The Chinese Classics by James Legge (ereader for textbooks .TXT) 📕

Chao offered him an easy carriage adorned with ivory for his master. Yu replied, ‘My master is a man who would rejoice in a government where right principles were carried out, and can find his joy in himself when that is not the case. Now right principles and virtue are as it were in a state of slumber. His wish is to rouse and put them in motion. Could he find a prince really anxious to rule according to them, he would walk on foot to his court and be glad to do so. Why need he receive such a valuable gift, as this from so great a distance?’ Confucius commended this reply; but where he is mentioned in the Analects, Tsze-wo does not appear to great advantage. He took service in the State of Ch’i, and was chief magistrate of Lin-tsze, where he joined with T’ien Ch’ang in some disorderly movement [1], which led to the destruction of his kindred, and made Confucius ashamed of him. His tablet is now the second, west, among ‘The Wise Ones.’

8. Twan-mu Ts’ze, styled Tsze-kung (���������, ��������� [al. ������]), whose place is now third, east, from the Assessors. He

1 ���������������. See Sze-ma Ch’ien’s Biographies, chap. 7, though come have doubted the genuineness of this part of the notice of Tsze-wo.

was a native of Wei (���), and thirty-one years younger than Confucius. He had great quickness of natural ability, and appears in the Analects as one of the most forward talkers among the disciples. Confucius used to say, ‘From the time that I got Ts’ze, scholars from a distance came daily resorting to me.’ Several instances of the language which he used to express his admiration of the master have been given in the last section. Here is another:— The duke Ching of Ch’i asked Tsze-kung how Chung-ni was to be ranked as a sage. ‘I do not know,’ was the reply. ‘I have all my life had the heaven over my head, but I do not know its height, and the earth under my feet, but I do not know its thickness. In my serving of Confucius, I am like a thirsty man who goes with his pitcher to the river, and there he drinks his fill, without knowing the river’s depth.’ He took leave of Confucius to become commandant of Hsin-yang (���������), when the master said to him, ‘In dealing with your subordinates, there is nothing like impartiality; and when wealth comes in your way, there is nothing like moderation. Hold fast these two things, and do not swerve from them. To conceal men’s excellence is to obscure the worthy; and to proclaim people’s wickedness is the part of a mean man. To speak evil of those whom you have not sought the opportunity to instruct is not the way of friendship and harmony.’ Subsequently Tsze-kung was high in office both in Lu and Wei, and finally died in Ch’i. We saw how he was in attendance on Confucius at the time of the sage’s death. Many of the disciples built huts near the master’s grave, and mourned for him three years, but Tsze-kung remained sorrowing alone for three years more.

9. Yen Yen, styled Tsze-yu (������, ���������), now the fourth in the western range of ‘The Wise Ones.’ He was a native of Wu (���), forty-five years younger than Confucius, and distinguished for his literary acquirements. Being made commandant of Wu-ch’ang, he transformed the character of the people by ‘proprieties’ and music, and was praised by the master. After the death of Confucius, Chi K’ang asked Yen how that event had made no sensation like that which was made by the death of Tsze-ch’an, when the men laid aside their bowstring rings and girdle ornaments, and the women laid aside their pearls and ear-rings, and the voice of weeping was heard in the lanes for three months. Yen replied, ‘The influences of Tsze-ch’an and my master might be compared

to those of overflowing water and the fattening rain. Wherever the water in its overflow reaches, men take knowledge of it, while the fattening rain falls unobserved.’

10. Pu Shang, styled Tsze-hsia (������, ���������). It is not certain to what State he belonged, his birth being assigned to Wei (���), to Wei (���), and to Wan (���). He was forty-five years younger than Confucius, and lived to a great age, for we find him, B.C. 406, at the court of the prince Wan of Wei ( ���), to whom he gave copies of some of the classical Books. He is represented as a scholar extensively read and exact, but without great comprehension of mind. What is called Mao’s Shih-ching (������) is said to contain the views of Tsze-hsia. Kung-yang Kao and Ku-liang Ch’ih are also said to have studied the Ch’un Ch’iu with him. On the occasion of the death of his son he wept himself blind. His place is the fifth, east, among ‘The Wise Ones.’

11. Chwan-sun Shih, styled Tsze-chang (���������, ���������), has his tablet, corresponding to that of the preceding, on the west. He was a native of Ch’an (���), and forty-eight years younger than Confucius. Tsze-kung said, ‘Not to boast of his admirable merit; not to signify joy on account of noble station; neither insolent nor indolent; showing no pride to the dependent:— these are the characteristics of Chwan-sun Shih.’ When he was sick, he called (his son) Shan-hsiang to him, and said, ‘We speak of his end in the case of a superior man, and of his death in the case of a mean man. May I think that it is going to be the former with me to-day?’

