Zhong Shuo (中說)

【臣】等謹案中説十卷舊本題隋王通撰唐志文中子中説五卷通考及玉海則作十卷與今本合凡十篇末附序文一篇及杜淹所撰文中子世家一篇通子福畤錄唐太宗與房魏論禮樂事一篇通弟績與陳叔達書一篇又録闗子明事一篇末又有其子福畤所撰王氏家書雜録一篇晁公武郡齋讀書志嘗辨通以開皇四年生李徳林以開皇十一年卒通方八嵗而有徳林請見歸援琴鼓盪之什門人皆沾襟事闗朗以太和丁巳見魏孝文帝至開皇四年通生已相隔一百七年而有問禮於朗事薛道衡以仁夀二年出為襄州總管至煬帝即位始召還又隋書載道衡子収初生即出繼族父儒及長不識本生而有仁夀四年通在長安見道衡道衡語其子収事洪邁容齋隨筆又辨唐書載薛収以大業十三年歸唐而世家有江都難作通有疾召薛収共語事王應麟困學紀聞亦辨唐會要載武徳元年五月始改隋太興殿為太極殿而書中有隋文帝召見太極殿事皆證以史傳牴牾顯然今考通以仁夀四年自長安東歸河汾即不復出故世家亦云大業元年一徵又不至而周公篇內乃雲子遊太樂聞龍舟五更之曲阮逸注曰太樂樂署煬帝將遊江都作此曲隋書職官志曰太常寺有太樂署是通大業末年復至長安矣其依託謬妄亦一明證考楊烱集有王勃集序稱祖父通隋秀才髙第蜀郡司戶書佐蜀王侍讀大業末退講萟於龍門其卒也門人諡之曰文中子烱為其孫作序則記其祖事必不誤杜牧樊川集首有其甥裴延翰序亦引文中子曰言文而不極理王道何從而興乎二語亦與今本相合知所謂文中子者實有其人所謂中説者其子福郊福畤等纂述遺言虛相誇飾亦實有其書苐當有唐開國之初明君碩輔不可以虛名動又陸徳明孔頴逹賈公彥諸人老師宿儒佈列館閣亦不可以空談惑故其人其書皆不著於當時而當時亦無斥其妄者至中唐以後漸逺無徴乃稍稍得售其欺耳宋鹹必以為實無其人洪邁必以為其書出阮逸所撰誠為過當講學家或竟以為接孔顏之傳則惑之甚矣據其偽跡炳然誠不足採然大防要不甚悖於理且摹擬聖人之語言自揚防始猶未敢冒其名摹擬聖人之事蹟則自通始乃並其名而僣之後來聚徒講學醸為朋黨以至禍延宗社者通實為之先驅坤之初六履霜堅氷姤之初六繫於金柅録而存之亦足見儒風變古其所由來者漸也乾隆四十六年九月恭校上

Your servants respectfully note: the Zhongshuo (Discourses on the Mean) in ten juan is traditionally attributed to Wang Tong of the Sui dynasty. The Treatise on Literature in the Tang History lists it as Wenzhongzi Zhongshuo in five juan, while the Wenxian Tongkao and the Yuhai give ten juan, which matches the present edition. The whole work has ten chapters, with a preface appended at the end, together with Du Yan's Hereditary House of Wenzhongzi, the account of Emperor Taizong of Tang discussing rites and music with Fang and Wei recorded by Wang's son Wang Fuzhi, a letter from Wang Tong's younger brother Wang Ji to Chen Shuda, a further piece titled Guan Ziming's Affair, and finally Miscellaneous Records of the Wang Family Letters by his son Wang Fuzhi. Chao Gongwu in his Junzhai Dushu Zhi has already pointed out the difficulties: Wang Tong was born in the fourth year of Kaihuang, and Li Delin died in the eleventh year of Kaihuang, when Wang Tong was only eight, yet the book tells of Li Delin coming to seek an audience, of Wang Tong returning to play the ode 'Dang' on the zither, and of his disciples all wetting their robes with tears. Guan Lang had an audience with Emperor Xiaowen of Wei in the dingsi year of Taihe, which is a hundred and seven years before Wang Tong's birth in the fourth year of Kaihuang, yet the book has him asking Guan Lang about rites. Xue Daoheng became Governor of Xiangzhou in the second year of Renshou and was recalled only when Emperor Yang took the throne; moreover the Sui History records that Xue Daoheng's son Xue Shou was adopted by a cousin of his father, Xue Ru, as soon as he was born and in adulthood did not know his own father, yet the book has Wang Tong meeting Xue Daoheng at Chang'an in the fourth year of Renshou and Xue Daoheng speaking of his son Xue Shou. Hong Mai in his Rongzhai Suibi also pointed out that the Tang History records Xue Shou submitting to the Tang in the thirteenth year of Daye, while the Hereditary House has Wang Tong, ill when the Jiangdu disaster occurred, summoning Xue Shou to talk with him. Wang Yinglin in his Kunxue Jiwen also pointed out that the Tang Huiyao records that the Daxing Hall of the Sui was renamed the Taiji Hall only in the fifth month of the first year of Wude, yet the book has Emperor Wen of Sui summoning Wang Tong in the Taiji Hall. When all these are checked against the histories, the contradictions are obvious. On examination: Wang Tong returned east from Chang'an to Hefen in the fourth year of Renshou and never came out again, so the Hereditary House also says that he was summoned once in the first year of Daye and again did not go; yet the Duke of Zhou chapter speaks of Ziyou, the Grand Music Office, hearing the piece 'Dragon Boat at the Fifth Watch'. Ruan Yi's note says the Grand Music Office is the music bureau, and that Emperor Yang composed this piece when he was about to tour Jiangdu. The Treatise on Offices in the Sui History says the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had a Grand Music Office. If so, Wang Tong went to Chang'an again in the last years of Daye. That it rests on false attributions and absurdities is another clear proof. Further, Yang Jiong's collected works contain the Preface to the Collected Works of Wang Bo, which says that his grandfather Wang Tong was a Sui dynasty xiucai of high rank, served as clerk of the Registry of Shu Commandery and tutor to the Prince of Shu, retired in the last years of Daye to teach at Longmen, and after his death was given by his disciples the posthumous title Wenzhongzi. Yang Jiong wrote this as a preface for Wang Bo, so what he records about the grandfather cannot be mistaken. The Fanchuan Collection of Du Mu has at its head a preface by his nephew Pei Yanhan, which also quotes Wenzhongzi as saying, 'If words are elegant but do not reach the principle, how could the kingly way flourish?' These two sentences also match the present edition. From this we know that the man called Wenzhongzi really existed, and that the Zhongshuo, compiled from his remaining words with empty embellishment by his sons Wang Fujiao, Wang Fuzhi and others, also truly existed as a book. But at the very beginning of the Tang dynasty, enlightened rulers and leading ministers were not to be moved by empty reputations, and men such as Lu Deming, Kong Yingda and Jia Gongyan, all teachers and senior scholars arrayed in the academies, were not to be deceived by empty talk. So this man and this book were not prominent at the time, and no one then denounced it as false. After the middle Tang, as the years grew distant and there was no way to verify, this deception gradually found buyers. Song Xian insisted that there was really no such person, and Hong Mai insisted that the book was written by Ruan Yi, both going too far. Some lecturing scholars have even thought that he received the transmission of Confucius and Yan Hui, which is deeply deluded. As to its obvious marks of forgery, it is certainly not worth adopting; yet in its great safeguards (the 'great defenses,' meaning major principles) it does not greatly depart from what is right. Moreover, imitating the sage's words began with Yang Xiong (the source text has 'Yang fang,' where 'fang' is an error for 'xiong'), who still did not dare to borrow the sage's title; imitating the sage's deeds began with Wang Tong, who even usurped the title. Those who later gathered disciples to lecture, bred factions, and brought disaster even to the ancestral altars, had in Wang Tong a true forerunner. The first six of the Kun hexagram speaks of treading on frost, when solid ice is to come, and the first six of the Gou hexagram speaks of being tied to a metal brake. By recording and keeping this book, we can also see how the Confucian tradition changed from its ancient form, and that its origin came about gradually. Respectfully collated and submitted in the ninth month of the forty-sixth year of Qianlong.

