鐔津文集 6

English (machine translation) 6

Language: English

6.1

Composed by Śramaṇa Qisong of Dongshan, Tanjin, Tengzhou

A guest asked him about the discussion of warfare. The old man frowned sorrowfully and said, “Why do you press me with this question? I am a rustic; how could I know about warfare?” The guest said, “It is said that your learning encompasses Confucianism. The Way of the Confucians is fully equipped with both civil and martial arts. Warfare is the effective application of the martial. If one does not know warfare, how can it be called the Way?” [The old man] said, “What is the Way? True warfare is simply benevolence and righteousness, and nothing more.” The guest did not comprehend and was about to leave. The old man, composed and upright, said to those seated with him: “Warfare is punishment. It arises from benevolence and is governed by righteousness. It arises from benevolence: with benevolence one pities disorder. It is governed by righteousness: with righteousness one puts an end to tyranny. Putting an end to tyranny with righteousness, they correct one another and do not bring about disorder. Pitying disorder with benevolence, they seek life and do not seek killing. For this reason, the warfare of the Five Thearchs was called ‘proper punishment,’ and the warfare of the Three Kings was called ‘righteous punitive expedition.’ When righteous punitive expeditions were launched, there was no one in the world who did not cherish them. When proper punishments were carried out, there was no one in the world who did not submit. When the descendants of the Flame Thearch were unruly, the Xuanyuan clan drew up battle lines at Zhuolu; before weapons even crossed, those people had already submitted. When the Gonggong clan devoured their people like ravenous boars, Thearch Zhuanxu attacked them; likewise, before battle was joined, they forthwith submitted. When Tang faced east and campaigned, the western barbarians resented it; when he faced south and campaigned, the northern Di barbarians resented it, saying: ‘Why does he put us last?’ The people gazed toward him as if gazing for rain clouds during a great drought. King Zhou of Shang was without the Way, and King Wu campaigned against him; when he reached Mengjin, without any summons the feudal lords assembled. King Zhou had hundreds of thousands of Eastern Yi peoples, but they would not fight for Shang and instead fought for Zhou. When the Zhou declined, the way of warfare underwent a change: what had been called benevolence and righteousness became completely fraudulent. Warfare then arose from tyranny and led to deceit. Strong states were overbearing with their armies; large states were arrogant with their armies; resentful states caused disorder with their armies; covetous states invaded with their armies. Qi first triumphed over Chu, but Qi later suffered defeat at the hands of Jin. Jin first triumphed over Qi, but Jin again suffered defeat at the hands of Qin. Rising and falling in succession, it was like the amusement of gambling and board games. Now, warfare is a contrary undertaking; when there is no other choice, a gentleman employs it. For this reason, the sage values virtue and does not value warfare, thereby making clear that warfare cannot be exclusively relied upon to order the world. Guliangzi said: ‘Donning armor and tying on a helmet is not the means to make a state flourish, but rather to punish tyranny and disorder.’ Wenzhongzi said: ‘Perishing states fight with weapons; hegemon states fight with stratagems; kingly states fight with benevolence and righteousness; thearch states fight with virtue; sovereign states fight with non-action. For a sage king who has nothing higher, benevolence and righteousness may be adopted.’ Thus I said: ‘It is simply benevolence and righteousness, and nothing more.’ A gentleman does not approve of armies of deceit and force based on astrological voids and illusions; how could I approve of them?” Those seated sighed in admiration and said, “We had never heard this before!” They bowed all around and took their leave.

