三教平心論 2.12

2.12

The Tang writer Huang Pu, discussing Ouyang Zhan, criticized him for being unfilial because he died of grief over a singing courtesan. But Yu, composing a dirge for Ouyang Zhan, praised him as serving his parents with utmost filial piety and being humane to his wife and children. Now to praise what is deserving of condemnation shows that his words were exceedingly deceitful. In his 'Treatise on Remonstrance Officials', he mocked Yang Cheng as not being a man of the Way. Yet when Cheng governed Daozhou, Yu, seeing off the imperial academy student He Jian on his return to Daozhou, again praised Cheng's administration as that of a man of the Way, comparing it to Huang Ba governing Yingzhou. Now, to condemn previously and then praise afterward shows that his words were also exceedingly inconsistent.