周公聖人之治者也后王不能舉則仲尼述之而周公之道明仲尼聖人之備者也後儒不能達則孟軻尊之而仲尼之道明文中子聖人之修者也孟軻之徒歟非諸子流矣蓋萬章公孫丑不能極師之奧盡録其言故孟氏章句略而多闕房杜諸公不能臻師之美大宣其敎故王氏續經抑而不振中説者子之門人對問之書也薛収姚義集而名之唐太宗正觀初精修治具文經武略髙出近古若房杜李魏二溫王陳輩迭為將相實永三百年之業斯門人之功過半矣正觀二年【觀去聲】御史大夫杜淹始序中説及文中子世家未及進用為長孫無忌所抑【長上聲】而淹尋卒故王氏經書散在諸孤之代莫得聞焉二十三年太宗沒子之門人盡矣惟福畤兄弟【福畤文中子幼子畤音止】傳授中説於仲父凝始為十卷今世所傳本文多殘缺誤以杜淹所撰世家為中説之序【杜正觀三年卒今世所傳本乃正觀二十三年序】又福畤於仲父凝得闗子明傳凝因言闗氏卜筮之驗且記房魏與太宗論道之美亦非中説後序也蓋同藏緗帙【緗音相帙直質反】卷目相亂遂誤為序焉逸家藏古編尤得精備亦得十篇實無二序以章詳測文中子世家乃杜淹授與尚書陳叔達編諸隋書而亡矣【叔達依遷史人隋書今亡】闗子明事具於裴睎先賢傳今亦無存故王氏諸孤痛其將墜也因附於中説兩間且曰同志淪殂【殂音徂】帝閽悠邈文中子之敎鬱而不行籲可悲矣此有以知杜淹見抑而續經不傳諸王自悲而遺事必録後人責房魏不能揚師之道亦有由焉夫道之深者固當年不能窮功之逺者必異代而後顯方當聖時人文復古則周孔至治大備得以隆之昔苟卿揚雄二書尚有韓愈柳宗元刪定李軌楊倞【倞其亮反】況文中子非荀揚比也豈學者不能伸之乎是用覃研蘊奧引質同異為之註解以翼斯文夫前聖為後聖之備古文乃今文之脩未有離聖而異驅捐古而近習而能格於治者也皇宋御天下尊儒尚文道大淳矣修王削霸政無雜矣抑又跨唐之盛而使文中之徒遇焉彼韓愈氏力排異端儒之功者也故稱孟子能拒楊墨而功不在禹下孟軻氏儒之道者也故稱顔囘謂與禹稷同道愈不稱文中子其先功而後道歟猶文中子不稱孟軻道存而功在其中矣唐末司空圖嗟功廢道哀乃明文中子聖矣五季經亂逮乎削平則柳仲塗宗之於前孫漢公廣之於後皆雲聖人也然未及盛行其敎噫知天之髙必辯其所以髙也子之道其天乎天道則簡而功密矣門人對問如日星麗焉雖環周萬變不出乎天中今推防揆影庶髣髴其端乎大哉中之為義在易為二五在春秋為權衡在書為皇極在禮為中庸謂乎無形非中也謂乎有象非中也上不蕩於虛無下不局於器用惟變所適惟義所在此中之大略也中説者如是而已李靖問聖人之道子曰無所由亦不至於彼又問彼之説曰彼道之方也必也無至乎魏徵問聖人憂疑子曰天下皆憂疑吾獨不憂疑乎退謂董常曰樂天知命吾何憂窮理盡性吾何疑舉是深趣可以類知焉或有執文昩理以模範論語為病此皮膚之見非心解也逸才微志勤曷究其極中存疑闕庸俟後賢仍其舊篇分為十卷謹序

The Duke of Zhou was the sage who could carry out the way of government. Later kings could not carry out his government, so Confucius recorded it, and only then did the Duke of Zhou's way become clear. Confucius was the sage who was complete. Later Confucians could not penetrate his way, so Mencius honored him, and only then did Confucius' way become clear. Wenzhongzi was the sage who cultivated himself; he should be counted as one of Mencius' kind, no longer of the class of the various masters. But Wan Zhang and Gongsun Chou could not exhaust their teacher's depths or record his words in full, so the chapters and sentences of the Mencius are terse and often incomplete. Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and the others could not attain their teacher's complete excellence or widely spread his teaching, so the Wang family's continuation of the classics was suppressed and could not rise. The Zhongshuo is a book of questions and answers among Wenzhongzi's disciples, gathered and titled by Xue Shou and Yao Yi. In the early Zhenguan years of Emperor Taizong of Tang, he devoted himself to putting the instruments of government in order, and his civil and military arts exceeded those of recent times. Men such as Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Li Jing, Wei Zheng, the brothers Wen Daya and Wen Yanbo, Wang Gui and Chen Shuda took turns serving as generals and chancellors and truly laid the foundation of three hundred years, and the disciples' merit in this was more than half. In the second year of Zhenguan [pronunciation note: 'guan' is read in the departing tone], the Censor-in-Chief Du Yan first wrote prefaces for the Zhongshuo and the Hereditary House of Wenzhongzi, but before he could be promoted he was suppressed by Zhangsun Wuji [pronunciation note: 'zhang' is read in the rising tone], and Du Yan died soon after. So the Wang family's writings were scattered in the age of the surviving orphans, and no one could hear them. In the twenty-third year, Emperor Taizong died, and Wenzhongzi's disciples were also all gone. Only Wang Fuzhi and his brother [Fuzhi was Wenzhongzi's youngest son; 'zhi' is pronounced 'zhi'] passed the Zhongshuo to their uncle Wang Ning, and only then was it compiled in ten juan. In the copies handed down in the world today, the text is often incomplete, and the Hereditary House written by Du Yan has been mistaken for the preface of the Zhongshuo [Du Yan died in the third year of Zhenguan, yet the copies in circulation have a preface dated the twenty-third year of Zhenguan]. Moreover, Wang Fuzhi obtained the Biography of Guan Ziming from his uncle Wang Ning, and Wang Ning spoke of the verified divinations of the Guan family and recorded the fine discussion of the Way among Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng and Emperor Taizong; this too is not a postscript to the Zhongshuo. Probably these texts were kept together in a pale-yellow cloth case [pronunciation note: 'xiang' is read 'xiang', 'zhi' is read 'zhi'], and the order of juan and titles became confused, so they were mistaken for prefaces. I, Ruan Yi, have an ancient edition kept at home that is especially complete, also in ten chapters, and it really does not have those two prefaces. Judging in detail by chapters and sections, the Hereditary House of Wenzhongzi was handed by Du Yan to the Minister Chen Shuda, incorporated into the Sui History, and then lost [Chen Shuda incorporated it into the Sui History following the format of the Records of the Historian and it is now lost]. Guan Ziming's Affair was recorded in Pei Xi's Biographies of Former Worthies, which also no longer exists. So the surviving orphans of the Wang family, pained that these texts were about to fall into oblivion, attached them in two places inside the Zhongshuo, and said: comrades have died [pronunciation note: 'cu' is read 'cu'], the palace gates are distant, and Wenzhongzi's teaching was blocked and could not be carried out. Alas, how sad! From this we can know that when Du Yan was suppressed, the continuation of the classics could not be handed down; that when the Wang family grieved by themselves, the remaining affairs had to be recorded; and that later people's reproach of Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng for not making their teacher's way known also has its reasons. What is deep in the Way could not be exhausted in its own time; what is far-reaching in merit must appear in another age. In an age of sage brightness, when culture returns to antiquity, then the supreme government of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius will be fully present, and this book can be exalted. In former times, the two books of Xunzi and Yang Xiong had Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan to edit them and Li Gui and Yang Liang to annotate them [pronunciation note: 'liang' is read 'qi liang' as a fanqie]; how much more Wenzhongzi, who cannot be compared with Xunzi and Yang Xiong; can scholars not bring him forward? For this reason I have studied deeply into its hidden meanings, cited and compared its similarities and differences, and written notes on it, to assist this text. The sages of earlier times are the preparation for the sages of later times, and ancient writing is the cultivated form of present writing. No one has ever reached good government by leaving the sages to go another way, abandoning antiquity to suit recent habits. The Great Song rules all under Heaven, honors the Confucians and values letters; its