6.5

On Abdication and Yielding

6.6

What the world calls ‘yielding’ ought to have distinctions of degree and circumstance, yet scholars lump them together and treat them as one. If there is no differentiation within ritual propriety, how can later generations take them as a model? When the Son of Heaven yields the world, the feudal lords yield their states, the ministers and grandees yield their ranks and emoluments, and the scholars and commoners yield fame and profit, these all have that whereby they yield. If that whereby they yield attains what is correct, then their ritual propriety can be adopted; if that whereby they yield fails to attain what is correct, what is there in their ritual propriety to adopt? Now, among yieldings: there are those who yield according to the times; there are those who yield out of righteousness; there are those who yield for the sake of fame; there are those who yield out of forced circumstance; and there are those who yield carelessly. Those who yield according to the times are benevolent; those who yield out of righteousness encourage [others]; those who yield for fame make a display of rectitude; those who yield out of forced circumstance are at their wit's end; and those who yield carelessly bring about disorder. Duke Yin of Lu yielded carelessly; Emperor Xiaoping of the Han yielded out of forced circumstance; Jizha of Wu and Zicang of Cao yielded for fame; Boyi yielded out of righteousness; and Yao and Shun yielded according to the times. In the time of Yao, there was Great Concord; the times permitted yielding, so he yielded to the worthy, and the world revered his benevolence. Thus it is said: ‘Those who yield according to the times are benevolent.’ By the era of Yu, the times had gradually changed; the world could not be yielded to another, so his son succeeded him, and the world likewise revered his benevolence. Taibo and Boyi deferred to one another on account of worthiness, and their righteousness permitted yielding; their yielding was sufficient to encourage a hundred generations. Thus it is said: ‘Those who yield out of righteousness encourage [others].’ When Jizha and Zicang lived, the feudal states contended with one another, and fathers and sons mutually slaughtered each other; thereupon they exerted themselves to yield for the sake of fame, in order to rectify and arouse their times. Thus it is said: ‘Those who yield for fame make a display of rectitude.’ Emperor Xiaoping of the Han was coerced by the power of an overbearing minister; his person was at an impasse and in such danger that he could not rally, so he yielded the world. Thus it is said: ‘Those who yield out of forced circumstance are at their wit's end.’ Duke Yin of Lu did not yield in a proper manner, yielded to the wrong person, and carelessly gave it up, ultimately leading to depravity and disorder. Thus it is said: ‘Those who yield carelessly bring about disorder.’ Mencius said: ‘If Heaven gives it to the worthy, then give it to the worthy; if Heaven gives it to the son, then give it to the son.’ Xunzi said: ‘Yao and Shun's abdication and yielding (some texts have the character shan [meaning usurp/monopolize], following Xunzi's text; this carries the meaning of monopolizing, and in reason it should be shan [monopolize], which tallies with shan [abdication]) is not so. The power and position of the Son of Heaven is supremely honored and without peer in the world; to whom, then, could he yield?’ Yangzi said: ‘The truly wise Yao monopolized the weight of Shun, so he did not treat Xu You lightly.’ Hanzi said: ‘Yao and Shun transmitting [the throne] to the worthy was because they desired the world to find its proper place.’ However, none of these four masters comprehended the times of the sages and worthies. Whose words can be considered complete? If Yao had not met with such times, how could he have been willing to yield the world to another? Had Yu met with the times of Yao, how would the world have passed to his son? When Yao, Shun, and Yu stood preeminent above ten thousand generations, it was precisely because they acted according to the times. Yao, Shun, and Yu were those who were timely among the sages. Alas, how deeply selfish are the people of later generations! Living in the times of Yu, those who transmitted [the throne] could not base themselves on Yu and said: ‘I admire Yao and Shun, and shall abdicate and yield for them.’ This, too, is delusion. How could they know the times?

6.7

Questions on Hegemony

6.8

The questioner said: “Gentlemen praise kingship and sometimes do not praise hegemony, saying that the hegemon grasps expedience, while the king cultivates trustworthiness. But who could say that a hegemon is without trustworthiness? I certainly have doubts about their ways. I hope you, sir, will discriminate between them so that the affairs of Duke Huan [of Qi] and Duke Wen [of Jin] may become fully clear.” [The old man] said: “The king values virtue; the hegemon values merit. Now, the king has expedience: the king uses expedience to practice virtue. The hegemon has expedience: the hegemon uses expedience to seize merit. Because he seizes merit, his expedience is not necessarily free of selfishness. Because [the king] practices virtue, his expedience is not necessarily free of impartiality. Therefore, the impartial is true expedience, while the selfish is deceit. The king has trustworthiness: it is sincere trustworthiness. The hegemon has trustworthiness: it is feigned trustworthiness. Because it is feigned trustworthiness, the longer it lasts, the more it alters. Because it is sincere trustworthiness, the longer it lasts, the more trustworthy it becomes. When Duke Huan of Qi assembled the feudal lords, from Beixing to You, he presided over the covenant eleven times, and the feudal lords all complied: his trustworthiness was preserved. When he fortified Yuanling, the feudal lords all dispersed: his trustworthiness was altered. When Duke Wen of Jin achieved victory in battle over Chu and held the covenant of Jiantu, he exalted himself on account of his merit and thereupon summoned the Heavenly King: this was a clear manifestation of deceit. For this reason, gentlemen praise them: they praise their merits of that time. When they do not praise them, it is because they detest their deceit and lack of sincerity. The Odes praise: ‘He threw me a papaya, and I requited him with a precious girdle-gem; not as a requital, but to perpetuate our friendship forever.’ This is to praise the merit of penalizing [the wrong]. The Master said: ‘Small indeed was the capacity of Guan Zhong!’ This belittles the way of the hegemon. The hegemons of middle antiquity had different rituals but did not have a different way. The hegemons of late antiquity had a different way and did not have different rituals. Keeping to one's official commission and not campaigning arbitrarily—is this not having different rituals? Making a show of trustworthiness in military expeditions while exalting deceit and force—is this not having a different way? Therefore it is said: Hegemony is not of antiquity; the disordering of kingly governance began with Duke Huan and Duke Wen. Nowadays popular opinion says: ‘The way of the hegemon adapts to circumstances, and those who govern cannot avoid employing it.’ Zhongni said: ‘Guan Zhong assisted Duke Huan, made him hegemon over the feudal lords, and united and rectified all under Heaven; down to the present day, the people enjoy the benefits. Were it not for Guan Zhong, we should be wearing our hair loose and folding our robes to the left. How could I abandon him?’ Alas! This brings together the wild reckless deceit of the world, collating it with the theories of Sunzi and Wu Qi, wallowing therein without returning. These are truly the words of foolish men; how are they sufficient to know the intention of the sage? That which is called ‘adapting to circumstances’ means that the gentleman, in accord with affairs, rectifies them with righteousness. How could it mean altering the correct Way through craftiness and deceit? The Spring and Autumn Annals' condemnation of changing ancient ways is precisely because the feudal lords used selfishness to alter impartiality. In an age of the Utmost Way, expedience is not made manifest; in an age of the Utmost Virtue, merit is not cherished. If merit is cherished, one fears people will contend for profit on account of merit; if expedience is made manifest, one fears people will engender deceit on account of expedience. For this reason, the transformation under Yao and Shun was pure, and the transformation under King Wen was yielding. The Han dynasty said: ‘Our family governs the world by intermingling the ways of the king and the hegemon.’ It was temporarily substantial, but ultimately flimsy; there was little yielding and much contention.”

