife was banished from their hearts."

Hence the moral man, without the inducement of re¬
wards, is able to make the people good; and without the
show of anger, to awe them into fear more than if he had
used the most dreadful instruments of punishment
In the Bool^ of SongSy it is said :

“He makes no show of his moral worth,

Yet all the princes follow In his steps.”

Hence the moral man, by living a life of simple truth and
earnestness, alone can help to bring peace and order in
the world.

In the Boo^ of Songs, it is said:

“I keep in mind the fine moral qualities
Which make no great noise or show."

Confucius remarked; “Ajnong the means for the regener^
ation of manldod, those made with noise and show arc of
the least importance,”

THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

134

In another place in the of SongSy it is said:

“His virtue is light as hair.”

Still a hair is something material. “The workings of Al¬
mighty God have neither sound nor smclL” That is the
highest development of our moral nature.

Chapter IV

ETHICS AND POLITICS

{Tahsuch, Ul(i, Chapter XLII)

This essay, originally Chapter XLII of LJI(i, is now
ranked among the Four Boo\s, and as it stands first
among these, all Chinese school children used to begin
their first studies with this essay. The philosophy behind
this essay and “Central Harmony,” which used to come
next, was of course entirely beyond the mental range of
children of seven or eight. Nevertheless, they were stu¬
diously conned over and committed to memory so that the
lines in these essays stuck in their minds for life, and
served them usefully afterwards. Regarding the basic im¬
portance of this essay, the Sung Confucianist, Ch’eng
Yich’uan, said, “This Tahsuch is a book in the surviving
tradition of the Confucian school and constitutes the
gateway through which beginners enter into the path of
virtue. The fact that we can see now the order and se¬
quence in which the ancients proceeded in their educa¬
tion, depends entirely on the existence of this essay, with
the Analects and The Boo\ of Mencius coming next. All
students should begin their studies with this essay; then
it may be hoped that they will not go far wrong.”

135

136 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

The original title of this essay is Tahsueh, translated
by James Lcgge as “The Great Learning,*’ but more ac¬
curately translated by Ku Hungming as “The Higher
Education.’* According to the school age defined for this
“higher education,” it seemed to correspond to the Amer¬
ican junior college. This is made clear in another chapter
of Ul{iy which I have translated here as Chapter IX,
where the educational system for the princes and sons of
aristocrats is more concretely described. (Chapters VIII
and XII of not translated here, throw further light
on the educational system.) The whole Confucian point
of view regarding education seemed to be influenced by
the basic assumption of an intellectual upper class, who
were to be the rulers or who were to assist the rulers in
the art of government; hence the always implicit assump¬
tion of preparing to govern a country in discussions on
education. This essay seems to have been written ex¬
pressly for the education of the princes (see especially Sec¬
tion 8), and this explains, I believe, its tide Tahsuehy of
“The College,” where the princes were educated. The use
of the word chuntse (literally “prince”) must have been
general at the College, and later became a more general
term for “the gendemen.” In content, this essay actually
deals with the connecdon between the culdvation of per¬
sonal life and a general world order, or between ethics
and polidcs.

The usual version of this essay has been re-edited by the
Sung commentator Chu Hsi, resuldng in the transposi-
don of an entire secdon to an earlier part of the essay and
in a much clearer arrangement of ideas. The disarrange-

ETHICS AND POLITICS I37

ment was said to be due to the mixing up of the strips of
inscribed bamboo, which were perforated and tied to¬
gether in bundles by leather straps. While I regard Chu
Hsi*s transposition as admirable and have adopted it, he
did not seem to sec why the original disarrangement took
place. The result was, there was an awkward transition
at the end of his transposed section, resulting in two iden.
tical lines coming together — ^“This is knowing the root.
This is knowing the root. This is the perfection of knowl¬
edge.” What Chu Hsi did was to regard the second of the
identical lines and the third line as the conclusion of a
separate “missing paragraph,” and he proceeded to sup¬
ply the “missing paragraph” himself, giving him an op-
portuniiy to put in a bit of Sung philosophy regarding
meditation and the arrival at true knowledge. This cn-
Urcly changed the picture of the object and method of
investigation of knowledge, which has caused unending
dispute and no end of speculation. I have (by comparing
iJic original version of the text of Cheng Hsuan, prior
to the editing of Chu Hsi) come to the conclusion that
the mistake was due to the existence of two identical
lines originally apart in the same essay, and as these were
learned by rote by old scholars who had survived the mas¬
sacre of Ch’in Shih-huang, a wrong connection leading
off from an identical line was perfectly natural— similar
to what often happens in the composing room. The re¬
sult of this perception of the original error, existing in
Cheng Hsuan’s text, leads me to believe that there was
no “missing paragraph,” but merely a wrong transposi¬
tion, and that the object of investigation of knowledge

138 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

discussed in that sccdon was just human nature and the
human heart, and not the physical universe. This will be
quite plain in the following text, re-edited by mysel£ I
have kept to Chu Hsi’s transposition of an entire section,
but have merely restored the original connecting identical
lines to what I r^ard to be where they belong.

I

ETHICS AND POLITICS

I. GENERAL IDEA OF THIS ESSAY

The principles of the higher education consist in preserv¬
ing man’s clear character, in giving new life to the peo¬
ple, and in dwelling (or resting) in perfection, or the
ultimate good. Only after knowing the goal of perfec¬
tion where one should dwell, can one have a definite
purpose in life. Only after having a definite purpose in
life can one achieve calmness of mind. Only after having
achieved calmness of mind, can one have peaceful repose.
Only after having peaceful repose can one begin to think.
Only after one has learned to think, can one achieve knowl¬
edge. There are a foundation and a superstructure in the
constitution of things, and a beginning and an end in the
course of events. Therefore to know the proper sequence
or relative order of things is the beginning of wisdom.

The ancients who wished to preserve the fresh or clear
character of the people of the world, would first set about
ordering their national life. Those who wished to order
their national life, would first set about regulating their
family life. Those who wished to regulate their family
life would set about cultivating their personal life. Those
who wished to cultivate their personal lives, would first
set about setting their hearts rights. Those who wished to
set their hearts right would first set about making their
wills sincere. Those who wished to make their wills sin¬
cere would first set about achieving true knowledge. The
achieving of true knowledge depended upon the investi¬
gation of things When things are investigated, then true

140 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

knowledge is achieved; when true knowledge is achieved,
then the will becomes sincere; when the will is sincere,
then the heart is set right (or then the mind secs right) ;
when the heart is set right, then the personal hfc is culti¬
vated; when the personal life is cultivated, then the family
life is regulated; when the family life is regulated, then the
national life is orderly; and when the national life is or¬
derly, then there is peace in this world. From the em¬
peror down to the common men, all must regard the cul¬
tivation of the personal life as the root or foundation.
There is never an orderly upshoot or superstructure when
the root or foundation is disorderly. There is never yet a
tree whose trunk is slim and slender and whose top
branches arc thick and heavy. This is called “to know the
root or foundation of things.” •

*The original text (Cheng Hsuan*s)» before the re-editing of Chu Hsi.
ends with two lines: 'This is called 'to know the root of things.* This
is called 'achieving true knowledge.' ** The second line then leads off to
what are here Sections 4 and 5, which causes an abrupt break in the
discussion. Actually, I believe these two lines belong to Section 3,
where Confucius said that he was as good a judge as anyone, but that
he would make it so that people who had committed crimes would be
ashamed to defend themselves, and the people would be in awe of the
great wise judge — as an illustration of achieving true knowledge or
wisdom. I believe that this paragraph in the uncorrupted text before
Cheng merely ended with the line "This is called 'to know the root or
foundation of things.* ** Chu Hsi, on the other hand, took the two lines
at the cod of this paragraph in the text he was trying to rc-edit and
transposed them to a latter part, considering them the last lines of a
missing paragraph. See note to Section 3.

ETHICS AND POLITICS

I4I

II. ON THE MEANING OF CERTAIN EXPRESSIONS USED IN THE
ABOVE SECTION

What is meant by “making clear man’s character” is
this: In the Announcement to Kang (a document in the
of History)^ it is said, “He was able to make his
character clean.” In T*aichia (another document in the
same book), it said, “He contemplated the clear man¬
dates of Heaven.” In the Canon of Yao (another docu¬
ment), it is said, “He was able to make clear his great
character.” These all show that the ancient kings started
by making their own characters clear.

What is meant by “giving new life to the people” is
this: The inscription on the bath-tub of Emperor T’ang
read, “If you make yourself fresh (or “renew yourself’),
then daily make yourself fresh, and again make yourself
every day fresh.* The Announcement to Kang said, “Be¬
come a new nation.” The Boof^ of Songs said, “Although
the state of Chou is an old country, the mandates it has
received from Heaven are forever new."* Therefore the
gentleman tries at all times to do his utmostf

What is meant by “resting, or dwelling, in perfection”
is this: The Boo!^ of Songs says, “The Imperial domain

* ActuaUy this was already a mis-rcading in Confucius* own day ol
the bronze inscription. The sentiment is fine, but the philology was de»
plorable. Actually, the inscription read, “My elder brother was called
Hsin; my grandfather was called Hsin, and my father was called Hsin,**
Hsin being one of the commonest names in the Shang Dynasty, and a
term in the duodecimal cycle.

•|> This last sentence does not make any sense in this connection, and
seems to belong logically in the section about achieTing true knowledge.

142 THB WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

of a thousand li is where the people dwells It is again
said in the Boof^ of Songs, “The twittering yellow bird
rests or alights on a litdc mound.” And Confucius re¬
marked, “When the bird rests, it knows where to rest.
Should a human being be inferior to a bird in knowing
where to rest (or in knowing what to du/ell in) ?” The
BooI( of Songs again says, “How dignified and inspiring
was King Wen I How bright was his virtue! He was care¬
ful in choosing that which he would dwell in^ * As a
ruler, he dwelled in benevolence. As a minister, he dwelled
in respectfulness. As a son, he dwelled in filial piety; as
a father, he dwelled in kindness; and in his dealings with
the people of the country, he dwelled in honesty.

The Bool( of Songs says, “Look at that curve in the
River of Ch’i. How luxurious and green are the bamboo
trees there! Here is our elegant and accomplished prince.
He looks like a piece of jade, cut and filed and chiseled
and polished. How grave and dignified in figure and ma¬
jestic and distinguished! It is impossible to forget our
elegant and accomplished prince!” The expression “cut
and filed” refers to polishing his scholarship. The ex¬
pression “chiseled and polished” refers to the cultivation
of his character. The expression “grave and dignified”
refers to his fear and caution, and the expression “majes¬
tic and distinguished” refers to his inspiring appearance.
And the expression “it is impossible to forget our elegant
and accomplished prince” means that the people could
never forget his great character and his perfection.

• This is also probably a misinterpretation of the original text by the
early Confucianists.

ETHICS AND POLITICS

143

The Boof^ of Songs says, “Ah I the ancient kings are
never forgotten by their people!” Future princes re¬
spected what they respected and loved what they loved,
while the common people enjoyed what they enjoyed
and benefited from their beneficial arrangements. That
was why for generations the people could not forget
them.*

III. ON ACHIEVING TRUE KNOWLEDGE

What is meant by “achieving true knowledge” is this:
Confucius said, “In presiding over lawsuits, I am as good
as anyone. The thing is we should make it our aim that
there may be no lawsuits at all, so that people who have
actually done wrong will be too ashamed of themselves
to indulge in words of self-defense. Thus the people are
inspired with a great res[>ect or fear (of the magistrate).
This is called “to know the root (or bottom) of things.”
This is called “achieving true knowledge (or wisdom).” T

• Here I have mainly followed Legge. Thii paragraph has been trans¬
ferred here from another place by Chu HsL

fin Cheng’s text, the very last line sunds at the end of Section 1,
from which place I have transferred it here. This is all the alteration I
have made, besides following Chu Hsi’s transposing of Section a to
where it stands at present. I believe the existence of the last line at the
end of Section i in Cheng's text caused the displacement or shifting at
Section 4 and two other quotations to follow immediately Section i.

THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

144

IV. ON MAKING THE WILL SINCERE

What is meant by ‘‘making the will sincere” is that one
should not deceive oneself. This sincerity should be like
the sincerity with which we hate a bad smell or love what
is beautiful. This is called satisfying your own conscience.
Therefore a superior man is watchful over himself when
he is alone. The common man docs wrong vrithout any
kind of self-restraint in his private life, and then when he
secs the superior man, he is ashamed of himself and tries
to hide the bad and show off the good in him. But what
is the use ? For people sec into their very hearts when they
look at them. TTiat is what is meant when we say, “What
is true in a man’s heart will be shown in his outward ap¬
pearance.” Therefore the superior man (or the prince)
must be watchful over himself when he is alone. Tsengtse
said, “What ten eyes arc beholding and what ten hands arc
pointing to — ^isn’t it frightening?” Just as viralth beauti¬
fies a house, so character beautifies the body. A big-hearted
man also has big proportions. (Probably a proverb, like
“A fat man is gooinatured.”) Therefore a superior man
must make his will sincere.

V. ON SETTING THE HEART RIGHT AND PERSONAL CULTIVATION

What is meant by saying that “the cultivation of the per¬
sonal life depends on setting one’s heart right” is this:
When one is upset by anger, then the heart is not in its
right place; when one is disturbed by fear, then the heart
is not in its right place; when one is blinded by love, then

ETHICS AND POLITICS I45

ihc heart is not in its right place; when one is involved in
worries and anxieties, then the heart is not in its right
place (or the mind has lost its balance). When the mind
isn’t there, we look but do not see, listen but do not hear
and eat but do not know the flavor of the food. This is
what is meant by saying that the cultivation of the per¬
sonal life depends on setting the heart right.

VL ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONAL
AND FAMILY LIFE

What is meant by saying that “the regulation of the home
life depends on the cultivation of one’s personal life” it
this: People usually lose their sense of judgment toward
those whom they love, toward those whom they despise
or dislike, toward those whom they fear, toward those
whom they pity and toward those whom they pamper or
are proud of. Therefore, there are few people in this world
who can see the bad in those whom they like and see the
good in those whom they dislike. Hence the saying that
‘Teople do not know their own children’s faults, as they
do not know the imperceptible growth of the rice plants
in their fields.” That is why it is said that those who do
not cultivate their personal life cannot regulate their home
lif^

Vn. ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY
AND NATIONAL LIFE

What is meant by the* saying that “those who would order
their national life must set about ordering their home

146 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

life** is this: There is no one who fails in teaching the
members of his own family and yet is capable of teach¬
ing others outside the family. Therefore the superior man
spreads his culture to the entire nation by merely remain¬
ing at home. The teaching of filial piety is a preparation
for serving the ruler of the state; the teaching of respea
to one’s elder brothers is a preparation for serving all the
elders of the country; and the teaching of kindness in
parents is a training for ruling over the people. In the An-
nouncement to Kangy it is said, “Act as if you were watch¬
ing over an infant.” No girl ever needs to learn about
nursing a baby before she marries. If your instinct is cor¬
rect (or sound or normal), you will not be fiir from the
highest ideal, although you may not exactly achieve it.
When the individual faniilies have learned kindness, then
the whole nation has learned kindness. When the indi¬
vidual families have learned courtesy, then the whole na¬
tion has learned courtesy. When one man is greedy or
avaricious, then the whole country is plunged into dis¬
order. Such is the law of things. That is why it is said that
“A single word may spoil an affair, and a single man can
set the country in order.” The Emperors Yao and Shun
set an example of kindness to the world and the people
followed them. The Emperors Chieh and Qiou set an
example of cruelty to the world, and the people also fol¬
lowed them. The people did not follow what they com¬
manded, if their command was contradicted by what they
themselves did. Therefore, the superior man searches him¬
self first before he demands it of others, and makes sure
first that he himself is not a transgressor before he forbids

ETHICS AND POLITICS 147

transgressions to others. There is never a man who does
not apply the principle of redprocity (or the Golden
Rule) in laying the foundation for his own personal con¬
duct, and yet is able to influence others to his way of
thinking. Therefore, the ordering of the national life de¬
pends on the regulation of one’s home life.

The of Songs says, “Look at that peach tree, so
fresh and pretty! How green and thick are its leaves! The
girl (a princess) is going to her husband’s house, and she
will live in harmony with the people of her husband’s
home.” By living in harmony with the people in one’s
home, one is qualified then to be an example to the peo¬
ple of the nation. Again the Booli of Songs says, ‘TTicy
(the rulers) live in harmony with their elder brothers
and their younger brothers.” By living in harmony with
thdr elder and younger brothers, they are then qualified
to serve as examples to the people of the nation. The BooJ{^
of Songs also says, “The deportment of the prince is all
correct, and he sets a country in order.” Because be him¬
self served as a worthy example as a father, son, an elder
brother and a younger brother, therefore the people took
him for their model That is why it is said the “Ordering
of the naftional life depends upon regulating one’s home
life.”

VUL ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATIONAL LIFE
AND WORLD PEACE

What is meant by saying that “the restoration of peace in
the world depends on ordering the national life” is this:

THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

When those in authority arc respectful toward the old
people, then the common people learn to be good sons.
When those in authority show respect to their superiors,
then the common people learn respect and humility.
When those in authority show kindness to the young and
helpless, then the common people do not follow the op¬
posite course. Therefore the superior man (or prince) has
a principle with which, as with a measuring square, he
may regulate his conduct.

What a man dislikes in his superiors, let him not dis¬
play in his own dealings with his inferiors; what he dis¬
likes in his inferiors, let him not display in his service to
his superiors; what he dislikes in those in front of him,
let him not display toward those behind; what he dislikes
in those following behind, let him not display toward
those in front; what he dislikes in those on his right, let
him not display toward those on his left; and what he
dislikes in those on his left, let him not display in those on
his right. This is the principle of the measuring square
(or footnile).

The Bool{ of Songs says, “How the people are pleased
with their ruler, who is like a parent to the people.” The
ruler loves what the common people love and hates what
the common people hate. That is how to be a parent to the
common people.

Again the Boo!^ of Songs says, “Oh, the magnificent
Southern Mountains! How majestic arc the rocks! How
magnificent is the Grand Tutor Yin! The people look up
to him.” Thus those in a position of authority should never

ETHICS AND POLITICS

149

be careless; once they go wrong, the whole world will de¬
nounce them.

Again the of Songs says, “Before the sovereigns
of the Shang Dynasty had lost the following of their peo¬
ple, they could appear before God in sacrifice. Take warn¬
ing from the House of Shang. It is not easy to keep the
Mandate of Heaven.” This shows that those who have
the people with them can keep their rule over a country,
and those who have forfeited the following of their peo¬
ple thereby forfeit their rule over the country.

On this account, the superior man (or prince or ruler)
will first be watchful over his own character. If he has
character, then he has the people with him; if he has the
people with him, then he has authority over a territory;
if he has authority over a territory, then he has wealth;
and having wealth, he then can get things done. Thus
character is the foundation, while wealth is the result. If
the ruler neglects the foundation and attends to the out¬
ward results, he will lead the people in mutual robbery or
competition for profit. Therefore, when a ruler gains his
personal wealth, he loses his people; and when he loses
his personal wealth, he gains the following of his people.
Therefore if a man is cunning or deceitful in his speech,
he is answered by cunning or deceitful speech, and if his
wealth comes in by crooked methods, it flows out again
by crooked methods.

The Announcement to Kang says, “The Mandate of
Heaven is not fixed and unchangeable. The good rulers
get it and the bad rulers forfeit it.” The History of Ch*u
says, “The state of Ch’u has no treasures; doing good is

150 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

our only treasure.” Tsefan (maternal uncle to a prince of
Chin in exile) said, “Our exiled prince has no treasure;
association with the kind people is his only treasure.”

The Oath of Duke Mu of Ch*in (to his subjects) says,
“Let me but have one minister, plain and sincere, not pre¬
tending to other abilities, but with a big simple heart,
generous and tolerant toward others. When he sees an¬
other person has a certain kind of ability, he is pleased as
if he had it himself; and when he sees another man who
is handsome and wise, he likes him in his heart, as if he
said so in so many words, thus showing that he can really
tolerate them. Well may such a person be an asset to the
nation, for he shall be able to protect my sons and grand¬
sons and the black-haired people. But if a minister is
jealous and hates a person, when he sees the latter has a
certain ability, or tries to stand in the way of a handsome
and wise man, when he sees one, such a person can really
not tolerate others, and he cannot protect my sons and
grandsons and the black-haired people. Such a person is
a danger to the country.” It is only the truly great man
who can send away such a minister and banish him, driv¬
ing him to live among the barbarians and not allowing
him to share China with us. It is only the truly great man
who knows how to love and how to hate. To see men of
worth and not recommend them to office, or to fail to be
the first to do so— that is being disrespectful or negligent
of one’s duty toward his ruler. To see bad men and not be
able to remove them from office and to fail to remove
them as far away as possible — that is weakness. To love
what the people hate and to hate what the people love —

ETHICS AND POLITICS

that is to aa contrary to human nature, and disaster will
overtake such a person. Thus we see there is a basic prin¬
ciple for the sovereign: Through sincerity and faithful¬
ness, he maintains his rule, and through pride and self-
indulgent living he loses it.

There is a basic principle in the accumulation of wealth
and it is this: If there are many producers of wealth and
few spenders, and if people arc quick at earning money
and slow at spending it, then wealth will always be suffi¬
cient. The true man develops his personality by means of
his wealth, and the unworthy man develops wealth at the
expense of his personality. There has never been a case of
a ruler who loved benevolence, with his subjects failing to
love righteousness, and there has never been a case where
the people have come to love righteousness and the affairs
of the state cannot be accomplished successfully. And
there has never been a case where in such a state the wealth
collected in the national treasury did not continue in the
possession of the ruler.

Baron Hsicn Mcng said, “The scholars who have just
become officials and begun to keep a horse and carriage
do not look after poultry and pigs. The higher officials
who use ice in their sacrifices do not keep cattle and sheep.
And the nobles who can keep a hundred carriages do not
keep rapacious tax-gatherers under them. It would be
better to keep a minister who robbed them of their own
treasury, than to keep such rapacious tax-gatherers. That
is what is meant by saying that “the material prosperity
of a nation does not consist in its material prosperity, but
in righteousness.*

152 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

He who is at the head of a government and is bent
upon gathering wealth is forced to use petty persons in
office. He may want to do good, but the petty officials rule
the country and bring disaster to the state, and all his
good intentions arc to no purpose. That is why it is said
that “the material prosperity of a nation docs not consist
in its material prosperity, but in righteousness.” *

»

* This idea was later fully developed by Meacius. !

Chapter V

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS

{J!he Analects)

The Analects is generally regarded as the ConfuciaQ
Bible, being a miscellaneous, unclassiAed and uned¬
ited collection of the remarks of Confucius on various oc¬
casions, mosdy without any suggestion as to the circum¬
stances in which the remarks were made, and certainly
tom from their context. Reading the Analects is like read¬
ing Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, an exciting taste of
bits of choice sayings, giving the reader plenty of room
for meditation, imagination and wonder as to what the
variety of brilliant writers really mean. A comparison with
chapters of the Likty Mencius, and other sources shows
that the most pithy and epigrammatic sayings have been
cut off from longer discourses and preserved because they
were so much admired. It is illuminating, for instance, to
read in the Analects the remark by Confucius that “I
have never yet seen people attracted by virtuous scholars
as they are by beautiful women,” and then to leara from
Szema Ch’kn (see Chapter II) that he made this remark
after he had paraded the streets of Wei in a carriage with

-53

154 WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

a beautiful queen, and found the people looked at the
queen but did not look at him. The text of the Analects
itself does not mention the circumstance, and actually
puts it in the form of a more abstract remark: haven’t
yet seen people who love virtue as they love beauty.” The
Analects is full of short sentences of four or five words,
like the following: “The gentleman is not a vessel (has
not only one particular ability),” or “The goody-goodies
arc the thieves of virtue.” In the last instance, we are for¬
tunate to have an amplification of this idea of the “goody-
goodies” in the Bool{^ of Mencius, One cannot believe
that Confucius talked in three or four syllables at a time.
It is further impossible to believe that the full meaning
of Confucius’ replies to various questions can be under¬
stood without knowing more fully what the questioner
asked. As Yuan Mei has pointed out, this was essentially
a book of the sayings of Confucius, and therefore the
questions of his disciples were cut as short as possible.
Thus the only hint we get of the questions is mostly in one
word: this man asked about “government,” that man
asked about “true manhood,” and a third man asked
about and Confucius came out with the most diverse
and contradictory answers to the same questions put by
different people- Actually the commentators were some¬
times misled into an interpretation that is not justifiable.
Thus, once Confucius said to Chung Kung, “Look at
chat beautiful calf, with such a light brown skin and such
pretty little horns! Even if I wanted to spare it, do you
think the (spirits of the) mounuins and rivers would
spare it (ior sacrifices to them) ?” This is interpreted to

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS I55

fnrnn that Chung Kung had such a beautiful character,
fit to become a moral ruler, but Yuan Mci suggests that
this was merely a casual remark of Confucius as he and
his disciple were looking out of the window and saw a
beautiful calf passing by.

What then is the chief charm of the AnaUcts, apart
from Confucian wisdom contained therein? Its charm
centers around the character of Confucius and the differ¬
ent remarks he made upon his contemporaries, the charm
of a biography and sayings of Confucius, disorderly, sug¬
gestive and done by a few impressionistic strokes. It is
essentially like the charm of Boswell’s Johnson, and of
the entire Johnsonian circle, here represented by the circle
of Confucius’ disciples and friends. It can be opened and
read from any page, revealing to us the charm of a wise,
terribly rude and withal an affable character. That is the
fascination of the Analects for the Chinese. For dogma¬
tism has its charm, and one is always impressed by the
dogmatic judgments of Confucius and of Dr. Johnson
because they both pronounced their judgments with so
much force and self-assurance. The entire character of the
Analects is therefore merely illustrative, and in itself gives
us no well-rounded view of the Confucian system of
thought, except by some very hard thinking on the part
of the reader.

We also get a glimpse through the Analects of the Con¬
fucian circle. Sometimes we get a suggestion by a mere
word that Confucius was “happy” when he was sur¬
rounded by two or three of his favorite disciples. Mixed,
of course, with the sayings of Confucius himself are also

156 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

quite a few sayings by his greater disciples, like Tsengtse,
Tschsia, Yutse, Tsechang, etc., for the various chapters of
the Anedeas are certainly of diverse origin, some being
recorded by the disciples of the disciples. We have Yen
Huei, a quiet, thoughtful person, the oldest of the dis¬
ciples, whom Confucius admired and praised in superla¬
tive terms. On the other hand, we have Tselu, the Con-
fucian St. Peter, who constantly questioned the Master’s
conduct. This man receives very rough handling in the
AndectSy because he was dead and there were no disciples
to defend him at the time the Analects were recorded.
There were also the garrulous, fluent Tsekung, the very
much younger, but philosophic Tsengtse (who later be¬
came probably the most important interpreter of Con¬
fucius), the more literary-minded Tsehsia, and the
practical politician Jan Ch’iu, whom Confucius finally dis¬
owned from his circle of disciples. Confucius was, there¬
fore, broad enough to be a teacher of all types of persons,
and it is said that each disciple was one “limb” of the
"'body of the Sage.” Later on, the Tscngtse-Tseszc-Men-
cius tradition developed the idealistic-philosophic side of
Confucianism, while the Tschsia-Hsuntse tradition de¬
veloped along the line of historic learning and scholarship.
Just as St. John developed the idealistic side of Jesus*
teachings and added a little of his own, so we see, for in¬
stance in the chapter on “Central Harmony,” how Tsc-
sze developed the philosophic significance of the Doctrine
of the Golden Mean, of Humanism and of “the true self.”
Briefly, we may compare Tsesze and Mencius to St. John
and Hsuntse to Sl James.