Way is already very pure, and in cultivating the kingly way and cutting back the hegemonic way, its government is already unmixed. Moreover it surpasses the flourishing age of the Tang, allowing Wenzhongzi's school to meet its time. That Han Yu, who fiercely rejected heterodoxies, was a Confucian who rendered service, therefore said that Mencius' ability to resist Yang and Mo was a merit no less than that of Yu the Great. Mencius was a Confucian who attained the Way, therefore said that Yan Hui shared the Way with Yu and Ji. Han Yu did not praise Wenzhongzi, perhaps because he valued merit first and the Way second. As Wenzhongzi did not praise Mencius, so where the Way exists, merit is within it. At the end of the Tang, Sikong Tu, sighing that merit was cast aside and the Way buried, in his grief finally stated plainly that Wenzhongzi was a sage. The Five Dynasties passed through war, and after the land was pacified, Liu Kai, courtesy name Zhongtu, honored him first, and Sun He, courtesy name Hangong, spread his teaching later, both saying that Wenzhongzi was a sage, though his teaching had not yet become widely practiced. Alas! To know how high Heaven is, one must make clear why it is high. Wenzhongzi's Way is perhaps Heaven itself. The Way of Heaven is simple, yet its effects are fine and exact. The disciples' questions and answers are like the sun and stars attached to the sky; though they circle in ten thousand changes, they do not go beyond the center of Heaven. Now by raising the gnomon and measuring the shadow [the source text has 'tui fang kui ying', where 'fang' is probably an error for 'gui'], we may perhaps catch a faint glimpse of its first traces. Great is the meaning of the word 'zhong' (the Mean): in the Book of Changes it is the second and fifth lines, in the Spring and Autumn Annals it is the balance, in the Book of Documents it is the Supreme Ultimate, in the Book of Rites it is the Doctrine of the Mean. To say it has no form is not the Mean; to say it has an image is also not the Mean. Upward it does not wander into emptiness, downward it is not confined to utensils; it only follows what the changes suit and only stops where righteousness lies. This is the outline of the Mean. The Zhongshuo is no more than this. Li Jing asked about the sage's Way, and Wenzhongzi said, 'There is no path to walk and no 'there' to arrive at.' He asked again what 'there' meant, and was told, 'There is the direction of the Way; if one must say, it is arriving nowhere.' Wei Zheng asked about the sage's worries and doubts, and Wenzhongzi said, 'All under Heaven is worried and doubtful; how could I alone be without worry or doubt?' Withdrawing, he said to Dong Chang, 'Delighting in Heaven and knowing fate, what have I to worry about? Exhausting principle and fulfilling nature, what have I to doubt?' From these deep interests, the rest can be inferred. Some who cling to the letter and are ignorant of the meaning take imitation of the Analects as a fault, but this is a view of the skin, not a comprehension of the heart. I, Ruan Yi, have shallow talent and learning but diligent aspiration; how could I investigate to the utmost? Where doubts remain, I have left gaps to wait for worthy men of later times. I have followed the original order of chapters, divided into ten juan. Respectfully prefaced.

文中子曰甚矣王道難行也吾家頃銅川六世矣【上黨有銅堤縣】未嘗不篤於斯【斯文】然亦未嘗得宣其用【不遇時】退而鹹有述焉則以志其道也【志記】蓋先生之述曰時變論六篇其言化俗推移之理竭矣江州府君之述曰五經決録五篇其言聖賢制述之意備矣晉陽穆公之述曰政大論八篇其言帝王之道著矣同州府君之述曰政小論八篇其言王霸之業盡矣安康獻公之述曰皇極讜義九篇其言三才之去就深矣銅川府君之述曰興衰要論七篇其言六代之得失明矣【自先生至銅川文中子世家言之備矣時變論至興衰要論今皆亡六代晉宋後魏北齊後周隋也】餘小子獲覩成訓勤九載矣【大業九年自長安歸著六經至九年功畢】服先人之義稽仲尼之心天人之事帝王之道昭昭乎【因祖徳考聖師而明】子謂董常曰吾欲修元經稽諸史論不足徵也【董常字履常弟子亞聖者元經春秋異名也義包五始故曰元經史論謂厯代史臣於紀傳後贊論之類是也】吾得皇極讜義焉【去就適中權衡褒貶】吾欲續詩考諸集記不足徵也【前賢文集所記】吾得時變論焉【化俗推移以正風雅】吾欲續書按諸載録不足徵也【史官載言所録】吾得政大論焉【王言大道其制明白】董常曰夫子之得蓋其志焉【非以文體】子曰然子謂薛收曰昔聖人述史三焉【薛收字伯褒隋內史道衡之子昔聖謂孔子】其述書也帝王之製備矣故索焉而皆獲【史有記言求言則制度得矣】其述詩也興衰之由顯故究焉而皆得【史有明得失窮政化則詩明矣】其述春秋也邪正之跡明故考焉而皆當【史有記事稽邪正則法當矣】此三者同出於史而不可雜也故聖人分焉【載言載事明得失皆史職也職同體異故曰分】文中子曰吾視遷固而下述作何其紛紛乎【史記漢書而下文體相模無經制紛紛多且亂】帝王之道其暗而不明乎天人之意其否而不交乎制理者參而不一乎陳事者亂而無緒乎【四者由紛亂故】子不豫【屬疾】聞江都有變【大業十三年煬帝幸江都宮宇文化及弒逆】然而興曰生民厭亂久矣【自漢末亂至隋胡畎反】天其或者將啟堯舜之運吾不與焉命也【唐太宗行堯舜之道而文中子已死】文中子曰道之不勝時久矣吾將若之何【自孔子孟軻已來不勝時故曰久矣】董常曰夫子自秦歸晉宅居汾陽然後三才五常各得其所【秦長安隋都也晉汾陽子鄉也三才五常謂續經】薛收曰敢問續書之始於漢何也子曰六國之弊亡秦之酷吾不忍聞也又焉取皇綱乎【六國燕王喜魏王假齊王建楚王負芻韓王安趙王嘉也亡秦始皇也秦竊皇之名無綱紀之實】漢之統天下也其除殘穢與民更始而興其視聴乎【變民耳目使知有王道興】薛收曰敢問續詩之備六代何也【六代注見上】子曰其以仲尼三百始終於周乎【三百篇週一代】收曰然子曰餘安敢望仲尼然至興衰之際未嘗不再三焉故具六代始終所以告也【告猶貢也貢其俗於時君】文中子曰天下無賞罰三百載矣【自晉惠帝永平元年至隋開皇十年凡三百載】元經可得不興乎【言必興】薛收曰始於晉惠何也【惠帝名衷武帝子也政由賈后天下大亂故元經起於此】子曰昔者明王在上賞罰其有差乎【言不差】元經褒貶所以代賞罰者也其以天下無主而賞罰不明乎【晉忠猶無王】薛收曰然則春秋之始周平魯隠其志亦若斯乎【周平王幽王之子王室衰防東遷居洛魯隠公惠公之子平王同時】子曰其然乎而人莫之知也【後人不知代行衰周之法謂東周始王讓國賢君非也】薛收曰今乃知天下之治聖人斯在上矣天下之亂聖人斯在下矣【周公上仲尼下】聖人達而賞罰行聖人窮而褒貶作皇極所以復建而斯文不喪也【春秋無經行禮法之皇極】不其深乎再拜而出以告董生董生曰仲尼沒而文在茲乎【前聖後聖一也】文中子曰卓哉周孔之道其神之所為乎【孟子曰大而化之謂聖而不可知之謂神】順之則吉逆之則兇【神在易中】子述元經皇始之事嘆焉【後魏初年】門人未達叔恬曰【王凝字叔恬子之弟也為御史彈侯君集為長孫無忌所惡出為太原令王氏家書稱太原府君】夫子之嘆蓋嘆命矣書云天命不於常惟歸乃有徳戎狄之徳黎民懐之三才其舍諸【後魏徳被黎民亦天地命之也人其舍之乎】子聞之曰凝爾知命哉子在長安楊素蘇防李徳林皆請見【楊素字處道煬帝時為司徒専朝政蘇防字伯尼善鐘律隋樂多從防議李徳林字公輔佐命掌軍書為儀同頗自負三人知文中子賢來請謁見】子與之言歸而有憂色門人問子子曰素與吾言終日言政而不及化【上正下曰政下從上曰化】夔與吾言終日言聲而不及雅【知音為聲知徳為雅】徳林與吾言終日言文而不及理【修詞為文知道為理】門人曰然則何憂子曰非爾所知也二三子皆朝之預議者也【預朝政】今言政而不及化是天下無禮也【知正人不知使人從】言聲而不及雅是天下無樂也【知文音不知和徳】言文而不及理是天下無文也【知華辭不知實道】王道從何而興乎吾所以憂也【禮壊樂崩文喪天下可憂】門人退子援琴鼓盪之什【蕩傷周室大壊之詩也天下蕩蕩無綱紀文章援於春反】門人皆霑襟焉【哀隋將亡霑知廉反】子曰或安而行之【聖人安仁】或利而行之【賢人利仁】或畏而行之【中人強仁】及其成功一也稽徳則逺【功則同而聖賢中人之徳異】賈瓊【門人未見】習書至桓榮之命【續書有桓榮之命篇榮字春卿漢光武太子】曰洋洋乎光明之業【光武明帝】天實監爾能不以揖讓終乎【初光武立東海王強為太子強讓其弟陽陽立是謂明帝蓋天命授陽而使榮之所以終讓成美也】繁師【未見】將著北齊録以告子【李徳林父子俱有北齊書王邵有北齊志師撮其要為録】子曰無苟作也【勿苟且表文詞而已】越公以食經遺子子不受曰羮藜含糗無所用也答之以酒誥及洪範三徳【越公楊素也食經淮南王撰盧仁宗崔浩亦有之酒誥雲越小大邦用喪亦罔非酒惟辜洪範三徳雲臣無有作福作威玉食其害於而家兇於而國時素專政故因答食經以戒之】子曰小人不激不勵不見利不勸【勵勸皆勉也】靖君亮問辱【門人未見】子曰言不中【不中節】行不謹【不謹宻】辱也【言行榮辱之主也】子曰化至九變王道其明乎【變變於道也孔子曰三年冇成九成二十七年僅必世之仁矣故曰王道明】故樂至九變而淳氣洽矣【樂仁之聲也】裴晞曰何謂也【晞子之舅未見】子曰夫樂象成者也象成莫大於形而流於聲王化始終所可見也【象成功而形容其徳一而變九而成見王化之然】故韶之成也虞氏之恩被動植矣烏鵲之巢可俯而窺也鳳皇何為而藏乎【引古驗今】子曰封禪之費非古也【費費耗國用也三代已前無此禮齊桓公欲封太山禪梁甫管仲言七十二君須得逺方珍貢乃可封禪特設詞諫止耳非典禮所載之實】徒以誇天下其秦漢之侈心乎【始皇東巡上太山立石封祠下禪梁甫以頌秦徳漢武帝用齊人公孫卿言封禪登仙遂升中嶽又上太山封土有玉牒使方士求神仙千數無驗而回此皆誇侈以欺天下非事天致誠之本】子曰易樂者必多哀輕施者必好奪【家國皆然】子曰無赦之國其刑必平【無倖免則不深犯】多斂之國其財必削【既富侈則用益耗】子曰廉者常樂無求貪者常憂不足【相反】子曰杜如晦若逢其明王於萬民其猶天乎【杜如晦字克明唐太宗時朝政典章文物皆杜所定】董常房元齡賈瓊問曰何謂也【疑稱天太過】子曰春生之夏長之秋成之冬斂之父得其為父子得其為子君得其為君臣得其為臣萬類咸宜百姓日用而不知者杜氏之任不謂其猶天乎【用元跡物自化天也太宗治平嵗斷死罪二十餘人幾乎刑厝粟鬥三文行道千里不齎糧王道盛矣非如天之効歟】吾察之久矣目光惚然心神忽然【恍惚憂貌】此其識時運者憂不逢真主以然哉【知隋運亡又未遇太宗所以恍忽憂也】叔恬曰舜一歳而巡五嶽國不費而民不勞何也【書稱四嶽此言五舉成數歟】子曰無他道也兵衛少而徵求寡也【簡則用省】子曰王國之有風天子與諸侯夷乎【黍離列於國風夷等也】誰居乎【居音姬禮記曰何居】幽王之罪也【幽王惑褒姒廢申後申侯弒之周遂微】故始之以黍離於是雅道息矣【王國十篇黍離為始】子曰五行不相沴則王者可以制禮矣【治臻皇極則五行各敘故禮行皇極也沴閭計反】四靈為畜則王者可以作樂矣【仁及飛走則龍麟鳯在沼藪故樂形仁聲也】子游孔子之廟【漢已後郡國立孔子祠】出而歌曰大哉乎君君臣臣父父子子兄兄弟弟夫夫婦婦夫子之力也【春秋行法君父尊詩序人倫夫婦正】其與太極合徳神道並行乎【言無窮】王孝逸曰夫子之道豈少是乎【孝逸未見夫子謂文中子也】子曰子未三復白圭乎【責言玷】天地生我而不能鞠我父母鞠我而不能成我成我者夫子也道不啻天地父母通於夫子受罔極之恩【詩云欲報之徳吳天罔極言孔子生民之師大於生我鞠我者之恩】吾子汩彞倫乎【儗人必於其倫不可汩亂謙也】孝逸再拜謝之終身不敢臧否韋鼎請見子三見而三不語恭恭若不足【韋鼎未見不言謂日撃道存】鼎出謂門人曰夫子得志於朝廷有不言之化不殺之嚴矣【不得其言而得其志】楊素