บทที่ บทที่ 17 · _The Master Induced to Take Office--Nature and Habit_

Yang Ho was desirous of having an interview with Confucius, but on the

latter's failing to go and see him, he sent a present of a pig to his

house. Confucius went to return his acknowledgments for it at a time

when he was not at home. They met, however, on the way.

He said to Confucius, "Come, I want a word with you. Can that man be

said to have good-will towards his fellow-men who hugs and hides his

own precious gifts and allows his country to go on in blind error?"

"He cannot," was the reply.

"And can he be said to be wise who, with a liking for taking part in

the public service, is constantly letting slip his opportunities?"

"He cannot," was the reply again.

"And the days and months are passing; and the years do not wait for

us."

"True," said Confucius; "I will take office."

It was a remark of the Master that while "by nature we approximate

towards each other, by experience we go far asunder."

Again, "Only the supremely wise and the most deeply ignorant do not

alter."

The Master once, on his arrival at Wu-shing, heard the sound of

stringed instruments and singing. His face beamed with pleasure, and

he said laughingly, "To kill a cock--why use an ox-knife?"

Tsz-yu, the governor, replied, "In former days, sir, I heard you say,

'Let the superior man learn right principles, and he will be loving to

other men; let the ordinary person learn right principles, and he will

be easily managed.'"

The Master (turning to his disciples) said, "Sirs, what he says is

right: what I said just now was only in play."

Having received an invitation from Kung-shan Fuh-jau, who was in

revolt against the government and was holding to his district of Pi,

the Master showed an inclination to go.

Tsz-lu was averse to this, and said, "You can never go, that is

certain; how should you feel you must go to that person?"

"Well," said the Master, "he who has invited me must surely not have

done so without a sufficient reason! And if it should happen that my

services were enlisted, I might create for him another East

Chow--don't you think so?"

Tsz-chang asked Confucius about the virtue of philanthropy. His answer

was, "It is the being able to put in practice five qualities, in any

place under the sun."

"May I ask, please, what these are?" said the disciple.

"They are," he said, "dignity, indulgence, faithfulness, earnestness,

kindness. If you show dignity you will not be mocked; if you are

indulgent you will win the multitude; if faithful, men will place

their trust in you; if earnest, you will do something meritorious; and

if kind, you will be enabled to avail yourself amply of men's

services."

Pih Hih sent the Master an invitation, and he showed an inclination to

go.

Tsz-lu (seeing this) said to him, "In former days, sir, I have heard

you say, 'A superior man will not enter the society of one who does

not that which is good in matters concerning himself; and this man is

in revolt, with Chung-mau in his possession; if you go to him, how

will the case stand?"

"Yes," said the Master, "those are indeed my words; but is it not

said, 'What is hard may be rubbed without being made thin,' and

'White may be stained without being made black'?--I am surely not a

gourd! How am I to be strung up like that kind of thing--and live

without means?"

"Tsz-lu," said the Master, "you have heard of the six words with their

six obfuscations?"

"No," said he, "not so far."

"Sit down, and I will tell you them. They are these six virtues, cared

for without care for any study about them:--philanthropy, wisdom,

faithfulness, straightforwardness, courage, firmness. And the six

obfuscations resulting from not liking to learn about them are,

respectively, these:--fatuity, mental dissipation, mischievousness,

perversity, insubordination, impetuosity."

"My children," said he once, "why does no one of you study the

Odes?--They are adapted to rouse the mind, to assist observation, to

make people sociable, to arouse virtuous indignation. They speak of

duties near and far--the duty of ministering to a parent, the duty of

serving one's prince; and it is from them that one becomes conversant

with the names of many birds, and beasts, and plants, and trees."

To his son Pih-yu he said, "Study you the Odes of Chow and the South,

and those of Shau and the South. The man who studies not these is, I

should say, somewhat in the position of one who stands facing a wall!"

"'Etiquette demands it.' 'Etiquette demands it,' so people plead,"

said he; "but do not these hankerings after jewels and silks indeed

demand it? Or it is, 'The study of Music requires it'--'Music requires

it'; but do not these predilections for bells and drums require it?"

Again, "They who assume an outward appearance of severity, being

inwardly weak, may be likened to low common men; nay, are they not

somewhat like thieves that break through walls and steal?"