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS I57

The abrupt, jumpy style of the AnaUcts requires ol
course some hard thinking on the part of the reader. It
isn’t the kind of book that can be read with profit by a
lazy reader who expects the author to talk on and on,
while he assumes an entirely passive role. The full partici¬
pation of the reader is necessary and the truths must be
apprehended by personal insight; the reader must draw
upon his own personal experience. Of course the ancient
Chinese school system did not expect young school chil¬
dren to master the philosophic meaning of one of the
most mature philosophies of the world. What was ex¬
pected, however, was mainly a thorough conning ovei
of the text so that the lines would stick forever in their
memory, a fountain of wisdom to be drawn upon later
on. But then the Confucianists also taught the proper
way of reading the Analects. These were the methods ad¬
vised by the Sung scholars. Ch’eng Yich’uan said, “Re¬
gard the questions by the disciples in the Analects as your
own questions, and the answers of Confucius as answers
to yourself, then you will get some real benefit.” Chu Hsi
said, “Read the Analects first. Just take one or two sec¬
tions a day. Never mind whether the passage is difficult
or easy to understand, or whether it is a profound passage
or not. Just read on from the beginning of the section, and
if you don’t get the meaning by reading, then use some
thinking, and if you don’t get the meaning by thinking,
then read again. Turn it back and forth and try to get its
flavor. Thus after a long while, you will understand what
is in it.” In his letter to a friend, Chu Hsi said, “In read¬
ing be most careful not to read too much. Read a little

158 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

and it will be easy to thoroughly master it. All real insight
from studies is gained in this manner.*’ Again in his
Yulei or “Sayings,” we read, “To understand the language
of the text is one thing; to appreciate the beauty of its
meaning is another. It is a great common weakness of
readers to understand the superficial side without catching
what is good in a book.” Again, “The proper method of
reading is to spend some real thought on it. At first, you
will find that this understanding requires a lot of time or
energy, but (after you have gained enough general in¬
sight and understanding yourself), it will require little
time to run through a book. At first, a book requires a
hundred per cent energy in reading; afterwards it may
require only eighty or ninety per cent, and later on, sixty
or seventy per cent, and at last only forty or fifty per
cenL” To regard reading and thought as two necessary
complementary elements in the progress of knowledge is
basic in the Confucian system of education, and Con¬
fucius himself had something to say about these two ele¬
ments, as will be seen in the last section of this chapter.

It is amazing that no Chinese scholar has tried to re¬
vise or re-edit the Analects^ in order to give the reader a
better conception of the contents, although a few have
written essays on the different ideas dealt with in the
book (for instance, the Lunyu T*ungshih “Studies on the
Analects^ by Ch’iao Hsun, 1763-1820, and the splendid
work on the “Meaning of Words in Mencius,” Mengtse
Tscyi Shucheng by Tai Chen, 1723-1777). No one, apart
from Western scholars, has even compiled a collection
of all Confucius’ descriptions of “the superior man.” This

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS I59

most important conception forms a composite picture of
the qualities of this “superior man.” In this chapter I
have selected probably one-fourth of the contents of the
Analects and regrouped them according to certain ideas.
Unless otherwise indicated, the sayings arc all by Con¬
fucius and arc taken from the Analects. Where necessary,
however (c.g., for a clearer statement of the humanistic
position), I have drawn upon Chapters XXVIII, XXIX,
XXX, XXXn and XXXIII of the Li*>^/-about a dozen
passages, all told. Chapters XXXII and XXXIII, in par¬
ticular differ not in the slightest as regards contents and
style from the Analects, and arc extremely rich in record?
of Confneius’ sayings.

X60 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

I. DESCRIPTION OF CONFUCIUS BY HIMSELF AND OTHERS

Duke Ych (of Ch’u) asked Tselu about Confucius, and
Tselu did not make a reply. Confucius said, “Why didn’t
you tell him that I am a person who forgets to eat when
he is enthusiastic about something, forgets all his worries
when he is happy, and is not aware that old age is coming
on?"

Tselu was stopping for the night at the Stone Gate and
the gate-keeper asked him, “Where are you from?” “I’m
from Confucius,” replied Tselu. “Oh, is he the fellow who
knows that a thing can’t be done and still wants to do it?”

Weisheng Mou said to Confucius, “Why arc you so
self-important and constandy rushing about? Don’t you
talk a litdc bit too much?” “It isn’t that I want to talk.
It’s because I hate (the present moral chaos).”

Confucius said, “At fifteen I began to be seriously in¬
terested in study. At thirty I had formed my character.
At forty I had no more perplexities. At fifty I knew the
will of heaven. At sixty nothing that I heard disturbed
me.* At seventy I could let my thought wander without
trespassing the moral law.”

Yen Huci and Tselu were sitting together with Con¬
fucius, and Confucius said, “Why don’t you each tell me
your ambidons in life?” Tselu replied, “It is my ambidon
in life to go about with a horse and carriage and a light
fur coat and share them with my good friends unul they

* Here is an example o£ the great responsibility and room for conjec¬
ture on the part of a translator of ancient texts. The original text merely
consists of two works **£ars accord.**

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS l6l

xrc all worn out without any regret.” Yen Huei said, “It
is my ambition never to show off and never to brag about
myself.” Then Tselu said, “May I hear what is your am.
bition?” And Confucius replied, “It is my ambition that,
the old people should be able to live in peace, all friends
should be loyal and all young people should love their
ciders.”

There were the famous recluses, Poyi, Shuch’i, Yu-
chung, Yiyi, Chuchang, Uuhsia Huei and Shaolien. Con¬
fucius said, “Not to compromise with their own ideals
and not to be disgraced— these were Poyi and Shuch’i.”
He said of Liuhsia Huei and Shaolien that they compro¬
mised with their ideals and were disgraced, but that they
managed to be able to maintain a standard in their words
and their conduct. He said of Yuchung and Yiyi that they
escaped from society and were unconventional or un-
trammcled in their speech, and that they were able to live
a clean private Ufe and to adjust themselves according to
the principle of expediency in times of chaos. “I am dif¬
ferent from these people; I decide according to the cir¬
cumstances of the dme, and act accordingly.” *

A great official asked Tsekung, “Is the Master a Sage?
Why is it that he is so many-sided?” Tsekung replied,
“Heaven has sent him to become a Sage, and he is many-
sided, to boot.” When Confucius heard this he said, ‘Ter-

• Laterally, in five words, **No may, no may not,** Later Mencius fully
commented upon this, saying that Confucius was a great flexible char¬
acter, acting according to the requirements of the occasion. He could
be an official if necessary, and he could refuse to be an official if neces¬
sary. In contrast with the other recluses mentioned, there was a positive
tifge b his character, as well as a philosophic resignation.

jfia THm WISDO^r OF COKFUCIU6

haps ihis great pfEcLil lmovv$ me welL J was a poor maB'i
con and can therefore do many Things rhat bebng eo a
j:omiiion man. Dues a supmor man have fn leam aJI these
ihings ? Nuj he doesn^t.^' Tsethang siJd, “Cuofueius AaJcl,
did nut enter the goverameciE^ that wo^ how 1 had time
for Icamiiig the arrs.* ^

Coiifueiiii aaJd, 'There is pleasure in lying pillou^d
ggainst a halt uim after a. meal of simple vegdabZes with
a drink of water. On the uthcr hand^ to enjoy wealth and
power without coming hy it through the right means is
La me like so many floating ebuds/"

Gonfudui said, *‘There are rhrec things abooc the su¬
perior man thar I have mi been able to attalo. The true
man has no worries; the wise man has no pcrplcaitim;
and the brave man has no fear.^ Tsekung lak!, “But,
Maner, you are exactly describing yoorrelL'^

Coofiichjs said* "In the study of literature, I am prob¬
ably as good as anyone^ but pcixunaily to Ihie the life
of the superior imn^ I don't think I have suoaseded''
Confuciiii saidj to bdng a sage and a true man^ I
am not so presumptuous. 1 will admit, howeycri ihat I
have unceasingly tried to do my best and to teach other
people"

Confucius said, “Do you think I know a great deal? I
don^L There was an uneducated man wbo asked me
about jomethingi^ and I couldn't say a word in reply. I
merely discussed the rwo iidcs of the question and was at
jny wit's end."

Confucius saidi every hamlet of ten famiJici, th^

CQNFtICTlIS

are nlway.^ some people as honest ^nd f.ikhFul as myself,
hut none who is so devoted to stndyJ^

Confucius said, "1 may pcrbiips cumpw mysdf to my
old friend Laop'eng. 1 merely try lo describe (or carry
on) the ancient tradition, bur not to create something
new. I only want to get at the truth and am in love with
andcot studies.^

Confucius soidp "To silently appreciate st tnith, to leirn
continually and to teach other people unceasingly— chat h
just natural with me."

^The litings that trouble ar concern me are the fotlow-
ing: Jest I should neglect to improve my character, lest 1
should neglect my studies, and lest 1 should hit! to move
forvi'^rd when T sec the Hght course, pr fail to correct my-
self when I see my mistakci'^

Confucius said, *^]'m not born a wix mao.. Vm merely
one in love with andent studies and work very hard to
team them^

Confucius said, *^Ah Sae, Jo you suppose that I merely
learned a great deal and tried to remember it all " Yes,
isnY that what you do?"^ said CooFuduSi "I have a
system nr a central thread that nins through it alL”
Confucius said, "Tlicre are ^me people who do not
undcrsland a subject^ but go ahead and mveut tilings out
of their own head. I am nor like those people. One can
come to he a wise man by hearing a great deal and follow*
lag the gpqdj and by Kocing a great deal and remember^
mg it."

Confucius said, **SomeLjmc» I have gone the whole day
without food and a whole night without sleeps uccupicd

<64 THE W[St>Ohi OF CONFUOlljr^

in thiilkLEig iind unable to airlvi: at :iny rcaulti. So 1 de¬
cided to siiid^ agaifi.'^

CnnFudua said^ ^Whenever ivalkidg in a company oE
three, 1 caa always find my leaclier among them (or one
who has something to teach me). I flclect a good penoa
and follow his CTcampIc^ or 1 sex a bad pcrscia and correct
i[ in mysdi."

Confucius sakl, "I woif t tcadi a man who h not anxious
to Icarn^ Piiid will not cirplaki to one who is not nying to
make things clear to himsdf. And if I caplaio onc-fourlh
and the man doun^t go b3.ck and reflect and tlimk out
the imphcatinijs in the remaining tiuee^loUithf; for him
•df, 1 won't bother to teach him again.*'

Confucius said, ^There was never yet a person who
came to me with rhe present of dried mc^t (equivalent of
tintion) that 1 have refuicd to Leach someddng/^

The young men of a oertaia village Hu were given to
misdiict and one day some young people from that vil¬
lage eamc to sec Cuofudus, and ihc dlsdplcs were sur¬
prised that Confucius saw them. Confucius said^ "Don't
be too hard on people. What conceras me Is how they
oome^ and nor what they do when they go away^ When
1 Emu approaches me wicJi pure ulEendodi, 1 respect his
pure [ntenEions, dlhough 1 caimol guarantee what he doc^
afterwards.**

Confucius was in dificnltics at K'uang and he said,
“Since King Wen died^ is not the tradition of Kmg Wen
Id my keeping or possession? If it be the will of Hr^ven
that this moral tradition should be lost, posterity shall
never again share in the knowledge of this traditioiL But

if it be tilt will of Hwvcn tiuc thh LrikjdjtiaD jhdl BOi be
]ust» whar can ibe people of K'iiang do lo me?'*
Conhjciuj said. "Heaven has endowed me with a moral
destiny (or mission). Wbac can Hiian T'ud (a mililary
officer wbo was driving him away) ik> 10 me?” •
Confucius sald^ "Give me a lew more years to Rniili
the Study of the Boa\ of Changes^ then I hope T shall be
;iblc to be fra: ffOin Banking serious niistakca (or erron
of judgment) i**

These were the things Confudua ufieii talked abotirj
Poetry, history* and the pcrformaDcc □£ L-eremoukv— all
these were what he ofien talked ahouL
Confudus seldom talked about profit or dcitiny or true
manhood.f

Confucius did not talk about monsEcrs, physical ex
ploits* unruly conduct aud the heavenly spirita-
Gonfucius taught four things! Literature, permoal con
duct, being one’s mic self and honc^y In social rdatton^
ships.

Confucius fished with a fiahing rod, but would not
use a net. While shooting he would not shoot a bird ai
resLf

Confudus dcnuuiiccd of tried 10 avoid completely four
* Sh C^EKcr U* Sc!rt3M 4^ (m flitter dftailc

I thcK ii I» mher lOpte whkh Caatucmi bis di^cipitei mure ud-
itinElr nSked tliin ''tnac Mnboed-** Sw belnw Siscliad Thk il

thtMidjhie: a UlidiHoA^ unten it m^ua. thal Conf^Ul rcfujnl

W admk ifMT mxaj pcrwiu svhcim hk diidptef admiRd oniy hr talted
"true

-f P^mIi tpWifalfy.

l66 THE WitPOM OW COHFtlCtlfl

thu^: ajbxtrsrliias of opluica^ dcgnXiitUal^
Emailoiiic^ and

Coofuciu^ was gcndt but dignified, austere yet ooi
hifjbj poJiic and compJtfdy at ease.

Yco Huci heaved a sigh and said, ^You look up to it
and it i&nu sd higL Yea try to drill through it and it
scons 30 Lard, You taxm no see it in from of pu* and all
of i sudden h appears behind you. The Master is very
good at gently leading a man along and tcadiing luiu.
He taught me to hioadcd myself by the reading of litem-
lure and ihco lo control myself by the observance of
proper conduct, I fust fek being carried alongt but after
1 h:ive done my very be^, or developed what was in tn^
thcic stilL rcioajna sometliiog ausLerely standing aporti
unctftcbable. Do what 1 could lo reach his povtion^ 1
can’t find the wayn."

SSumn Wufihu said to the oOieiaLi at courts "Tsekung
Es 1 better man tlian CanFudus." Tsefti Cltiiigpo told this
10 Tsekung, and Tsekung said* *l.i is like ihe matter of
boiucwans. My housewaU comes up only to the shouIder;i
and the people outside anc therefore able ID sec my beau¬
tiful houscr whereas the wall of Confudus is twenty or
thirty feet higb^ aod unless pu go right inside, pu do
not see the bmuTy of its halls and the grandeur of it*
fumifure. Bur there are very few people who can pene¬
trate iiuide that household. What Shusim says is there¬
fore prafcctly osy to undcrfluntl,'^

Again Shusun Wushu ukd lo belittle the greatness at
Confuciuj^ and Tsekting saidj^ 'There’* no use trying.
Confudus cannot be hdiided. Other great men are like

APirOHESMf PF quNfUClUS X67

mniinds or hUlocIu which you can dimb up, but Con-
fudus b Jitc the moon and the sim, which you never
reach. A man can shut his eyes to the ^uu and the tnooni
but what harm can It do to the sun and (he mexin ? Yon
arc just trying to do the impossEhlex^

XL TIIE EMOTIONAL ANH AITIJTIC tltfi. Ul^ CONFUClUi

When Yen Hud died, Confucius wep bitterly and hii
followers said, "'You ore all shaten up." Coofudus said,
"*Ajn I all shaken up? Bui if I donY fed all shaken up at
the dcnih nf this penoo, for wbotn else shall 1 ewer fcd
shaken up^"

Confudus never ate his fill in the company of people
in mourniog-p Tf he wept on that day^ tlien he did not sing.

Whai Confudus imk very seriously were; The cere¬
monial hath before religious worship, war, and sickness.
Someone asked Confucius about the mcanmg of the
Grand Sacrifice to ihe Imperial Ancestors, and Confucius
said, *^1 don't know. One who knows the meaning of the
Grand Sacrifice would be able lo rule the world as oaily
pointing a finger at the palnL^'

When Confucius offered sacnfice to hi* anchors, he
felt as if bis ancestors were present bodily, and when he
ofTcred sacrifice to the other godsp he felt as if the gods
were present bodily^ Confudus said, "If 1 donY offer sac*
rifiec hy being personally present, It is as if I diduY sacri¬
fice n alL."

Wangfun Oua naked, "Why do people say that it is
better to get on good terms with the kitchen god thus

£68 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

with the god of the southwestern corner of the house?**
Confucius replied, “Nonsense, if you have committed
sins against Heaven, you haven’t got a god to pray to.” •
Tsekung wanted to do away with the ceremony of sac¬
rificing the lamb in winter. Confucius said, “Ah Sze, you
love the lamb, but I love the ritual.”

Confucius said, “Respect the heavenly and earthly
spirits and keep them at a distance.”

Confucius said, “My, how old I have giowni For a
long time I have not dreamed of Duke Chou again.” t
Confucius heard the music of Hsiao in Ch’i, and for
three months he forgot the taste of meat, saying, “I never
thought that music could be so beautiful” When Con¬
fucius was singing with some other men and liked the
song, he always asked for an encore and then would join
in the chorus.

Confucius said, “Wake yourself up with poetry, estab¬
lish your character in li and complete your education in
music.”

Confucius said, “Since my return to Lu from Wei, I
have been able to classify the different kinds of music,
and the ya and the sung are restored to their proper place.”

Yen Huei asked about running a government. Con¬
fucius replied, ‘*Use the calendar of Hsia Dynasty (the
Hsia year begins with “January,” or about February in
the solar calendar, while the Chou year begins with “No-

* These gods in modem China arc supposed to intercede for human be¬
ings before Heaven.

•j-Duke Chou was the symbol of the moral ruler and founder of the
governmental system of the Chou Dynasty which Confucius was trying
to restore.

AfHOlTSMS PF CONFUCIUS 1%

vcinb«**)j adopt the (heavy and strong snd mmpAra-
tivdy unadorned woodm) farrbgci o£ the Shang Djr-^
nasty^ and use the imperial cro^^n o£ the Chou Dynai^^
For muiic, adopt the dance of Ihiao. Suppress the musk
«£ Cheng and keep away the petty flaitcrcrr. The music of
Cheng is Jascivions, and the petty Baticicrs axe dangerouSi^

{Tselu was playing the sek^ and) Confucius S^ld, '“How
dare Ah Yu play such stfodoui music in my lK>tLicI^ The
disciples then began to look down upon Ticlu and Con-
fucius said, ^'Ah Yu has entered the liaU^ but he has noi
entered rhe inner rcMm.^

Confucius wotdd not use navy blue or rarfet for
binding and collar of his drouc. He would not have red
or purple pajamas. In summer he would wear under-
cli^thes beneath the thin (tfaiuparent) coarse or fine lintn
gown. He would match a lamb coat with a hbek ma
terra! ; uiALch a coat of white fawri with wbiEe material^
and match a fox coat with brown (or yellow) material
He always wore n nightgown longer than his body hy
half. At home he used to wear a long-haired foi coat
Except during rooummg^ he wore all sons o£ pendants
(on his girdJe)-

For him rice could never be white enough and mJnee
meat could never be chopped fine enough- When the
food was mushy or the Bavor had detcHuiatedr or when

F Hie Aftbodoi iacciprrtatiflEi is tliai Tidu Lad madf fome prAgnoti
in Idmifii tht vsxhia^ of Cckofudui, but Ljd m nujua-rd them ^

J im nwfcEfiwt lu iHuL iLjt Cotilucitu mouit that Tie3u wai udj

m ihr Mjukfe LjI] asd aoi in iLc kotr cLamlier, and thjt tLdtkri-e ft
wu M » imloivivsblc ^iet all.

lyo THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

the fish had become bad or the meat was tainted, he
would not eat. When its color had changed, he would not
eat. When the smell was bad, he would not eat. When it
was not cooked right, he would not eat. When food was
not in season, he would not cat. When the meat was not
cut properly, he would not caL When a food was not
served with its proper sauce, he would not cat. Although
ihcrc was a lot of meat on the table, he would not take
it out of proportion with his rice; as for wine, he drank
without any set limit, except not to get drunk. Wine or
shredded meat bought from the shops he would not eat.
A meal without ginger on the table, he would not cat.
He did not overcaL

During thunderstorms, his face always changed color.

lU. THE CONVUSATIONAL STYLE

Tsclu, Tseng Hsi, Jan Ch’iu and Kunghsi Hua were sit¬
ting together one day and Confucius said, ^>0 not think
that I am a little bit older than you and therefore am as¬
suming airs. You often say among yourselves that people
don’t know you. Suppose someone should know you, I
should like to know how you would appear to that per¬
son.” Tsclu immediately replied, “I like to rule over a
country with a thousand carriages, situated between two
powerful neighbors, involved in war and suffering from
famine. I like to take charge of such a country and in three
years, the nation will become strong and orderly.” Con¬
fucius smiled at this remark and said, “How about you,
Ah Ch’iu?” Jan Ch’iu replied, “Let me have a country

APHQllI^Mr DF CClNFtrCEUS ifL

sbcty Ot seventy ii square or perhaps only fifty dr sixty ti
square* Put it in my char^^ and In three yearsy the pcdpte
wUI havecuuu^ti L&eat, but as for teaching them moral or-
der acid music, 1 shall leave it to the superior man.” (Turn¬
ing lo Kunghsi Htia) Confudus saidj "How about yoU|
Ah Ch^fh?" Kunghsi Hua rcplicdp "Not tliat I say 1 can
do it, bur fm willing to leHirn this. At the cereaionics of
religious worship and at the conference of the princes, I
should like to wear the ceremonial cap and gown and be a
minor oflfidal assisting at the ccraiioay*" '"How about
you. Ah Ticnf" The latter (Tseng Hsi) just phiy*
ing on tile and with a bang he left the iiwimmciit and
arose to speak- "You know my amhiEion is diilcrcDt from
theirs.** ^Ic doesn^E maticr,” said Confudus^ ‘*we ate )ust
trying tn find out what each would like to do-'^ Hien he
replied, "In late spring, when the new spring dress is
made, 1 would like to go with five nr six grown-upd and
six Or seven children to bathe in Uic River Ch^ and after
the bath go to enjoy die breeze in the %Vuyi woods, and
dien sing on our way home/" Confucius heaved a deep
sigh and said^ *Yoti arc the man after my own Leart.”

Conftidiis said^ "Do you think tliat J have hidden any*
thing fmm the two or tlirce of you ? No, I have hidden
nothing from you. lliere is nothing that I do that I don't
share with the two or throe of you That is 1."

Confucius w'cnE ta the ciEy of Wu (where his disdple
Tscyu had been made the £nagIfCtaie)i and heard the peo¬
ple singing to the accompaniment of string instruments,
Confucius grinned and said to Tscyu, “You arc trying
to kill a chicken with a big cleaver for killing a cOw.”

THE WIIDO^ OF CONFUCIUS

rp

'Tlttr 1 hwd from you” icplicd Ticytt^ when the
superbr man tud le^raeil culture^ ht became kind to
peupJc, when the common people learned culturq
they would become weU-diidplincd." Confudui (lumcd
to tho other di^iplei and) Eiid, ^'You fellows^ what he
nys U right. I waj only pulling bb
Seme people cj£ TAhsiang said^ ^"Grear indeed h Con-
fiKiujf He knowi about everything and a an expert at
aoLhiug.” When Gonlbdus beard ttis^ he said, "Now
wkat am 1 going to ipcdallze in? Shall I tponalize in
archery, or id driving a carriage?’^

The Secretary of Juxticc of Cb^eo asked Gonfudui if
Duke Chao of Ld imdcntood propriety (or /f) and Con^^
(bdui replied that he did. After Confudiia had left, die
Secretary asked Wuma Chi to eomc In aod laid to him,
“b a superior man partial lo his own country? 1 heard
that A supenor niai:i should not be prtbh Dube Chan
married a princess of Wu* who was of the tame family
naine^ aud called her Mengtie of Wu. Now if ihar man
uudcrstaudj propriety;^ who Later on Wtima

Chi told this to Cuoludus^ and Confudua idd^ ^'How
lueby 1 ami Whenever 1 make a tniiUkc, people are
sure to disjcover it."

Tsekung said, "Here U a beautiful piece of jade, kept
in A coiket and waiting for a good price for Cnn-
fudus remarked, "For said For sale I Vm the one waiting
for a good price for sate!"

Sameouc asked about Tsech'an {a good muiIsLer of
Cheng) and Confudua said, "He is a kind man.^ The

ArnofttSMs OP coNFOcivf
mad ilicd ^keJ about Prince Tsehsi (of Ch'u), and Qm-
fucius siid, "'Ohp that fcUowI oh, that fcliowj"
Cnnfijclus asked Kungming Chia obcuic Kujigsun
Wentse, 'Is k true diat your Master docsn\ talk> doesn't
smile add doesa^C take goods froni the pcopie?" Kiirtg-
raiog Chia replied, ^Thac is aa cxaggcrat<^ story* My
Master talks only \vhen he should talk and people arc
not bored with his talk. He smiles onJy when he ii happy,
2ud people are not bored with Jiis smiles. Add he lakes
goods from the people Odiy when it is right to do so, and
p«jple do not mmd his taking ihdr goods.'* Confuduf
said, "Really! Is that so?"

Tsekung loved to criticize people^ and Goofucius said,
"Ah Sztf you're clever, aren't puf 1 have oo droe tot
such things***

Confucius said, "I gn:atly admire a fcUow who goes
about tlie whole day with a well-fed stomach and a vacU'
ous mind* How cad one ever do It? I would rather that

he play ches^ which would seem to me to be better.

"I have seen people who gather together the whole day
and nev^f talk of anything serious among themselves, and
who love to play little r ricks on peopltL MarvcBous, how
can they ever do irl"

Confudus said, "1 am going to remain quiet I** Tackling
remarked, "If you remain quiet, bow can we ever learn
anythiog to teach to the orhers?" And Confudus said,
“Does Heaven talk? The four seasons go their way in
sucocssion and the different things are produLred* Docs
Heaven talk?"

Confucius said, *"1 have sometimes talked with Hue!

174 WISI^OM OF CONFirCiUS

for a whole day, and he jyK stiU there like a fonli
Bui then he goes Into h(* own ruorti and think* about
wfiai I have said md is able tu think ont some ideas of
hii own- He is ncrt a fool”

tv. TIIE JOHNJONlAlsr TOUCH

CoiifucliiS saidt "By looking at a man's faults, yOit know
the man*s character."’ *

Tsekung asked Confudiis, ‘‘Whal kind of a person do
you tfaiak can be pmpcriy tailed a scholar?'^ Confucius
replied, "A person who shows a sense; of honor io bifi
personal condurt and who can be relied upon to carry ouf
i diplomatic mission In a foreign country with compe-
rcooc and dignity can be properly called a scholar.'^ ‘"Whal
kind oi a person would come nest?"* ^'Onc who is knowt^
to be a good sun in his femily aod baa a reputation for
humility and respect in ^ village." “Wliat kind of a per
lOD would come ne^ti a.ftcr that?^’ "A person who Js ex-
trcmely careful of bis conduct and speech and always

* LUL Cliapter X3<XTI, j;ivci a. fuSltr qi^ptatioii^ u "Cianfotiui

Bid, Tim Jirc thr« klcidi of True manbi^mj, IliEf c vc Mrme who ibow
ihr rtme betuvioT il tbo irac Tnaa hvl jwitcad from diffcmix incrtiTCi,
iSa tho«E li*h& show the lame Ibclbavkrf Ji iht tnic rnjn art lw£ Iwtc*-
urdr uve iTicn. Swne \u.v& the uJne fsvEc! M ibe tnW ntco, and iheifi
Etn be Pjrc are die true fflCO. Tbc true mru are luppr iDd lUTUnl
ia lErir tiue irunbood ; ihc wye mm cltdtae the bchsvior oi true mm-
baad beoiue ll and th«e wtua Jie afnid CO fit t in jalT rtltr thi?