謂子曰天子求善御邊者素聞惟賢知賢敢問夫子子曰羊祜陸遜仁人也可使【祜字叔子晉欲平吳以祜督荊州祜綏懐吳人吳之降者欲去則聴之遜字伯言為吳大將軍攻晉襄陽獲生口即還之二賢皆仁】素曰已死矣何可復使【不悟諷已】子曰今公能為羊陸之事則可如不能廣求何益通聞邇者悅逺者來折沖樽爼可矣何必臨邊也【折橫也沖直也麾兵橫直猶辯縱橫晏子用此】子之家六經畢備朝服祭器不假【不假借】曰三綱五常自可出也【正家以正天下】子曰悠悠素餐者天下皆是王道從何而興乎【隋多無功食祿】子曰七制之主其人可以即戎矣【續書有七制皆漢之賢君立文武之功業者髙祖孝文孝武孝宣光武孝明孝章是也】董常死子哭於寢門之外【不可視猶子也哭寢則太親不可視猶朋友也哭野則太疎故折中於寢門之外】拜而受吊【知生者吊彼吊我失其助故拜之】裴晞問曰衛玠稱人有不及可以情恕非意相干可以理遣何如【玠字叔寶善談理有情恕理遣之論】子曰寛矣【量寛而已】曰仁乎【寛似仁】子曰不知也【仁道至大非但寛】阮嗣宗與人談則及逺未嘗臧否人物何如【籍字嗣宗口不論人之過】子曰慎矣【慎言而已】曰仁乎【慎似仁】子曰不知也【仁非止慎】子曰恕哉凌敬【凌敬未見】視人之孤猶已也【以已心為人之心曰恕孟子曰防吾防以及人之防是恕也】子曰仁者吾不得而見也得見智者斯可矣智者吾不得而見也得見義者斯可矣【仁無為而理智達於未亂之前義制於已然之後】如不得見必也剛介乎剛者好斷介者殊俗【剛必果介自異】薛收問至徳要道子曰至徳其道之本乎要道其徳之行乎【行成徳徳成道徳行成身道施天下】禮不云乎至徳為道本【周禮師氏三徳雲】易不云乎顯道神徳行【繫辭雲】子曰大哉神乎所自出也【本諸身曰自出】至哉易也其知神之所為乎【無體則無方】子曰我未見嗜義如嗜利者也【和而有宜曰義反是曰利】子登雲中之城【漢雲中郡唐延州】望龍門之關【河中有龍門縣】曰壯哉山河之固賈瓊曰既壯矣又何加焉子曰守之以道【險不可恃】降而宿於禹廟觀其碑首曰先君獻公之所作也其文典以達【文未見】子見劉孝標絶交論曰惜乎舉任公而毀也任公於是乎不可謂知人矣【劉峻字孝標性率多毀時任昉死有子東里冬衣葛裘孝標作絶交論以譏任公之友然又彰任公不知人耳】見辯命論曰人道廢矣【峻又有辯命論言管輅才髙不遇乃謂窮達由天殊不由人是不知命廢人道也】子曰使諸葛亮而無死禮樂其有興乎【孔明言普天之下莫非漢民志在天下非蜀而已亮未死必可功成治定】子讀樂毅論曰仁哉樂毅善藏其用智哉太初善發其蘊【夏侯字太初著樂毅論言不拔即墨及莒二城者其志以天下為心非兼併齊國而已仁哉美毅不屠城善藏用也智哉美太初能發明毅之仁也】子讀無論曰未知人焉知【阮瞻作無論謂可以辯幽明蓋不知聖人不語之旨】

Wenzhongzi said: The Kingly Way is far too hard to practice. My family moved to Tongchuan six generations ago [Shangdang has a Tongdi county], and has never been anything but earnest about this [this is the culture of the sages], yet has never been able to make its use known [we did not meet the right time]; stepping back, each generation still left writings to record that Way ["zhi" means to record]. The Master's work was called Discourse on Changing Times in six chapters, which fully explained the principles of transforming customs and shifting with the times. Lord of Jiangzhou's work was called Record of Decisions on the Five Classics in five chapters, which completed the meaning of how the sages composed and transmitted. Duke Mu of Jinyang's work was called Greater Discourse on Governance in eight chapters, which made clear the Way of emperors and kings. Lord of Tongzhou's work was called Lesser Discourse on Governance in eight chapters, which fully explained the enterprise of the true king and the hegemon. Duke Xian of Ankang's work was called Meaning of the Supreme Pole in Frank Words in nine chapters, which went deep into the going and staying of the Three Powers. Lord of Tongchuan's work was called Essential Discourse on Rise and Decline in seven chapters, which made plain the gains and losses of the Six Dynasties [from the Master to Lord of Tongchuan, the Hereditary House of Wenzhongzi tells this fully; Discourse on Changing Times through Essential Discourse on Rise and Decline are all lost today; the Six Dynasties are Jin, Song, Later Wei, Northern Qi, Later Zhou and Sui]. I, a mere youth, have been able to see this ready-made instruction and have worked at it diligently for nine years [in the first year of Daye I returned from Chang'an and wrote the Six Classics, and finished in the ninth year]. Taking to heart the righteousness of my forebears and examining the mind of Zhongni, I see matters of Heaven and man and the Way of emperors and kings brilliantly clear [clear by relying on ancestral virtue and consulting the sage teachers]. The Master said to Dong Chang: "I wished to compile the Yuan Jing, but examining the appraisals in the various histories, they were not sufficient to verify [Dong Chang, styled Lüchang, was the disciple who came closest to the sage; the Yuan Jing is another name for the Spring and Autumn Annals, its meaning containing the Five Beginnings, hence called Yuan Jing; the historical appraisals are the praises and critiques that court historians placed after the biographies]. I have obtained the Meaning of the Supreme Pole in Frank Words [its going and staying are balanced, weighing praise and blame]. I wished to continue the Book of Songs, but examining the collected records of various families, they were not sufficient to verify [what virtuous men of earlier dynasties recorded in their collections]. I have obtained the Discourse on Changing Times [transforming customs and shifting with the times, to rectify the airs and odes]. I wished to continue the Book of Documents, but following the various records, they were not sufficient to verify [what court historians recorded of speech]. I have obtained the Greater Discourse on Governance [the words of kings and the Great Way, with institutions made clear]." Dong Chang said: "What you have obtained, Master, is probably that aim [not the literary form]." The Master said: "Yes." The Master said to Xue Shou: "Sages of old composed history in three kinds [Xue Shou, styled Bobao, was the son of Xue Daoheng, Inner Secretary of Sui; the sages of old means Confucius]. In composing the Book of Documents, the institutions of emperors and kings were complete, so whatever one sought, one could find [history records speech, and seeking speech, one obtains the institutions]. In composing the Book of Songs, the reasons for rise and decline were made manifest, so whatever one probed, one could obtain [history marks gains and losses and exhausts governance and transformation, and then the Songs are understood]. In composing the Spring and Autumn Annals, the traces of the crooked and the upright were made clear, so whatever one examined, one could judge rightly [history records events, and examining the crooked and the upright, the standard is made fitting]. These three come from history yet cannot be mixed, so the sage separated them [recording speech, recording events and marking gains and losses are all the office of history; the office is the same but the form differs, so he says separated]." Wenzhongzi said: "Looking at the works from Sima Qian and Ban Gu on, how confused and jumbled they are [from the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han onward the forms imitate one another without a classical standard; they are numerous and in disorder]. Is the Way of emperors and kings dark and unclear? Is the intent of Heaven and man blocked and not communicating? Are those who set up principles at cross purposes and not unified? Are those who narrate events muddled and without a thread [all four come from the confusion]?" The Master was unwell [ill] and, hearing of the upheaval at Jiangdu [in the thirteenth year of Daye, Emperor Yang went to the Jiangdu palace and Yuwen Huaji committed regicide], started up in alarm and said: "The living people have hated disorder for a long time [from the disorder at the end of Han until Sui; the character is pronounced hu quan fan, i.e. ju]. Heaven may be about to open the fortune of Yao and Shun, but I will not take part; it is fate [Emperor Taizong of Tang practiced