鐔津文集 11.30

11.30

周君初字感之。余以其義未極。請用誠之以更之。周君名應。然萬物莫不以類相應。而不能應非其類也。惟人誠乃能與天地殊類相應。故誠應者應物之公也。類應者應物之私也。私則寡得而公則寡夫。君子恥失所於一物。是故君子貴以誠應天下也。誠也者至正之謂也。易曰中孚。中孚正也。以其柔正乎內而剛正乎外也。況下而順乎陰陽之得其道爾。推乎人事則可以教大信。彖曰。乃化邦也。豚魚吉。信及豚魚也。中孚以利貞。乃應乎天地也。誠之義不亦至矣哉。周君始事父母則鄉人稱其孝。及仕而廉明。歷官品凡一簿一尉。其人若緇黃儒素。皆喜其仁德。此非以誠待物。焉能其善之之如是邪。而君勞於縣吏積十餘年。自不以其濡滯而苟薦於知己。問之則曰命也。士病不為政。豈汲汲於人知。此又見其誠之之至也。所謂誠之不亦宜乎。既始之而又終之。是之謂誠也。天地以誠終始。所以博厚而高明。聖人以誠終始。所以垂法於萬世。雖然君子之誠推所自得之。苟其富貴也。不以驕佚。其老也不以耄紛。其酒也不以醉亂。斷斷乎始于是終乎是。則聖賢之道得所傳也。周君之德將不虧而得其全也。其名聞孰可磨滅。余與君皆南人也。又特友善其相識知深且詳矣。故因字所以序而勉之。

Gentleman Zhou's courtesy name was originally Ganzhi. Considering that its meaning was not consummate, I requested to replace it with Chengzhi. Gentleman Zhou's personal name is Ying (Resonance). Yet of the myriad things, none fails to resonate according to its kind, while being unable to resonate with what is not of its kind. Only when human beings are sincere can they resonate with heaven and earth and disparate kinds. Therefore, responding through sincerity is the impartiality of responding to things; responding through kind is the partiality of responding to things. What is partial attains little, while what is impartial loses few. The noble person is ashamed of losing his proper relation to even a single thing; for this reason, the noble person values responding to the world through sincerity. Sincerity means the utmost rectitude. The *Changes* says: "Inner Trust (*Zhongfu*)." Inner Trust is rectitude, because its yielding is correct on the inside and its firm is correct on the outside. How much more so when descending to accord with yin and yang attaining their proper Dao! Extended to human affairs, it can teach great faithfulness. The Judgment (*Tuan*) says: "It transforms the states. Good fortune with pigs and fishes: trust extends even to pigs and fishes. Inner Trust brings benefit through steadfastness: this is responding to heaven and earth." Is not the meaning of sincerity consummate? When Gentleman Zhou initially served his parents, his fellow villagers praised his filiality. When he entered official service, he was upright and clear-sighted, holding official ranks as a registrar and a sheriff; whether clad in black, yellow, Confucian garb, or plain robes, people all delighted in his benevolence and virtue. If he did not treat things with sincerity, how could he have won their praise like this? Yet the gentleman toiled as a county official for more than ten years, and never because of his stagnation did he improperly recommend himself to those who knew him. When asked, he would say: "It is fate." The scholar worries about not conducting governance; how could he anxiously seek to be known by others? This again shows the consummation of his sincerity. Is not calling him Chengzhi most fitting? Having begun it and carrying it through to the end—this is what is called sincerity. Heaven and earth use sincerity from beginning to end, which is why they are broad, thick, lofty, and bright. Sages use sincerity from beginning to end, which is why they bequeath models to ten thousand generations. Even so, the sincerity of a noble person is extended from what he attains within himself: if he achieves wealth and honor, he does not become arrogant and dissipated; in his old age, he does not become senile and confused; with his wine, he does not become drunk and disordered. Steadfastly beginning with this and ending with this, the Way of sages and worthies will find that by which it is transmitted. Gentleman Zhou's virtue will not be deficient, but will attain its completeness. Whose fame and renown could ever be effaced? Both the gentleman and I are southerners; moreover, we are especially close friends, and our mutual understanding is deep and thorough. Therefore, on account of his courtesy name, I write this preface to encourage him.