^HtTM of true maabood PTitirH ajjabul thciT wiH+ * * *'* Tliii bi abo all
ciampte of ibe In whkb urtsUi aecllrni of Coitbduj an

uintn^falEd in die withou! thxu ^iiDtexU. The abw Hjing

itirlC to mueb Itka 5aiBJte-foTJ^\ taxmt Co pgioi the waj In ■ Ifutr
auHCcficiDa cl CiJiifMUi* clwfacJM- hy eximmlng CoofucHii' fudiljEi-

APH01l[$JkCS OF CONI' UCIIJl 175

keepi Ml word. That is a piggish, mfcrior type of prsin,
but still ht can rank below the abo¥c rwo rypca.’^ "What
do you think of the o^cials cociay?" "Ohr' sdd Con¬
fucius, "those rice-hags I They don't count at all-”
Confucius was uucc seriously ill, Tselu asked his
disdplcs ID serve as stewards (for hh funeral to emulate
the style oE official fiamiliei.). When Confudiis got a lit-
tie hetterj he remarked^ “The miuudtd! He has gone on
preparing to do these things behind my back. ] have no
^rewards in luy ho use and bc waors lo pretend that I have
Stewards. Whom can I deceive? Can 1 deceive God?*'
Confucius saw Queen Nanda and Tselu was dis¬
pleased. ConfueJus swore an oath, 1 had said nr done
anything wrong during the interview, may Heaven strike
me! May Heaven strike mer'

Tsai Yu slept in the daytime and Confurcius remarked
‘'There is no use trying to carve on a pece of rotten wood,
or to wbiicwaah a wall made of earth from a dungbilL
Why should 1 bother to scnld hlm?'^ Confucius said. "Ai
first when I he-ard a man talk, 1 expected bis conduct to
come up to what be said. But now when I hear a man
talk, 1 reserve my judgment uniil I aec how bc acU* 1
have IcarjEied this ksson from Tsii Yu."

{CQttfmim haifi a W pun.) Duke Ai asked about
the customs ol the worship of the Earth, and Tsai Yu
replied, ‘The Hiias planted pine trm on the altar, the
Shangi used cypf esses, and ihc Chous used chestnuts, in
order to make ic people nuts." (LiLcraily ‘'give the pot>
pie the creeps,^* a pun on the CMuese word li,} Whm
Confucius heard this, be said, “'Oh, better for^^

Ij6 tHt WHDOM of COKFUCIUi

hisio^I Let wb4t Ism come, cornel Don’t try to remedy
the pialtl"

Ju Fei wanted to ice Dwsfiidus and Cotifucius declined
by sayin;; that he was del:. When ibc man was just out
tide the door, Confucius took a string initiument, the
ieh, and sang, in order to let him hear it (and know that

he was not sek after all),

Vang Ho wanted to sw Confucius, and Confudiis
would not see him. Yang then presented Confudus widi
a leg of pork, and Confudus took care to find out when
he would not be at home and then went to pay tus return

call, but met him on the way.* Yang Ho said to Con¬
fucius, "Come; I want to talk to you!" And he said, "Can
you call a man kind who possesses the knowledge to pul
the country in order, but allows it to go to the diigs?’* "Of
course nor ” said Confucius. "Oin you call a man wise
who lova to get into power *ind yet Jets an opponuniry
pass by when it comes? " "Cf course not," said Confudus.
"But lie dme i* passing swiftly by," said Yang Ho. Con¬
fudus replied (sarcastically), "Yea, sir. I'm going to be
an ofHdal.” (VaOg Ho was a powerful but corrupt offi¬
cial in Lu, and Confiidus refus^ to serve under him.)

Baron Ch'dig Ch’cn assassinated Duke Chicfi (in
Cb'i),and Confudus took a ceremonial bath and went to
see the Duke of Lu and said, "Ch’cn Hciig has assassi¬
nated the Duke, his superior. We must send a punitive
expedition.” "You speak to the three Barons (iif Lu),”
Confudus replied, “You know in lay capadty as an offi¬
cial, 1 have to tnfonn you formally of this mailer." "Yffii

*11ii( Itwr U ratieiwd in ihc of Urartu.

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS I77

speak to the three Barons,” said the Duke again. Con¬
fucius then went to speak to the three Barons who dis¬
approved, and Confucius said to them, “You know in the
capacity of an oflScial I have to inform you formally of
this matter.”

Yuan Jan (who was reputed to sing at his mother’s
death) squatted in Confucius’ presence and Confucius
said, “As a child, you were impudent; after you are grown
up, you have absolutely done nothing; and now in your
old age you refuse to die! You’re a thief!” And Con¬
fucius struck him in the shin with a cane.

Baron K’ang Chi was worried about thieves and bur¬
glars in the country and consulted Confucius about it.
Confucius replied, “If you yourself don’t love money
you can give it to the thieves and they won’t take it.”

Baron K’ang Chi was richer than Duke Chou and Jan
Ch’iu (Confucius’ disciple who was his secretary) con¬
tinued to tax the people in order to enrich the Baron.
Confucius said (to his disciples), “He is not my dis¬
ciple. You fellows may strike the drum and denounce
him. You have my permission.”

Baron K’ang Chi was going to attack Ch’uanyu and
Jan Ch’iu and Tselu came to see Confucius and said, “The
Baron is going to send an expedition against Ch’uanyu.”
Confucius said, “Ah Ch’iu, isn’t this your fault? The
town of Ch’uanyu was originally designated by the an¬
cient emperors as a fief to maintain the worship of the
Tungmeng Hill, and besides it is situated within the
boundaries of Lu, and the ruler was directly appointed by
the founder of the Dynasty, How can you ever think of

IjS WIIBOfcf Ol? COKFUClUS

sending AH csptfdiiion tn take it over (co cnKiTgc the tcffi-
ujry ot the Baron) “The B^ten wants it. We tiem V re¬
plied Ch’iii. "All Chilli, ^ Evid Confudu^ “the ancient

hiscorian Chou Jett Said, 'Do your best according to your
official capacity, and if you can't stop it, then you quit/
If a pcTton is approaching danger and you do not assist
hull, or if n person is lalliiig down and you do not sup-
pore hinv then what is the inee of bdog an assittani or
guide? What you have just said is wrong. When a tigo-
or a buffalo escapes from the feaced enclosure or when a
piece of Mcred jade is found broken in its caikct, wJkxsc
fault is h (htit that of the keeper) ?" “But tint Ch'uanyu
lies right licit to Pi (dty of the Baron) " said Jatt Ch'iii^
“and if wc don't cake it now, it will reniaia a constant
ducat to our defense in the fuLure*” Confucim replied,
“Ah Chiu, a gendeman hates the person who ia em¬
barked upon A course for selfish gains and tJica tries to
create all sorts of preieits, I have h^rd that a man In
charge of a state or a bmiJy doesn't worry about there
being too few people in h, but about the unequal distribu¬
tion of wtiakh, nor does he worry about poverty, but aboiiL
general dissatisfaction. For when wealth is equally dis¬
tributed, there is no poverty; when the people are united,
you cannot call it a rnialJ nation, and when there is no
dissarisfacrion (or when people have a sense of security),
the cDuntry is secure. Actordingly, if people in the neigh-
baring dtis do not pay homage to pu^ you attend to the
civil devdopmenr In your own ojuntry to attract them,
and when they come* you make it so tliat they would like
to settle down and live in peace. Now you two as secret

AFtlOltriKS of CONFUCIUI
tarics asaiitmg your cfaici, have not been able to induce
people in the neighboring dtk$ w pay homage and come
Uj you* You the country of Lu divided against itself
without being able to do anything about iti and then yon
set about thinhing of startmg wars right inside the coun¬
try. I m afraid that what the Baron will have to wuriy
about wiU nor be the dty o£ Ch'uanyu, but dghl within
your own houwhqld."

Vt Wrr AND WISDOM

Confucius said, "To know whar you know and know
what you don't know is the chaiacicristic of OPC who
knows."

Confudm said, "A maa who does not say to himself,
'What to do? What to do? —indeed 1 do not know what
to do with such a personr

Confucius said* "A nim who hfls conunitted a mistake
and doesn'e correct it ia committing another misiakc."

Cnnfucius said;^ "A mclou-eup that no longer resembles
a inclon-mp and people still say, Amclon-eupf A melon-
cupl" "

COnfuciui. said: ‘4c is saidj Tt is: difficult to be 9 king^
but it is not easy to be minister, either**

Baron Wen Chi said that he always thought three
times before he acted. When Confuaus heard t^s, he re¬
marked, 'To think twice is squire enflugL”

Confucius said, *'I do not expect to find a saint today*
But if 1 can find a gcntlcmaii, I shall be quite satisfied.**

Confucius said, "A man who has a bcauLiful soul ah

l8o THE WISDOM OF COr^FtrCJUS

ways ha$ some iKrautifd things to say, huts miitt wlio ^ys
beaut] fill things does not necessarily have a beauuful soul.
A true mao (or truly great man) will always be found to
have cotirage, hut a eourageous mein, will not always be
found to have True maiilioodp"

Confucius said, man who hraga wilhout sliaine will
find great difikulty in living up to his bragging “
Confucius said, ^Tlic man wlio loves tniih (or learn-
iog) b better than the raan wbo knows itp and the man
who finds bappincs* m it is beLter than the man who bves
it*'' ■

Confucius sftid^ *'ln speaking to a sovereign^ ooe musr
look out for three things: To talk before you are askciL is
called 'impulsiveness.' To M to talk when you arc asked
ii called 'lack of candor*' And m talk without notidng
the sovereign's mood is railed ^blindness/”

Confucius said, "When you find a petson worthy lo
ulk to and fall to talk to him, you have lost your man.
When you find a mad unworthy to talk to and you talk
to him, you have lost (i-t, wasted) your words* A wise
man neither loses his man, nor loses his words-*^
Confudus said, "A gendeman does not praise a man
(or put him in office) On the basis of svhar he says, nor
does be deny the truth of w^hat one says bceauac he dis
likes the person who iays k (if it k good)."

Tsekung asked Confucius, "What would you wy if all
the people of the village like a person?” is not

enough." replied Gflnfudus. *'What would you say if all

* Tbrr? n rm injJictliaii in the ls3kl » iQ whether the ii bi

IdiiOM tfuda Of laf^iog iLlTOlfif. JEl U4CI ibe Wai4

APr[OAtSM$ OF CONFUCIUS ifll

ihe people of ilic viJkgc dislike a person?” "ThaE is not
enough/* said Coafudus. *lt. is better when the good pci>
pie o£ ebe village like him, and the bad people of the
village dislike him-” (When you are disliked by the bad
persons, you arc a good person^)

Confucius said* “Tbc common man often gets in
trouble because of his bve for the water (literally “gets
drowned" in it); the gentleman often gets into trouble
became of his love for talkingj and the great man often
gets into trouble because of Kis love for the people. Ail
of diem get submerged in what tliey come dose to or
are familiar with. Water seetru so familiar to the people,
hue easily drowns liiem because it is a thing that jcenis
so easy to Approach and yec is dangerous to get too near
to. Talking easily leads one into trouble because when
you calk* you me. so many words* and it is easy to let
them out of your mouth* but difficult to fake them back*
The people often gel one Lmx) iroublc Im-causc diey are
mean And not open-minded; you cod respect rhem* hut
you must not insult or offend ihem^ Therefore the gentle^
man must be very caiefuL"

Confucius slid, "The people who live crtravagantlj
are apt to be snobbish (or conceited), and the people who
live limply axe apt to be vulgir* 1 prefer the vulgar peo¬
ple to the snohi."

Confuciui aaidp ”It Is easy to be rich and not haughty;
it is difficult to be poor and not grumble*^

Confudus said* "When a country is iQ order, it ii a
sh^ri!e to be a poor and common man+ When a country
is iii chaos, it is a shame to be rich and an offidal/'

iSl ‘THE WlSD<lfrf or COt^FUCtU^

Confudiu sdc!, "Czn ^ou ever imagine; a petty sniil
Krving ai a minister of tlie ^Cate? Bclofe he gebi hk postp
he 13 anxious to get lit he has got it« he is anximia

about losing it, and if he begins lo be anxious about losing
jc, then there is nothing that he will not
CanFudui uid, "Do not worry about people not know¬
ing your ability, but worry that you have not got it-”
Conf Ildus sald^ "A genLteman blarncs himself^ while
a common man blames ofhcrSp“

Confudus wid^ ""If a man would be severe toward him¬
self and generous toward OEhcrSj he would never lUouse
resentment*”

Gsnftictus saJdf man who does not tliink and plan
long ahead will Hnd tiouLle right by iiis door."

Cbnfudus saidj "Polished speech often cnnfuscs our
notion of who is gocKl and who is bad- A man who €in*
not put up with small lasses or disadvaniages will o:&en
spoil a big pbn/'

Ccnfuciux said* “In talking about a thoroughbred^ you
do not admire his srrengihi but admire his temper,"
Someone Midi “What do you think of repaying evil
with kindness?" Cbnfudos replied, “Then wtiat arc you
going to repay kindness with?" "Repay kindness with
kindnesSp but repay evil with justice (nr severity),”
Confucius said^ "When you nepy kindness with kind*
ncssj then the people arc encouraged to do good- When
you repy evil with evil, then people arc warned brom
doing bad "

Confucius saidj "To repy evil with lundness is the sign

APUaSil^hLS Of 183

of a gtneJBUf clianictcf- To rtpay kiodae^^ with evil is
the sign of a ciiminaJ**^ C^pte^r XX)C!I+)

Confucius said, '*Mep arc bom prcKy miKiii alike, but
tlirougb their habits they gradually grow fuxtber and
further apart from each other.”

Confucius said. “Only die highest and the lowest char-
acEcra don't change^^

Cunfudus said^ have seen nee plants that sptOlit>
but don't blossom, and 1 have seen rice plants that blos¬
som, but don't bear grains^

Confucius saidp "‘Even though a nuo had the beautiful
talent of Duke Chouj hut if he were proud and egoistic^
be would not be worth Itxiking

Confucius said, "l£ the superior man is not deliberate
in his appearance (or conduct) ^ then he is not dlgnUted.
Learning prevents one from being narrow-nundedi Try
to be loyal and faithful as your main princtple* Have uo
friends who arc not as good as yourself. When you have
mistakes^ don't be afraid tn concct them.^

Confucius saidj “When you see a good tnaiii try to
emulate his ocamplc, and when you $ee a bad man, search
yourself for his faults.”

Confucius said, ‘'Welt, wclll I have never yet seen a
person who knows his own faults and accuses himidf
before htmsdil"

Confudus said, “Don't critidze otho^ people's faulK^
critidze your own."

Tsekung said, '‘What do you think of a person who u
not snobbish (or subservient to the great) when he is
poor, and not cxmceited when he is rich?" Conftidus re-

THE OF COHFUCft*

plied, "ThiCi faJiJy good, k would be betrer if he went
happy when he WiW poorj and had fcIf-discipUne when he
wai rick"*

ConfiiciuJ aaid^ ""You am kill llic general of an armyi
but you caxuiDt kill die anibitlon in a comnion man.'*

VI. HUMAKHM AND TBUH UANHOtiD

Humanism i

Confucius saidp "It is man that makes truth gneatp and
not truth that makes man greats**

Confudus saidp "Truth may not depart from human
nature If whit is regarded aj truth departs from hurrun
paiutep it may not be regarded as trtilh.'^

Tmiu asked about the worship of the ocleslial and
earthly spirits. ConCudus soid^ “'We ifon't know yet how
to lervc menj how earn we know about serving the spir-*
its?” "What about death?" was ihc next rjucstionj and
Confucius fiidp *"We don\ know yet about Mfct bow can
we know about death?"

A certain stable was burned down. On returnir^ from
the court, Gonfudiis asked, "Was any man huit?^ And
he did not aik about the horscSi

T Ac measure of man ft rmm : •

Confucius said* *To one who loves to live according
to the prindplcs of fxue manhood without external in¬
ducements and who hates ail that is contrary to the prio^
dples of true manhood without external ihrens of pun-

• d diptcT $KSMM a.

APHORISMS OF CONFUCIUS 185

ishmcnts, all mankind seems but like one man only.
Therefore the superior man discusses all questions of con¬
duct on the basis of himself as the standard, and then
sets rules for the common people to follow."* {Lik}, Chap*
ter XXXII.)

Confucius said, “True manhood requires a great capac¬
ity and the road thereto is difBcult to reach. You cannot
lift it by your hands and you cannot reach it by walking
on foot. He who approaches it to a greater degree than
others may already be called ‘a true man.* Now is it not
a difficult thing for a man to try to reach this standard by
sheer effort? Therefore, if the gendeman measures men
by the standard of the absolute standard of righteousness,
then it is difficult to be a real man. But if he measures men
by the standard of man, then the better people will have
some standard to go by.** Chapter XXXII.)

Confucius said, “To a man who feels down in his heart
that he is happy and natural while acting according to the
principles of true manhood, all mankind seems like but
one man.** (What is true of the feelings of one person will
serve as the standard of feelings for all people.)
Chapter XXXII.)

Tsekung asked, “If there is a man here who is a bene¬
factor of mankind and can help the masses, would you
call him a true man?’* “Why, such a person is not only
a true man,” said Confucius, “he is a Sage. Even the
Emperors Yao and Hsun would fall short of such a stand¬
ard. Now a true man, wishing to establish his own char¬
acter, also tries to establish the character of others, and
wishing to succeed himself, tries also to help others to

l86 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

succeed. To know how to make the approach from one's
neighbors (or from the facts of common, everyday life)
is the method or formula for achieving true manhood.”

Confucius said, “Is the standard of true manhood so
far away, after all? W^hen I want true manhood, there it
is right by me.”

The Golden Rule:

Chung Kung asked about true manhood, and Con¬
fucius replied, “When the true man appears abroad, he
feels as if he were receiving distinguished people, and
when ruling over the people, he feels as if he were wor¬
shipping God. What he does not want done unto him¬
self, he does not do unto others. And so both in the state
and in the home, people are satisfied.”

Tsekung said, “What I do not want others to do unto
me, I do not want to do unto them.” Confucius said, “Ah
Sze, you cannot do it.”

Confucius said, “Ah Ts’an, there is a central principle
"hat runs through all my teachings.” “Yes,” said Tsengtse.
When Confucius left, the disciples asked Tsengtse what
he meant, and Tsengtse replied, “It is just the principle of
reciprocity (or shu)*'

Tsekung asked, “Is there one single word that can
serve as a principle of conduct for life?” Confucius re¬
plied, “Perhaps the word ‘reciprocity’ {shu) will do. Do
not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto
you.”

OP CDNFVGlirS

1B7

True n^artAooJi

Confyciiis saidj 'Tor a long time it has been rfiffioilt to
see examples of erne men* Everybody erra a UoJe on the
side of his wukncxs. Thcrtfurc it Is easy to point one
the shortcomings of the true mjin*^ (l^ih Chapter
XXXIl.)

Confucius saidt ^Fnr a Jong time it has been di^cult m
find examples of true men. Only the superior man can.
reach that state* Therefore the superior man does not try
to oitidze pcpple for what he himsdf fails In^ and be does
not put people to shame for what they bill in. * *

Chapter XXXIL)

Confudus said, “To find the central clue to our moral
being wliidi unites us to the univeisEd order (or to attain
central harmony), that indeed is the highest human at¬
tainment* For a long lime people have scldum been
capable of it-'’

Yen Hucj asked about true manhood^ and Confudm
said, 'True manhood consists in realizing your true self
and lesioring the mora! order or disdpime (or i). if a
man can ju^ for one day realize his liue scli^ and restore
mmplcte moral discipline, the world wiU follow him. To
be a true man depends on yourself. What has it gpt to
do with mhers?"

Confmiua sald^ “Humility is near to moral discipline
(or //)] simplicity of character is near DO true manhood;
and loyalty is near to sLneerity of heart* If a man wUl
carefully cultivate these things in hb conduct, he may
Still err 2 little, hut lie won't be far from the standard of

jS8 TKB WTAUaM OF G0NFUCtt7$

Lrue miUthoocfb For wiib humility or it piutiii iLdtud^ a
*tIdom commits crroj^j with sincerity of bcarr* 4
man is gcncn-Uy rdLihk^ and with simplicity of character,
he h uiually gcnefous. Yotl seldom make a mistake
when you start OiJ froixi these points ” (Zi^j; Chapter
XXXIJ.)

Confucius s-iirf, '^Ycn H tiers hcicrt does not leave the
condition of true inaiihood for as long as three months.
The Dthcf s arc able to live on that level only for a month
or for a £ew days.”

Someone saJdj ''Would you call ^ man who has suc¬
ceeded in avoiding aggressivenesfr pridcj resentment and
greed a true man^'^ Confudus soidp "1 would say that he is
a very rare person^ but 1 do not know whether he can be
called a true tmo."

Tsecha ng asked Cbufudus: “Secretary Tsewen fof
Ch'u) was three times made a secretary and didn^t
secjTii to show particular aLisfoction at his appointmentj
and three times he wa$ relieved of his office and did nor
seem to show any disappointment And when he was
banding over the affairs of hb oOice to his successor^ he
explained everything Eo the latter. Now what would you
say about such a person?"* Confucius said^ **I would call
him a sincere, faithful person*^* “Would you say that he
ts 2 true man?*' “I do not know,.^ sold Confucius. “How
stiouJd 1 call him a true man?" *

Someone said that Chung Kung (a disaplc af Con-

■ An Km\ (=ujmpk liJke ihii ib&wi bow ia^rfccriJiic U w to irimEKtc
tfic Ctiinnc woid jnt if ''kintlEicp,** “bcncwolmcc” or feind
m ^ iifeiwToLtpt jiEfifift'*

APfroftrsMs OF 189

fucius) d true tium aatl ih^i be was oot a glib talker.
Cuofudus said, **What is the use oi bdog a glib talker?
The roore ytsu talk to defend yourself, the more the people
hare you^ I do not know about hLs bemg a true man. What
'& the ui;c of being a glib talker?^

CotLui Wu Meng asked if Tsdu was a true man^ and
Coniudus said, **I do hoc know."* On bdng asked again,
Confucius said, ^Yon can put Yu in dujgc of a coiidtiy
with a thousand carriages and let him take care of iu
iin^tnee. But 1 do not know about his being a true man.**
"How about Cb'iu?'* Confticius said, “'You can put Ch’iu
in ehaigc of a towndiip of a thousand families or make
him the steward of a household with a huodtod COr^
riagea (that is^ of a jxiiaister)j but 1 do nor know about
his being a true man,” "How about Ch'ih (Kunghsi
Htia)?** Confucius saidi “You can let Cb'tb sLixid at
court, dressed in hia official go wo and girdle and let
him entertain the gticsts, but J do not know about his
being a true mao.^'

FvrtArr d«crfp£fonx 0/ true mant

Confucius said, “One who is nor a true man canoor
long stand poverty, nor can he stand prosperity for long.
A true man is happy and natural in Jiving according ro
the pnneipics of true manhoodi but a wise man thinks
It h advantageous to do so-**

Cbofudus SOidp "Only a tme man knows bow to love
people and how to bate people,^

Confuciui saidp “How can the superior man keep up
bis reputation when be departs from the level of the true

THE QF CONFUC11J1

mjn? The cuperior irum ncvrr depam ficm the Icvd ol
true manhaod £cir the time uf a sidgle mcaJ. lu bh mo^
c^inl mDments, ht lives b it* aod in the most CQmprumis-
iag drcumstiincc^^ he still lives in ixJ*

Confucius saidj "'If a man is not a true man, what is the
use of firualsP If a man not a true mai^ whar is xhe use
uf

Cdnfudiis said, ^The wise man has no perplexities, the
true tnaa has no sorrow^ aad the brave maa has nn fear."

Confucius saidj '"A erne tnan is vay slow to vjikJ*
SoTTicone asked^ “Can a man who is sbw to talk then be
called 3 true man?" Confucius said, "'Because it is so
dlihculL for a man to do what he says, of caume he would
be very slow to talk*"*

Vir. TH1! STJFRatOa MAN Am THE mFERIOm

Conhicius said, *The superior mm understands what is
right ; the inferior man understands what will sell.”'

Confucius said, 'The superior man loves his soul; the
inferior man loves his property. The superior man always
remembers how he was punished for hk mistake!; the
inferior maq always remembers what presenlS he got,"
Confucius said", *The superior man is hbcral towards
others* opInioDs* but does not completely agree with
them; the inferior man □jznpictcly agrees with othm*^
opinions, hut U Tiot Liberal toward them."

Confiidus said. The superior man is firmj but does not
tight; he mixes easily with others, bur doe* noc form
cliques.^

APiiORUMs OF CONFUCIUS igt

Gsnfudus said, “The superior man blames himsetf ; the
inferior mao blames ofhers.’'

Cbflfudos said, "The superior man is easy to serve, bur
difficult to please, for be can be pleased by what is right,
nod he uses men according to their individual abilities.
The Inferior m?n is difficult to serve, but cosy to please,
for you can please him (by catering to his weaknesses)
withour nixcaaarily bdng right, and when he camca to
Using men, he demands perfection."

Confucius said, "You can put a superior man tO an
important position with large discretioJiary powera, but
you cannot give him a nice little job; you can give an in¬
ferior moo a nice little fob, hut you cannot pul bun m an
important position with great discretioiiaiy powers "
Confucius said, "Tlic superior man is not one who is
good for only one particular kind of posiiion.”

Confudua said, "The superior man is hroad-oiinded
toward all and not a partisan; the inferior man is a par¬
tisan, but not broad-minded toward all.”

Conftidus and hU followcre had to go for days without
food in Ch'en, and some nf his followers felt ill and were
confined u> bed, Tsclu came to see Confucius in low spirits
and asked, “Docs the superior man also land in difficul¬
ties?" Confudus said, 'Tea^ the superior man also some¬
times falls into difficulties, but when an inferior man falls
mlD difficulties, he is likely to do anything "

Confucius said, "The superior man attends tn the spirit-
Ual things and not 10 his livelihood. Yo'U let him cultivate
a form, and he wUl be starved, but if you let him attend
to his Studies, be will find riches in it. The superior mac

153 THE WISDOM O*" cOPfFUClUB

docs not worry about his poverty, but worries about the
Spiritual things."

Conludus Slid, “llic superior man i» ulwayi candid
and Bt caw (with himwlf or the Inferior man is

always worried about aamething ”

Confucius said, "The superior mao develops upwards;
ihe infer ipr man develops downwards.”

Confucius said, "The superior man is dignified, but not
proud; the inferior man is proud, but not dignified “

Confucius said, “The superior man keeps to the stand¬
ard of right, but does not (necessarily) keep his promise."

Szema Niu asked Confucius about being a genilcman,
and Confucius replied, "A gentleman has no worry and
DO fear ” "Docs having no worry and no fear then con¬
stitute a gentleman/'* Confucius said, “If he looks within
himself and is sure that he has done right, what does he
have to fear or worry about/"

Confucius said, "The superior mtiu goes through his
life without any one pieeoiwaiivcd ewurse of action or any
taboo. He merely decides for the moment what b the
right thing to do."