6.9

Exposition on Xun [The Gentle]

6.10

The Book of Changes says: ‘Xun [The Gentle] is used to exercise expedience.’ What does this mean? I say: The gentleman rides upon supreme compliance to undertake his affairs. If the times are not compliant, even Yao and Shun would not begin to act. Double Xun is the utmost of compliance. The yang line obtains its proper station, and being central and upright, it is appropriate to the station. Being firm and upright in order to employ Xun, its application is appropriate; therefore the gentleman acts. Riding upon its compliance, treading upon its center, and proving its function, there is nowhere his way does not go, and nothing that does not support him. If so, then the compliance of the times must involve great expedience, and only then can he command what is correct; the exercise of expedience must involve a great man, and only then can he manage the changes. Expedience means adapting to circumstances. When a great man changes, it is impartial; when a petty man changes, it is selfish. Expedience is that upon which order or disorder, safety or danger depends; therefore expedience cannot be lent to others. Confucius said: ‘One may study together with someone, yet not be able to proceed toward the Way with him; one may proceed toward the Way with him, yet not be able to stand firm with him; one may stand firm with him, yet not be able to exercise expedience with him.’ This is the utmost in caution! Supreme compliance is the time of great enterprise. The position that is central and upright is the ruler's position. Being firm and upright and employing Xun is the great expedience of the world. Only the Son of Heaven occupies his position and exercises his expedience to comply with his times. Employing Xun is that by which he regulates things. Employing Xun must not be displayed to the people so as to let them know it: if regulation fails to regulate, there will be disorder; if one is cautious and secretive, the people will not know its reasons, and wickedness will not arise. Therefore the Commentary on the Words says: ‘Notes of the same pitch respond to one another; creatures of the same qi seek one another. Water flows toward what is wet; fire tends toward what is dry. Clouds follow the dragon; wind follows the tiger. When the sage arises, the myriad things are seen. Those rooted in Heaven feel affinity for what is above; those rooted in Earth feel affinity for what is below; each follows its kind.’ The nine in the second place says: ‘Xun is beneath the bed.’ This means that it is lowly and has lost its correctness; one must not employ Xun. If one employs Xun, things will not support him, and moreover there will be disorder. The nine at the top says: ‘Xun is beneath the bed; he loses his axe; divination is inauspicious.’ This means that when the time has passed, employing decisiveness is impermissible; this is losing one's expedience. The nine in the fifth place says: ‘Three days before geng, three days after geng.’ This speaks of being cautious in issuing orders. Therefore, orders must not be lightly issued or repeatedly altered. For this reason, employing Xun is not appropriate in the nine in the second place; for the nine at the top, employing Xun is certainly impermissible; the nine in the fifth place is that which employs Xun and ought to have sole charge of issuing orders.

6.11

Human Culture

6.12

The disputant said: "In this age, culture and writing flourish; will the world soon reach completion? What flourishes is rhetorical eloquence, but how can rhetorical eloquence suffice to verify the world's completion? What kind of culture can verify it?" I say: It must be the culture of humanity. The Book of Changes says: "Observe human culture to transform and complete the world." This is what it means. He asked: "What is meant by the culture of humanity?" I said: It is the Way of Kings Wen and Wu. Wen (civility) and Wu (martial might) aid each other to adorn the human way; hence it is called human culture. Civility is virtue; martial might is penal law. Virtue achieves the great enterprise; penal law supports abundant virtue. Virtue is supreme; penal law is secondary. Uniting civility and martial might, one subsumes them under "culture"; hence it is called human culture. The sage instructs the world through abundant virtue, and the world preserves its virtue. Displaying severe penal law is the means to restrain them. Once [the world] is rectified, penal law is suspended and virtue is extended. Virtue depends upon penal law to support it; penal law depends upon virtue to be forgotten. Therefore, when both civility and martial might are attained, governance is harmonious and the people are secure. When penal law and virtue both decline, governance is lost and the people disperse. This is how the noble person perceives the success and failure of the world. I observe the culture of the Zhou: Wen and Wu brought it to perfection; Xuan relied excessively on penal law, and under Ping, its virtue declined. I observe the culture of the Han: Gaozu and Wendi barely attained it; Huidi diminished virtue, and Wudi waged many military campaigns. I observe the culture of the Tang: Taizong had great correctness alongside minor errors. He said: "The Way of the Three Dynasties possessed substance and possessed culture. If there is culture without substance, can the Kingly Way be complete?" Therefore it is said: substance and culture are how the sage adapts to changes and remedies defects. Substance and culture are fundamentally upright, but their extremities decline. If substance did not decline, what need would there be for culture? If culture were not rectified, what need would there be for substance? Thus what I call culture refers to the correctness of civil governance. Confucius said: "The substance of Yu and Xia, and the culture of Yin and Zhou were consummate." He asked: "Is literary rhetoric then to be of no use?" I said: "Who says it is not used? Human culture is supreme; literary rhetoric is secondary. If you examine a person through literary rhetoric, how can that person hide? If you examine an era through human culture, how can that era hide? Therefore, human culture is where the Way of the world resides; literary rhetoric is where the aspirations of sages and worthies lodge. Setting the world first and sages and worthies second is because sages and worthies manifest themselves, while the world is supremely public. Therefore what is public is supreme, and what is personal is secondary. Who could say that literary rhetoric has no use?"