the Way of Yao and Shun, but Wenzhongzi had already died]." Wenzhongzi said: "The Way has been unable to prevail over the times for a long time; what shall I do [since Confucius and Mencius it has been unable to prevail over the times, so he says a long time]?" Dong Chang said: "You, Master, returned from the land of Qin to the land of Jin and settled at Fenyang, and only then did the Three Powers and Five Constants each obtain their place [Qin refers to Chang'an, the capital of Sui; Jin refers to Fenyang, the Master's home village; the Three Powers and Five Constants refer to the continuation of the Classics]." Xue Shou said: "May I ask why the continuation of the Book of Documents begins with Han?" The Master said: "The corruption of the Six States and the cruelty of doomed Qin I cannot bear to hear, and from where would I take the imperial framework [the Six States are King Xi of Yan, King Jia of Wei, King Jian of Qi, King Fuchu of Chu, King An of Han and King Jia of Zhao; doomed Qin is the First Emperor of Qin, who stole the title of emperor but had no real order]? The Han line held the world, cleared away the ruinous and foul, made a new start with the people, and raised their sight and hearing [changing the ears and eyes of the people so they would know a kingly Way was rising]." Xue Shou said: "May I ask why the continuation of the Book of Songs includes all six dynasties [the six dynasties are noted above]?" The Master said: "Perhaps because the three hundred poems of Zhongni, from beginning to end, were all in Zhou [the three hundred poems are the poems of one dynasty, Zhou]." Xue Shou said: "Yes." The Master said: "How would I dare to look up to Zhongni? Yet when it comes to the times of rise and decline, I have never failed to give them thought again and again, so I include the beginning and end of the six dynasties in order to present them ["present" is like "offer", offering that custom to the ruler of the time]." Wenzhongzi said: "For three hundred years the world has had no reward or punishment [from the first year of Yongping under Emperor Hui of Jin to the tenth year of Kaihuang of Sui makes three hundred years]. Can the Yuan Jing fail to arise [meaning it must arise]?" Xue Shou said: "Why does it begin with Emperor Hui of Jin [Emperor Hui, personal name Zhong, was the son of Emperor Wu; government lay in the hands of Empress Jia and the world fell into great disorder, so the Yuan Jing begins here]?" The Master said: "In the past, when a wise king was above, could rewards and punishments go wrong [meaning there was no error]? The praise and blame of the Yuan Jing take the place of reward and punishment, probably because the world had no ruler and rewards and punishments were unclear [the house of Jin was as if without a king]." Xue Shou said: "Then the Spring and Autumn Annals begins with King Ping of Zhou and Duke Yin of Lu; is its aim also like this [King Ping of Zhou was the son of King You; the royal house had declined and moved east to dwell at Luo; Duke Yin of Lu was the son of Duke Hui and was contemporary with King Ping. The character 'fang' in the received text's 'shuai fang' is an error for 'wei']?" The Master said: "Perhaps so, but no one knows it [later people do not know that this stood in for the law of the declining Zhou, and instead say the Eastern Zhou began as a kingdom and that Lu had a worthy ruler who yielded the state, which is wrong]." Xue Shou said: "Now I know that when the world is well governed, the sage is above, and when the world is in disorder, the sage is below [the Duke of Zhou above, Zhongni below]. When a sage is prominent, rewards and punishments are carried out; when a sage is in hardship, praise and blame arise; the Supreme Pole is thereby re-established and this culture is not lost [the Spring and Autumn Annals has no classic of a king, yet carries out the Supreme Pole of ritual and law]. Is this not profound?" He bowed twice and went out and told this to Master Dong. Master Dong said: "Zhongni is dead, but his culture is here, is it not [the earlier sage and the later sage are one]?" Wenzhongzi said: "Marvelous, the Way of Zhou and Confucius; it must be what the divine does [Mencius said: that which is great and transforms is called sage, and that which cannot be known is called divine]. Follow it and there is good fortune, go against it and there is misfortune [the divine is in the Book of Changes]." When the Master spoke of the events of the Huangshi era in the Yuan Jing, he sighed [the early years of the Later Wei], and his disciples did not understand. Shuti said [Wang Ning, styled Shuti, was the Master's younger brother, who served as a censor and impeached Hou Junji, was hated by Zhangsun Wuji, and was sent out to be magistrate of Taiyuan; the Family Records of the Wang Clan call him Lord of Taiyuan]: "The Master's sigh was probably a sigh over fate. The Book of Documents says the Mandate of Heaven is not constant but goes only to the virtuous. If the Rong and Di had virtue, the common people would turn to them; would the Three Powers reject them [the virtue of the Later Wei covered the common people, and this too was what Heaven and Earth ordained for them; would people reject it]?" The Master heard this and said: "Ning, you know fate." When the Master was in Chang'an, Yang Su, Su Kui and Li Delin all asked for an audience [Yang Su, styled Chudao, was Minister of Education under Emperor Yang and monopolized court affairs; Su Kui, styled Boni, was expert in bells and pitch and much of Sui music came from his proposals, and the received text's 'Su fang' is Su Kui; Li Delin, styled Gongfu, assisted in founding the dynasty and handled military documents, held the rank of Yitong, and was rather self-regarding; the three knew the Master was worthy and came to ask to see him]. The Master spoke with them, and when he came back his face showed worry. His disciples asked him, and the Master said: "Yang Su talked with me all day, but only about government and not about transformation [when those above are upright and those below follow, that is government; when those below follow those above, that is transformation]. Su Kui talked with me all day, but only about sound and not about refinement [knowing tones is sound; knowing virtue is refinement]. Delin talked with me all day, but only about literary style and not about principle [adorning phrases is style; knowing the Way is principle]." His disciples said: "Then why the worry?" The Master said: "It is not something you can know. These men are all people at court who take part in deliberations [taking part in affairs of