Confucius said, "The superior man doesn't insist on
good food and good lodging. He is attentive to bis duties
and carefLtI ia his speech, and he finds a great man .ind
follows him as his guide. Such a pcr»n may be called
a lover of learning.”

Confucius said. "A scholar who intends TO folbw the
truth and is ashamed uf bis poor dress and poor food
js not worth talking m."

jirHDKtsKS CPP coNPncitii !93

Coofudui »1d, "A icholar wbo « in love with living
cnmloru it not worthy to be ollcci a scholar ”

Qinfucitu said, "A man who serves hij king and thre*
times findt bis advice lejectcd and still does nut leave
the country, is hanging cm to his post for the sake oi the
salary. Even though he says that it is not the fakiry that at-
iratfs him, 1 wwn't believe hita.'* Chapter XXXIl.)

Confucius said, "A gentleman is ashamed that his words
are better than his deeds."

Confudus said, "A genilcman is careM about three
things: In his youth, when his blood is strong, he is cafe-
fnl about sex. When he is grown upi, and his blood w
lull, he is careful about getting into a fight (or struggle in
general). When he is old and his blood is gening thinner,
he iscu^eful about money." (A young man loves women t
a middk^aged man loves struggle; and an old man loves
money.)

Vllt. TIiS MEAH A* THi ETEAI. CHAlAetS* ANO TtPES OP
FaXStJNS TUAT COKFtlCIUS UATCO

TAe feoptf of mem t

Confucius said, "Sinoe 1 cannot find people who follow
the Mean for Golden Mean) to teach, I suppose i will
have to work with those who are brillLint or erratic
(j^'sbiRg) and those who are a little dull but careful
{chuanf. The brilliant but erratic persotu are alwayi
ready to gO forward (or are too aetive), and rhe dull bul
orcful persons always hold themselves back (or are nOl
active enough) "

TKE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

Confucius said, “The goody-goodies are the thieves of
virtue.*

• In the Confucian teachings, there arc, therefore, four dasset of per¬
sons, which were clearly recognized and more fully commented upon
by Mencius. According to Mencius, the people who followed the Mean
arc the ideal human material. Secondly, according to Mencius, since
this ideal material cannot be obtained, Confucius preferred to work
with the brilliant but erratic; this is the class that Mencius described as
“being of an idealistic and expansive nature, always saying. The an¬
cient pcoplcl The ancient pcoplcl* and being free and easy in their ways
without trying to conceal their ^uIl** As examples of this class, Men¬
cius quoted a few people who violated Confucian canons of conduct.
(According to Chuangtse, they were reputed to sing at their friends*
funerals.) Mencius then went on to say that “since Confucius could not
get brilliant but erratic people, he would be content to work with those
who were anxious to be correct, the chuan, who came after the h!uang
as a class.** In describing the last or fourth class, the thieves of virtue,
Mencius said that Confucius said, “The kind of people whom I don’t
mind failing to come into my house or visiting me when passing my
door, are the hsiangyuan (or goody-goodies). The hsiangyuan arc
the thieves of virtue.** Then in answer to a question about this class of
people, Mencius described them as follows: ‘They say, ‘Why be idealistic
like those people? When their words do not tally with their conduct
and their conduct docs not tally with their words, they say, *The ancient
people! The ancient people!’* Why arc they so supercilious toward the
world and so cool and detached in their conduct? When a man lives in
the present world and acts according to the standard of the present
world, and succeeds, it is quite enough!* They arc the class of people
who arc quite contented to secure the approval of society. 'These are the
hsiangyuan^ Hsiangyuan literally means what the country folk call
“good men,** or “goody-goodies.** *1110 questioner then asked Mendus,
“Since all the country folk call them ‘good men,* and everywhere they
go they arc called ‘good men* (or ‘nice people* or ‘respectable people*),
why did Confucius call them ‘thieves of virtue*?** Mencius then said>
“You want to criticize them and they seem so perfect; you want to
lampoon them, and they seem so correct; they fall in with the current
convendons and thoroughly identify themselves with the ways of the
times. In their livinj^ they seem to be so honest and faithful, and in

ATHORISU.^ Of CONFUCIUS 195

Coofuciufi $aid (when he wm wandc^nng m Ch'en and
dcxddcd to return to his country to devote hiimclf to cdic-
ing bouk£ and teaching), ^‘Lci: us go bomeJ Tlie sdiokia
of out country are briJliant but crr^tsc, hut they arc an^c-
jou$ to go forward, and have not lost thdr origina-l stm-
pliciry of chanicteri”

Tsekung asked whether Shih (Tscdiang) or Shang
(Tschsia) was die heUer man, Confucius said, “Ah Shilt
goes a litiie too far (or is above ihc normal) and Ah
Shang doesn^t go far enough (or is a licde below rhe
normal)." ‘Then h Ah Shill a better person?** ConluciLEs
said, “To go a Utde too far is as b-id as not going far
enough/^ *

Confudus said to Tschsta, ^You must be a gendeman*
seboKir and not a petty schoLarr

Confudiu aaicl, "When a man hi^s more sobd worth
than polish^ Jic appears uncouth, and when a man has
more polish dian solid worlli, he appears urbane. The
proper combination of solid worth and polish alone mokej
A gentleman."

tbeir cenduet thcf Kcm to be » u^onl. Eveotody litei thian nod tiu:r
m qnur picued with llscmKlva. but K b impoiiitlc m Icail thcnii into
thz 'ws.jM. Emperijn Vna ami HluiIh Th^efiMe finpFiriw Tlk«
f00d^a00f^ict (er AdnAsyiia/i^ or ikt HX^ted “feipeciabte people") axe
(he liuCTa of vifTut* " Dixecetj sil^ diu dncTipdoitt Mmchw queued
Cfmfuduf hid said about the ihuigii lhal mrmhJr tbc t^] ihipief
hiil Alt' oi4 d|i? Kal ihiosTt die typ^ ptnuni ilut hf lutccL Sm
lieloiv Ei>wjrd tht cod of ihii uCtHlL

■ Evidcoui ttxm u ihcw due T^duEijr tltc mm biiUiint ecu
and more iotCTatcd m pbiloforhic: pdocipln, while Tidtila^ wbn hm
tuYjnir a fnrit ticiclHr iprcnh^tv ia ^ of the of

Son£t Cii^iKim* (Wthp VI33. tlK type of a humdrom, cooidce
U0111 pMcuof .

19^ THt WISDOM OF CDWFUCIUI

ConfudtM said, “The earlier generation* were primtive
or nnconh people in the matter of ritual and music; the
liter generation* are relmed (literally ''geoilcmen ) in
the matter of ritual and music. But il I were to choose
between the two;, 1 would follow the people of the earlier
gcncTJitJoas*** *

7'y/jef of frersotts tfm CoBjunus hotfdi

Confuciu* said, “The ancient people have three kiuda
of faults, and nowadays we haven't even got them. The
ancicait people who were impulsive were just uncoaven'
tional in their ways, hut todby the impulsive people in¬
dulge theriMclvcs. The ancient people wlio were correct
and smug were at least austere and careful in their con¬
duct, but today the smug people are always enntlcinning
other people and arc bad-tempered. The ancient lower
class were simple and honest souls, but today the lower
class are a deceitful lot.*’

Tsekong asked, “Does the superior man also have cer¬
tain things that he hates f " “Yes, there arc thing* that the
supe rior man hates,** said Confucius. “He hates those who
like to criticize people or reveal their weaknesses. He
hates those who, in the position of inferiors, like to malign
or spread rumors about those in authority- He bates those
who are chivalrous and headstrong but are not restrained

* A dwsKT brtwnrii iiMritfth ikniilicLty iml JisacitBl eiabafalpw* “ImI
fomwlwiw—fl laponam poimi ^oiuckriJli iJk dliU^

finfmaikiin CorofiPirUAUcQ- TEib coflwnoD WU nr-

LiLiily ]iualbl?Kr U ™ dii^od agaum ilw CoDfuciwiina Ui

llbC c<9ninn afbrf bmv

AFIiaKlSME OF CDNFtIClIiS m

by proprifcy. He kales those who are sure of themidvej
and arc narroAv-mLndcd.'* "But what do you hatc?*^ asked
Szc. hate tJiose wlui like to sp)^ oa othcfs and tbiab they
arc very devefn 1 hale those who ihiok they are brave
whea they are merely unruly. And I hate ihc wily per¬
sons who prerend to be honest gcndcincn,"

Confucius saidj "A man who is impuhiv'e and head-
itnong without having the VutUc of simple honesry^ who
doesn't know a thing and has not enough wit to ipcak
or behave catitlouslyi or who has no particular abihiy
and withal has not the virtue of honesty or faithfulness —
why, there is notlung to be done about such a person."

Coufudus said, ba« things that resemble the real
things but ore not the real things. I hate cockles because
they get mixed up with the corn. 1 hate the ingmtiating
fellows, because they get mixed up with the good men.

I hate the glib talkers because they confuse us with hon¬
est people. 1 hale the music of Cheng, because it brings
confusion into fl.issiral music. I hate the purple color^
because it confuses tis with the red color, 1 hare the goody-
gutxlics because they confuse us with the virtuous pcuple,"*
(Mencius.)

Confucius saidf "A man who appears dignified and
austere bur is all haUow and weak inside seems to me to
be like a little petty burgW who slips into the house
ihiDugh a hole at rughl."

Co^udus said, "Women and the uneducated people
are iTbOst difficult to deal wi th. When you ore familiar with
rhem^ they become cheeky, and when you ignore them,
they rcamt it."

TUC. WIiDoU CON Ft? Cl US
Cocfucitis said^ “I hate the garrulous people-'^
Coafudus laJd^ "A glib talker with an icgratiadiig ap
peanmcc Is scldotn a geadcman/^

Cemfudus said» *’Thc gentleman do« not judge a per¬
son entire!}^ bj^ his words. Therefore in a cultured worltl,
we have dowery conduct^ and in an uncultured wdrlJ,
we have Bowery sperehes.^ (^4^ ChapLer XXXII-)

EX. OOVEJtNMfNr

TAe i^eal of goeerfim^nii

Confucius said, ^'Guidc the people with governmental
measures and control or regulate them by the threat of
punishment, aud the people will try to keep out of jafl^
hut will have no sense of honor or shame.. Guide the pco*
pic by virtue and control or regtihce dbem by and the
people will have a sense of honor and respects
Confucius said* “When the kingdom of Chi moves a
step forward, it will have reached the eulturc of the king¬
dom of Lu^ and w^hen the kingdom of Lu moves a step
forward^ It will have readied the stage o£ true civilly-
tfon/*

Confucius said* “In presiding over lawsuits^ Vm as good
as any man. The thing ia to aim so that there should be no
bwsuits."

Someone asked Confuciiia, "Why donl you go into the
government?'' Confudus repUedf ^'Doesn't the Booii of
History speak about the good son? When the sovereign
ia a good son, and a good bnoiherj and applies the same
prindples to the govertmieDt of the nation^ that is alao

AFicDitmkii OF coKFbOltrs T99

what we cftU government. Why shDuld 1 go mto the got'
emmern?'^

Yuhc said, “Wc Mldom find a ttian who w ,i gnod kiii
and a jjnod brother that is disrejpectfid to autborily, and
wc never fuid a tnan who is rot diircipectftil To aUCboritJT
wanting to start a rcbdlion.”

Gaiftrrtmftff l>y ntorat examj^cz

Cbtifucius said, “A sovereign who goveraj a nation by
irintie is Ukc the North PoW Star, which remains (a its
place and the other Stars revolve around it,"

Baron K’aog Ch*i asked Confudus eoiuenimg govern*
ment, and Confudus replied, "Govern tnent is merely set*
ting thing! right. When you yourself lead theia by the
right example, who dares to go asrniyf"

Baron K'ang ChT asked Confudus Hmecrniag gov-
ernment, saying, “If I kill off the bad ciiJ7,eiM, and asso¬
ciate with tile good citizens, what do you think P" Con-
fucius replied, "What's the need of killing off people on
the pan of a ruler of a country? If yuu desire what «
good, the people will become good also. The character
of the ruler is like wind, and the character of the «)m-
mon people is like grass, and the grass bends in the direc*
turn of the wind."

Confucius said, “When the ruler himself docs what is
right, he will have Influenee over the people without giv¬
ing commands, and wlien the ruler himself docs not dn ^
what is right, all his commands will be of do avail***
Confucius said, “If a ruler rectifia hU own conducx.

JOO THE WIS&OM OF CONTUCTVM

gnvcrnmcm \s an easy matter^ and U he cloci HOC
hli owa coadutt, bow can be iKcify others?**

Factor! of goecrunfen^l

Tsekimg asked about ^vernmcoti and Confuciuj re¬
plied: "'People must have sufficient to cat; there muat he
a suffictenr army; and there must be coniidciicc of the
people in the ruler/' "If you are forced to give up one
of these three objectives, what would you go without
first?" asked Tsekung. Coofuctus said, "‘I would go with¬
out the army first." ''And if you were forced to go with¬
out one of the two remaioing factors, what would you
rather go without?" asked Tsekudg again. would
rather go without sufficient food for the people^ There
have always been deaths in every generation since man
lived, hut a nation cannot exist without oonfidcncc in
its ruler.''

X. ON ?J3[JCATION, XmJJIt, ANO rOETlT

Confucius said^ ‘'Education begins with poctiy^ b
strengthened through proper conduct and consummated
through music."

Confudus said, ^^The geatlernan broadens blmsclf hy
scholarship or learning, and then regulates himicif hy li
(proper conduct or moral dtsdplioe)^ Then he will mat
fid] away from the proper principles."

Ytitse jaitl, "Among the functions of Ifj rhe most valu¬
able is that it establishes a sense of harmnny. This if the
most beaudful heritage of the andent klng^. It b a guid-

APHORISMS OF C0NrUCID9

ing principle for all things, big aod small. If thingi d*
not g^> right, and you arc l>ef]C only on having sodal har¬
mony (or peace) without regubdng the society bf the
paLtexa of // (or tie principle of social order)** still things
won't go righ!*”

Confucius said, "We are saying all the tam^ ^Ut Ldt^
Does // moin merely a ooliection of jadci and silks (ia
ceremonial use)? We are saying all the time ^Musicl
MusicI' Does music merely mean playing about with
drums nnd bells?"

TwsHLa asked (concern mg a psaage in the of

5ongj), “Wbat is the meari in^ of tlie pas$iigC| "She has a
winning smile* and her eyes are so dear and bright. Hci
dress tsof a colored doijip on a plain background^'’ Con-
fudus jwid, "^In pamtlng, we must have a plain tiacfc*
ground." “E>oes that ineaii that the cercmonia! forms oI
// must be based on a background of simplidty of chaiao
icr?”t Confucius said, "Now you have contributed a
fresb thought, Ah Shangl You are worthy to study the
JJ<w4 of Songf*'

Lin Pang asked conceTP-ing the foundation of and
Confucius replied, “You .Trc asking an iBipriant quei-
Uonl In this mancr of rituals or cetemoiiy* rather than be
eKtravagaot* be simple. In funeral ceremonies* rather chan
be prfimctoryi it If more inaportjint to have the real senii-
meot of sorniw^"

Confucius said, “If you Have the wisdnm to perceive «

*&fxCkmptm VI* VHp VIH, "Disc™™? an the Sodd Oiiifrr“
fTEiia h the crfthodox ktaprctwlinri^ mtkd pm^Ej ThM mA-

KACe i-dAiicci cf raertij thi« w*>*>tl* in odpftds ''Jj bdiiAd-Hr

^2 fMl WlSUOlf OF CnNfUCIUi

innh, bur luvc not die cnaiihood to kcrp to it. you will
lose it ^igain^ tliougb you hnvc discoTcrcd it* i£ you bflve
the mxdom tO perceive a truths ^dd the true manhood to
keep tu it, PLtid tail to preserve decorum in your puhlie ap-
pcarOdce, you wiU Qot j^ain the people's respect for au¬
thority* If you have the wisdom to perceive a truth, the
manh^ to keep 10 it* and have dcconim u£ appearance,
but fail to be imbued vvich the spirit of // (or sodul dii*
dplinc) in your actions or maduct, it is also not sacisfao^
lory."'

Codfuciui said, ”Ah Sze is worthy to discuss the Eoo\
a} Songf with me* I tcU hhn iomething, and he coma up
with a fresh inggesdon**^

Chdfucius saidf ''One phrase wLlJ charaitterize all the
three hundred pacEnc (actually three hundred cuid five)i
and that is: Keep the heart righr*"^

Ch^cn K^aog asked Poyu (or Li, the nonu; of Con*
fuduS^ oedy S011> meaning “a carp"), “la there any dung
that you were caxight by your lather?^ Foyu rC-
plie^l, '^o. Odc day he was standing akpDC and I ran
past the cDuit, and he asked mCp 'hlavc you learned
poetry And I said, 'Not yet.* He taid, If you don't study
poetry^ your tingiugc will not be plhhed." So I went
back and itudied poerry* Another day he was standing
alone, and I went past the court, and he said to me, ^Ha^ve
ynu studied the cercmujila And 1 said, 'Not ytl* And
he said, 'Jf you doa^t atudy the ceremonies, you have on
guide for your conduct** And I went back and srudied
the ceremonies* 1 was mught to Jiudy these two things."
Ch*cn K'ang canie away cjuite pleased and said, “I asked

APHOniSHS OF COKFUCinfl

him ooe qucsdoA B£id Iraittd ilu»c tbiogs, I learned
whit Coafticius said about poetry, I learned what he raid
about cererTKinics^ And I Lf!am[:d that the Mazier taught
hi A own san in exactly the sumt way as he taught his dis¬
ciples (was not panid to hk son)/*

Confucius '"Reading without thinking givex one
a disorderly mind^ and thinking without reading makes
one flighty (or tmbakneed)^'^

Confucius said^ "Isn't it a great pleasure to lear^ and
relearn again?”

Confucius raid^t man who goes over wliat he has
already learned and gains some new urtderstaading from
it is worthy to be a icacber "

Confucius said| "That type of scholarship which ii bent
on rauembeiring things in order to answer people^s ques^
Tjans does not qualify one to be a ici^cher/'

Confucius raid, "The BncicnE scholars studied for their
own rake; today the scholars study for the ske of nthcra
(out of obligations to their teachers, thdr paimts^ etc.)."

Confucius said^ "Ah Yu^ have you hcird of the six say¬
ings about the six shortcoming;!?” "No*** said Tselu, "Stc
down, then, and I will icU you. If a man loves kindsHSi
hut doesu^t bve studyi bis shoncoming will be ignorance.
If a man loves wisdom hut dines rioi love study, Ms ihart-
coming will be having fanciful or unsound Ideas. If a
man loves honesty and does not love study* his sbortenm-
ing will be a tendEncy to Spoil or upset things. If a man
loves simplicity but does not love study, his ahortcoraing
will be sbeex following of routine. If a man lovci courage
and docs not love study, his shortcoming will be unruli-

a04 THB WISDOM Of OONFtlClUfi

ncss or viokace- If a man bves dcci$ion of character axict
dues not leve soidy, hi* shortcoming will be self-will or
headstrong belief in Jiimselfi"

Confucius said, "Those who arc born wise am the high¬
est type of people; those who bceome wise thtough learn¬
ing Bome next! those who learo by sheer diligcmx and
industry, but with difficulty, come after thaL Those who
are slow to Itsun, but still won't learn, arc the lowest type
of people.”

Confucius said, "The young people should be good
mn^ at home, polite and respectful in sodeiy; they shuidd
be careful in their conduct and faithful, love the people,
and associate themselves with the kind people. If after
learning all this, they ioU have energy left, let them read
books.”

Chapter VI

FIRST DISCOURSE: ON
EDUCATfON THROUGH THE
SIX CLASSICS

li^4 Cbapier XXVI)

The following three discourses constitute [diapttn
XXVJ, XXVn and IX of Li{L There h a stylistic
elaboration In these records, aiid in cenaln places it h
impossible to decide whether the worda were those of
Confucius or Uiosc of the authors of the different chap
tCTi, PracLically aJJ three discourses deal with the philo-
Bophic sigui^cance of IL As has been partly explained in
the jntrodttciion, this conexpdou of h\ which b again and
again said in these discouocs to be the the jfne

qua non, the foimdatino* or the indispensable prLndplc,
of govemtneut, emnot merely mean the ohscrvaiioe of
ritual^ but represents a philosophy of jodal order and so¬
cial contcoh LJ practically cdvot the entire social,^ momi
and rcbginus structure of ancient Chinese soacty, as
shown and regulated by forms of religious worship and
sudal Intereoiirs^ revealed by history and rationalized bj

205

2o6 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

Confudus. Specifically, its aim was to restore the andent
feudal order, with a clear hierarchy of ranks, but this
principle of social order was extended and broadened to
cover the essential human relationships in the family and
social and political life. It was therefore to establish a
complete moral order in the nation by a dear and simple,
but sharp, definition of social status and its spedfic obliga¬
tions, thus providing the moral basis for political order.
This philosophy of harmony of essential human relation¬
ships remains good today for modem China — in fact it is
the foundation for the Chinese ethos — while the ancient
feudal order which was Confudus’ aim to restore is defi¬
nitely out of date.

It must be noted, however, that the feudal system, as
Confudus conceived it, was of a clearly religious charac¬
ter and was very much occupied with discussions of the
philosophic meaning, as well as the actual rules and prac¬
tices, of public worship. Whole chapters, for instance, in
the Uhj arc devoted to the discussion of ceremonial robes,
and to a description of sacrifidal vessels, and seven or
eight chapters cover the funeral rites alone (absent in the
“Great Tai” collection). But then the curious aspect of it
was, the conception of It dealt with the rites of religious
worship at one end, and imperceptibly extended to the
rites of village dance and hunting and drinking and
archery and general sodal intercourse at the other end.
Hence it is easy to sec why the conception of li embodies
at the same time a philosophy of social order and social
:ontrol and a historical tradition of rites and ceremonies.
Confucius himself warned his disciple Tscchang that li

FIRST DISCOURSE

207

did not consist in playing about with sacrificial vessels,
just as music did not consist in the mere beating of bells
and drums; but that both ritual and music emanated
from, and created, a state of mind, a state of God-fearing
piety in the performance of ritual and a state of happiness
and harmony in the performance of music.

In fact, such was the Confucian preoccupation with
the rituals of religious worship— worship of Heaven, of
Earth, of Imperial ancestors, of the sun and moon, and
mountains and rivers, the kitchen god, the god of the
southwestern comer of the house, and all folk festivals—
and such was its preoccupation with the religious state of
mind that I have often been tempted to translate It as
merely “religion,” which I have not done. Such a transla¬
tion would make it perfect in passages like the following:
“Broaden your knowledge with learning, and then con¬
trol your conduct with religion,” and “Realize your true
self and return to religion” (a formula for achieving true
manhood given by Confucius). The religious character
of // cannot be doubted, and the Chinese have actually
called Confucianism “the religion of //,” a current term
even today. But the term “religion” must be avoided here,
because it suggests a type of religion such as we see in
Christianity, which draws a sharp distinction between
religious and secular affairs. Such a distinction wa< not
made in ancient China, and certainly not in the laws of
Moses, where all laws of social, as well as religious, con¬
duct were regarded as of a religious character. Modem
men no longer live in that age of theocracy or semi-
theocracy, and it is difficult for them to realize what die

2o8 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

ceremonial selection, killing, and inspection of animals
and ceremonial washing of hands before eating their
meat had to do with “rdigion ” We delegate the washing
of hands before meals strictly to the sphere of “hygiene.”
But for Moses, hygiene was dso religion, for religion was
all-inclusive. Such was exactly the position of Confucian¬
ism. Were it not so difficult to bear in mind this interpre¬
tation of “religion,” there would be no objection to simply
rendering li as the **religion * of Confucianism as Con¬
fucius taught it. Psychologically, the religious condition
of mind— the Hebrew “fear of God” and the Christi^
“piety**— was also the aim of the Confucian religion in
man’s personal life, but again this state of mind, expressed
as ching and usually translated as “respect,” included both
the condition of religious piety at worship and the God¬
fearing attitude in common, everyday life, as seen in re¬
spect for social order and moral discipline. I have there¬
fore often translated ching by the word “piety,” for I have
often found the term “respect” wholly inadequate.

Li, the central conception of Confucian teachings,
therefore, means the following things: It means religion;
it means the general principle of social order, religion in¬
cluded; it means the rationalized feudal order; it means
the entire body of social, moral and religious practices, as
taught and rationalized by Confucius. Consequently, it
also means historical scholarship. It means the study of
the ritualism of religious worship, state ceremonies, folk
festivals, the marriage ceremony, funerals, “capping” and
“coiffure” ceremonies for boys and girls reaching matu¬
rity (at the age of twenty for boys and fifteen for girls).

FIRST DISCOURSE

209

army discipline, the educational system, conduct of the
sexes and home life, eating and drinking and sports (espe¬
cially archery, carriage driving, and the hunt), music
and dance. It means a system of well-defined social rela¬
tionships with definite attitudes towards one another,
love in the parents, filial piety in the children, respect in
the younger brothers, friendliness in the elder brothers,
loyalty among friends, respect for authority among sub¬
jects and benevolence in the rulers. It means the mental
state of piety. It means moral discipline in man’s per¬
sonal conduct. As a broad principle of personal conduct,
it means “propriety” in everything, or doing the proper
thing. As a broad social principle, it means “the order of
things,” or “everything in its right place.” It means ritual¬
ism and the observance of forms. It means continuity with
the past. Finally, it means courtesy and good manners.

I have the deifinite feeling that it was the teaching of li
and this tremendous body of historic scholarship that was
back of Confucius’ great prestige in his times. In other
words, he knew so many things that the average scholars
of his day did not know about — the usual basis for “re¬
spect.” The public always respect what they don’t under¬
stand. The more you talk about what most people don’t
understand, the greater is their respect for you. With his
wit and without his scholarship, Confucius would have
been at best a Bernard Shaw, or a G. K. Chesterton, in¬
stead of a Thomas Aquinas. After all, this body of his¬
toric scholarship was to Confucius what “the American
language” is to H. L. Mencken—within the scope of their
respective personalities.

FIRST DISCOURSE

Confucius said: • When I enter a country, I can easily
tell its type of culture. When the people arc gentle and
kind and simple-hearted, that shows the teaching of
poetry. When people arc broad-minded and acquainted
with the past, that shows the teaching of history. When
the people are generous and show a good disposition,
that shows the teaching of music. When the people are
quiet and thoughtful, and show a sharp power of ob¬
servation, that shows the teaching of the philosophy of
mutations (Boo\ of Changes). When the people arc
humble and respectful and frugal in their habits, that
shows the teaching of li (the principle of social order).
When the people arc cultivated in their speech, ready with
expressions and analogies, that shows the teaching of
prose, or Spring and Autumn.^ The danger in the teach¬
ing of poetry is that people remain ignorant, or too
simple-hearted. The danger in the teaching of history
is that people may be filled with incorrect legends and
stories of events. The danger in the teaching of music is
that the people grow extravagant. The danger in the

^Witboat quotation marks in the original, it is impoaiiblc to decide
where the exact words o£ Confucius end. See the appearance of a
quotation from Confucius at the end of the third paragraph,
t These constituted the Six Classics of Confucius* days.