6.13

On Nature and Virtue

6.14

Nature is what humans possess inherently by being born. Destiny is what humans receive from Heaven by being born. Virtue is what can rectify humans. Arts are what can sustain humans. Yet nature and destiny have thickness and thinness, while virtue and arts have greatness and smallness. Nature and destiny are what life obtains, yet one never completely obtains their fullness or scarcity. Virtue and arts are what a person ought to be capable of, yet one is not necessarily completely capable in both greatness and smallness. Among the ancients, some were abundant in nature yet sparse in destiny, but the ancients were not deluded. Among the ancients, some were accomplished in arts yet deficient in virtue, but the ancients were not disordered. Therefore it is said: sages and worthies do not have complete virtue, and the noble person does not have complete capability. Possessing the internal while lacking the external is why sages and worthies do not have complete virtue. Being capable in virtue while not being capable in arts is why the noble person does not have complete capability. Virtue is superior; arts are inferior. The noble person cultivates what is superior and rectifies what is inferior. Therefore he does not need to be skilled in the hundred crafts, yet he is more honored than the hundred craftsmen. Nature is internal; destiny is external. Sages and worthies rectify their nature and submit to their destiny; thus in distress they do not worry, and in success they do not doubt. Yi Yin was a worthy of antiquity. When he was plowing in the fields of Youxin, the farmers who plowed beside him surpassed him in skill, yet Yi Yin did not dare compete with them. Lü Wang was a worthy of antiquity. When he was fishing at Jijin, the fishermen at the ford surpassed him in skill, yet Lü Wang did not dare compete with them. When the virtue of these two men became manifest in the Shang and Zhou, the common people of the world were rectified through them. Confucius was a sage of antiquity. In the prime of his travels, he was like a lone traveler with no leisure to rest. When the times and destiny were gravely awry and things were in turmoil, he never lost his Way. Yanzi, Zisi, Yuan Xian, and Meng Ke were worthies of antiquity. Living in distress in secluded alleys and humble lanes, they joyfully spent their lives, and none of them altered their joy. Virtue is the collective term for benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety. Nature is the origin of the Way, virtue, contemplation, and thought. When benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety are cultivated, they suffice to extend to others. The learning of the noble person is to learn what is correct; why must it be multifaceted? When the Way, virtue, contemplation, and thought are illuminated, they suffice to secure one's life. The fulfillment of sages and worthies is to fulfill their life; why must it encompass everything? For this reason, in an age of sages and worthies, diviners, physiognomists, and shamans have nowhere to deploy their cleverness. Before the noble person, Sun Wu, Wu Qi, Shen Buhai, and Shang Yang have nowhere to boast of their methods. The school of the Xia people was called Xiao; the school of the Yin people was called Xu; the school of the Zhou people was called Xiang. The schools of the Three Dynasties all served to instruct people to learn virtue. Virtue and righteousness are the root of learning; culture and arts are the branch of learning. In the height of the Three Dynasties, they taught the world to learn the root. In the decline of the Three Dynasties, they taught the world to learn the branches. When learning the branches, the world becomes deceitful. When learning the root, the world becomes genuine. For this reason, the noble person values consolidating the root; sages and worthies value exhausting the principle. The ancients had a saying: "The wealth of Jin and Chu cannot be matched. Let them take their wealth; I have my benevolence. Let them take their rank; I have my righteousness. Why should I feel dissatisfied?" The ancients had a saying: "Rejoicing in Heaven and knowing destiny, what do I worry about? Exhausting principle and fully developing nature, what do I doubt?"

