鐔津文集 6.20

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.'