210

FIRST DISCOURSE

211

teaching of philosophy is that the people become crooked.
The danger in the teaching of // is that the rituals become
too elaborate. And the danger in the teaching of Spring
and Autumn, is that the people get a sense of the prevail¬
ing moral chaos. When a man is kind and gentle and
simple-hearted, and yet not ignorant, we may be sure he
is deep in the study of poetry. When a man is broad¬
minded and acquainted with the past, and yet not filled
with incorrect legends or stories of events, we may be
sure he is deep in the study of history. When a man is
generous and shows a good disposition and yet not ex^
travagant in his personal habits, we may be sure he h
deep in the study of music. When a man is quiet and
thoughtful and shows a sharp power of observation, and
yet is not crooked, we may be sure that he is deep in the
study of philosophy. When a man is humble and polite
and frugal in his personal habits and yet not full of elab¬
orate ceremonies, we may be sure he is deep in the study
of //. And when a man is cultivated in his speech, ready
with expressions and analogies and yet is not influenced
by the piaure of the prevailing moral chaos, we may be
sure that he is deep in the study of Spring and Autumn,^
The Emperor ranks in his position with the Heaven

• The Spring and Autumn as we have it tcxiay is a chronicle of politica*
events in the centuries preceding Confucius, written by the Sage him¬
self. But the name Spring and Autumn, or Ch*unCh’iu, was a general
name for chronicles of the different countries in Confucius’ time. Sev¬
eral such Ch'unCh'm were known to exist. The moral chaos in Con-
&cius* time and the centuries preceding was unbelievable. Kings were
murdered by their princes, and princes married their father’s con¬
cubines, and there was a great variety of inccitual relationships; all

212 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

and the Earth, and therefore his moral function or signifi¬
cance is equal to that of the Heaven and the Earth in pre¬
siding over the course of the myriad things for their bene¬
fit. He shines with the sun and the moon, and casts his
light over the Four Seas, not excluding the smallest ob¬
jects. At the court, he discusses the ideal of moral man¬
hood and the principles of social order. At home, he lis¬
tens to the music of ya (classical songs) and sung (sacred
anthems). When ht walks on foot, we hear the jingle of
jade hangings and when he mounts a carriage, we hear
the music of ‘‘phoenix bells.” His home life is decorous
and his deportment is in accordance with good form.
Thus through him the officials find their proper functions
Ind the entire course of social life finds its order. The
Boo\ of Songs says, “The virtuous sovereign is immacu¬
late in his external conduct and appearance, and being
immaculate in hi^ external conduct and appearance, he
serves as the example for the country. When he gets
willing obedience to his commands, he achieves what we
call “harmony” in the nation. When the rulers and the
ruled are kind and friendly to each other, he achieves
what we call “an atmosphere of friendliness.” When peo¬
ple are enabled to get what they want, without having to
ask for it, he achieves what we call “confidence” in the
nation. And when he removes the causes of unhappiness

powerful b2root or counti or dukes called thcinicWcs **kings aod
there was a great confusion in the practice of religious worship. A
▼ery good picture of this social and moral chaos is given in Fougchi
(Chapter XXX of Liks)* where we get a glimpse of the social back¬
ground that explains Confucius* offering //, or restoration of the feudal
order, as actually the “panacea** for the social ills of his days.

FIRST DISCOURSE

213

in his people, he achieves what we call "decent living" in
the nation. "General harmony” and "an atmosphere of
friendliness” arc the means by which the rulers by force
{pa) and the rulers by virtue {wang) rule their countries.
With the determined purpose, but without these means,
of ruling the country, they will not be able to attain their
object.

U, the principle of social order, is to a country what
scales arc to weight and what the carpenter’s guide-line is
to straightness, and what the square and the compasses
arc to squares and circles. Therefore, when the scales arc
exact, one cannot be deceived in respect to weight; when
the guide-line is properly laid, one cannot be deceived in
respect to straightness; when the squares and compasses
arc properly used, one cannot be deceived in respect to the
right angle and the circular line; and when the sovereign
is familiar with the principle of social order (/i), he can¬
not be deceived by cunning and crooked manipuladons.
Therefore, a people who respect and follow // arc called
"a people with a definite principle,” and a people who do
not respect and follow // arc called "a people without a
definite principle.”

U is the principle of mutual respect and courtesy.
Therefore when it is applied to worship at the tcmples,^
we have piety; when it is applied to the court, wc have
order in the ofl5cial ranks; when applied to the home, wc
have affection between parents and children and harmony
between brothers; when applied to the village, wc have
respea for order between the elders and the juniors

214 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

That is the meaning of Confucius’ saying that “there is
nothing better than // for the maintaining of authority
and the governing of the people.”

Therefore, the rituals concerning a court audience are
for the purpose of defining the proper relationships be^
tween the rulers and the ministers. The rituals of ex¬
change of visits by diplomats arc for the purpose of main¬
taining mutual respect among the rulers of the different
states. The funeral ceremonies and rituals of sacrifice arc
for the purpose of showing the gratitude of children and
subjects. The ceremonies of “the village wine feast” are
for the purpose of defining order and discipline between
the elders and the juniors. The marriage ceremonies arc
for the purpose of defining the distinction between the
sexes.

U, or the principle of social order, prevents the rise of
moral or social chaos as a dam prevents flood. Just as
people who think that they can destroy an old dam be¬
cause they think it is useless will certainly meet a flood
disaster, so will a people who do away with the old prin¬
ciple of social order because they think it is useless cer¬
tainly meet a moral disaster. It follows, therefore, that
when marriage ceremonies arc taken lightly or disre¬
garded, then marital relationships become difficult and
promiscuity will become rampanL When the ceremonies
of the “village wine feast” arc disregarded, then the sense
of order and discipline between elders and juniors is lost,
and cases of fights and encroachments will be common.
When the funeral and sacrificial rites arc disregarded,
then the sense of gratitude in children and subjects to

FIRST DISCOURSE

21$

ward their parents and deceased spirits will dcca^Ti and
there will be many who turn against the dead in their
conduct and indulge themselves. When the ceremonies
of diplomatic visits arc disregarded, then the relations be¬
tween fealties and sovereigns will be threatened and the
different rulers will become arrogant or licentious, and
wars of invasion will arise.

Therefore the cultural work of li is imperceptible. It
prevents the rise of indulgent condua beforehand and
leads people gradually toward virtue and away from vice
without their knowing it. That was why the ancient great
kings placed such an importance on //. That is the mcan^
ing of the passage in the Bool( of Changes: “The sover¬
eign is careful at the inception of things. A difference of a
hundredth or a thousandth of an inch at the start resultt
in a divergence of a thousand miles at the end.**

i

chapter VII

SECOND DISCOURSE:

AN INTERVIEW WITH DUKE AI

{Aikung Wen, Ul({, Chapter XXVH)

Duke AI asked Confucius, ‘What is this great lif
Why is it that you talk about li as though it wcr&
such an important thing?”

Confucius replied, “Your humble servant is really not
worthy to understand //.”

“But you do constantly speak about it,” said Duke Ai.
Confucius: “What I have learned is this, that of all the
things that the people live by, li is the greatest. Without li,
we do not know how to conduct a proper worship of the
spirits of the universe; or how to establish the proper
status of the king and the ministers, the ruler and the
ruled, and the ciders and the juniors; or how to establish
the moral relationships between the sexes, between par¬
ents and children and between brothers; or how to distin¬
guish the different degrees of relationships in the ilanuly.
That is why a gendeman holds li in such high icgard,
and proceeds to teach its principles to the people and reg¬
ulate the forms of their social Ufc. When these arc cstab-
216

SECOND DISCOURSE

2ir

lishcd, then he institutes difFerent insignia and cere¬
monial robes as symbols of authority to perpetuate the in¬
stitutions. When everything is in order, then he proceeds
to fix the periods of burial and mourning, provide the
sacrificial vessels and the proper offerings, and beautify
the ancestral temples. Every year sacrifices arc made in
their proper seasons, in order to bring about social order
in the clans and tribes. Then he retires to his private
dwelling where he lives in simple contentment, dressed
simply and housed simply, without carved carriages and
without carved vessels, sharing the same food and the
same joys with the people. That was how the andenr
princes lived in accordance with //.”

Duke Ai: “Why don’t the princes of today do the
same?”

Confucius: “The princes of today arc greedy in their
search after material goods. They indulge themselves
in pleasure and neglect their duties and carry themselves
wiA a proud air. They take all they can from the people
and invade the territory of good rulers against the will of
the people, and they go out to get what they want with¬
out regard for what is right. This is the way of the mod¬
ern rulers, while that was the way of the ancient rulers
whom I just spoke of. The rulers of today do not follow
//.”

Confucius was sitting in the company of Duke Ai, and
the Duke asked: “What, in your opinion, is the highest
principle of human civilization?” Confuaus looked very
grave and replied: “It is the good fortune of the people
that Your Highness has asked this question. I must do

2i8 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

my best to answer it, The highest principle of human civ¬
ilization is government/’

The Duke: "May I ask what is the art of government?”

Confucius: "The ait of government simply consists in
making things right, or putting things in their right
places.* When the ruler himself is "right,” then the peo¬
ple naturally follow him in his right course. The people
merely follow what the ruler docs, for what the ruler him¬
self docs not do, wherewithal shall the people know how
and what to follow?”

The Duke: “Tell me more in detail about this art of
government.”

Confucius: “The husband and wife should have differ¬
ent duties. The parents and children should be affection¬
ate toward each other. The king and his subjects should
have rigid discipline. When these three things are right,
then everything follows.”

The Duke: “Can you enlighten me a litdc more on the
method to carry out these three things, unworthy as I
am?”

• The Chinese words for “government” and “being right” or “making
right” have exactly the same pronunciation. The character for “gov¬
ernment” is written with two components, “right” and a causative
particle, the whole meaning “to make normal” or “to put things in
their right places.” This notion of cheng or “normalcy” has no adequate
equivalent in English. It is implied in the English expressions like
“when you have the right leadership” or *'right kind of person,” or
*'right course of conduct.” Thus it is nearest to the English word
“right” in such senses. It is associated also with the notion of “central¬
ity” and “orthodoxy,” with sheh or “heterodoxy** as its antonym. A
man who is said to be chen is one “who wants to do what is right,”
and a man who is said to be sheh is one who is always thinking of
devious means to obtain dubious ends.

SECOND DISCOURSE

219

Confudus: “The ancient rulers regarded loving the
people as the chief principle of their government, and li
as the chief prindplc by which they ruled the people they
loved. In the cultivation of //, the sense of respect is the
most important, and as the ultimate symbol of this re¬
spect, the ceremony of royal marriage is the most impor-
tanL The ceremony of royal marriage is the ultimate
symbol of respect, and as it is the ultimate symbol of re¬
spect, the king goes with his crown to welcome the
princess from her own home personally because he re¬
gards the bride as so close in relationship to him. He goes
personally because the relationship is regarded as per¬
sonal. Therefore the sovereign cultivates the sense of re¬
spect and personal relationship. To neglect to show re¬
spect is to disregard the personal relationship. Without
love, there will be no personal relationship, and without
respect, there will be no right relationship. So love and
respect arc the foundation of government.”

Duke Ai: “I want to say something. Isn’t it making the
royal marriage a litde too serious by requiring a king to
wear his crown and welcome the princess from her own
home?*

Confudus looked very grave and replied: “Why do
you say so? A royal marriage means the umon of two
ruling houses for the purpose of carrying on the royal
lineage and producing offspring to preside over the wor¬
ship of Heaven and Earth, of the ancestral spirits, and of
the gods of land and grains.”

Duke Ai: “Excuse me for pressing the question, for if
I do not persist, I shall not be able to hear your opinions

230 tHB WISDOM OF CONFUCI US

on this point. I want to ask you something, but do not
know how to put it. Will you please proceed further?”

Confucius: “You sec, if Heaven and Earth (repre¬
senting yifi and do not come together, there is no

life in this world. A royal marriage is for the purpose of
perpetuating the ruling house for thousands of genera¬
tions. How can one take it too seriously?”

Confucius then said: “In the art of government, U
comes first. It is the means by which we establish the
forms of worship, enabling the ruler to appear before the
spirits of Heaven and Earth at sacrifices on the one hand;
and on the other, it is the means by which we establish
the forms of intercourse at the court and a sense of piety
or respect between the ruler and the ruled. It revives or
resuscitates the social and political life from a condition
of disgraceful confusion. Therefore It is the foundation o£
government.”

Confucius then went on to say: “The ancient great
kings always showed respect or proper consideration to
their wives and children in accordance with a proper
principle. How can one be disrespectful (or show disre¬
gard) toward one’s wife since she is the center of the
k)me? And how can one be disrespectful toward (or be
lacking in regard for) one’s children, since the children
perpetuate the family? A gentleman is always respectful
or dways shows regard for everything. First of all he is
respectful, or shows a pious regard toward himself. How
dare he be disrespectful or have no pious regard for him¬
self since the self is a branch of the family line? Not to
show regard for one’s self is to injure the family, and to

SECOND DISCOURSE

221

injure the family is to injure the root, and when the root
is injured, the branches die off. These three things, the
relationship toward one’s wife, toward one’s children
and toward one’s self, are a symbol of the human rela*
tionships among the people. By showing respea for his
own self, he teaches the people respect for their selves; by
showing regard for his own children, he teaches the peo¬
ple regard for their children; and by showing regard for
his own wife, he teaches the people regard for their wives.
When a sovereign carries out these three things, his ex¬
ample will be imitated by the entire country. This is the
principle of King T’ai (grandfather of King Wen). Thus
harmonious relationships will prevail in the country.”

Duke Ai: “May I ask what is meant by ‘showing re¬
spect for one’s self’?”

Confucius: “When the sovereign makes a mistake in
his speech, the people quote him, and when a sovereign
makes a mistake in his conduct, the people mutate him.
When a sovereign makes no mistakes in his speech or his
conduct, then the people learn respect for him without
any laws or regulations. In this way the sovereign shows
respect for himself, and by showing respect for himself,
he glorifies his ancestors.”

Duke Ai: “May I ask what you mean by ‘glorifying

one’s ancestors’?”

Confucius: “When a man becomes famous, we call him
‘a prince’ or ‘a princely man,’* and the people gladly

• The term chunUe u dificult to translate, and has been translated bf
various translators as “the superior man,** “the princely man» the
gentleman,- “the soYcragn,** and “the ruler.** It undoubtedly had
senses, one of thr ideal “gendeman** or “the superior man, that is.

222 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

follow him and honor him, saying that he is ‘a prince’s
son* (or ‘son of a gentleman*). Thus hii own father is
called a ‘prince* through him and his name is glorified.”

Confucius went on to say: “The ancient rulers con¬
sidered loving the people as the first thing in their gov¬
ernment. Without loving the people, the ruler cannot
realize his true self, and without realizing or taking pos¬
session of his true self, he cannot establish peace in his
land; without peace in his land, he cannot enjoy life in
conformity with God’s law; and being unable to enjoy
life in conformity with God’s law, he cannot live a full
life.”

Duke Ai: “May I ask what you mean by ‘living a full
life*?”

Confucius: “Just follow the natural law of things.”

Duke Ai: “May I ask why the gentleman lays such
stress on the laws of God?” •

one who is cultivated in learning and character, as dktiiigatshcd from
“the common man’* or “inferior man.” The second sense is that of “the
ruler” or “the sovereign.” In the Confucian discourses the two senses
constantly come together and merge imperceptibly into one another,
so that the word represents in c5ect Confucius' ideal of the wise and
good and cultivated ruler, quite similar to Plato’s “philosopher-king.” In
general, there was undoubtedly a cultivated ruling class, as opposed to
the illiterate common people, and Confucius gave this distinction of
the superior man and the inferior man a moral meaning. The antonym
to chunue is Asmojen, or literally “the small man,” and this consequently
also had two senses, the morally inferior and the “commoners,” in the
English sense.

• Two conceptions are clearly distinguished here. First, the laws of man,
jenuo, translated at the beginning of this interview as “human civili¬
zation,” which Duke Ai asked about and which Confucius interpreted
as “governmenL** The entire interview up to this point discus ws gov-

SECOND DISCOURSE 22J

Confucius: “The gentleman lays such stress upon God’s
law, because it is eternal. For instance, you sec the sun
and the moon eternally foUowing one another in their
courses — that is God’s law. Life in this universe never
stops and continues forever — that is God’s law. Things
arc created or produced without any effort or interfer¬
ence — that is God’s law. When the things arc created or
produced, the universe is illuminated — that is God’s law.”

Duke Ai: “I’m stupid and confused. Will you make it
clearer and simplify it so that I can remember?”

A change came over Confucius’ countenance. He rose
from his scat and said: “A great man simply follows the
natural law of things. A good son simply follows the
natural law of things. Therefore, a great man feels he is
serving God when he serves his parents, and feels he is
serving his parents when he serves God. Therefore, a
good son lives a full life.”

Duke Ai: “I am extremely fortunate to have heard
these words from you, and I crave your pardon if I fail
to live up to them hereafter.”

Confucius: “The pleasure is mine.”

eminent or the laws of man. Here the Duke begins to ask about the
laws of God, because Confucius talks about living in confbnnity with
God's law.

Chapter VIII

THIRD DISCOURSE:
rHE VISION OF A SOCIAL ORDER
(Uyun, Li\iy Chapter IX)

This is one of the most important chapters in Lil(t
probably recorded by Tseyu, a disciple of Confucius.
The first section makes an important distinction between
a Confucian Utopia, the tafung, in which none of the
humanistic distinctions in li would be necessary, and the
second best type of culture, the culture of li or of a social
order, practical and attainable in the present world, the
hsiao1(angy with which practically all the teachings of
Confucius about li arc concerned. The fact that Confucius
did have a vision of a world of more or less perfect human
beings in which li would not be necessary, is interesung
and gives his teachings concerning the principle of at¬
tainable social order a quality of practical common sense
and an implied meaning of resignation to the second
best. To know that a world of moral perfection exists,
but to go along bravely establishing a social order with
the imperfect human beings that we know we arc today,
is the part of wisdom. This vision of the Confucian Utopia

224

THIRD DISCOURSE

225

has gained increased prominence among recent Chinese
scholars who have somehow been influenced by reading
of Western Utopias and Western idealism in general. Dr.
Sun Yat Sen’s favorite phrase, the one that he most fre¬
quently used when asked to inscribe an autograph for hk
friends, consisted of the four words “/'/>« hsia tat'ung or
“the world of tat'ung^ taken from this section.

The meaning of //, or the principle of social order, and
its identity with a general body of social practices are
quite clear and most completely developed in this chap
ter. U is here seen to include folkways, religious customs,
festivals, laws, dress, food and housing, such as are usu
ally included under the term “ethnology.” Add to thesi
original existing practices a conception of a rationalized
social order, and you have li in its most complete sense.

In the following translation, I have omitted several
paragraphs which concern striedy the details of the an.
dent feudal order which Confucius was trying to restore.
Interesting as these details are for the students of ancient
Chinese philology and comparative religion, they do not
fall within the scope of this book, which deals more with
the broader significance of Confucian teachings. Con¬
fucius himself emphasized again and again the impor¬
tance of being widely read and learned in all aspects of
life without forgetting the importance of having a philo¬
sophic principle that runs through all these details of
scholarship. Only one who is able to couple thought with
scholarship is a really educated man, according to Con-
fudus. The early Han scholars, occupied with philologi¬
cal research, did involve themselves in such details to the

226 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

exclusion of central philosophic principles, while the
Sung philosophers, influenced by the Buddhistic bent for
philosophy and meditation, on the other hand neglected
this philologic scholarship and even developed the habit
of “reading a book without knowing exactly what it
means.” An extreme example of mere occupation with
philologic details was the case of a later commentator who
wrote a treatise of over 30,000 words on two words of the
Shutting. The three books on li {Chouli, Yili^ and
contain of course a rich field of material for the study of
ancient Chinese folkways, but they cannot possibly be
covered or even suggested in this book. I have also sup¬
plied sectional headings for the convenience of the reader.

THIRD DISCOURSE

227

I. THE TWO ORDERS OF HUMAN SOCIETY

One day Confucius went to see the ceremony of tsa (a
winter folk festival at the end of the year at which the
people offered a general sacrifice to all the animals and
inanimate creation and of course indulged in dancing).
After the ceremony was over, Confucius took a walk. He
stopped at a roadhouse on the side of the city gate (over-
looking the suburb) and heaved a deep sigh. Confucius
was sighing over the social conditions in his country Lu.
Yen Yen (Tseyu) was with him, and asked Confucius,
“Why arc you sighing?^ And Confucius replied, “Oh, I
was thinking of the Golden Age and regretting that I
was not able to have been born in it and to be associated
with the wise rulers and ministers of the Three Dynas¬
ties. How I would have loved to have lived in such an
agcl”

“When the great Tao prevailed (/>., in the Golden
Age), the world was a common state (not belonging to
any particular ruling family), rulers were elected accord¬
ing to their wisdom and ability and mutual confidence
and peace prevailed. Therefore people not only regarded
their own parents as parents and their own children as
children. The old people were able to enjoy their old age,
the young men were able to employ their talent, the jun¬
iors had the elders to look up to, and the helpless widows,
orphans and cripples and deformed were well taken care
of. The men had their respective occupations and the
women had their homes. If the people didn’t want to see

228 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

goods lying about on the ground, they did not have to
keep them for themselves, and if people had too much
energy for work, they did not have to labor for their
own profit. Therefore there was no cunning or intrigue
and there were no bandits or burglars, and as a result,
there was no need to shut one’s outer gate (at night).
This was the period of ta/ung, or the Great Common¬
wealth.*

“But now the great Tao no longer prevails, and the
world is divided up into private families (or becomes the
possession of private families), and people regard only
their own parents as parents and only their own children
as children. They acquire goods and labor each for his
!>wn benefit. A hereditary aristocracy is established and
the difFerent states build cities, outer cities and moats each
for its own defense. The principles of li (or forms of social
intercourse) and righteousness serve as the principles of
social discipline. By means of these principles, people try
to maintain the official status of rulers and subjects, to
teach the parents and children and elder brothers and
younger brothers and husbands and wives to live in har¬
mony, to establish social institutions and to live in groups
of hamlets. The physically strong and the mentally clever
are raised to prominence and each one tries to carve his
own career. Hence there is deceit and cunning and from
these wars arise. (The great founders of dynasties like)
Emperors Yu, T’ang, Wen, Wu and Ch’eng and Duke
Chou were the best men of this age. Without a single ex¬
ception, these six gentlemen were deeply concerned over

• Ta means “great” and fung means “common.”

third discourse 229

the principle of //, through which justice was maintained,
general confidence was tested, and errors or malpractices
were exposed. An ideal of true manhood, jen, was set up
and good manners or courtesy was cultivated, as solid
principles for the common people to follow. A ruler who
violates these principles would then be denounced as a
public enemy and driven off from his office. This is called
the Period of Hsiaol(ang or “The Period of Minor Peace.’*

U. THE EVOLUTION OF U OR SOCIAL ORDER

“Is It SO very important as all that?** asked Tseyu agaia
“This //,** replied Confucius, “is the principle by which
the ancient kings embodied the laws of heaven and regu¬
lated the expressions of human nature. Therefore he who
has attained It lives, and he who has lost it, dies. Th<
Boo\ of Songs says.

Sec even the mouse has a /V (body)

And a human being has no //!

A human being has no // —

Why doesn’t he go off and die?

Therefore It is based on heaven, patterned on the earth,
deals with the worship of the spirits and is extended ta
the rites and ceremonies of funerals, sacrifices to ancestors,
archery, carriage driving, ‘capping,* ♦ marriage, and
court audience or exchange of diplomatic visits. There¬
fore the Sage shows the people the principle of a ration¬
alized social order and through it everything becomes
right in the family, the state and the world.**

• The ceremony of putting a cap on a boy when he reaches matniicy.

230 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

“Can you explain to me, fully and completely, this //?”
asked Tseyu once more.

Confucius: I wanted to see the ancient practices of the
Hsia Dynasty (2205-1784 B.C.), and that was why I went
to visit the city of Chi (where the descendants of the Hsia
rulers lived), but I found there weren’t enough surviving
customs left. There I secured, however, a copy of the
book Hsiashih. And I wanted to see the ancient practices
of the Shang Dynasty (or Yin, 1783-1123 B.C.), and for
this purpose I went to visit the city of Sung (where the
descendants of the Shang rulers lived), but found there
were not enough surviving customs left. There, however,

I secured a copy of K*unch'ien (a version of the Boo\ of
Changes),* With the help of these two books, the Hsia-
shih and K*unch*ien^ I tried to study the ancient customs.

In the beginning, li (civilization) started with food
or drink. People baked millets and pork, tom apart with
the hand, on heated slabs of stone. They dug holes in the
ground to serve as jars and drank out of the palms of
their hands. They kneaded clay into drums and drum
sticks. And yet this seemed to have been worthy mate¬
rials for them to worship the spirits. When a relative died,
they went up on the roof and cried aloud to the spirit,
saying to him, “Ahoooooooool So-and-So, will you please
return to your body?” (If the spirit failed to return, and
the man was really dead) then they used uncooked rice
and baked meats for sacrifice, and they turned their heads

* ICun sjmibolizes the earth or the female principle; ch*ien symbolizes
licaven or the male principle. It is interesting: to note here that the fe¬
male principle is put before the male principle in the Shang version.

THIRD DISCOURSE 2^1

toward the sky to “see at a distance” {wang) the spirit
and buried the body in the earth. The material spirit then
descended (to the earth), while the conscious spirit went
up (to the air). Therefore the dead were buried with
their heads toward the north, while the living had their
houses facing the south. These were the early customs.

In the ancient times, the rulers did not have houses, and
they lived in dug-out caves or in piled-up mounds in win¬
ter and on “nests” made of dry branches (on top of trees)
in summer. They did not know the use of fire, but ate
fruits and the flesh of birds and animals, drinking their
blood, including the hair in it. They did not have hemp
cloth or silk and were clothed in feathers and animal skins.
Later came the Sages who taught them the use of fire, and
to cast metalware by pouring it into bamboo moulds and
to mould clay into earthenware. Then they built terraces
and houses with doors and windows, and began to bake
and broil and cook and roast by means of a spit, and made
wine and vinegar. They began also to use hemp and silk
and weave them into cloth for the use of the living and
sacrifices to the dead and the worship of the spirits and
God.* These ancient praaices were also handed down

• There was a religious cult of a Supreme Rukr, Shangti, the word used
here and gcncralij used today by Chinese Christians, while there was i
different religious cult which worshipped as the Supreme Ruler
'Heaven,’* or T’ien, The o^erings used in the worship of Shangti and
Vien were different, and these two religions were practiced by different
tribes. In Confucius* time, there was already a great confusion, as th^
two religions had got mixed up with one another, and Confucius him*
self said at several places that he was unable to reconstruct the practices
at the worship of Heaven, and that if he did, it would be a simple mat*

232 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

from the early times. Therefore, the black wine was kept
in the inner room, the white wine was kept near the
(southern) door, the red wine was kept in the hall and
the heavy wine was kept still further outside. The meat
offerings were then displayed and the round tripod and
the square vessel were laid in order, and the musical in¬
struments, the ch!tn^ sehy the flute, the ch'ing (musical
stone suspended from a string and struck like bells), the
bell and the drum were arranged in their places, and the
sacrificial prayer to the dead and the answer from the
dead ♦ were carefully prepared and read, that the celestial
and the ancestors’ spirits might descend to the place of
worship. All these practices were for the purpose of main¬
taining the proper status of rulers and subjects, maintain¬
ing the love between parents and children, teaching kind¬
ness between brothers, regulating relationships between
superiors and inferiors, and establishing the respective
relationships of husband and wife, to the end that all
might be blessed by Heaven. They then prepared the sac¬
rificial lamentations. The black or dark wine was used
for sacrifice, and the blood and hair of the animals were
used in offering, and the raw meat was placed in a square
vessel. Burnt meat was also offered, a mat was spread out
and a piece of coarse cloth was used for covering the ves¬
sels, and silk ceremonial robes were used. The different

tcr to gorern the country. Somewhere at the back of his head, he had a
notion of aspiring to restore the ancient theocracy.