6.15

Preserving the Mind

6.16

One who instructs others rectifies what they preserve; thus they are able to instruct. One who preserves the mind examines what it resonates with; thus they are able to preserve it. If one preserves benevolence in the mind, the category of benevolence responds to it; if one preserves evil in the mind, the category of evil responds to it. The mind has no fixed form; it resides in what is preserved. The response has no fixed designation; it resides in what is resonated with. If what is resonated with is preserved, the response is swift indeed, and the recurrence of resonance and response has never faltered. I have tested this: when people hear that someone's mind is initially benevolent, few do not love him; when they hear that someone's mind is initially evil, few do not hate him. Even before joy and anger are expressed by oneself, the love and hatred of others have already arrived. Therefore, one who preserves the mind must be cautious about how it resonates, and one who assesses people must observe how they respond. Thus, the sage resonates with the human mind and the world is harmonious and peaceful. Therefore it is said: "Observe what it resonates with, and the disposition of heaven, earth, and the myriad things can be seen." Suppose someone here says: "No one knows it," and deceives others with an evil mind; when evil accumulates and disaster arrives, who can say the mind cannot be known? Suppose someone here says: "The mind cannot be deceived," and treats others with a benevolent mind; when benevolence accumulates and blessing arrives, who can say people can be deceived? Therefore it is said: "Disaster and blessing intersect with good and evil." Alas, it has been long since people have had complete faith: they believe in their own thoughts, but do not believe in their resonances! Heaven and earth are supremely distant, yet sincere resonance penetrates them; the nature and principle are supremely spiritual, yet the resonance with external things can extinguish them. Yao and Shun did not go from door to door urging people, yet the world became genuine; this was the resonance of genuineness. Jie and Zhou did not induce people one by one, yet the world became deceitful; this was the resonance of deceit. Can what is called resonance and response be neglected? Auspicious portents respond to the resonance of benevolent governance; inauspicious portents respond to the resonance of evil governance. The five blessings are what good people preserve, the verification of good fortune; the six extremities are what evil people preserve, the verification of misfortune. Heaven and humanity interact, never separated. Ah, does Heaven cause it? Humans themselves invite it! Governance demonstrates what the world shares in common; it is what the myriad people follow. Whether governance is good or bad is what the people follow. Thus, verifying it through rain, sunshine, heat, cold, and wind—these five demonstrate what the world shares in common. A person is the master of their own body; whether a person is good or bad is how the body stirs. Verifying it through blessings and extremities demonstrates what proceeds from one's own body. The square mirror resonates with the moon and draws water; the burning-glass resonates with the sun and draws fire. Clouds follow the dragon; winds follow the tiger. When southerners sing, the [...] grass dances; when the bronze mountain collapses, the Jingyang bell rings. This is how physical things resonate with one another. The human way resonates through emotion; thus generation and regeneration are inexhaustible. The sage resonates through spirit; thus the unseen and the seen are unified. Therefore, preserve the mind in worthiness and the worthy will arrive; preserve the mind in unworthiness and the unworthy will come. Preserve the mind in parents and their children will be filial; preserve the mind in learning and their disciples will be encouraged. As the saying goes: "What proceeds from you returns to you"—this saying is close to it.

6.17

An Explanation of Blessings

6.18

When the world speaks of blessings, it speaks exclusively of profit. When I speak of blessings, I speak exclusively of the Way. Profit and the Way divide blessings into two extremes. Blessings of profit are often possessed in abundance; blessings of the Way are often possessed in scarcity. "Abundance" refers to the multitude; "scarcity" refers to sages and worthies. Therefore it is said: the blessings of sages and worthies are what sages and worthies attain; the blessings of the multitude are what the multitude attains. What sages and worthies attain, sages and worthies rejoice in; what the multitude attains, the multitude desires. Because they desire it, the world competes for profit; because they rejoice in it, the world settles its nature. For this reason, among worldly people, those who do not rejoice in it do not consider it joy, and those who desire it do not consider it peace. Attaining what sages and worthies attain is regarded as weighty; attaining what the multitude attains is regarded as light. Valuing what is weighty is the means to lead the world to esteem the Way; discounting what is light is the means to teach the world to disdain profit. The wealth and nobility of the Lord of Qi and the Viscount of Chu could not be matched in the world. Yet when they used them to contend with and slaughter other lords, though called blessings, they were in truth disasters. The poverty and lowliness of Yan Hui and Yuan Xian were extreme in the world. Yet when they rejoiced in the Way, perfected virtue, and later generations admired their fine reputation, though called extremities, they were in truth blessings. Nowadays worldly people look at the noble person's joy while his condition is downcast, and say: "How are blessings found in sages and worthies?" Looking at families of high standing indulging their power and fulfilling their desires, they say: "Only this is blessing!" and willfully scheme for their wealth and nobility. Can this be called blessing? Causing the world to follow one another in turning their backs on the Way and hastening toward profit is the crime of those who say this! The blessings of sages and worthies are the root of blessings; the blessings of the multitude are the branch of blessings. Cultivating the root to attract the branch was practiced by the ancients; Shun was such a one. Using the branch to practice the root was practiced by the ancients; the Duke of Zhou was such a one. Just as our former sage said, "The Way is the foundation of blessings; it can be cultivated." Therefore, when the noble person possesses the Way without wealth and nobility, he calls it the times, and feels no discontent. When he possesses wealth and nobility without the Way, he calls it disgrace, and feels ashamed of it. When possessing wealth and nobility alongside the Way, the noble person broadens it. If later generations discard sages and worthies to follow the multitude, are they not holding the root lightly and esteeming the branch? When the root and branch are inverted, whom will Heaven enrich?