government]. Now they speak of government but not transformation, so the world has no ritual [they only know how to correct people, not how to make them follow]. They speak of sound but not refinement, so the world has no music [they only know how to decorate sounds, not the virtue of harmony]. They speak of style but not principle, so the world has no culture [they only know florid wording, not the real Way]. From where would the Kingly Way arise? That is why I worry [ritual spoiled and music collapsed, culture lost, the world is cause for worry]." The disciples withdrew, and the Master took up his zither and played the decade of Dang [Dang is a poem mourning the great ruin of the house of Zhou, when the world was vast and without order or culture; the character 'yuan' is pronounced yu chun fan]. The disciples all wept until their collars were wet [grieving that Sui was about to fall; the character 'zhan' is pronounced zhi lian fan]. The Master said: "Some practice it at ease [sages are at ease in humaneness], some practice it for profit [worthy men profit from humaneness], some practice it out of fear [ordinary people force themselves to be humane]. When it is accomplished it is the same, but in examining virtue they are far apart [the merit is the same, but the virtue of the sage, the worthy and the ordinary person differs]." Jia Qiong [a disciple, whose deeds are not recorded] studied the Book of Documents, and when he reached the Charge to Huan Rong [the continued Book of Documents has a chapter 'Charge to Huan Rong'; Huan Rong, styled Chunqing, was tutor to the Crown Prince of Emperor Guangwu of Han; in the received text a character here was lost in transcription, namely fu] he said: "How vast! A bright enterprise [Guangwu and Mingdi]. Heaven truly watches over you; can it fail to end in yielding [at first Guangwu made Prince Qiang of Donghai the Crown Prince, and Qiang yielded to his younger brother Yang, and Yang was established, who was Emperor Ming. Probably Heaven's mandate was given to Yang and Huan Rong was made his tutor, so in the end the beauty was perfected through yielding]?" Fan Shixuan [whose deeds are not recorded] was about to compile the Records of Northern Qi and reported it to the Master [Li Delin and his son both had a Book of Northern Qi, and Wang Shao had a Treatise on Northern Qi; Fan Shixuan collected the essentials to make the record]. The Master said: "Do not compose carelessly [do not merely and carelessly put out wording]." The Duke of Yue gave the Master a Food Canon, and the Master did not accept it, saying: "Drinking weed soup and holding dry rations is of no use." He replied with the Announcement on Wine and the Three Virtues of the Great Plan [the Duke of Yue is Yang Su; the Food Canon was compiled by the Prince of Huainan, and Lu Renzong and Cui Hao also had one; the Announcement on Wine says: the ruin of states large and small is also never without wine as the cause of guilt; the Three Virtues of the Great Plan say: if a minister makes blessings, makes awe, or has jade food, it will harm your house and bring misfortune to your state. At that time Yang Su monopolized government, so he used the reply about the Food Canon to warn him]. The Master said: "Petty men do not exert themselves unless they are goaded and are not encouraged unless they see profit [goading and encouraging both mean urging]." Jing Junliang asked what disgrace is [a disciple, whose deeds are not recorded]. The Master said: "Words not on target [not fitting the occasion] and conduct not careful [not careful and thorough] are disgrace [words and conduct govern honor and disgrace]." The Master said: "When teaching and transformation reach the ninth change, the Kingly Way is probably manifest [change means changing in the Way. Confucius said that in three years there is accomplishment; nine completions are twenty-seven years, which only approaches 'a generation, and then humaneness,' so he says the Kingly Way is manifest]. So when music reaches its ninth change, pure qi is in harmony [music is the sound of humaneness]." Pei Xi said: "What does that mean [Xi was the Master's maternal uncle, whose deeds are not recorded; in the received text a character here was lost in transcription, namely fu]?" The Master said: "Music is the image of accomplishment. For an image of accomplishment, nothing is greater than form and its spreading into sound, and the beginning and end of the transformation by a king can be seen from this [it images accomplishment and describes that virtue; one change, then nine completions, and one sees the appearance of royal transformation]. So when the Shao was completed, the kindness of the house of Yu covered animals and plants, so that the nests of crows and magpies could be peered into by looking down; why should the phoenix hide [citing the ancient to verify the present]?" The Master said: "The expense of the Feng and Shan sacrifices did not exist in antiquity [expense means draining state resources; before the Three Dynasties there was no such rite. Duke Huan of Qi wished to perform Feng at Mount Tai and Shan at Liangfu, and Guan Zhong said that seventy-two rulers must have distant rare tribute before they could perform Feng and Shan, and deliberately used this speech to dissuade him; it is not a real matter recorded in the ritual canons]. It was only used to boast to the world, probably the extravagant mind of Qin and Han [the First Emperor of Qin toured east and ascended Mount Tai, set up a stone and sacrificed, then descended to perform Shan at Liangfu, to praise the virtue of Qin. Emperor Wu of Han followed the words of Gongsun Qing of Qi, performing Feng and Shan to seek immortality, and so ascended the Central Peak and again went up Mount Tai to build an earth altar, with a jade tablet, and sent over a thousand magicians to seek immortals, returning with no result. All this was boastful extravagance to deceive the world, not the root of serving Heaven with utmost sincerity]." The Master said: "Those who are easily happy must have much sorrow, and those who give lightly must like to take [this is so for both family and state]." The Master said: "A state without amnesties will surely have fair punishments [with no hope of escape, people do not offend deeply]; a state that hoards and collects much will surely see its wealth diminished [already rich and extravagant, expenditure grows even more]." The Master said: "The honest are often glad to want nothing, and the greedy are always worried about not having enough [the opposite]." The Master said: "If Du Ruhui had met an enlightened king, to the