12. Tsang Shan [or Ts’an] styled Tsze-yu (������, ��������� [al. ������]). He was a native of south Wu-ch’ang, and forty-six years younger than Confucius. In his sixteenth year he was sent by his father into Ch’u, where Confucius then was, to learn under the sage. Excepting perhaps Yen Hui, there is not a name of greater note in the Confucian school. Tsze-kung said of him, ‘There is no subject which he has not studied. His appearance is respectful. His virtue is solid. His words command credence. Before great men he draws himself up in the pride of self-respect. His eyebrows are those of longevity.’ He was noted for his filial piety, and after the death of his parents, he could not read the rites of mourning without being led to think of them, and moved to tears. He was a voluminous writer. Ten Books of his composition are said to be contained in the ‘Rites of the elder Tai’

(���������). The Classic of Filial Piety he is said to have made under the eye of Confucius. On his connexion with ‘The Great Learning,’ see above, Ch. III. Sect. II. He was first associated with the sacrifices to Confucius in A.D. 668, but in 1267 he was advanced to be one of the sage’s four Assessors. His title— ‘Exhibitor of the Fundamental Principles of the Sage,’ dates from the period of Chia-ching, as mentioned in speaking of Yen Hui.

13. Tan-t’ai Mieh-ming, styled Tsze-yu (������������, ���������). He was a native of Wu-ch’ang, thirty-nine years younger than Confucius, according to the ‘Historical Records,’ but forty-nine, according to the ‘Narratives of the School.’ He was excessively ugly, and Confucius thought meanly of his talents in consequence, on his first application to him. After completing his studies, he travelled to the south as far as the Yang-tsze. Traces of his presence in that part of the country are still pointed out in the department of Su-chau. He was followed by about three hundred disciples, to whom he laid down rules for their guidance in their intercourse with the princes. When Confucius heard of his success, he confessed how he had been led by his bad looks to misjudge him. He, with nearly all the disciples whose names follow, first had a place assigned to him in the sacrifices to Confucius in A.D. 739. The place of his tablet is the second, east, in the outer court, beyond that of the ‘Assessors’ and ‘Wise Ones.’

14. Corresponding to the preceding, on the west, is the tablet of Fu Pu-ch’i styled Tsze-tsien (��� [al. ��� and ���, all = ���] ������, ���������). He was a native of Lu, and, according to different accounts, thirty, forty, and forty-nine years younger than Confucius. He was commandant of Tan-fu ( ���������), and hardly needed to put forth any personal effort. Wu-ma Ch’i had been in the same office, and had succeeded by dint of the greatest industry and toil. He asked Pu-ch’i how he managed so easily for himself, and was answered, ‘I employ men; you employ men’s strength.’ People pronounced Fu to be a superior man. He was also a writer, and his works are mentioned in Liu Hsin’s Catalogue.

15. Next to that of Mieh-ming is the tablet of Yuan Hsien, styled Tsze-sze (������, ���������) a native of Sung or according to Chang Hsuan, of Lu, and younger than Confucius by thirty-six years. He was noted for his purity and modesty, and for his

happiness in the principles of the master amid deep poverty. After the death of Confucius, he lived in obscurity in Wei. In the notes to Ana. VI. iii, I have referred to an interview which he had with Tsze-kung.

16. Kung-ye Ch’ang [al. Chih], styled Tsze-ch’ang [al. Tsze-chih], (��������� [al. ���], ��������� [al. ������]), has his tablet next to that of Pu-ch’i. He was son-in-law to Confucius. His nativity is assigned both to Lu and to Ch’i.

17. Nan-kung Kwo, styled Tsze-yung (��������� [al. ��� and, in the ‘Narratives of the School,’ ��� (T’ao)], ���������), has the place at the east next to Yuan Hsien. It is a question much debated whether he was the same with Nan-kung Chang-shu, who accompanied Confucius to the court of Chau, or not. On occasion of a fire breaking out in the palace of duke Ai, while others were intent on securing the contents of the Treasury, Nan-kung directed his efforts to save the Library, and to him was owing the preservation of the copy of the Chau Li which was in Lu, and other ancient monuments.

18. Kung-hsi Ai, styled Chi-ts’ze [al. Chi-ch’an] (���������, ��������� [al. ������]). His tablet follows that of Kung-ye. He was a native of Lu, or of Ch’i. Confucius commended him for refusing to take office with any of the Families which were encroaching on the authority of the princes of the States, and for choosing to endure the severest poverty rather than sacrifice a tittle of his principles.

19. Tsang Tien, styled Hsi (������[al. ���], ������). .He was the father of Tsang Shan. His place in the temples is the hall to Confucius’s ancestors, where his tablet is the first, west.

20. Yen Wu-yao, styled Lu (���������, ������). He was the father of Yen Hui, younger than Confucius by six years. His sacrificial place is the first, east, in the same hall as the last.

21. Following the tablet of Nan-kung Kwo is that of Shang Chu, styled Tsze-mu (������, ���������). To him, it is said, we are indebted for the preservation of the Yi-ching, which he received from Confucius. Its transmission step by step, from Chu down to the Han dynasty, is minutely set forth.

22. Next to Kung-hsi Ai is the place of Kao Ch’ai, styled Tsze-kao and Chi-kao (������, ��������� [al. ������; for ��� moreover, we find ���, and ���]), a native of Ch’i, according to the ‘Narratives

of the School,’ but of Wei, according to Sze-ma Ch’ien and Chang Hsuan. He was thirty (some say forty) years younger than Confucius, dwarfish and ugly, but of great worth and ability. At one time he was criminal judge of Wei, and in the execution of his office condemned a prisoner to lose his feet. Afterwards that same man saved his life, when he was flying from the State. Confucius praised Ch’ai for being able