6.19

Appraisal of Reclusion

6.20

Did King Wen and Taibo not share the same Way? King Wen began it: in serving Zhou, he concealed his virtue. Taibo completed it: in yielding [the realm] to Wu, he concealed his name. Whether the gentleman comes forth into office or remains at home, whether he speaks or keeps silent, all serve as instruction. That King Wen and Taibo shared the same Way was in their sharing the establishment of instruction. Therefore it is said: in times of disorder, conceal virtue; in times of good order, conceal one's name. Concealing one's name is that by which one warns those who contend for fame. Concealing one's virtue is that by which one stays far from what harms virtue. Staying far from harm is the sage's timeliness. Warning against contention is the sage's transformation. To transform in order to move people is the sage's supreme virtue. To employ timeliness to teach people is the sage's great righteousness. Without this great righteousness, how could the rulers and ministers of later ages preserve their Way intact? Without this supreme virtue, how could the ancestral order of later ages be regulated by ritual? The Way of Heaven and Earth is far-reaching: its generation of things can be seen, but that by which it generates them cannot be seen. The Way of the sages and worthies is likewise far-reaching: what they do can be seen, but that by which they do it cannot be seen. A disputant asked: 'There was Xu You, who made light of the empire and fled into seclusion. His righteousness was lofty, yet his deed is questionable. If the deed was genuine and its righteousness broad, could it also shame the hearts of those who usurp states?' I replied: 'One like You merely refused to act recklessly, yet he was not yet equal to the sage's acting without recklessness. If it can be done, he does it; if it cannot be done, he does not do it. For this reason Shun relied upon the Golden Mean and remained in concealment: if acceptable, he carried it out; if not, he ceased—how supreme Shun was! He did not lose his Way. When the worthy of a single district is in seclusion, the propriety of that district can be known. When the Way of a single book is concealed, the literary quality of that book can be known. Therefore it is said: writing must be skillful; if writing is not skillful, it loses its Way. It is said: ritual must be cultivated; if ritual is not cultivated, it loses its worthies. For this reason, the order and disorder of the whole empire is made manifest through the seclusion and appearance of worthies—how could this not be weighty? The movement and stillness of a single worthy inspires the transformation and teaching of the whole empire—how could this not be approached with caution? The seclusion of Lü Wang by the Eastern Sea was an esteemed seclusion. The seclusion of Boyi on the Western Mountain was an indignant seclusion. The seclusion of Yan Hui, neither awaiting a favorable time nor resenting the age, was a joyous seclusion. The seclusion of Yuan Xian, neither lowering his discourse nor mingling with the vulgar, was an aloof seclusion. The seclusion of the Four White-Haired Elders, leaving to avoid chaos and returning to aid governance, was an accomplished seclusion. Zheng Zizhen of Gukou was a cultivated seclusion. Yan Junping of Chengdu was a harmonious seclusion. Manqian concealing himself at court was a playful seclusion. Ziyun concealing himself in officialdom was a makeshift seclusion. Sun Simiao and Lu Hongyi, dwelling without defiling the Way and going forth without bending their integrity, were lofty seclusions. The seclusion of Zhang Guo was a deceitful seclusion. As for Li Bi, his body was at court while his name remained in the wilderness; receiving stipends while admiring the sovereign, his was a false seclusion. As for Li [X], his body remained in hiding while his words reached high, an angling seclusion.'

6.21

On Metaphorical Employment

6.22

Water naturally overcomes fire, and good naturally overcomes evil. Yet if the way they are employed is not attained, even water and fire, good and evil, cannot achieve victory. Water's subjugation of fire must occur just as the fire begins to blaze, and only then can water conquer it. Good's subjugation of evil must occur before the evil has taken shape, and only then can good conquer it. When evil has reached the point of being irrepressible, and one seeks to promote good to rescue [the situation] from evil, or when fire has reached the point of being inextinguishable, and one seeks to splash water to quench the fire, can such a momentum be overcome? The gentleman and the petty man are the sources from which good and evil arise. Therefore, when the gentleman is employed, governance is good; when the petty man is employed, governance is evil. If one desires good governance yet exclusively employs petty men, then when their evil blazes up to violent cruelty and high and low wish for a gentleman to save them—how does this differ from splashing water to quench [a conflagration]? Even if there were sagacious men like Yao, Shun, and Yu, I know they could do nothing about it. Thus, those of antiquity who were skilled in employing others surely placed the gentleman first and the petty man last. When the gentleman is employed first, good is able to overcome evil. When the petty man is used later, evil is able to transform toward good. Ritual does not permit the petty man to be placed above the gentleman, nor does it allow the unworthy to be exalted above the worthy; this is how to elevate good and suppress evil. The Book of Songs says: 'My heart is not a stone; / It cannot be turned. / My heart is not a mat; / It cannot be rolled up. / My dignified demeanor is majestic, / It cannot be faulted. / My anxious heart is troubled, / Hated by the herd of petty men. / I have met with many sorrows, / And endured no small insults. / In silence I contemplate this; / Waking, I beat my breast.' 'My heart is not a stone, it cannot be turned' means that the gentleman possesses a resolve that can be held fast. 'My dignified demeanor is majestic, it cannot be faulted' means that the gentleman possesses standards by which he can act. 'My anxious heart is troubled, hated by the herd of petty men' expresses hatred of the petty man being placed above the gentleman. 'I have met with many sorrows, and endured no small insults' expresses detestation of the petty man toying with governance. 'In silence I contemplate this; waking, I beat my breast' expresses resentment at not employing the gentleman. Even though the way of the petty man cannot avoid inflicting harm upon a family of flourishing virtue, and even though the way of the gentleman cannot avoid being thwarted in an already ruined state, such are the consequences of policies of employment and rejection. If one petty man ruins it from beforehand, even a hundred gentlemen cannot repair it afterward. If one gentleman governs it from above, even a hundred petty men cannot throw it into chaos from below. Such is the momentum of the perverse and the upright. A fisherman of Yue had his sons fish in the Yi Stream: the vulgar son monopolized it, while the capable son was dispersed [from it]. When the vulgar son failed in what he was sent to do, breaking the main cords of the net, he ordered the capable son to mend it, but the capable son ultimately could not.