• The answer was read by a small child, known as shiht representing
the deceased. This shih is a prominent figure in all sacrifices to the dead
«Tcn in modern times.

TMIRU DT^CDITRUS J33

wincf, /i und j/f/f/i, .-^nd baked and bmiltd meatf were
dio ofFcred^ The sovereign and the rjueen made che
ings altcmarelyi ihac iJie good jpiiiti might descend and
they might be utiiicd with die occult world. A£tcr the
sacrifices were dvet, they then gave a feast to the guests,
dividing up the dogs, pigs, caws, and Lin^5 at the oifcrtng
and placing diein in varinui vcisdi. Hie prayer lo the
dead declared the gratitude ur loyally nf the living, and
rhe answer from the dead declared the coauuued affec¬
tion of the deceased. This was the great blessing and rc-
complishment of Im\

Confucius I '^Alasl 1 have studied tlic practicci of the
Chou Dynasty (in which Confucius Jived)* but (the had
Emperors) Yu and U have completely destroyed theta*
Where i:an I turn to eacept to the country of LuP" (Hm
fcihtvt a trief de^cripiian of fAc fir^poiling cAaoj in
rocro/ and r^ligjo^f tif^ of Ah flmc.}

Therefore ii k the great weapon or means of power nf
a jovercigii, with which to ctposc malpracticci and begin¬
nings of disorder^ offer sacrifices to the spirits, cstabluli
tbe systems of social life, differentiate dbe uses of Jove and
duty. It is the means by which a country l$ governed
and the sovereign maintains the sccorily of his pwffon*
Therefore, if the govemmeat is not ""right," then the
sovereign's posidOQ is tbneatencdj nod when the sover¬
eign's position is threatencdi the powerful ofiidals be^
coine arrogant and the minor officials begin to steat We
xhoidd then see cnmlnali punlsbed by severe sentence
and the general lODrality of tlie people degenerates and
there would be a general absence of itandardi. With s

234 WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

general absence of standards, the general social order
would be upset; and with the upset of the general social
order, the gentry would not be able to attend to their
proper professions. And when the criminals are punished
with severe penalties and the general morality of the
people degenerates, then the people will not be loyal to
the sovereign, or will go away to other countries. This is
called “a sickly state.”

{Here follows a description of the proper functions of
she sovereign,)

ni. U BASED ON HUMAN NATURE

The reason the Sage is able to regard the world as one
family and China as one man (what is true of human
nature in one man is true for all), is that he does not make
arbitrary rules, but on the other hand tries to understand
human nature,* define the human duties and come to a
clear realization of what is good and what is bad for man¬
kind It is through this that he is able to do so. What is
human nature? It consists of the seven things, joy, anger,
sorrow, fear, love, hatred and desire, all of which do not
have to be learned (/>., they arc natural instincts). What

•The Chinese terms for ‘'nature/* “emotions/’ “heart/’ “mind/*
etc,, overlap in their meaning, as compared with the correspond-
ing English words. Hsin means “the heart” and “the mind.” //nng
means original nature,” “instinct.” Ck*i8g means (in thf above pas¬
sage) “nature/’ “natural feelings,” “emotions.” ChiM means the “will ”
“direction of the mind/’ “hope,” “ambition,” “aspirations.” Yi means
“idea,” “intention.” Yu means “desires.” ]cn means “moral char-
“true manhood.” Chih (another word) means “wisdom,” “the
intellect.”

THTftli l^rSCQURSE ajg

are the hum.in duiici? Kindness in the Either, fiM piefy
in the »n. gcnd% in the elder brethcr, humilicj and re-
Ipea ia the younger brother^ gpod behavior fn the huj-
hindj obedience ui the wife^ benevolence in the elders,
md obedience in rhe Junlofj, benevolence in die ttder and
loyaky in die mi nisEer*— these len arc the human duties.
What is good for mankind means gencrai confidence and
pcacc^ and what U bad for m-inkind meaoa struggle for
profit, robbery and murder. Tlicreforc how can die Sagr,
or ideal ruler, dispense with /r In his efforts to cddvaie die
seven emcUODS and the ten dudes, and to promote mutual
confidence and peace and courtesy and discourage the
struggle for profit and robbery? Food and drbk and m
are die great desires of mankind, and death and poverty
and suffering arc the great fetus or aversions nf mantind.
Therefore desires and fear (or greed and iiaticd) are the
great motive forces of the human heart- 1 hes^ however^
are nmeealcd in the heart and are not usually showiij and
the human heart is unfathomable- What uther principle
is there besides H which can serve jts the one all-sufiident
principle to explore the human heart?

Therefore man is rhe product of the forces of heaven
and earth, of the union of they^m and the yang principles^
the incarnation of spirits and the essence of the five ele-
tnents (mml, woodjn water, fire and earth). Therefore
nun is the heart of the Universe, the upshot of the five
elcmentJ, born to enjoy food and color and twist , , .

W riPOM CF CONFUCIUS

2^

W* U SASE3> ON KEA\'lH^^ (CW NATWh)

The worship of Heaven i* for the purpose of recognizing
the supreme rulcrship of Heaven. The worship of rhe
gud of EiiriJi a for the purpose of dis^pbying the procIus>
[ivjty of the earth. Worship at the ancestra] temple is for
the purpose of recognizing the ancestry of man. The ‘wor^
ship of the motiniaim and rivers is for the purpose of lerv^
tog the different spirits. The five lacrifioca * are for the
purpose of commemoratiog the origin of human occupa¬
tions* Therefore there are priests at the temple^ the iTirce
High Ministers at the courts and the Three Elders at the
College. The soothsayer stands in front of the king and
the of&cUi hirtorian at his back^ while the priest in cliarge
of divinaticn and the blind music miHster ajiid his assist¬
ants are xcattened on his righc and Ms left* while the king
sits in the middle^ maintaining calm in his hcarTi^ a guards
iaa (or symbol) of the ultimate righuiess of ihings.

Therefore Avhen /j is observed 2t the worship of Heaven,
dicn the different gods attend to ihdr duties. When U
is obsco'^ed at the worship of Earthy then thingi grow and
multfpljr. When fi' ii observed at the ancestral temple, then
filial picry and affection prevail When // Is observed at
the five sarrifiGcs, then arandards of measurements are
csEablished. Therefon: the worship of Heaven* of Earth*
of the ancestors^ the mountains and rivers, and ihc five

* Tliav m diifcrcai bfitefpnCJliQiu tif Bvjt nnc

ihrm si the WWibJ^ df th£ iiVe cJemcbti, u

a{ ihr HFcrt, d^c flnc-piiicilcd dWr the klcdkeD md

course hall. Etc.

TlflRP DiaCDl^KSfi

^37

ucriHcci arc for itic kDcpInj^ up of the human duric$ anrf

coD^dtutc die enibcNJuneoi of /i.

Therefore, this li orij;ipdC)cj; m T*&iyi (Primeval
which wa$ divided who the Heaven atid die Eanh, trapse
formed into the yin and the yuftgf operating sa the
and assuming shape m the dilferenl $pirit3^ The will of
the gods b expressed as desliayj and b contfoLted from
Heavea.

Uhus // til list be based tin Heaven, sliows ili action on
the Eartb, and is applied to the ditferent human ocenpa-
dods, changing according to the reasons and fitted inlo
the different crafti In man, it emerges as the prindplc of
llvdihood and is shown in trader labor, sodaJ incercoursc*
eating and drinking, and in the ceremony of "capping,^
marriagcj burial ojid sacrifice to the dead, archery^ car¬
riage drivings and audience at court.

Therefore the duties uf // are the main principle oJ
human life, serving die purpose of promoting mutual con¬
fidence and social harmony and strengthening tiie social
ties and bonds of frietidjhjp. They arc the maid prindples
for wondkipplng the spiriti aud feeding the living and
sacrificing to the dead.f' U U a great eh.tnnel through
which wc follow the laws of Heaven and direct to proper

* Arcanfioif u l&t ef r/, dx phefiAulcfu of [Mi tidivcivd

Unad bick ta Uic flcdkm cr ujeotodei at dx ims pfiiKip^oit yrs

md (IfMtil m U? Uw PrifnirVi.1 UbOr^

f U hCfC if feed lo be A ddliailfLtr rcli^bui prindpre, jn J tM« £X|jLkiiH
[he diiprep^rtfcHnaii? onpluui girta eo fuocrit utitmohkt M eJii: Cqd-
vy^icrn. Tbc detailed dacnpciawi o£ (uqoiI woiKmia ta dw
LiJ^i aic &iidwlidtiii0a-

33^ THm WISPOM CONFUCtCrS

cpii™* the cipnessicMis of the human heart. XliercffliT,
only the Sa^c hnowi (h^c //is indispeasable^ Therefore;
lu defray a kingdom^ upset a family or ruin a ma^ij you.
mu^l liist take away from him this sense of ti*

V, TtfE SwfT,THO(0 OF CUt-TtVAXmO U

Therefore // sa ro man os the yeast Is lo wine? the superbr
man has a little more of and the inferior man has a
little les^ of It. Therefore the sage, or saintly ruler^ culti¬
vates the proper approach to duties and the order of /^
AS a means of controlling or regulating hnirem narurc,
TisercforcT human nature is the field cnldvated by the
Sage gf saintly ruler. He ploughs it wirh sows it with
the seeds of cluUcf^ weed-s it by cducatinn and learning,
liarvests it with true manhood^ imd cojoyi it with music*
rhcTcfore /i ii hut the crystalliscation of what ii nghL If
a thing is in accordance with the standard of what Is right,
new social practices may he imtituted, although they were
not known to the nilcrs of the pa^t. The standard of
right * IS the following of each doss of people in its proper
course and cnie manhood becume articubte. Those who
luvc fallowed the right> observing die proper course and
cultivaung true manhood^ will b^me powerful admin-

* Use Cbiacic ward U ^ wJ^idi iq die Above h lua la itltt to Ulc
wicM-iIrfiiani KU cl humjji fElaciJmiiFaipfti lx ii ibcrctofs ibe coi^

iitii r^krbcKi^cDi of dic jjeocFaJ pfiuJp4e di £i, !J Jimd oTioi fora a
pblAtc, dkffii:uiE ID truiriir, ^ rend trod aJ^Vt u "ibe dudes cf A"

1 Ijc oQicIll ChiaeiE iiiUrpitrtJliran nf yi n that il mtill* ''wlul k i^ht^
ur \hc ncn foUowi^ iNktuo, k wiiinT<ixllDd aj '"utm xtiiEh

hood,'' ^hutJnniff the CqcihKiAa idcll d iLc titi£ truMi w the nwft
CMnpfcia aulk.

third discourse 239

istracors. True manhood is the foundation for proper
conduct and the embodiment of conformity with the
standard of right. Those who have achieved true man¬
hood become the rulers of man.

It follows, therefore, that to govern a country without
It is like tilling a field without a plough. To observe li
without basing it on the standard of right is like tilling
the field and forgetting to sow the seeds. To try to do
right without cultivating knowledge is like sowing the
seeds without weeding the field. To cultivate knowledge
without bringing it back to the aim of true manhood, is
like weeding the field without harvesting it. And to ar¬
rive at the aim of true manhood without coming to en¬
joy it through music, is like harvesting and forgetting to
eat the harvest. To enjoy true manhood through music
and not arrive at complete harmony with nature is like
eating and not becoming well-fed, or healthy.

When the four limbs arc well developed and the skin
is clear and the flesh is full, that is the health of human
life. When the parents and children arc affectionate, the
brothers arc good toward one another and the husband
and the wife live in harmony, that is the health of the
home life. When the higher officials obey the law and the
lower officials arc clean, the officials have regulated and
well-defined functions and the king and the ministers
help one another on the right course, that is the health of
the national life. When the Emperor rides in the carriage
of Virtue, with Music as his driver, when the different
rulers meet each other with courtesy, the officials regulate

IjO Til? WT41>aM OV €DNFUCSt?$

Cfldi olber v^ith bw, the *cholan UJ^C one aaotlie r by the
Standard of honesry, apd the people unice with onc smother
in peace, that is the health ol the world* This js called
the Grand Harmony ^ - *

r

Chapter IX

ON EDUCATION

{Hsuehchi, U\i, Chapter XVIH)

I. THE NEED FOR EDUCATION

O DESIRE to do right and to seek what is good

JL would give a person a litdc reputation but would
not enable him to influence the masses. To associate with
the wise and able men and to welcome those who come
from a distant country would enable a person to influ¬
ence the masses, but would not enable him to civilize the
people. The only way for the superior man to civilize the
people and establish good social customs is through edu^
cation. A piece of jade cannot become an object of art
without chiselling, and a man cannot come to know the
moral law without education. Therefore the ancient kings
regarded education as the first important factor in their
efforts to establish order in a country. That is the mean¬
ing of the passage in the Advice to Fu Yueh (by King
Kaotsung of the Hsia Dynasty, now a chapter of Shu*
\ing) which says, ‘Torever occupy your thoughts with
education.” Just as one cannot know the taste of food
without eating it, however excellent it may be, so with*

241

ip thb wjiDOM OF coNti/clU*

out cclucatiofl one cannot come to know the eieellercc
of n great body of knowledge, nlrhough it may be there.
Therefore only tluough education does one come to be
disiaiiitficd widi bis own knowledge, and only tlunougb
CMching oihci^ dcHM one come to rwliz^: the uncomfort*
able ioadtquacy of his knowledge. Being dissatirficxJ wirh
his own knowledgtr one then realizes that the trouble
lies with himself, and rwljT^ing the unoonifortabie inade¬
quacy of hLs knowledge, one dicn feels srimubted to im¬
prove blmsclfii- Thcr^cfofc it j$ saldj The processes of
teaching and Icamlug stifntibie one another.'' Thar is
llie meaning of the passage in die AJetU to F$i Ycuh
kvhich ays, '"TeschiDg ia the half of fcarning/"

m THE AWt^VT ECtlCATrOKAL SYSTEM

The ancient edticarional syitem was as follows: There
was a primary scLool in every hamlet of 23 iamilieSp a
secondary school in every town of 5^ famdies-i, ajfi acad¬
emy in every coimEy of 2500 families, and a college in the
capital of every state {for the education of the princes and
sons of nobles and the best pupils from the lower schools.)
Every y&if new students were admitted, and every other
year Lheic was an examination .• At the tnd of che first
year, ar^ efforr was made to see hew the pupils were ahk
to pucictiiatc their acntcaces and tn find out their natural
inclinations. Al the end of three years, an effort was m^de

• "'ETirrY yrsi^ U nsvlaf ittierprcatl'M^ Tfr- fiKrtia

wffl, KoifcrVFr, cm usirAn ""in the middie d the vw" well oi *'in
Ihe iii^l*riv«n (w llKmJTC jemh lo

ihcf^ wvj iaui la be a cucuiubon cfCty ihmc

ON EDUCATION 243

to find out their habits of study and their group life. At
the end of five years, they would try to sec how well read
in general the pupils were and how closely they had fol¬
lowed their teachers. At the end of seven years, they
would try to find out how their ideas had developed and
what kind of friends they had sclcacd for themselves.
This is called the Minor Graduation {hsiaoeWeng — ^from
the lower grades). At the end of nine years, they were ex¬
pected to know the various subjects and have a general
understanding of life and to have laid a firm foundation
for their character from which they could not go back.
This was called the Major Graduation {tach*cng—ixom
the higher grades).*

By such an educational system only is it possible to
civilize the people and reform the morals of the country,
so that the local inhabitants will be happy and those in
distant lands will love to come to the country. This is
the principle of tahsueh, or higher education. That is the
meaning of the passage in the Ancient Records which
says, “The ants are busy all the time” {the importance of
continuous study).

In the college, the students begin to study the proper
use of ceremonial robes and vegetable offerings at sacri-

* According to Neitstk (Chapter XII, the age of entering school

is giren as ten. The studies of music, poetry, dancing, and archery be¬
gin at the age of thirteen. This seems to indicate a nine-jrear program
from ten to nineteen, the last two years between the Minor and Major
Graduatioas probably considered the “secondary education.** At twenty,
the college education begins. Men were supposed to marry at thirty
and women at twenty, and at the latest twenty-three, “for special
reasons.**

244 TWl WJSHnM OF COKFtICKUS

fidtfs, in order (O die principle of rt$pcct or piety.
They pre mpJe to iitig the first dircc songs of IJsiacyij*
in order to Lcpm the first clcmenfi of oifieLil life^

On entering die college, a drum is beaten before the
ftiidcntj unpek their books^ so as to teacli discIpEac: pr
their studies. The ferule or hickory stick ts used in order
to reguiate their carernaf beh.ivcor. No inspector is seat
to the cullegc oterpt on the ueeaslon of the Crpnd Sacri'
fice EO chc royiil ancestors^f that the sLudtmts may be left
alone to develop thctnseJves* The teaclicr observes but
does not coiwanrly lecture to them, so that the students
have time lo think out rhingi for themselves* The young
ones ^re supposed to listen and not to ask r|ucs[ions^ so
that they may know their own place. These seven things
arc the main methods of teaching* That is die meaning
of the passage in the Rf^ordtt which says, *‘Al

■ Tbe ttLrd ditincu |q the prwcfll 0/ Somgtf bciiyj tb^ lLu^I

iciDiRi al Ooii. Tbcic ilot ihm weir Bipiwcd w> have btea

med at ^ioncn Jt^n hj the ^mpttw [a hlj
iVKMteii uHLflkt aa. in iUm Crvnd Sacn^K. Ooc lAEcrpticti il ai iW
annual Hcrifioe in ttlmmer; anullurf iflinTFiTti it ai CiOntifljt «K*
five

IThwc ins nnincrwt rdFcrrncci U ibc Ana^i tbruQg^hnqt

ihc CnfihKlui Kid piJicf wnun^ ot Omu D/ELuty. ft U tvniti
Tbnr flodcqi Kcoed* that tlu ptamni h mtde. Afpifl, ihe “SmaJE
Tai '' a4lKtioD iMw ufuilly rcifetred to jli and ranTudiiB of forty-
DilK ebdptm w Inaki;, di^os from the "'Clrul Tai'^ entlrrirnn, mo-
ol dgLtj^fivc rhiipCpri eh* beaki^ emly tw chapcera hdpg ncmf .
miKTi to both noUtfOiaiu. A ntdy authonty «yi ihJt "Gteai

Tai“ re-cdlud the orSjfWi cnJlcirdun of TWO hundred and four clurit^fi
iiT Iviohi a&d rcdiK^ Ehfioi to ‘Ct^bEy-livcj The anckci roentdi were
*hcitlafv a mbedUanooui CoUeiE^ uf wriiiiiff^ Itcuh thotc pna^ to
Onfuciuj aakl thpac writEm hj hil diadpla, haEuird duwii frwii fracln

ON tOUCATlON 245

the college^ those wlio already hflvc an office make iLudic^
relative to their respective departments^ while those wJio
do not yet liave an office study what they want to do
afterwards/'

rii* EiiTftA^uiiiEjetriJiJi imjDrFji

In the educational system of the calleget there ^fe regu*
lar ftudicai in class and collateral studies when the students
are in their own nx>iT», Without the practice of fingcringi
one cannot learn to play the string iniirumeot smoothly.
Witliout wide ob^rvatiou of things,* one cannoE learn
poetry easily. Wlihnur acqnaimance with the diiicrent
ceremonial robes, one cannot master the study of ritiiah.
Wichoui learning die diiTcrent arts (like archery and
cairriagc driving), one cannot enjoy study at schooh ^ere-
forc in the education of the Superior man (or the Intch
Jectual upper djss)^ one is given time to digest dungs, to
ailtivate thiags^ to rest 3nd to pby. In this way the stu¬
dents learn in feel at home at college and esublish a per¬
sonal relatiodihip with their teachers, enjoy friendship and
acquire conviction Lo ideas. They then may leave their
teachers w^ithouc inrnlng ihebr backj on their studies.
This is the meaniDg of the pssige in the of Fu

YticA, which say^ "Respeerfnily keep at your studus
constantly, and then you wiU have results^”

trt to dmpir* ID the C^dEdchui fcliwj. Tim are mtnf idma^ to
|h3Iue;cs id itm^ iJtol Bft not fwrad in tiur prci^Dt v^ruoA

ct ti\L

*Tlic of Sottgi It lufi oT (h^ mmti lU imectE, htha, ttlidi;, Ixmn

tml floiverE End tm%. Tfim irr csmmoiDrTCi of die ^f <Soa£i

whkli too biil RtoJ SdLjqgnod Hudi^

2^5 THE W IE U Dili OF CONFU0JD&

The tcadicra of toda^ jusi go on repealing things in 2
rigmarole fa^biuOp annuy the rtudenu with coostmi qua-
ticHEj and repeat lire same thingi ow and over
Tlicy do not try to ilnd out what the studentE^ natural in-
dimtiofis arc, so thar iht sitideats are forced to pretend
to like their ^udiej, nor do they try to bring out the bejt
in their raleni$. What they give to the midenti is wrong
In tlic first place and what they expect of the students is
\mi as wrong. A« a result, the studeou hide their £ivop
ite readings and hate rhetr teachers, are exasperated at
the di^iculty of their studies and do not know what good
it does them- AJthough tlicy go through tJie regular
course of instruciioni they are quiet to leave It when they
are through^ Thii is the rca$on for llie failure of educa¬
tion today*

tv. TJUe IDEAL TTJCHei

The principles of eoUege ediicadon are as follows: Firsr^
prevention, or prtvcoiiog bad habirs before they arisc-
Sccondiyi^ dmeliDcss, or giving the students things when
they arc ready for diem. Thirdly, order, or leaching the
diiTercnt subjeers iu proper sequence* Fourthly, miirual
stimulation (Jiterally "'friction"), or letting tJie students
admire the excellence of other students. These four things
cniure the Success of education*

On the other handi m forbid them after they have al¬
ready acquired had habits would seem to make everything
go against their grata and c£urts at correction would be
without success. To teach them after the youngage Is past
would make their icaming difficult and futile. To fail to

OM SDUCATlOtr 247

teach the difeent subjects m their pnoptt order would
bring about chaos m their midic% without good lesulti.
To study 3 subject all aJonc without friends would ruaice
1 student too niirrow in soopc^ lackiug in general know]*
edge* Bad company would encourage dieru 10 go agaimt
their teachers and bad pasrimes would cause them to
neglect their studies. These s\x things cause the breiik-
down of a college education.

With the knowledge of the reasons for ^ucce^ in edu¬
cation and the causes cf its hiilure, the superior man is
then qualified to Ek a rcachcr»

Therefore in hia teaching the superior man guides his
students but does not pull them along; tic urges them to
go forward and docs not suppress them; he opens the
way, hue does nor take them to the place. Guiding with¬
out puUiOg makes the procc:^ of leaiuing gent]c; urging
without suppressing makes the process of lornlng cuiyi
and opening the way wirhnut leading the students to the
place makes diem think for themselves. Now if the pmo
of jearning Js madt geude and easy 4md die students
arc encouraged 10 think for diemsclvcs^ wc may call the
man a good teacher

There are four cominon errors iu eduorion which the
teacher must beware u£. Some students try to Jeans too
much or too many subjeci:^^ some learn too litdc or too
few subjects, some learn things too easily and some arc
too easily discouraged These fow things show that in¬
dividuals differ in their mental endowmcnLs, and only
dufough a knowledge of die different menu! ^tkiiw
ments can the teacher correct their mistakes^ A teacher

l^S THB WISDOM OF CONJ>t;ciV$

B hut 3 man who tii« to bring out ihe goo<{ and remedy
die weaknesses of his sitidents,

A good singer makes others follow his ttinCf and ■
good educator makes olhcn follow hi$ ideal. His words
are oiiidat bur espresrivc, casual but full of hidden mean¬
ing, and he is good at drawiag iagenJous cianipJes tn
make people understand him. In this way, he may he
said to be a good man to make others follow hfj ideal.

The superior man knows what is didlcult and what is
caiy, what is Mcelicnr and what is deplorable in die tilings
m be learned, and then he is good at drawing examples.
Being good at drawing examples, he then knows how to
be a teacher. Knowing how to be a teacher, he then knows
how to be an elder. And knowing how to be an elder,
he then knows how to be a ruler of men. Therefore, the
art of bdng a readier is the art of learning to be a ruler
of men. Thcrdbrc one cajinot he too tauefuJ in selecting
one's teacher. That is the nicaaJng of the passage in the
Anci^t Itmrds which says. “The Three King, and the
Four Dynasties (Yu, Hsio, Shang and Chou) laid the
greatest cmpliasu upon die selection of teachers."

In this matter of educatioi), the most dilScult thing is
It) establish a respect for the teacher. When the teacher h
rented, then people respect what he teaches, and when
people respect what he teaches, then they respect karn-
ing or scholarship. Therefore there are only two classes
of persons that the ting dare not regard a$ lus subjects:
bis teacher and the lAiA (child lepreicnring the spirit
of the deceased at a sacrifkc). According to the customs
of the ooll^ a teacher doeau’t hare to stand facii^ north

ON EDUCATIOK

m

even when TOciving an edict f>uni the king, which ihoWf
the graL rt^ipcct far rhe teacher^

V- THm FlOC^d OF

With a gCHxl studentp the leacher doesn'l have much tn
do and the results are double, Ixaides getting the student*!
reapcct. With a bad student, the teacher has fo work hard
and the raults are only half of what h la be expfcled,
besides getting bated by the snidenr. A good questioner
proceeds like a man ehopping wcxxl — he begins at the
easier end, attaching the knots hut, and afuer a time the
tcaehcr and student come to tioderstafid the |Mint with
M Krnsr of pleasure. A bad quesTioner does just exactly the
opposite^ One who knows how tn answer questJozu is
like a group of bells. Whea you strike the big bcll^ the
big one rings, and when you strike die small bell, the
■mail one rings. It h impnaDtp however, to allow time
fur its tone gradually to dieouL One who does not kuoW
how to answer quesiiotis is eaiaaly the reverse of this.
These arc all suggestions for the process of teaching and
learnings

That type of scholarship which is bent on remember¬
ing things in order to answer quesdons docs not qualify
one to be a teacher. A good teacher should observe ilic
students^ ooovcrsatiuns. When he ices a itndcni is doing
bia best but h lust, ibea be cxpLmiE it to hinip and if after
the explanation, the student $till does not uudersLand, he
may as well leave the matter alone^

The gon of a tinker naturally Icarni how to mend fur
coats, and the am of a good maker of bows naturally

2^ THE WJSnOM OF CQNFtPCJUi

learns how to make a bamboo chi (shallow pan made of
woven sliced baniW for holding grain), and a man
breaking in a horse first pui5 the bofie bchhad the Car¬
riage^ A gentleman can learn from these ihrcc thing? the
proper method of cducatiotl. The scholars of andcni times
learned the trutli about thing? from aiulcigica.

The drutrt iud£ docs not come under any of the five
dhkIc^ of musie^ and yet the five modes cannot succeed
in harmony without the drum. Water Itself doe* not be¬
long tn any tiL the five colors, and yet (in pinting) the
five colors would lack brightness without the tisc of
waters Learning iiself does not come tinder any of the five
sensesi and yet the five iicnscs cannot be proprly tD^n-cd
without learning. Tlic teacher docs noc come under the
five degree* of elm kinships and yec the five degrees of
dan kinship would not love one another w^ithout the
teacher.