ten thousand people he would probably have been like Heaven [Du Ruhui, styled Keming; under Emperor Taizong of Tang the statutes and cultural institutions of the court were all set by Du]." Dong Chang, Fang Xuanling and Jia Qiong asked: "What does that mean [doubting that calling him Heaven went too far]?" The Master said: "Spring gives birth to it, summer makes it grow, autumn completes it, winter stores it; the father obtains him to be a father, the son to be a son, the ruler to be a ruler, the minister to be a minister; all kinds are suited, and what the common people use daily without knowing it is the duty of Du; can I not say he is like Heaven [his workings leave no trace, and things transform themselves, which is Heaven. In the years of Taizong's peace, only twenty-odd were sentenced to death, punishments were almost set aside, millet was three coins a dou, and travelers went a thousand li without carrying provisions; the Kingly Way flourished, which is evidence of being like Heaven]? I have observed him for a long time; his gaze is distant and his spirit is faint [being dazed is a look of worry]. This is probably someone who knows the course of fortune and worries that he will not meet a true ruler, which is why he is like this [he knew the fortune of Sui was about to end and had not yet met Taizong, so he was dazed and worried]." Shuti said: "Shun toured the Five Peaks in one year without the state being drained or the people being burdened; why [the Book of Documents says Four Peaks, but here it says five, perhaps citing a round number]?" The Master said: "No other reason: the guards were few, and the demands were few [simplicity saves expense]." The Master said: "The royal domain has its own airs; are the Son of Heaven and the lords now equals [Mi Li is listed among the airs of the states, and 'yi' means equal]? Who caused it [the character 'ju' is pronounced ji; the Book of Rites has 'he ju']? It is the fault of King You [King You was beguiled by Bao Si, deposed Queen Shen, and was killed by the Marquis of Shen, and Zhou thereupon declined]. So from Mi Li onward the way of the odes ceased [the ten poems of the royal domain begin with Mi Li]." The Master said: "When the Five Phases do not harm one another, a true king can establish ritual [when governance reaches the Supreme Pole, the Five Phases each have their order, so ritual carries out the Supreme Pole; the character 'li' is pronounced lü ji fan]. When the four numinous creatures become domestic animals, a true king can make music [when humaneness reaches birds and beasts, the tortoise, dragon, qilin and phoenix are in the marshes, so music becomes the sound of humaneness; in the received text the character for tortoise was lost in transcription]." The Master toured the Temple of Confucius [after Han, commanderies and kingdoms set up shrines to Confucius], came out and sang: "Great! That ruler is ruler, minister is minister, father is father, son is son, elder brother is elder brother, younger brother is younger brother, husband is husband and wife is wife is the strength of the Master [the Spring and Autumn Annals carries out the law and ruler and father are honored; the Songs set out human relations and husband and wife are corrected]. Probably his virtue accords with the Supreme Ultimate and moves together with the divine Way [meaning without limit]." Wang Xiaoyi said: "Does the Master's Way lack this [Xiaoyi's deeds are not recorded; the Master means Wenzhongzi]?" The Master said: "Have you not recited the white jade three times [rebuking a flaw in speech]? Heaven and Earth gave birth to me but could not nurture me; my parents nurtured me but could not make me complete; the one who made me complete was the Master. The Way is not only Heaven, Earth and parents; passing through to the Master, I received boundless kindness [the Book of Songs speaks of wishing to repay virtue, vast Heaven is without limit; it means Confucius, as teacher of the living people, has kindness greater than those who bore and raised me]. Are you confusing the proper order [to compare people one must compare them with their own kind, and one must not confuse them; this is a humble phrase]?" Xiaoyi bowed twice and apologized, and for the rest of his life dared not praise or criticize anyone. Wei Ding asked for an audience, and the Master received him three times without speaking, standing respectfully as if inadequate [Wei Ding's deeds are not recorded; not speaking means that when eyes met the Way was there]. Ding came out and said to the disciples: "If the Master were to achieve his aims at court, there would be transformation without words and severity without killing [I did not get his words, but I got his aim]." Yang Su said to the Master: "The Son of Heaven seeks someone good at guarding the borders. I have heard that only a worthy man knows a worthy man; may I ask the Master." The Master said: "Yang Hu and Lu Xun were humane men and could be used [Yang Hu, styled Shuzi, was used by Jin to be Inspector of Jingzhou when Jin wished to subdue Wu; he pacified the people of Wu, and those of Wu who surrendered were free to go if they wished. Lu Xun, styled Boyan, was Grand General of Wu and attacked Xiangyang of Jin, and returned captives he took. Both worthies were humane]." Yang Su said: "They are already dead; how can they be used [he did not realize he was being satirized]?" The Master said: "If you can do what Yang Hu and Lu Xun did, that is enough; if you cannot, what good is searching widely? I have heard that when those near are delighted and those afar arrive, one can repel enemies between the wine vessels and the sacrificial stands; why must one go personally to the frontier [zhe means across and chong means straight; directing troops across and straight is like debate in all directions; Yan Zi used this phrase]?" In the Master's house the Six Classics were complete, and court dress and sacrificial vessels were not lent out [not lent to others], and he said: "The Three Bonds and Five Constants can come out from here naturally [correcting the family to correct the world]." The Master said: "Those who idly eat for nothing are all over the world; from where would the Kingly Way arise [in the Sui court there were many who took salary without merit]?" The Master said: "The rulers of the seven institutions, those men could engage in military affairs [the continued Book of Documents has seven institutions, all worthy rulers of Han who established civil and military accomplishments: Gaozu, Xiaowen, Xiaowu, Xiaoxuan, Guangwu, Xiaoming and Xiaozhang]." When Dong Chang died, the Master