6.23

The Fitness of Things

6.24

A gentleman establishes himself through the Way and not through wealth; a commoner seeks a livelihood through physical strength and not through deception; a grand master attends to affairs through righteousness and not through profit. When these three are upright, only then can the Kingly Way be observed in the world. Now, the Kingly Way is nothing other than proper fitness. If things small and large have their proper fitness upright, how could there be an age of disorder? The Way and righteousness are indeed what is fitting for gentlemen and grand masters; profit and physical strength are indeed what is fitting for commoners. If a gentleman focuses exclusively on wealth, if a grand master focuses exclusively on profit, or if a commoner toys with clever deception, they have lost what is fitting for them. A grand master occupying a high position is like an upper garment; a commoner occupying a low position is like a lower garment. It is necessary that an upper garment is fitting for the upper, and a lower garment is fitting for the lower. If what belongs above is put below, and what belongs below is put above, is that not inverted and chaotic? What effect would the Way have? Ran Qiu once served as the steward of the Ji lineage and collected heavy taxes for them. Confucius detested this, saying: 'Qiu is no disciple of mine. My little children, beat the drum and attack him!' If one like Qiu, pursuing profit for another, was still intolerable to the gentleman to such a degree, how much less could pursuing profit for oneself be tolerated? Mencius said: 'If superiors and inferiors mutually strive for profit, the state will be imperiled.' How clear it is that what brings peace to the state and the empire lies in righteousness and not in profit!

6.25

Good and Evil

6.26

Evil that has physical form is small; evil that has no physical form is great. Good that has a name is secondary; good that has no name is supreme. Good that has a name is being benevolent only after instruction; good that has no name is being benevolent without instruction. Evil that has form is the killing of people; evil without form is the slandering of people. The evil of slandering people resides in their hearts; the evil of killing people resides in their actions. An action can be dealt with, but a heart cannot be seen. What relies on instruction is the emotions; what does not rely on instruction is human nature. Emotions can shift, but nature cannot change. Tease a neighbor's child: enticing him with fine words can make him glad, while provoking him with harsh words can make him angry. Yet when he runs to his parents, neither fine nor harsh words can make him feel closer or more distant. Robber Zhi feasted on human flesh, and everyone could hate him; Shaozheng Mao was prominent at court, and the multitude could not discern him. For this reason, when the gentleman approves of the good, he must examine whether their reputations are alike; when he detests evil, he must discern whether their hidden dispositions differ. Rewards and punishments are that by which good and evil are rectified. If one's intelligence cannot fully penetrate their good and evil, one is not qualified to deliberate on rewards and punishments. Therefore, scrutinizing slander lies in subtlety; executing slanderers lies in resoluteness; corporal punishment and execution should be deliberated; those whose nature is good should be appointed; those whose emotions are good should be employed. If scrutinizing slander is not subtle, one cannot observe where their hearts tend; if executing slanderers is not resolute, one cannot halt their great evil; if corporal punishment and execution are not deliberated, one cannot investigate their truth. If those whose nature is good are appointed, then safety and danger will not falter; if those whose emotions are good are employed, then authority and blessings will not be monopolized. When approving the good attains its proper fitness, then great worthies will exhaust their virtue and lesser worthies will exhaust their talents. When detesting evil finds its proper place, then slanderers will reform their hearts and murderers will submit to their punishment. Whoever rectifies good and evil thus, how could the way of governance fail to reach the utmost?

6.27

Nature and Emotions

6.28

Nature values stillness; therefore, though nature undergoes transformation, it must not change too easily. Emotions suffer from vexation; therefore, though emotions are aroused, they must not emerge too early. Emerging too early harms harmony; changing too easily harms equilibrium. Contravention of equilibrium and harmony leads yin and yang into disorder, diminishing the people's lifespan and causing many blights and plagues among things. For this reason, when the sages brought governance to its height, they employed benevolence to enrich human nature and righteousness to regulate human emotions; this was how yin and yang harmonized and generated all things. Ritual teachings stipulate capping at age twenty because one's spirit is then robust and fit to be used for reflection. They teach marrying at age thirty because one's qi is then replete and capable of sustaining marriage. Therefore, the gentlemen of antiquity observed yin and yang to know the gains and losses of nature and emotions; they observed emotions and nature to know whether the Way of the sages was being practiced. Thereafter, with these gains and losses, they investigated root and branch, working together with the ruler of men to relieve the afflictions of the empire. Although Yi Yin was of commoner status, he still said that if a single common man or woman did not receive the bounty of Yao and Shun, it was as if he himself had pushed them into a ditch. He went to Jie five times and sought Tang five times without being discouraged, so diligently did he take the empire as his own responsibility. Nowadays, the people of the empire, when their hair buns are not yet cut, already deceive one another over profit and harm, and their parents are anxious only that their cunning and trickery do not develop earlier! When barely youths, males already marry and females wed, and if delayed, they elope. Is this not nature changing too easily? Are emotions not emerging too early? How could this fail to cause harm? To wish for the world to tread in equilibrium and harmony under such conditions—how does this differ from aiming one's shafts south when going to the northern barbarians? How could one ever arrive? When I observe yin and yang in disorder, cold, heat, wind, and rain rarely arrive in season, and the planting of the hundred grains never fails to afflict the people; those who die prematurely are often many in the world, while those who are benevolent and long-lived are few. This is precisely the visible effect of the loss of nature and emotions. When people lose their nature and emotions to such an extent, can the Way of the sages be said to have reached its culmination in practice? Policy planners still claim: 'The empire is exceedingly tranquil'—this is merely flattery. Obstinate and clamorous, they refuse to recognize their errors. If they cannot grasp the root to relieve the empire's afflictions on behalf of the ruler of men, why should they be valued in their time? An ancient saying goes: 'At high noon, dry things in the sun; when holding a knife, cut'—this speaks of acting appropriately according to the time. When Yi Yin was initially in poverty and obscurity, did he have the leisure to consider whether he would be suitably employed? Yet Yi Yin acted. Today, people avail themselves of the time suitable for employment and hold the handle of authority that should be used, yet they are unwilling to act—should they not feel ashamed before Yi Yin?

