Confucian Canon phần 9 pps

operations of their armies, then all belonging to those armies will rejoice in the stopping from war, and find their

pleasure in benevolence and righteousness. Ministers will serve their sovereign, cherishing the principles of benevolence

and righteousness; sons will serve their fathers, and younger brothers will serve their elder brothers, in the same way:--

and so, sovereign and minister, father and son, elder brother and younger, abandoning the thought of profit, will cherish

the principles of benevolence and righteousness, and carry on all their intercourse upon them. But never has there been

such a state of society, without the State where it prevailed rising to the royal sway. Why must you use that word

"profit."'

710

1. When Mencius was residing in Tsýu, the younger brother of the chief of Zan, who was guardian of Zan at the time,

paid his respects to him by a present of silks, which Mencius received, not going to acknowledge it. When he was

sojourning in P'ing-lÿ, Ch'ÿ, who was prime minister of the State, sent him a similar present, which he received in the

same way.

711

2. Subsequently, going from Tsýu to Zan, he visited the guardian; but when he went from Ping-lÿ to the capital of Ch'þ,

he did not visit the minister Ch'ÿ. The disciple Wÿ-lÿ was glad, and said, 'I have got an opportunity to obtain some

instruction.'

712

3. He asked accordingly, 'Master, when you went to Zan, you visited the chief's brother; and when you went to Ch'þ,

you did not visit Ch'ÿ. Was it not because he is only the minister?'

713

4. Mencius replied, 'No. It is said in the Book of History, "In presenting an offering to a superior, most depends on the

demonstrations of respect. If those demonstrations are not equal to the things offeredred, we say there is no offering,

that is, there is no act of the will presenting the offering."

714

5. 'This is because the things so offered do not constitute an offering to a superior.'

715

6. Wÿ-lÿ was pleased, and when some one asked him what Mencius meant, he said, 'The younger of Zan could not go

to Tsýu, but the minister Ch'ÿ might have gone to P'ing-lÿ.'

716

1. Shun-yü K'wan said, 'He who makes fame and meritorious services his first objects, acts with a regard to others.

He who makes them only secondary objects, acts with a regard to himself. You, master, were ranked among the three

chief ministers of the State, but before your fame and services had reached either to the prince or the people, you have

left your place. Is this indeed the way of the benevolent?'

717

2. Mencius replied, 'There was Po'þ;-- he abode in an inferior situation, and would not, with his virtue, serve a

degenerate prince. There was ú Yin;-- he five times went to T'ang, and five times went to Chieh. There was Hÿi of

Liÿ-hsiý;-- he did not disdain to serve a vile prince, nor did he decline a small office. The courses pursued by those

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three worthies were different, but their aim was one. And what was their one aim? We must answer-- "To be perfectly

virtuous." And so it is simply after this that superior men strive. Why must they all pursue the same course?'

718

3. K'wan pursued, 'In the time of the duke Mÿ of Lÿ, the government was in the hands of Kung-þ, while Tsze-liÿ and

Tsze-sze were ministers. And yet, the dismemberment of Lÿ then increased exceedingly. Such was the case, a

specimen how your men of virtue are of no advantage to a kingdom!'

719

4. Mencius said, 'The prince of Yü did not use Pýi-lþ Hsi, and thereby lost his State. The duke Mÿ of Chin used him,

and became chief of all the princes. Ruin is the consequence of not employing men of virtue and talents;-- how can it

rest with dismemberment merely?'

720

5. K'wan urged again, 'Formerly, when Wang P'ýo dwelt on the Ch'þ, the people on the west of the Yellow River all

became skilful at singing in his abrupt manner. When Mien Ch'ü lived in Kýo-t'ang, the people in the parts of Ch'þ on

the west became skilful at singing in his prolonged manner. The wives of Hwa Chýu and Ch'þ Liang bewailed their

husbands so skilfully, that they changed the manners of the State. When there is the gift within, it manifests itself

without. I have never seen the man who could do the deeds of a worthy, and did not realize the work of one.

Therefore there are now no men of talents and virtue. If there were, I should know them.'

721

6. Mencius answered, 'When Confucius was chief minister of Justice in Lÿ, the prince came not to follow his counsels.

Soon after there was the solstitial sacrifice, and when a part of the flesh presented in sacrifice was not sent to him, he

went away even without taking off his cap of ceremony. Those who did not know him supposed it was on account of

the flesh. Those who knew him supposed that it was on account of the neglect of the usual ceremony. The fact was,

that Confucius wanted to go away on occasion of some small offence, not wishing to do so without some apparent

cause. All men cannot be expected to understand the conduct of a superior man.'

Mencius : Chapter 23

Mencius : Chapter 24

722

1. Mencius said, 'The five chiefs of the princes were sinners against the three kings. The princes of the present day are

sinners against the five chiefs. The Great officers of the present day are sinners against the princes.

723

2. 'The sovereign visited the princes, which was called "A tour of Inspection." The princes attended at the court of the

sovereign, which was called "Giving a report of office." It was a custom in the spring to examine the ploughing, and

supply any deficiency of seed; and in autumn to examine the reaping, and assist where there was a deficiency of the

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