The gentleman Says, "A great prsonahty does not
(liccessarily) fit one for any particular o^cc. A gteat
character doe? nor (nrecssarily) qualify tine fur any par¬
ticular service. Gteat lionesty docs not (necessarily) make
a man keep bis word. Great r^d for time does not
;octcssarily) make one puncctiaL” To know These four
things IS m know the really fundamental things in life.

In offering jaeiificc? to the river gods^ the ancient kings
always Ixgan with wonliipping die gods of the rivers bc-
fnie worshipping the gods of the seas. A dlsdncuon was
made between *e source and the outlet, and to know
ihi* di^tnedon is to know how to attend to the eKcn-
dais*

Ct^aptcr X

ON MUSIC

(Vochi, UJp, Chapter XJX)

1, TitE oiticis” km puwcrnnjff op Myiie

MUSIC rises from the humaa heart when the human
heart is touched by the external wnrli ’When
touched by the csiernal worlds the heart is moved^ and
khtrclore Rods iu expression in sounds. These £Otxads
echo, or combine wiih^ one anodier and produce a rich
variety, and when die various sounds become regular,
then we have rhythm^ The arrangcEdenl o£ loiies for our
enjoyment in combination with the nuliiary dance, with
shields and hatchets, and the civil dance, with long fcadi-
ers and pcniumls of ox-tails, is caUed muiic-
Muf ic is the form wherdn touts arc produced, because
It takes its rise from the human heart when the heart is
couched by the external world. Therefore when the
heart’s chord of sorrow h touched, the sounda produted
are sombre and forlorn ^ when the heart’s chord o£ sads^
^cnion Is touched, the sounds producod are bnguoroui
and iloni when the chord ot joy is touched, the snunda
produced are glowing and CKponsIvei when the chord of

^51

252 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

anger is touched, the sounds produced are harsh and
strong; when the chord of piety is touched, the sounds
produced are simple and pure; and when the chord of
love is touched, the sounds produced are sweet and gen¬
tle, These six kinds of emotion are not spontaneous, but
are moods produced by impact from the external world.

Therefore the ancient kings were ever careful about
things that affected the human heart. They tried there¬
fore to guide the people’s ideals and aspirations by means
of //, establish harmony in sounds by means of music,
regulate conduct by means of government, and prevent
immorality by means of punishments. Z-/, music, punish¬
ments and government have a common goal, which is to
bring about unity in the people’s hearts and carry out
the principles of political order.

Music rises from the human heart. When the emotions
arc touched, they arc expressed in sounds, and when the
sounds take definite forms, we have music. Therefore the
music of a peaceful and prosperous country is quiet and
joyous, and the government is orderly; the music of a
country in turmoil shows dissatisfaction and anger, and
the government is chaotic; and the music of a destroyed
country shows sorrow and remembrance of the past,
and the people are distressed. Thus we see music and
government arc directly connected with one another.

The mode of C is the symbol of the king; the mode of
D is the symbol of the minister; the mode of E is the
symbol of the people; the mode of G is the symbol of the
^airs of the country; and the mode of A is the symbol of

ON MUSIC 253

the natural world.* When the five keys are arranged in
order, we do not have discordant sounds. W^hen the key
of C loses its tonality, then the music loses its fundamen¬
tal and the king neglects his duties. When the key of D
loses its tonality, then the music loses its gradation, and
the ministers become unruly. When the key of E loses its
tonality, then the music is sorrowful and the people feel
distressed. When the key of G loses its tonality, then the
music is mournful and the affairs of the country become
complicated. When the key of A loses its tonality, then
the music suggests danger, and the people suffer from
poverty. When all the five keys lose their tonality and

•Throughout the entire syitcm of Confucian thought, symboliim
plays a very important part. Confucius seemed to constantly dunk of
the need of external symbols for the common people, something that
the mind of the common man could grasp. As the crown is the symbol
of the king’s authority, so the sun was the symbol of the kmg and the
moon the symbol of the queen, and the dificrcni sacrificial vessels and
the insignia of rank and position should be symbols of divine and secu¬
lar authority. Western musicians recognize the ditferent emotion^
qualities of the di^crent modes, such as the •‘Lydian” and the “Aeolian.”
But apart from this, in order to understand this musical symbols, one
should understand the cosmogony of the ancient Chinese, believing that
all life is the result of interaction of the five elements and ultimately of
the two principles of yi'n and yang. These principles govern ^th nat-
ural phenomena and human society, and the ideal of the Con^cianistt
was to bring the conduct of human affairs into harmony with cosmic
forces. Hence corresponding to the five elements of metal, wood, water,
fire and earth, we have ’’the five colors,” “five fiavors” of foc^. “five
tones” of the pcnutonic scale, and “five degrees of kinship” in the
fcmiily system, and “five directions” in the universe (Eas^ W«t. South,
North and Center). Each rulmg Dynasty had a symbolic “direction,
expressed by a symboUc color. For detailed discussions on the ancient
Chinese musical system, see the highly interesting and com^nt wor^
foundations of Chinese Musical Art. by J. H. LevU (Veuh. Peiping).

254 WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

upset one another, we have a general discord, and the
nation will not have long to live. The music of the states
of Cheng and Wei is the music of countries in turmoil,
coming very near to a general discord. The music of “In
the Mulberry Field,” upon the banks of River P*u (in
Wei) is the music of a destroyed country, whose govern¬
ment is tottering and whose people are dispersed or live
in constant insecurity, calumniating their rulers and pur¬
suing their selfish ends without restraint
Tones rise from the human heart, and music is con-
neacd with the principles of human conduct. Therefore
the animals know sounds but do not know tones, and
the common people know tones but do not know music.
Only the superior man is able to understand music. Thus
from a study of the sounds, one comes to understand the
tones; from a study of the tones, one comes to understand
music; and from the study of music, one comes to under¬
stand the principles of government and is thus fully pre¬
pared for being a ruler. It is therefore impossible to talk
to a man about tones who does not understand sounds,
and impossible to talk to a man about music, who docs
not understand tones. He who understands music comes
very near to understanding //, and if a man has mastered
both // and music, we call him virtuous, because virtue
is mastery (or fulfilment).*

Hence, when we say that music is well cultivated in a
country, we do not mean that its music is elaborate or
complicated; nor do the ceremonies of feasting have

* Here is a pun, of which the ancient scholars were very fond. Both
“virtue^ and **ma5tcry’* were pronounced uA,

ON MUSIC 255

sophisticated flavors. As we hear the music of the seh •
at the Chou ancestral temple, with its red strings and
perforated resonance board, and only one man singing
and three men joining in the chorus, we feel a certain re¬
straint in its sounds; and as we sec the ceremonies at the
royal feast, with black wine and raw fish and unsavored
soup, we feel there is a restraint in the use of flavors.
Therefore the ancient kings did not institute rituals and
music for the mere purpose of satisfying the desires of
our senses (“the mouth, the stomach, the ear and the
eye”), but rather for teaching the people the right taste
and the return to normality.

The nature of man is usually quiet, but when it is af¬
fected by the external world, it begins to have desires.
With the thinking mind becoming conscious of the im¬
pact of the material world, we bc^ to have likes and
dislikes. When the likes and dislikes are not properly
controlled and our conscious minds are distracted by the
material world, we lose our true selves and the piinciple
of reason in Nature is destroyed. When man is constantly
exposed to the things of the material world which affea
him and docs not control his likes and dislikes, then he
becomes overwhelmed by the material reality and be¬
comes dehumanized or materialistic. When a m^ be¬
comes dehumanized or materialistic, then the principle of
reason in Nature is destroyed and man is submerged in

• A string instrumcat longer than the ch*in, with fifty (or later, twenty-
fiw) strings and usually accompanying the latter, supplying the low
tones. The music of both string instruments is characterized by ex-
tremeVy quiet and slow movements.

256 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

his own desires. From this arise rebellion, disobedience,
cunning and deceit, and general immorality. We have
then a picture of the strong bullying the weak, the major¬
ity persecuting the minority, the clever ones deceiving
the simple-minded, the physically strong going for vio¬
lence, the sick and crippled not being taken care of, and
the aged and the young and helpless not cared for. This
is the way of chaos.

The people are therefore controlled through the rituals
and music instituted by the ancient kings. The weeping
and wailing and wearing of the dress of mourning, made
of hemp and without hemming, arc for the purpose of
regulating sorrow at funerals. The bell, the drum, the
shield and the hatchet (in dance and music) are for the
purpose of celebrating peace and happiness. The mar¬
riage ceremony and “capping” ceremony for boys reach¬
ing maturity and the “coiffure” ceremony for girls
reaching maturity arc for the purpose of establishing dis¬
tinctions between the sexes. The archery contests and
feasting at the village arc for the purpose of normalizing
social intercourse. The rituals rebate the people’s feel¬
ings; music estabh’shes harmony in the soun^ of the
country; the government orders their conduct and the
punishments prevent crimes. When rituals, music, pun¬
ishments and governments arc all in order, then the prin¬
ciples of political order arc complete.

ON MUSIC

^57

n. A COMPARISON OF RITUALS AND MUSIC, BOTH BASED ON
HARMONY WITH THE COSMIC ORDER

Music unites, while rituals diiTerentiate. Through union
the people come to be friendly toward one another, and
through differentiation the people come to learn respect
for one another. If music predominates, the social struc¬
ture becomes too amorphous, and if rituals predominate,
social life becomes too cold. To bring the people s inner
feelings and their external conduct into balance is the
work of rituals and music. The establishment of rituals
gives a well-defined sense of order and discipline, while
the general spread of music and song establishes the gen¬
eral atmosphere of peace in the people. When good taste
is distinguished from bad taste, then we have the means
of distinguishing the good from the bad people, and when
violence is prevented by the criminal law and the good
men arc selected for office, then the government becomes
stable and orderly. With the doctrine of love for teach¬
ing affection, and the doctrine of duty for teaching moral
rectitude, the people will then have learned to five in a
moral order.

Music comes from the inside, while rituals come from
the outside. Because music comes from the inside, it is
characterized by quiet and calm. And because rituals
come from the outside, they arc characterized by formal¬
ism. Truly great music is always simple in movement, and
truly great rituab arc always simple in form. When good
music prevaib, there is no feeling of dissatisfactioo and

258 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

when proper rituals prevail, there is no strife and struggle.
When we say that by mere bowing in salute the king can
rule the world, we mean thereby the influence of rituals
and music. When the violent elements of a nation are
kept quiet, the different rulers come to pay homage, the
military weapons are locked up, the five criminal laws are
not brought into use, the people have no worries and the
Emperor has no anger, then truly music has prevailed.
When the parents and children arc affectionate toward
one another, the juniors respect the elders and this respect
is extended to all people in the country and the Emperor
himself lives such an exemplary life, then we may truly
say that li has prevailed.

Truly great music shares the principles of harmony
with the universe, and truly great ritualism shares the
principles of distinctions with the universe. Through the
principles of harmony, order is restored in the physical
world, and through the principles of distinctions, we arc
enabled to offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. We have,
then, rituals and music in the material world and the dif¬
ferent gods in the spiritual world, and thus the world will
come to live in love and piety. Rituals teach piety under
different circumstances, and music teaches love in vary¬
ing forms. When this moral condition is established
through rituals and music, then we have a continuity of
culture through the rise of different wise rulers. The
political events differ with (the rulers of) the different
generations, and the rituals and music celebrating the

ON MUSIC 259

events arc given names appropriate to the different ac¬
complishments of the rulers.*

Music expresses the harmony of the universe, while
rituals express the order of the universe. Through har¬
mony all things are influenced, and through order all
things have a proper place. Music rises from heaven, while
rituals arc patterned on the earth. To go beyond these pat¬
terns would result in violence and disorder. In order to
have the proper rituals and music, we must understand
the principles of Heaven and Earth. ...

Therefore the Sage creates music to correlate with
Heaven and creates rituab to correlate with the Earth.
When rituals and music arc well established, we have the
Heaven and Earth functioning in perfect order. The
Heaven is high and the Earth is low, and we have there
the established relationship between the king and the
ministers. When the high and low arc arranged in dif¬
ferent ranks, we have the principle of social ranks. When
we have the law governing action and reaction, we have
as the result the distinctions between the great and the
small. And when the myriad things arc grouped and
classified according to their natural class, we recognize
the principle of diversity in animal life. Thus are brought
about the symbolic constellations of the stars in heaven
and the different shapes of mountains and rivers and
things on earth. This shows that It proceeds upon the
principle of distinctions in the universe.

When the gases on the earth’s surface go up and the

• For an example o£ music celebratinK a particular ruler. >ee Section 5.

26o the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

gases in the upper atmospheres come down, when the
principles of yin and yang meet and produce friction
and the heaven and the earth interact upon one another,
and when quickened by thunder and lightning, aroused
into life by the lashing of wind and rain, stimulated by
the rotation of the seasons and warmed by the sun and
the moon, things grow and prosper. This shows that
music proceeds upon the prindplc of harmony in the
universe. . . .

Music illustrates the primordial forces of nature, while
// reflects the products of the creation. Heaven represents
the principle of eternal motion, while Earth represents
the principle of remaining still, and these two principles
of motion and rest permeate life between Heaven and
Earth. Therefore, the Sage talks about rituals and music.

in. MUSIC REVEALS MAN’s CHARACTER

When you see the type of a nation's dance, you know its
character. . . .

Man is gifted with blood and breath and a conscious
mind, but his feeling of sorrow and happiness and joy
and anger depend on circumstances. His definite desires
arise from reactions toward the material world. There¬
fore, when a sombre and depressing type of music pre¬
vails, we know the people are distressed and sorrowful.
When a languorous, easy type of music with many long-
drawn-out airs prevails, we know that the people are
peaceful and happy. When a strong and forceful type of
music prevails, beginning and ending with a full display

ON MUSIC

261

of sounds, we know that the people are hearty and strong.
When a pure, pious and majestic type of music prevails,
we know that the people are pious. When a gentle, lucid
and quietly progressing type of music prevails, we know
that the people are kind and affectionate. When lewd, ex¬
citing and upsetting music prevails, we know that the peo¬
ple are immoral. . . .

When the soil is poor, things do not grow, and when
fishing is not regulated according to the seasons, then
fishes and turtles do not mature; when the climate de¬
teriorates, animal and plant life degenerates, and when
the world is chaotic, the rituals and music become licen¬
tious. We find then a type of music that is rueful without
restraint and joyous without calm. . . .

Therefore, the superior man tries to create harmony in
the human heart by a rediscovery of human nature, and
tries to promote music as a means to the perfection of hu¬
man culture. When such music prevails and the people’s
minds are led toward the right ideals and aspirations, we
may see the appearance of a great nation.

Character is the backbone of our human nature, and
music is the flowering of character. The metal, stone,
string and bamboo instruments are the instruments of
music. The poem gives expression to our heart, the song
gives expression to our voice, and the dance gives ex¬
pression to our movements. These three arts take their
rise from the human soul, and then are given further
expression by means of the musical instruments. There¬
fore, from the depth of sentiment comes the clarity of
form and from the strength of the mood comes the spirit-

262 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

uality of its atmosphere. This harmony of spirit springs
forth from the soul and finds expression or blossoms forth
in the form of music. Therefore music is the one thing in
which there is no use trying to deceive others or make
false pretenses. . . .

IV. ON CLASSICAL AND MODERN MUSIC

Baron Wen of Wei asked Tsehsia, the disciple of Con¬
fucius, “Why is it that I feel sleepy every time I listen to
classical music in my official dress, and never feel tired
when I listen to the music of (the states of) Cheng and
Wei? Why is it that the classical music is like that and
this new music is hke this?”

“In tbe ancient music,” reph’ed Tsehsia, “the dancers
move in formation forward and backward in an atmos¬
phere of peace and order and a certain luxury of move¬
ment. The hsuan (a string instrument) the gourd and the
sheng (a kind of mouth organ with bamboo reed-pipes,
resembling bagpipes in principle) are held in reainess
until the drum gives the signal for the start. The music
begins with the civil dance movements and ends with the
military dance movements, and there is a continuity of
movement from the beginning to the end,* while the
measure of the classical music prevents or checks the
dancers who arc inclined to go too fast. After listening to
such music, the superior man will be in a proper atmos-
•There is some ambiguity in the text here. One interpreution give*
**ihe drum” instead of ”the civil dance movements,” “the cymbals”
instead of “the military dance movements,” and “keeps the time with
the clay drum” instead of “continuity of movement from the b^io-
■ing to the end.”

ON MUSIC

263

phcrc to discuss the music and the ways of the ancients,
the cultivation of personal life and the ordering of na¬
tional life. This is the main sentiment or character of
ancient music. Now in this new music, people bend their
bodies while they move back and forth, there is a deluge
of immoral sounds without form or restraint, and the
actors and dwarfs dressed like monkeys mix (or mix
with) the company of men and women, behaving as if
they didn’t know who were their parents or children. At
the end of such a performance it is impossible to discuss
music or the ways of the ancients. This is the main sen¬
timent or character of the new music. Now you asked me
about music, but what you are really interested in is just
sounds. Music and sounds arc of course related, but they
arc two different things.”

“What do you mean?” asked Baron Wen.

“In the ancient times,” said Tschsia, “the forces of na¬
ture were in harmony and the weather was in accord with
the four seasons; the people were good in charaacr and
the harvests were plentiful; there were no epidemics and
no monsters of bad omen appeared. That was the time
when everything was right. So then the Sages (or priests)
arose and established social discipline in the relationships
between parents and children and kings and their minis¬
ters. With the establishment of social discipline, the world
was brought into order, and after the world was brought
into order, the Sages set the right standards for the six
pitch-pipes ♦ and Ac five keys. People Acn began to sing

• There were twelve pitch-pipes, the major aod the mmor, giving the
full diatonic scale.

164 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

songi and anthems to the accompaniment of hsuan string
instruments, and these were called sacred music (literally
"virtuous sounds”) and sacred music was music . . . But
what your Highness is mterested in is merely a jumble of
lewd sounds.”

“May I ask, where do the lewd sounds come from?”
asked the Baron.

“The music of Cheng,” replied Tsehsia, “is lewd and
corrupting, the music of Sung is soft and makes one ef¬
feminate, the music of Wei is repetitious and annoying,
and the music of Ch’i is harsh and makes one haughty.
These four kinds of music are all sensual music and un¬
dermine the people’s character, and that is why they can¬
not be used at the sacrifices. The Book^ of Songs says, ‘The
harmonious sounds arc shu and yung and my ancestor
listened to them.’ Shu means ‘pious’ and yung means
‘peaceful.’ If you have piety and peacefulness of char¬
acter, you can do everything you want with a country.

“All that a king needs to do is to be careful with regard
to his likes and dislikes. What the king likes, that the peo¬
ple will do, and what the king does, that the people will
follow. That is the meaning of the passage in the Boo\ of
Songs which says, ‘It is very easy to guide the people’.”

In accordance with this idea, therefore, the sages (or
priests) made the musical instruments, the yao (a small
drum with two beads suspended on both sides and a
handle— when the handle is rolled between the palms,
the beads strike the drum itself), the drum, the k!ung
and the ch’ta (varieties of square wooden drums with
wooden tops with a hole in the center), the hsuan and

ON MUSIC

265

the eWih (varieties of mouth organs, the hsuan being a
broad oval-shaped clay pot with six holes and the ch*ih
being made of bamboo with different pipes provided with
reeds). These six instruments produce sounds used in
sacred music. In addition, they are accompanied by the
bells, the eWing (a stone slab suspended in a stand), the
yu (a kind of bagpipe with 36 reeds) and the seh (a long
horizontal string instrument with fifty strings), and with
the dance with shields and hatchets (military dance) and
with pennants of ox-tail and long pheasant tails (“civil
dance”). This is the kind of music used at the worship
of ancient kings and at the drinking ceremonies. It is the
kind of music by which a sense of social order between the
different ranks was established and the sense of disci¬
pline between ciders and juniors and superiors and in¬
feriors was taught to the following generations.

The sound of the bell is clear and resonant; its clarity
and resonance make it especially suitable for serving
as signals, such signals create an impression of majesty,
and the impression of majesty inspires a sense of the mili¬
tary power. Therefore when the sovereign hears the bell,
he thinks of his military officials. The sound of the musi¬
cal stone is sharp and clear-cut; its sharpness and clear-
cut quality tend to foster the sense of decision, and the
sense of decision makes it easy for the generals to die in
batde. Therefore when the sovereign hears the musical
stone, he thinks of his military officers who died in battle
at the border. The sound of the string is plaintive; its
plaintive quality cleanses the soul, and the cleansed state
of mind makes for a sense of righteousness. Therefore,

26S the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

when the sovereign hears the sound of the string instru¬
ment, the ch'in and the seh (both horizontal string in¬
struments on a flat sounding board) he thinks of his
righteous ministers. The sound of bamboo (correspond¬
ing to the Western wood-wind instruments) has a float¬
ing quality; its floating quality tends to spread everywhere
and bring together the masses of the people. Therefore
when the sovereign hears the sound of bamboo instni
meats, he thinks of his ministers of the interior. The
sound of the big and small drums is noisy; its noisy
quality tends to arouse and excite, and the excitement
tends to prepare the masses for action. Therefore when
the sovereign hears the sound of the big and small drums,
he thinks of his great generals. It is seen, therefore, that
in hearing music, the sovereign does not hear their sounds
only, but also hears the significance proper to the differ¬
ent sounds.*

V. CONFUCIUS ON THE DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS OF THE
interpretative DANCE MUSIC OF EMPEROR WU

Pinmou Chia was talking one day with Confucius, and
they began to discuss music, and Confucius asked, “Why
is it that at the beginning of this Dance of W u, the dancers

• In this section only five of the eight classes of Chinese musical in¬
struments are commented upon. The other three classes are: the gourd,
the clay instruments and the wooden instruments. Brass is conspicu¬
ously absenL The drum represents the “leather” class. The commen¬
tators emphasize that the simple sounds of the drum, the square wooden
box and the clay pipes, being simple in character, arc chosen for use
in sacred musk.

ON MUSIC 367

Stand a long time holding themselves in readiness before
they begin, while the drum is being played?”

“Because it symbolizes the fact that Emperor Wu
waited a long time and did not launch out on the conquest
of the Shang Emperor (Chou, whom he overthrew) un¬
til he was assured of the support of the other rulers,” re¬
plied Pinmou Chia.

“What is the meaning again of the singing and the
sighing of the dancers, with the movements slowly and
gradually growing in intensity?”

“Because Emperor Wu was still waiting to assure him¬
self of the support of the other mlers.”

‘What is the meaning again of the dance and the
stamping on the ground early in the dance?” asked Cor-
fucius again.

“Because it was a time to act.”

“Why is it that the dancers then begin to squat on the
ground, with their right knees touching the ground and
their left knees lifted?”

“They should not squat on the ground in the Dance
of Wu.”

“Why is it that in between we hear the characteristic
melody of the Shangs (the enemy)?”

“That melody doesn’t properly belong in this music ol

Wu.”

“Then what melody is it, if it doesn’t belong in the
music of Wu?”

“The masters of music have forgotten its original mean
ing. ... If this weren’t a later interpolation (»>., if h

268

THB WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

was the melody of Emperor Wu), then Emperor Wu
must have been a cruel king.” *

“I have heard this interpretation from Ch’ang Hung
(an oflScial at the Chou capital),” said Confucius, “which
essentially agrees with yours.”

Pinmou Chia rose from his seat and said, “We all un¬
derstand the meaning of that long preliminary waiting.
But, may I ask, why the delay and waitmg of the dancers
at the start, and such »long delay?”

“Sit down and I will tell you,” said Confucius. “This
music is a symbolic interpretation of the historical events.
That the dancers stand in long lines with their shields
like a solid wall (literally “like a mountain”) symbolizes
the events of Emperor Wu. That the dancers start to
stamp the ground at an early part of the dance symbol¬
izes the agitations or ambitions of Emperor Wu’s great¬
grandfather, King T’ai. The dancers then squat down on
the ground to symbolize the rule of peace by the Dukes
Chou and Shao (brothers of Emperor Wu later assisting
his son in pacifying the country and founding the govern¬
mental system of the Chou Dynasty, after the overthrow
of the previous dynasty). Besides, the dancers of Wu start
out in the first movement from the south facing north
(advancing to the second position and symbolizing the

• Here it is apparent that the introduction of the melody of the enemy,
showing a spirit of license and terrible cruelty, was originally in this
interpretative tone poem in order to complete the picture. Nothing is
known about this Pinmou Chia. He and Confucius were apparently fel¬
low students of music, discussing the matter on a friendly footing, and
from here on Confucius begins to give his own interpretation, which in
two places contradicts Pinmou's interpretation.

ON MUSIC

269

setting out of his army, according to the commentators).
In the second movement, the Shangs arc defeated (ad¬
vancing to the third position, according to the commen¬
tators). In the third movement, the dancers turn south
again (taking the fourth position). In the fourth move¬
ment, the establishment of his rule over the Southern
countries is symbolized (taking the second position
again). In the fifth movement, the dancers divide them¬
selves, signifying the rule of Duke Chou on the left and
Duke Shao on the right (taking the third position again).
In the sixth movement, the dancers return to their orig¬
inal positions again to symbolize the homage of the en¬
tire country to the Emperor.* The advancing of the danc¬
ers in formation, with the players of the wooden resonance
box at their sides and their breaking up into the spear
dance facing four directions (or repeating the dance
of spears four times, according to another interpretation)
show the spread of the military power of Emperor Wu
over China. The advance in two parallel columns with
the players of the wooden resonance box at their side
shows their easy victory. Their long waiting in formation
symbolizes the waiting for the armies of the allied rulcn
to arrive.

“Furthermore, haven’t you heard the story about what
Emperor Wu did at the suburb of the capital of the de¬
feated dynasty? When Emperor Wu had defeated the
• According to Shukingt the flute music of hsiao (ascribed to Emperor
Shun) consists of nine movements. Of this hsiao music Confucius said
it was perfectly good and perfectly beautiful; but of the Wu music, he
said it was perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good. He forgot the
caste of meat for three months trying to study the hsiao.

2^0 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

Shangs and arrived at their capital, he made the de¬
scendants of Huangti (the Yellow Emperor) rulers of
Chi, made the descendants of Emperor Yao rulers over
Chu, and made the descendants of Emperor Shun rulers
over Ch’en. This was done before the campaign was fin¬
ished, and after the campaign was finished, he made the
descendants of Emperor Yu rulers over Chi {different
from the ‘Chi’ above) and degraded the descendants of
the Shang Emperors and put them in Sung. He also gave
a posthumous rank to the tomb of Prince Pikan,* re¬
leased Chitse from prison and allowed him to continue to
live according to the customs of the Shangs, and restored
his rank. The people were freed from the army service
and the knights were given double salaries. After he
crossed the YeUow River westwards, he set the army
horses free to pasture on the south of the Hua Moun¬
tains and did not ride them again. He set the buffaloes
free on the plains of the Peach Grove and did not keep
them again; and he had the chariots and armors smeared
with blood and kept in the Imperial Treasury and did
not use them again. The spears and shields were carried
backwards (with the handles first) and wrapped in tiger
skins, and the generals were made rulers over cities. This
was called the disarmament (literally “locking up the
arrow-bag”). So then it was made known to the world at
large that Emperor Wu was not going to use his military

• Pikan wi* a good prince, and because he protested against the crueltr
of Emperor Chou of Shang. his uncle, he was sentenced to death.
The ancestry of the clan of Lins, my clan. U traced back to this pruice
on a purely legendary basis.

