Confucianism is a code of conduct that
constitutes the most important single force in traditional
Chinese life. It is a guide to morality and good government and
to sincerity in personal life and public conduct. Confucius'
teachings and journeys were collected in a book called the
Analects of Confucius. The sage's two most important concepts
were Li and Jen. Li can be translated as rites, ceremony, or
etiquette. Jen means benevolence or kindness. It stresses the
virtues of self-discipline and generosity. Be strict with
yourself, but be benevolent towards others. Confucius believed
that if mankind practiced Li and Jen, then all social discord
would be replaced with order.
SECTION 1.
Part 5:
The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived;
although he was put in bonds, he had not been guilty of any
crime. Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife. Of Nan
Yung he said that if the country were well governed he would not
be out of office, and if it were in governed, he would escape
punishment and disgrace. He gave him the daughter of his own
elder brother to wife.
The Master said of Tsze-chien, "Of superior virtue indeed is such
a man! If there were not virtuous men in Lu, how could this man
have acquired this character?" Tsze-kung asked, "What do you say
of me, Ts'ze!" The Master said, "You are a utensil." "What
utensil?" "A gemmed sacrificial utensil." Some one said, "Yung is
truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue."
The Master said, "What is the good of being ready with the
tongue? They who encounter men with smartness of speech for the
most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be
truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?"
The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter an official
employment. He replied, "I am not yet able to rest in the
assurance of this." The Master was pleased.
The Master said, "My doctrines make no way. I will get upon a
raft, and float about on the sea. He that will accompany me will
be Yu, I dare say." Tsze-lu hearing this was glad, upon which the
Master said, "Yu is fonder of daring than I am. He does not
exercise his judgment upon matters." Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu,
whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, "I do not
know." He asked again, when the Master replied, "In a kingdom of
a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the military
levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous." "And
what do you say of Ch'iu?" The Master replied, "In a city of a
thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, Ch'iu might
be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is
perfectly virtuous." "What do you say of Ch'ih?" The Master
replied, "With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might
be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do
not know whether he is perfectly virtuous." The Master said to
Tsze-kung, "Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hui?"
Tsze-kung replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears
one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and
know a second."
The Master said, "You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are
not equal to him." Tsai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the
Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth
will not receive the trowel. This Yu,-what is the use of my
reproving him?"
The Master said, "At first, my way with men was to hear their
words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my way is to
hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yu that I
have learned to make this change."
The Master said, "I have not seen a firm and unbending man." Some
one replied, "There is Shan Ch'ang." "Ch'ang," said the Master,
"is under the influence of his passions; how can he be pronounced
firm and unbending?" Tsze-kung said, "What I do not wish men to
do to me, I also wish not to do to men." The Master said, "Ts'ze,
you have not attained to that." Tsze-kung said, "The Master's
personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of
them may be heard. His discourses about man's nature, and the way
of Heaven, cannot be heard." When Tsze-lu heard anything, if he
had not yet succeeded in carrying it into practice, he was only
afraid lest he should hear something else. Tsze-kung asked,
saying, "On what ground did Kung-wan get that title of Wan?"
The Master said, "He was of an active nature and yet fond of
learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his
inferiors!-On these grounds he has been styled Wan." The Master
said of Tsze-ch'an that he had four of the characteristics of a
superior man-in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving
his superior, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was
kind; in ordering the people, he was just." The Master said, "Yen
P'ing knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse. The
acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at
first."
The Master said, "Tsang Wan kept a large tortoise in a house, on
the capitals of the pillars of which he had hills made, and with
representations of duckweed on the small pillars above the beams
supporting the rafters.-Of what sort was his wisdom?" Tsze-chang
asked, saying, "The minister Tsze-wan thrice took office, and
manifested no joy in his countenance. Thrice he retired from
office, and manifested no displeasure. He made it a point to
inform the new minister of the way in which he had conducted the
government; what do you say of him?" The Master replied. "He was
loyal." "Was he perfectly virtuous?" "I do not know. How can he
be pronounced perfectly virtuous?" Tsze-chang proceeded, "When
the officer Ch'ui killed the prince of Ch'i, Ch'an Wan, though he
was the owner of forty horses, abandoned them and left the
country. Coming to another state, he said, 'They are here like
our great officer, Ch'ui,' and left it. He came to a second
state, and with the same observation left it also;-what do you
say of him?" The Master replied, "He was pure." "Was he perfectly
virtuous?" "I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly
virtuous?" Chi Wan thought thrice, and then acted. When the
Master was informed of it, he said, "Twice may do."
The Master said, "When good order prevailed in his country, Ning
Wu acted the part of a wise man. When his country was in
disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man. Others may equal his
wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity." When the Master was
in Ch'an, he said, "Let me return! Let me return! The little
children of my school are ambitious and too hasty. They are
accomplished and complete so far, but they do not know how to
restrict and shape themselves."
The Master said, "Po-i and Shu-ch'i did not keep the former
wickednesses of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed
towards them were few." The Master said, "Who says of Weishang
Kao that he is upright? One begged some vinegar of him, and he
begged it of a neighbor and gave it to the man."
The Master said, "Fine words, an insinuating appearance, and
excessive respect;-Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of them. I also am
ashamed of them. To conceal resentment against a person, and
appear friendly with him;-Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of such
conduct. I also am ashamed of it." Yen Yuan and Chi Lu being by
his side, the Master said to them, "Come, let each of you tell
his wishes." Tsze-lu said, "I should like, having chariots and
horses, and light fur clothes, to share them with my friends, and
though they should spoil them, I would not be displeased." Yen
Yuan said, "I should like not to boast of my excellence, nor to
make a display of my meritorious deeds." Tsze-lu then said, "I
should like, sir, to hear your wishes." The
Master said, "They are, in regard to the aged, to give them rest;
in regard to friends, to show them sincerity; in regard to the
young, to treat them tenderly." The Master said, "It is all over.
I have not yet seen one who could perceive his faults, and
inwardly accuse himself." The Master said, "In a hamlet of ten
families, there may be found one honorable and sincere as I am,
but not so fond of learning."
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