Again, "The plebeian kind of respect for piety is the very pest of

virtue."

Again, "Listening on the road, and repeating in the lane--this is

abandonment of virtue."

"Ah, the low-minded creatures!" he exclaimed. "How is it possible

indeed to serve one's prince in their company? Before they have got

what they wanted they are all anxiety to get it, and after they have

got it they are all anxiety lest they should lose it; and while they

are thus full of concern lest they should lose it, there is no length

to which they will not go."

Again, "In olden times people had three moral infirmities; which, it

may be, are now unknown. Ambitiousness in those olden days showed

itself in momentary outburst; the ambitiousness of to-day runs riot.

Austerity in those days had its sharp angles; in these it is irritable

and perverse. Feebleness of intellect then was at least

straightforward; in our day it is never aught but deceitful."

Again, "Rarely do we find mutual good feeling where there is fine

speech and studied mien."

Again, "To me it is abhorrent that purple color should be made to

detract from that of vermilion. Also that the Odes of Ch[']ing should

be allowed to introduce discord in connection with the music of the

Festal Songs and Hymns. Also that sharp-whetted tongues should be

permitted to subvert governments."

Once said he, "Would that I could dispense with speech!"

"Sir," said Tsz-kung, "if you were never to speak, what should your

pupils have to hand down from you?"

"Does Heaven ever speak?" said the Master. "The four seasons come and

go, and all creatures live and grow. Does Heaven indeed speak?"

Once Ju Pi desired an interview with Confucius, from which the latter

excused himself on the score of ill-health; but while the attendant

was passing out through the doorway with the message he took his lute

and sang, in such a way as to let him hear him.

Tsai Wo questioned him respecting the three years' mourning, saying

that one full twelve-month was a long time--that, if gentlemen were

for three years to cease from observing rules of propriety, propriety

must certainly suffer, and that if for three years they neglected

music, music must certainly die out--and that seeing nature has taught

us that when the old year's grain is finished the new has sprung up

for us--seeing also that all the changes[32] in procuring fire by

friction have been gone through in the four seasons--surely a

twelve-month might suffice.

The Master asked him, "Would it be a satisfaction to you--that

returning to better food, that putting on of fine clothes?"

"It would," said he.

"Then if you can be satisfied in so doing, do so. But to a gentleman,

who is in mourning for a parent, the choicest food will not be

palatable, nor will the listening to music be pleasant, nor will

comforts of home make him happy in mind. Hence he does not do as you

suggest. But if you are now happy in your mind, then do so."

Tsai Wo went out. And the Master went on to say, "It is want of human

feeling in this man. After a child has lived three years it then breaks

away from the tender nursing of its parents. And this three years'

mourning is the customary mourning prevalent all over the empire. Can

this man have enjoyed the three years of loving care from his parents?"

"Ah, it is difficult," said he, "to know what to make of those who are

all day long cramming themselves with food and are without anything

to apply their minds to! Are there no dice and chess players? Better,

perhaps, join in that pursuit than do nothing at all!"

"Does a gentleman," asked Tsz-lu, "make much account of bravery?"

"Righteousness he counts higher," said the Master. "A gentleman who is

brave without being just may become turbulent; while a common person

who is brave and not just may end in becoming a highwayman."

Tsz-kung asked, "I suppose a gentleman will have his aversions as well

as his likings?"

"Yes," replied the Master, "he will dislike those who talk much about

other people's ill-deeds. He will dislike those who, when occupying

inferior places, utter defamatory words against their superiors. He

will dislike those who, though they may be brave, have no regard for

propriety. And he will dislike those hastily decisive and venturesome

spirits who are nevertheless so hampered by limited intellect."

"And you, too, Tsz-kung," he continued, "have your aversions, have you

not?"

"I dislike," said he, "those plagiarists who wish to pass for wise

persons. I dislike those people who wish their lack of humility to be

taken for bravery. I dislike also those divulgers of secrets who think

to be accounted straightforward."

"Of all others," said the Master, "women-servants and men-servants are

the most difficult people to have the care of. Approach them in a

familiar manner, and they take liberties; keep them at a distance, and

they grumble."

Again, "When a man meets with odium at forty, he will do so to the end."

[Footnote 32: Different woods were adopted for this purpose at the

various seasons.]

BOOK 18.