ON MUSIC 271

weapons any more. The army was disbanded and made to
take up the spore of archery in the suburbs. In the east¬
ern suburb, the ceremony of archery contests was accom¬
panied with the song Ushouj and in the western suburb,
the ceremony of the archery contests was accompanied
with the song Tsouyu* The practice of shooting to pene¬
trate the target was discontinued. Ceremonial robes and
audience tablets (held between the hands by the ministea
when seeing the Emperor) were used and the knights
were relieved of their swords. Sacrifices were made at
the Grand Temple (the Mingt’ang or “Hall of Clear Vir¬
tue”), in order that the people might understand filial
piety. The ceremonies of the court audience were estab¬
lished so that the different dukes might know how to
show their homage. The ceremony of the Emperor tilling
the field himself was established, so that the people might
understand respect toward Nature. These five institu¬
tions were the five great cultural institutions of the world
“At the Imperial College, the Three Elders and Five
Superiors were maintained; the Emperor bared his left
armf to cut the sacrificial animal and gave it to these
Elders; he held the pot of gravy in his hands, and pre¬
sented it to them; he held the wine cup and made them
drink (literally “gargle”) ; and he wore a crown and held
a shield in his hand. These were done that the different
dukes might be taught the general virtue of humility and

* The poem Tsouyu is found today in the Boo^ of Songs,
t A autom used, (originally, I believe) in archery for practical reasons,
with the sleeve of the left arm rolled up, and bter at sacrificial cere-

272 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

respect. In this way the culture of the Chous was spread
to entire China, and rituals and music prevailed through¬
out the country. Don’t we understand now why at the
beginning of the Dance of Wu, the dancers waited so
long in formation (/>, for the other rulers to follow
Emperor Wu)?” . . .

Chapter XI
MENCIUS

(TAr Boot{^ of Mencius^ Book VI, Part I)

IN THE study of the character of Confucian thought,
it is important to have some ideas of its chief dc-
vclopmcnts in Mencius, because of the dearer exposition
of philosophic values in Mendus and because of then'
actual influence. Mencius represents the “onhodox” de¬
velopment of the Confucian school The Book, of Men^
cius, in seven books, each divided into two parts, is thicker
than the Analects by almost one-third, and is incompara¬
bly better prose than the Analects. Mencius was an do
quent writer and speaker, good at debates, and the pas‘
sages often consist of long and sustained discourses, and
there aie so many brilliant passages that it is difficult to
make a sdection in a volume devoted to Confudus.

Nevertheless, the ideas of Mencius represent such an
important development of one side of Confudus’ teach
ings, that it is impossible to get a fair conception of th^
Confucian ideas without reading something from Men¬
dus. Hantse said, "The teachings of Confudus were

m

274 THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS

broad and covered a wide scope, and it was impossible for
any of his disciples to master the whole field. Therefore
the early students of Confucianism developed each that
side of his teachings which lay closest to his mental equip¬
ment These disciples later on dispersed and Mttled
in different countries and began to teach their disciples
what they themselves had mastered, and the farther they
were separated from the original source, the more di¬
vergent became their views or lines of study. Only Men¬
cius studied under Tsesze, whose knowledge of Con¬
fucius’ teachings came from Tsengtse. Since Confucius’
death, only Mencius was able to carry on the orthodox
tradition. Therefore, in order to study the teachings of
the Sage, one must begin with Mencius.” Hantse also
said, “Mencius was the purest of the pure in the inter¬
pretation of Confucius; Hsuntse and Yangtse were on the
’frhole pure, with certain adulterations.”

I have selected for translation, a whole part of one of
the Books of Mencius, in my opinion the most important
and represenutive one. The most important ideas in
Mencius are, the goodness of human nature, consequendy
the impoitance of recovering that original good nature,
the recognition that culture or education merely consists
in prevendng the good nature in us from becoming “be¬
clouded” by circumstances, the theory of nourishing what
amounts to an equivalent of Bergson’s elan vital (the
haojan chih ch't), and finally the declaration that all men
are equal in their inherent goodness, and that since the
Emperors Yao and Shun were also human beings, “any
man could become a Yao or Shun.” Mencius also de-

MENCIUS 275

vclopcd the distinction between the ruler by virtue
{wang) and the ruler by force or cunning (^a)— roughly,
the distinction between “a kingly ruler” and “a dictator.”
He further developed Confucius* idea of government by
example into a well-defined system, and for the first time
used the phrase “benevolent government” which Con¬
fucius never used. (Jen definitely means “benevolence”
in Mencius.) He was also probably the best historical
scholar of his days and had definite ideas about taxation
systems, agricultural systems and the feudal system. We
do not get a clear idea of his theory of “benevolent gov¬
ernment,” developed from Confucius’ government by
moral example, but in this essay we find practically all
his ideas about the gcxxlness of human nature and the
importance and method of finding one’s “greater self.”
This essay is translated in full without omissions.

tH£Wlll>OM QP eoWFUCJlJS

aj6

I* THU goodness of human MATirtE

Kaotsc said, "Human nature is Ute rhc willow met, and
righteous condma of chafaeccr i* like n wicker bask^
(made of the willow branches). To make human aittiit
follow benevolence and righteousness ts like making
willovir branches into wicker baskets.*' Mencius said, “Now
in making a wicker haskel, don’t you try to follow the na¬
ture of the willow branches (in bending them), or arc
you going to violate the nature of the willow hmndicsf
If you arc going tO violate the nature of ibc willow
branches In order to make wicker baskets, then you are
also going to riobte human nature in order to make it
benevolent and righteous. Your teachings ate going to
mislead the cutire world and min the teachings of be¬
nevolence and righteousness."

Kantsc said, "Human nature Is like water in the guUey.
You guide it toward ihc East and it flows eastwards, and
you guide it toward the West, and it flows westwards.
There is no distinction between goodness and badness in
human nature, as there is no distinction between East
and West in water" "It is UDC,’* said Mendus, “that the
water has no preference for the East or the West, but
doesn't it make a distinctioJi between ’up' and 'down' Of
a ‘higher' and a 'lower' level? Human nature follows the
^Qod as water seeks the lower level. There is no man who
is not good, as them is no water which does not flow
downwards. Now you can strike the water and it splastua
Upwards above your forehead, or ymi can force it up the

^flNC^U£

377

hilR Bur is this the origin^ nature of water and not just
due Eo the arcumjKinccs? And you can make human
nature turn to evd In the i:liiic way.'^

Kaotse said^ '^What is born m us is ealled our natuziL'*
And Mencius replied, '^When you say that namic Is what
is hom in ur, do you mean thar it is like saying that n
white subsumee is taJIrzd %hiceV* '‘Yes," replied Kaotse.
*Tben do you cousider the whiteness of a white feather
the same as the whiteness of white snow^ or again, tna^
sider the whitenr.u of white snow the same as the whirc-
neas of a piece of wliite jade?" "Ya/‘ said Kautse. 'Yhcn
do you consider the nature of dogs the same as the na¬
ture of cows, or again consider the nature of cows the
Same as the nature of human beings? *

Kaotse said^ "'The desires for food and sex are born in.
11$. BecLcvoIaace comes from within and is not something
external, while righteousness is mmething cxtmialp and
does not come from within/' Mencius replied, "What dn
you mean by saying ihal bencvoteucc comes from within
wfille righteousness (or righteous conduct) Ss something
external '"^Vhen I sec a tail man and call him tall,"
Kaotsc rrphed, "it is not 1 who am tall {nr diat tallness is
not within me), just as when someiliing is white and I
call it whiter I observe its Oftcriiid white appearapce
merely. Therefore, 1 say righteous conduct Is cxtc-roaL"
"Now*” Mid Mendua, "the whiteness of a white horse
in no w.iy dl&ri from the whiteness of a white persoru

” Mcanvi afvrv^rp i;±inii4lercd Um cpiu^l dutinctioo or coluebmneu of
Kixm\ Eicu3 evU OM pcCulLLr[^ biumn ipd often uLd l2iaE whm ■ nun

tine dlfCifU:ijois, W2M Boi ^ (rtMjM tLv

ayS THi! WISDOM OP cosFocius

But do you ihiak chat the t^IlDcss ot -a tali hot$t is in no
way diilcreot from the taUocs of a tall ptr50n ? Now la
the call pcnion or hor^e righl (same word as rigAicauf)
or the man who calls it tall Of regards it as tall right (tha
right csnc^fftioit of 'tof/ffrff/ if fuhfcciii^c dement he-
lonpFjg to fhe ohsert/er)^ *"0111;^" said Kaotsci "I love my
own brother^ but I don^t love the bfothcr^ tayj of a man
from die country of Cb*iti^ lliat shows that love iX>jiits
from myself and ii dictcfotC regarded as soracdikig ffom
within. On the other band^ I <x|uiilly respect the elders of
Ch^'u as well ^ my own ciders, Tliat shows that what
pleases me Is the feet of their being cldersi and this re¬
spect (a virtue of righteous condticr) is therefore some-
thing dternal." Mencius replied, ""But wt love the roast
pork of the Ch'in people aa much as we Jove OUT own
jToast pork. That ii sa even with respect to material things-
Then arc you going to say that this love of mast pork is
aljOT something cxtexual?'*

Baron Chi Mcng asked Kungmtsc, "What dM Men¬
cius mean by saying that righteous conduct is Imerual
or comes from within?” The Utter teplied, ^'Righteous
conduce is merely the showing of my inner respect* That
is w^hy it is considered to come from within^" “If you have
a person in the same village who is one year older tliaU
your elder hrother, whom arc you going to serve with rc*
spect?" asked the Baron. “Of course 1 will serve my elder
brother with ropett firsL” ‘"But in offering wine at a
feast, whom are you going tO offer it tn first?” "Of course
I will offer wine first to the vtl lager*” the reply. *^Thcn
you see you serve with, respect one person, while you

MEKCTTJS 27^

honor another person, which ^bowj conduct is something
crtcmjl (depending on external circumstaneei) and not
tomtdiitlg inicrnaJ.'^ To thJa KiLngtuEsc ooidd uot cnakc
i reply^ and he told Mendus about it. Mencius said, "Tf
you ask him wtieiher he wiU serve with respect his
uncle or his younger brotheTj he will say thai he will
icrve with respect hia nnde^ Then you iisk him, in case
his younger brother is acting at a sacrifice as the represent-
ative of the deceased, then to whom is he going to show
greater respect He will then say he will show greater re¬
spect to Ids younger bruthcr. Tlien you say to htm^ 'Where
then is your respect lot your uncle?' He will reply* of
course, char in this case his younger brother representf the
ripirit in an official capacity. Then you can say to hioli
^Exactly. In our every day life we serve with rcspeci our
own elder brothers^ buc on special occasions we honor
the ’villager/ ** When rhe Baron heard this, he said* ”Ndw
In one case you re^pcci the uncle, and in the other case
you respect the yotmger brother. That shows cleariy re¬
spect is dependent upon eitcrmil ctrcumrrances*" Kung-
tutsc replied, ”You take hot soup on a winter day and
take cold water on a summer day. Then would you also
say that (our desire for) food and drink b also somerhing
cxrcmal (though it diJfcrs w ilh varying drcumstancca) ?"

Kunglutse smd, ''Kaotsc says that tlic origioal human
nature is neither good nor bad. Some people say that hU'
man nature can be cliher good or badj therefore when
rhe Emperors Wen and Wu were in power, the people
kved virtue, and when the Empenjra Yu add Li were
in power^ the people loved violence. Again other people

28o the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

say that some natures arc good, while other natures are
bad, and that therefore even under the rule of Emperor
Yao, there was a bad man Hsiang, and even with a bad
father, Kusou, there was produced a good son. Shun, and
there were the good princes Ch’i and Pikan with such a
bad man as Chou for their uncle and king. Now if you
say that human nature is (always) good, then are all
those people wrong?” “If you let them follow their orig¬
inal nature,” replied Mencius, “then they are all good.
That is why I say human nature is good. If men become
evil, that is not the fault of their original endowment.
The sense of mercy is found in all men; the sense of
shame is found in all men; the sense of respect is found
in all men; the sense of right and wrong is found in all
men. The sense of mercy is what we call benevolence or
charity. The sense of shame is what we call righteous¬
ness. The sense of respect is what we call propriety. The
sense of right and wrong is what we call wisdom, or
moral consciousness. Charity, righteousness, propriety
and moral conciousness are not something that is drilled
into us; we have got them originally with us, only we
often forget about them (or neglect or ignore them).
Therefore it is said, ‘Seek and you will find it, neglect
and you will lose it.* This moral consciousness is developed
in different persons to different degrees, some five times,
some ten times and some infinitely more than others, be¬
cause people have not developed to the full extent what is
in them. The Boo\ of Songs says, ‘Heaven created the
common people with laws governing their affairs. When
the people keep to the central (or common) principles.

MENCIUS

they will bvc a beautiful clujractcr/ Confuciiit enm-
meated upoa this poem^ sapngi *Thc wiitj-r of this poem
understock the moral law, and therefore he lecc^nized
that There were laws guverolag hujiUfi aifairs. Because
ihc people keep to the central prindpIcA, therefore they
have come 10 love beautiful charadcrJ "

Mca«^ins said, years of protpcf ity* most of the young
people arc well behavedp and In bad yearS| most of the
young people tufJi to violence- This is not due to a dif¬
ference in their natural endowments from Heaven^ btit
because something has happened to lead their hearts
astray* Tatev for Instance^ the growing of wheat* You
sow the seeds and till the field. The different plants are
pLmted at the same time and grow from the same piece
of land* and soon they sprout beautifully from the earth*
When the dme for harvest oomes^ they arc all ripe* and
alrhough there is a differe nec bctwccii the di/ferent stalki
of what, it is due to the dUlcrence in the soil^ m the
trilling of moisture from the rain and the dew, and lu
dilTercaCM in human cate. iTiercforc, all who belong
TO the same xpedes are essentially alike. Why should you
doubt that tills bolds true also of human beings? The
Sages belong to the some species as ourseivci. Ax Lungtse
has Kiidj 'A man who proceeds to make a pair of shoes
without knowing the feet measurements will pt lease not
end up by making a wicker basket.’ Shoes are alike be¬
cause the people's feet arc alike* There is a cnimnDn UxH
for flavor in our mouths. Yiya (a famous gourmet) is
but one who ha^ discovered our eommon taste for food.
If* for instance, uuc man's taste for flavors should diflfer

±8l Tlfl WIBUOM OF CONFUCIUS

Erom liut of Another as ihe UiUe oE ^nd harsca,
who belong to ^ different Bpcdcs, differs from tbc huiam
tasic, iheii why should the whole world follow the judg*
rneJit of Yiya m regard lo flavor? Since ta the matter of
flavor the whole world regarrJfi Yiya the ultimate stand
ard^ we sxt^st admit chat our tasica for flavors arc alike*
The same thing is true of our cars. In the m4Ucr o£ soundly
ihe whole world regards Master K^Uang as the uJtimate
standazd, and we must admit thac our ears are alike. The
aame thing is true of our eyes* In regard to TsetUp the
whole world considers him a handsome maUp and wbo
ever cannot sec his handsomeness may be said to have no
eyes. Theieforc 1 say there is a cotnmoa love for flavors
in our mouths, a common sense for sounds in our cars,
and a common sense for beauty in our cyci. Why rhen do
we reftuc to admit that dicrc ia ^methiag comoiou zn our
souls also? What ii that thing that we have in common
in our souls? It is reason and a sense of right. The Sage
is the mm who has first discovered what is commun to
men's souk Therefore, reasoit and the raise of right
please our minds as beef and mutton and pork please our
palates,'^

IL now out OftlCTNAl NTATCTRE S DESTlOim

MeuduA saidp "There wu once a time when the forests
of the Niu Mountain were heautifuJ. But can die Zdoun-^
tain any longer be rt^rded as beautiful^ since lielng
situated near a big cityi, the woodsmeu have hewed the
trees down? The days and nights gave it rest, and the

rams ojid the coniinucd tin nourish it, ao tl ft Dew life
’was COD ci Dually springiiig up Xrom the H>il^ but ihcn the
CJtile and the sheep begaa to pasture upon it. That is
why the Niu Mountain looks so haJd, and wheo people
ICC its bftJdoesSiH they imagine that diert was DCVer any
timber on the mountain. Is this the true nature of the
mountamP And is ihtie not a heart of love and righteous-
ness in maiii loo? But bow can that nature remain bcau*
dful when it is hacked down every day* as the woodsman
cliops down the trees ’with his axe? To be sure, the nighu
and days do the healing and there is the nnuiishidg air
of the early tlawD^ which tends to keep him sound and
normal, but this morning air is thin and is soon destroyed
by what he docs in the day. With this continuaus hact
bg of the human spirit* the rest and rccupciation ob-
tained during the night are not sufficient to maintain its
Icvelt and when the night^s recuperation docs not suffice
to mainuda Us leveh then the man degrades himself to
a state not far from the beast's. People sec that he acts like
a beast and imagine that there ms never any true char-
aaer in him. But h this die true nature o£ man? Theme*
fore with proper nourishment and care* everything grawa,.
and without the proper nourishment and care, everything
degenerates or decays. Coufudus said, ‘Keep k ca^uHy
and you will have it, let it go and you will lo$e it. Ic ap-
|M?£Lrs and disappears from dine to time m wc do not
know what direcdonp' He was talking about the human

• EWwfacic Movous de^Bw ^ '"i™ 1^“" ** hu km

ihe iKin ti i didd^**

Tins WfApQ&i OF r.nKTUOivs

McEiduK ^df "Do Dot tbink tt^t Xing (|i$tida d*
Ch'i) h bcting in wiwfom or moral fon.u:iouaness fas 3
Even in the ease of the things that grow most
£3sii^ to tliil world, the)^ would never grow up properly
if for one day of sunstiine they get ten days of cloudy (of
cliilly) weathcfi He seldom sees rtie^ and when 1 leave;
the people who are the ^cloudy days* for him arrive. Even
if what 1 say to him U taking mot (literally 'sprouting') in
hi^ lUindj what can he do about it? Eveo in a Lrivtal thing
like pbying chessi one caxuiot learn it unless he oonocn-
tratca his mind on leammg iu You let CheSS^Playef
eh lU, who is the best chess player of the country^ teach
two persons how to play dicss. One man will mnccntrate
bis mlad ^d energy on it and listen cardTully to Chess-
Player Chlu"ff CTplaimdom and advice, and ariother mai>
will hear the same expbnations^ hue his mind wHl be
thinking of how a wild goose is going to pass by and how
be is going to take a bow and shoot at it. Now although
the second man studies under die same master, he will
□ever he equal to the other nmu* But if you say that this
man is lacking iu original talent of intelligencej you know
it isn*t trut"*

m, TTfU HtCTtfiJt LUrt Am THfi OAlATn SELF

Mencius Said, '1 like lisli, but I also like bear's paw, bur
if I an't have both at the same time, I will forego the fish
and cat the bear's paw. I love life, but 1 also bvc right¬
eousness, and if 1 can> have both at itc Some time^ 1 will
Siacrifice life to have righteousness. 1 love life, but tht/e ii

MENCIUS

285

something that I 1g/c more than life, and therefore I
would not have life at any price. I also hate death, but
there is something that I hate more than death, and
therefore I would not avoid danger at any price. If there
is /lothing that man loves more than life, then does he
not permit himself to do anything in order to save it?
And if there is nothing that man hates more than death,
then why does he not always avoid dangers that could be
avoided? And so there are times when a man would for¬
sake his life, and there are times when a man would not
avoid danger. It is not only the good men who have this
feeling that there are times when they would forsake life
and there are times when they would not avoid danger.
All men have this feeling, only the good men have beew
able to preserve it.” * A man’s life or death may sometimes
depend on a bamboo basket of rice and a bowl of soup
but if you say to a starving man passing by, “Hey, Mis-

•In the Chinese text, Mencius used the word “heart,** which I hart
translated here as '*feclings'* (elsewhere also as the **sour*), because of
the limitations of this word “heart** in the English usage. The whole
Mencian philosophy centers around “keeping the heart** and not **los«
ing’* if. At other pbces I have found it necessary to render the same
word by “mind** or ‘‘intelligence.** Of course the English word “heart*
comes closest to what Mencius calls hsin, since it is primarily a matter oi
feeling and not of thinking. But the same word is used in Chinese to
express the “mind** also, and it should be strongly emphasized that
the Chinese language docs not admit of a clear distinction of, or sepa¬
ration between, the head and the heart. That is not only grammati¬
cally, but also historically a true fact. Mencius, however, uses thret
important words, “the heart** (including the mind or intelligence),
**sentimcnt** (which is interpreted as the heart in action), and “tal*
ent** (or innate capacity, which is more or less fully developed m
mdividuals according to the circumstances).

•286 the wisdom of CONFUCIUS

tcrl” and offer them to him in the most insulting maiF*
ner, he would refuse to take them, or if you offer them to
a beggar with a kick, the beggar would not receive
them.

“What is a salary of ten thousand bushels to me, if I
come by it against my principles? Shall I take this posi¬
tion because it offers me beautiful mansions and the serv'
ice of a wife and concubines, or because I shall be ablt
to help my friends who knew me when I was poor? If
formerly I refused to accept the post in the face of death
(or starvation), and now I accept it in order to have a
fine residence, if formerly I refused to accept this post in
the face of death, and now I accept it in order to have
^he service of a wife and concubines, if formerly I refused
this post in the face of death, and now I accept it in order
to be able to help my friends who knew me when I was
poor, would that not be something totally unnecessary?
This is called ‘losing one’s original heart.’ ”

Mencius said, “Charity is in the heart of man, and right¬
eousness is the path for men. Pity the man who has lost
his path and does not follow it and who has lost his heart
and does not know how to recover it. When people’s dogs
and chicks are lost, they go out and look for them, and
yet the people who have lost their hearts (or original
nature) do not go out and look for them. The principle
of self-cultivation consists in nothing but trying to look
for the lost heart.”

Mencius said, “Suppose there is a man who has a
crooked ring finger which cannot stretch out straight.
It isn’t pain^l and it doesn’t cause him any inconveai-

M Pi c I tr 1

287

cncL And if there wasfiDmwnc who could straighteit
out the fuller for him^ he would not mind going .15 fir
as Cb^ici or Ch'u because he is ashamed that hh finger if
nor like that ol other mea (or not normal). Now a man
h wise enough to be ashamed of a iliigeT that is not nor-
idalr and yet he Is not wise enough to be ashamed of his
hearty when hla heart is nor norim!^ We say such a man
has no sense of the rdjadve importance of things.”

Mendus 5aid> 'Toople know that if thcj^ w^ant a lindera
tree whose dreumfcrcnce is a far bom Inng to grow and
live^ dicy must take proper care of h. But as to their own
selves^ they do not know bow to take proper care of thcrcL
Can ic be that they bve ihdr selves less than they bve i

Imdcra tree? It is mere though dessneu.**

Mencius said, “There is noi a part of the body that a
man doe* net kve. And because there Is not a part that
he does nor love, there k nor a part of it that he does noi
nourish^ Because there i-s nor an inch of his skin that he
does not Love, there is not an inch of his skin that he
does not take care of. The tMug that determitici whcthel
a thing Is good or bad depends only on his regard ibr
or the value he places upon it. Now in our constiruibn
there if 3 higher and a lower nature, and 3 smaller and
A greater self. One should not develop the lower nature
at the expense of the higher namrcp or develop the stEiiUei'
self at the expense of the greater self. He who actendi to
his smaller self hcoomes a small mao, and he who attendi
to his greater self becotncs a great mao. A gaidcucr wlm
attends to thorns and bramble to the neglect of bis iin
(fcra trees will be regarded a* a bad gardener. A man who

288 THIS MTtSDOM or CONPtfCltrS

lakes Euod care of his finger aod su/Fcn ao injury to his
shoulder blade is deformed. People look down upon the
mawer of food and drink betause food nourishes our
smaller self and does nalKing to our grcatei sdf. If a
man aticods TO hi* W, withour forgcLiIog about hU
greater iclfi then it may be said that the food taken indeetd
Joes not only gu to nourish any paidcular small part of

the body (an inch of his skin)/’

Kungtutse asked Mendus, “We are all human beings.
Wliy is h that some are great men and some fire small
nieo?” Mmriiu replied, ‘ThoM: who attend to thdr
greater tedves become great men, and those who attend to
their smaller selves bcEome small men." "But we are all
human beings. Why is it that some pople alieod to their
greater selves and some attend to their smaller selves?
Mencius replied, "When our senses of sight and hearing
are distract^ by the things outside, without the panidpi'
lion of thought, then the materia] things act upon the
material senses and lead theta astray. Tliat is the cX'
planarion- TIic function of the mind is tliiokiog; when
ynu think, you keep your mind, and when you don't
think, you lose your mind. This b what heaven has given
to us (for the purpose of thiokiog or knowing what is
right and wrung). One who cultivatea his higher self will
find that his lower self follows in aexoriL That is how a
man becomes a great man."

Mencius said, "There is the heaven-madc nobility, and
[hem is the man-made nobility. The people who -uc kind,
righteous, faithful and love virtue without fail bcloog TO
ihe hcavcn-made nobility (or the nobility of God), and

the cA'iffg^ and taifu (different rat^ of ofHciaL)

beloa^ to the man-tiaadc aobUiiy. The ancient people
cultivated wiiit belonged to God^s noblemen and they
obtained without conscious effort ihe rontu of man-made
Jiobilify, People today, on tlic other h.ind, culdvatc whar
belongs lo thi« bcavco-made nobility in order to secure
man-made honors (or man-made nobility), and after
they have secured man-made honors^ they fonake the
things fhar make for hcavca-madc nobility. Thus they
arc led grievously astray and miM soon perish after all."

Mcocius said, ^AU people have the common dcsiir to
he elevated in honor^ but ali people have $omcthiog still
more elevated in themselves without knowing iu WJistl
people usually consider as an elevated rank or honor h
not true honor, for he whom Chao Meng (a powerful
ruling family of Chin) has hunored, Chao Meng can also
bring into dishonor. The of Soitgi says, 'I am dnink
with wine, and I am fUJed with virtue.' This Eguracivt
expression means that a m.in is "tiled* with kindness and
righteou5tte5Sj and when he is so filled, he does not care for
the flavors of deUcatc food. And when a man wears a
mantle of fame, he do« not care for tJie embroidered
gowns."

Mencius said, "The five kinds of graim arc considered
good plaotis, but if the graliis arc not ripe, they are worse
than cockles. !c is the same with regard to kindness, which
must grow into maturity,**

Mencius said, "When Yi (a famous archer) Laught peo¬
ple CO shoot, lie told them ro pull the string on die bow
Its fiill length. ITie man who wants to cultivate hintsetf

^ THE WISDOM or COKPUCIIPS

a)$o develop hizn^lf to tb-c full cjxeoiL A gi^t eftf-
penrer twchn apprcaucc to use iqiiafes and confi^
passes. The man who wants to cultivate himself muji:
also have squares and compasses for his conductiP*'

A

i

i

■i

> w.

I (;R5TIUL lAQHAfiaLOGlOAL UBEAET

-/ Hlitv i^ZUHT

- J - l3gUG ai:tgnfvl- _ _

Catalogue No. l8l . l/Con Aut , 1464 ,

Authof" CcnfuciiA •

Title— Viadom ef Genfuclue.

lM*cf B«*Kra

book ihat is jAv/ is but a block*'

GOVT. OF INDIA

<v Department of AiEtueoIofiy tp

^ NEW DEUtU- Tj

c7 %

J Please help ua to keep the book

! clt^an and moTing.

;.vt