The head of the Chi family was going to attack Chwan-yu.
Zan Yu and Chi-lu had an interview with Confucius, and said, "Our chief,Chil is going to commence operations against Chwan-yu."Confucius said, "Ch'iu, is it not you who are in fault here?
"Now, in regard to Chwan-yu, long ago, a former king appointed its ruler topreside over the sacrifices to the eastern Mang; moreover, it is in themidst of the territory of our state; and its ruler is a minister in directconnection with the sovereign: What has your chief to do with attacking it?
"Zan Yu said, "Our master wishes the thing; neither of us two ministerswishes it."Confucius said, "Ch'iu, there are the words of Chau Zan, -'When he can putforth his ability, he takes his place in the ranks of office; when he findshimself unable to do so, he retires from it. How can he be used as a guideto a blind man, who does not support him when tottering, nor raise him upwhen fallen?'
"And further, you speak wrongly. When a tiger or rhinoceros escapes fromhis cage; when a tortoise or piece of jade is injured in itsrepository:-whose is the fault?"Zan Yu said, "But at present, Chwan-yu is strong and near to Pi; if ourchief do not now take it, it will hereafter be a sorrow to hisdescendants."Confucius said. "Ch'iu, the superior man hates those declining to say-'Iwant such and such a thing,' and framing explanations for their conduct.
"I have heard that rulers of states and chiefs of families are not troubledlest their people should be few, but are troubled lest they should not keeptheir several places; that they are not troubled with fears of poverty, butare troubled with fears of a want of contented repose among the people intheir several places. For when the people keep their several places, therewill be no poverty; when harmony prevails, there will be no scarcity ofpeople; and when there is such a contented repose, there will be norebellious upsettings.
"So it is.-Therefore, if remoter people are not submissive, all theinfluences of civil culture and virtue are to be cultivated to attract themto be so; and when they have been so attracted, they must be made contentedand tranquil.
"Now, here are you, Yu and Ch'iu, assisting your chief. Remoter people arenot submissive, and, with your help, he cannot attract them to him. In hisown territory there are divisions and downfalls, leavings and separations,and, with your help, he cannot preserve it.
"And yet he is planning these hostile movements within the state.-I amafraid that the sorrow of the Chi-sun family will not be on account ofChwan-yu, but will be found within the screen of their own court."Confucius said, "When good government prevails in the empire, ceremonies,music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the son of Heaven.
When bad government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitivemilitary expeditions proceed from the princes. When these things proceedfrom the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do notlose their power in ten generations. When they proceed from the greatofficers of the princes, as a rule, the case will be few in which they donot lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary ministers ofthe great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the state, as a rulethe cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in threegenerations.
"When right principles prevail in the kingdom, government will not be inthe hands of the great officers.
"When right principles prevail in the kingdom, there will be no discussionsamong the common people."Confucius said, "The revenue of the state has left the ducal house now forfive generations. The government has been in the hands of the greatofficers for four generations. On this account, the descendants of thethree Hwan are much reduced."Confucius said, "There are three friendships which are advantageous, andthree which are injurious. Friendship with the uplight; friendship with thesincere; and friendship with the man of much observation:-these areadvantageous. Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with theinsinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued:-these areinjurious."Confucius said, "There are three things men find enjoyment in which areadvantageous, and three things they find enjoyment in which are injurious.
To find enjoyment in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music; tofind enjoyment in speaking of the goodness of others; to find enjoyment inhaving many worthy friends:-these are advantageous. To find enjoyment inextravagant pleasures; to find enjoyment in idleness and sauntering; tofind enjoyment in the pleasures of feasting:-these are injurious."Confucius said, "There are three errors to which they who stand in thepresence of a man of virtue and station are liable. They may speak when itdoes not come to them to speak;-this is called rashness. They may not speakwhen it comes to them to speak;-this is called concealment. They may speakwithout looking at the countenance of their superior;-this is calledblindness."Confucius said, "There are three things which the superior man guardsagainst. In youth, when the physical powers are not yet settled, he guardsagainst lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor,he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powersare decayed, he guards against covetousness."Confucius said, "There are three things of which the superior man stands inawe. He stands in awe of the ordinances of Heaven. He stands in awe ofgreat men. He stands in awe of the words of sages.
"The mean man does not know the ordinances of Heaven, and consequently doesnot stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful to great men. He makes sportof the words of sages."Confucius said, "Those who are born with the possession of knowledge arethe highest class of men. Those who learn, and so readily get possession ofknowledge, are the next. Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass thelearning, are another class next to these. As to those who are dull andstupid and yet do not learn;-they are the lowest of the people."Confucius said, "The superior man has nine things which are subjects withhim of thoughtful consideration. In regard to the use of his eyes, he isanxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious tohear distinctly. In regard to his countenance, he is anxious that it shouldbe benign. In regard to his demeanor, he is anxious that it should berespectful. In regard to his speech, he is anxious that it should besincere. In regard to his doing of business, he is anxious that it shouldbe reverently careful. In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious toquestion others. When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties his angermay involve him in. When he sees gain to be got, he thinks ofrighteousness."Confucius said, "Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could notreach it; contemplating evil! and shrinking from it, as they would fromthrusting the hand into boiling water:-I have seen such men, as I haveheard such words.
"Living in retirement to study their aims, and practicing righteousness tocarry out their principles:-I have heard these words, but I have not seensuch men."The Duke Ching of Ch'i had a thousand teams, each of four horses, but onthe day of his death, the people did not praise him for a single virtue.
Po-i and Shu-ch'i died of hunger at the foot of the Shau-yang mountains,and the people, down to the present time, praise them.
"Is not that saying illustrated by this?"Ch'an K'ang asked Po-yu, saying, "Have you heard any lessons from yourfather different from what we have all heard?"Po-yu replied, "No. He was standing alone once, when I passed below thehall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the Odes?' On myreplying 'Not yet,' he added, If you do not learn the Odes, you will not befit to converse with.' I retired and studied the Odes.
"Another day, he was in the same way standing alone, when I passed by belowthe hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the rules ofPropriety?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he added, 'If you do not learn therules of Propriety, your character cannot be established.' I then retired,and learned the rules of Propriety.
"I have heard only these two things from him."Ch'ang K'ang retired, and, quite delighted, said, "I asked one thing, and Ihave got three things. I have heard about the Odes. I have heard about therules of Propriety. I have also heard that the superior man maintains adistant reserve towards his son."The wife of the prince of a state is called by him Fu Zan. She callsherself Hsiao T'ung. The people of the state call her Chun Fu Zan, and, tothe people of other states, they call her K'wa Hsiao Chun. The people ofother states also call her Chun Fu Zan.