6.29

The Nine Streams

6.30

As for the lineage of the Ruists, their Way values comprehensiveness. As for the lineage of Laozi, their Way values simplicity. As for the lineage of the Yin-Yang theorists, their Way values timeliness. As for the lineage of the Mohists, their Way values frugality. As for the lineage of the Legalists, their Way values strictness. As for the lineage of the School of Names, their Way values scrutiny. As for the lineage of the School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances, their Way values adaptability. As for the lineage of the Eclectics, their Way values integration. As for the lineage of the School of Agronomists, their Way values sufficiency. Yet all of them have their shortcomings and strengths. If one discards their shortcomings and unites their strengths, they are also sufficient to aid the way of governing. Ban Gu traced their origins and exalted the Ruists; Sima Qian brought together their conclusions and exalted the beginning. One who exalts the beginning has a mind that is broad; one who exalts the Ruists has a mind that is specialized. Ban Gu once censured Sima Qian, considering it an extreme error that he prioritized Huang-Lao; this was because Ban Gu failed to see that Sima Qian's exaltation of the Ruists was paramount. As for the Way of the Yellow Emperor, it resides in the Changes. The Changes is the root of the myriad things and the source of the Six Arts; is it not thoroughly fitting to prioritize it? Could it be that even Ban Gu's wisdom fell short in some respect? Bo Yi's strength was purity, while his shortcoming was narrowness. Liuxia Hui's strength was harmony, while his shortcoming was lack of solemnity. Mencius, exalting what was strongest in the two gentlemen, said: 'A sage is a teacher for a hundred generations: Bo Yi and Liuxia Hui were such.' Sima Qian's mind was also in accord with Mencius. Therefore, the gentleman approves of him.

6.31

The Four Cardinal Points

6.32

Sima Xiangru and Yang Ziyun—both their persons and their writings were praised by their ages. Yet Yang Xiong wrote 'Rebuking the Qin and Praising the Xin', and Sima Xiangru wrote the 'Treatise on the Feng and Shan Sacrifices'. Words concerning the feng and shan sacrifices are eccentric, the work of licentious men who add their boastful intentions; words praising the Xin dynasty are reckless flattery. The Record says: 'When the state lacks the Way, one's silence is sufficient to preserve the worthy.' When one is not silent, how can that compare to silence? These were things that ought not to have been done, yet they did them. Chao Cuo discussed the Way of the Five Emperors and Three Kings, harmonizing with its highest peak, such that he should have been considered worthier than Guan Zhong and Yan Ying. Yet when he requested the reduction of the feudal lords' territories, before his tongue had even retracted, the Chao clan was exterminated to the last man. This was because he spoke when the time was not ripe for speaking. Dongfang Shuo and Mei Sheng had talents that surged forth in a torrent; sending off letters and dispatching proclamations were not enough to exhaust the vigor of their brushes. Yet neither could achieve results in a single official post or accomplish a single policy of government. They possessed talent alone, but lacked practical capability. Liu Xiang and Liu Xin were both worthy Ruists of the Han court who transmitted the classics. Yet father and son each adhered exclusively to their own masters' explanations, their household setting up its own right and wrong. They had attained the Way, yet did not attain its highest culmination. A Way that does not reach its culmination is not the true Way; talent that produces no effect is mere talent; acting out of season goes against reason; doing what is not fitting loses righteousness. Therefore, in affairs what is valued is hitting upon what is fitting; in wisdom what is valued is recognizing the season; in instruments what is valued is applicability to use; in standards what is valued is striking the mean. The mean is the cardinal point of the Way and righteousness; application is the cardinal point of an instrument's efficacy; timing is the cardinal point of movement and rest; appropriateness is the cardinal point of the regulation of affairs. These four cardinal points are the utmost of the gentleman's Way. A skilled learner who does not grasp their cardinal points will not comprehend completely; a skilled actor who does not grasp their cardinal points will not accomplish successfully. Therefore, when the sages and worthies of old studied the Way, they possessed the Way; when they undertook affairs, they brought them to completion. They simply preserved their cardinal points. Although the various gentlemen of the Han era were spirited and vehement, they accomplished nothing of virtue; was this not also because they failed to grasp the cardinal points?

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鐔津文集 — Classical Chinese