wept outside the gate of his bedchamber [he could not treat him as a son, so weeping inside the bedchamber would be too intimate; he could not treat him as a friend, so weeping in the open would be too distant, so he settled for outside the bedchamber gate], and bowed to receive condolences [knowing that those who came to condole were mourning that I had lost my helper, so he bowed]. Pei Xi asked: "Wei Jie said that when people fall short, one can forgive them with sympathy, and when they offend unintentionally, one can dispel it with reason; how is that [Wei Jie, styled Shubao, was good at discussing abstruse principles and had the theory of forgiving with sympathy and dispelling with reason]?" The Master said: "Generous [just breadth of capacity]." He asked: "Is that humaneness [generosity resembles humaneness]?" The Master said: "I do not know [the Way of humaneness is vast and is not only generosity]." He asked again: "Ruan Sizong, in conversation with people, spoke of the profound and distant and never praised or criticized anyone; how is that [Ruan Ji, styled Sizong, never spoke of others' faults]?" The Master said: "Cautious [only cautious in speech]." He asked: "Is that humaneness [caution resembles humaneness]?" The Master said: "I do not know [humaneness is not just caution]." The Master said: "Forgiving indeed is Ling Jing [Ling Jing's deeds are not recorded], who treats other people's orphans as his own [taking one's own heart as others' heart is called forgiveness; Mencius said 'treat the aged of others as you treat your own aged,' which is forgiveness; the character 'fang' in the received text is an error for 'lao']!" The Master said: "Humane men I cannot see; to see a wise man would be enough. Wise men I cannot see; to see a righteous man would be enough [the humane act without contrivance and bring order, the wise see through before disorder arises, the righteous judge after the fact]. If I cannot see these, it must be the resolute and the principled. The resolute like to decide, and the principled differ from the common run [the resolute are bound to be decisive, and the principled set themselves apart]." Xue Shou asked about supreme virtue and the essential way. The Master said: "Supreme virtue is probably the root of the Way? The essential way is probably the practice of virtue [practice completes virtue, virtue completes the Way; virtuous conduct completes the self and the Way is carried out in the world]. Does the Rites of Zhou not say so, 'supreme virtue is the root of the Way' [said in the Three Virtues of the Master of Retainers in the Rites of Zhou]? Does the Book of Changes not say so, 'it makes the Way manifest and makes virtuous action divine' [said in the Appended Statements]?" The Master said: "Great, the divine, it comes out from oneself [being rooted in oneself is called coming out from oneself]. Supreme, the Changes, probably knows what the divine does [without substance there is no direction]." The Master said: "I have never seen someone who loves righteousness as he loves profit [harmony and fittingness are called righteousness, and the reverse is called profit]." The Master climbed the city of Yunzhong [the Han commandery of Yunzhong, belonging to Yanzhou in Tang] and looked at the Longmen Pass [Hezhong has a Longmen county], and said: "Magnificent, the strength of mountains and rivers!" Jia Qiong said: "It is already magnificent, so what is there to add?" The Master said: "Guard it with the Way [one cannot rely on natural strongholds]." Going down he lodged at the Temple of Yu, looked at the inscription on the stele and said: "This was written by my late lord Duke Xian, and its writing is elegant and fluent [the writing is not seen]." The Master saw Liu Xiaobiao's Essay on Breaking Off Friendships and said: "A pity! He cites Ren Gong yet destroys him. Then Ren Gong cannot be said to have known people [Liu Jun, styled Xiaobiao, was blunt and given to slander. When Ren Fang died, his son Dongli wore a coarse kudzu coat in winter, and Xiaobiao wrote the Essay on Breaking Off Friendships to mock Ren Gong's friends, yet it also showed that Ren Gong did not know people]." He saw the Discourse on Fate and said: "The way of man is abandoned [Liu Jun also had a Discourse on Fate, saying that Guan Lu, though of high talent, did not meet success, and so claimed that success and failure are by Heaven and absolutely not by man, which does not understand fate and abandons the way of man]." The Master said: "If Zhuge Liang had not died, ritual and music would probably have arisen [Kongming said that under all Heaven there is none who is not a subject of Han, so his aim was the whole world and not only Shu. Had Liang not died, he would surely have completed his achievement and settled the governance]." The Master read the Discourse on Yue Yi and said: "Humane, Yue Yi is good at hiding his own use; wise, Taichu is good at bringing out what he stored [Xiahou Xuan, styled Taichu, wrote the Discourse on Yue Yi, saying that not taking the two cities of Jimo and Ju showed an aim that took the whole world to heart, not merely annexing Qi. 'Humane' praises Yue Yi for not massacring cities and being good at hiding his use; 'wise' praises Taichu for being able to bring out Yue Yi's humaneness]." The Master read the Discourse on No Ghosts and said: "He does not yet know people; how would he know ghosts [Ruan Zhan wrote the Discourse on No Ghosts, thinking he could settle the question of the hidden and the manifest, probably not understanding the meaning of the sage's not speaking of it; in the received text a character here was lost in transcription, namely gui]?"

子曰圓者動方者靜其見天地之心乎【天圓動地方靜人動靜之中也中也者心可見矣】子曰智者樂其存物之所為乎【物之所存我從而利之故樂】仁者夀其忘我之所為乎【我忘厥功物將自化故夀】子曰義也清而莊【姚義傳未見清潔而端莊】靖也惠而斷【李靖本名藥師其舅韓擒虎伏其善論兵惠物而勇斷】威也和而博【竇威字文蔚竇後從兄也和容而博識】收也曠而肅【薛收體曠而志肅】瓊也明而毅【賈瓊通明而果毅】淹也誠而厲【杜淹字執禮隋隠太白山來學於子誠慤而威厲】齡志而宻【房喬字齡隋彥謙之子也志精而用宻】徵也直而遂【魏徵字成直道而遂行】大雅深而【溫大雅字彥量深而寛】叔達簡而正【陳叔達字子聰陳宣帝之防子也簡靜中正】若逢其時不減卿相然禮樂則未備【靖彥博皆為僕射威為內史令淹為御史大夫齡為司空徵為太師大雅叔達皆為尚書是皆卿相也然各有二徳而未成全才故曰禮樂未備】或曰董常何人也子曰其動也權【權變才也】其靜也至【至極性也】其顔氏之流乎【動之微者其庶幾乎靜之極者其屢空乎】叔恬曰山濤為吏部拔賢進善時無知者身歿之後天子出其奏於朝然後知群才皆濤所進如何子曰宻矣【山濤字巨源為吏部典選十餘年天下稱為得士然吏非吏隠非隠是宻而已】曰仁乎【似忘所為】子曰吾不知也李宻見子而論兵【宻字法主襲爵為公與楊感謀亂自謂能兵】子曰禮信仁義則吾論之孤虛詐力吾不與也【孤虛兵家之術】李伯藥見子而論詩【伯藥字仲規徳林子也論南朝詩】子不答伯藥退謂薛收曰吾上陳應劉下述沈謝【魏應璩劉公幹梁沈約謝靈運】分四聲八病【四聲韻起自沈約八病未詳】剛柔清濁各有端序【語健為剛旨逺為柔標逸則清質實則濁】音若壎箎【壎土音剛而濁箎竹音柔而清周禮小師掌壎銳上平底六竅箎橫吹七孔】而夫子不應我其未達歟薛收曰吾嘗聞夫子之論詩矣上明三綱下達五常【風化夫婦三綱之首也吟詠情性五常之本也】於是徵存亡辯得失故小人歌之以貢其俗君子賦之以見其志【貢告也歌緑竹則知衛風歌板屋則知秦俗鄭六卿餞韓宣子宣子曰吾以知鄭志】聖人採之以觀其變【設采詩官】今子營營馳騁乎末流【齊梁文弊之末也】是夫子之所痛也不答則有由矣子曰學者博誦云乎哉必也貫乎道文者苟作云乎哉必也濟乎義【學文本為道義】內史薛公見子於長安退謂子收曰河圖洛書盡在是矣汝往事之無失也【薛道衡時為內史侍郎知文中子聖人謂八卦九疇盡則之矣】子曰士有靡衣鮮食而樂道者吾未之見也【奢罕徳】子謂魏徵曰汝與凝皆天之直人也徵也遂凝也挺【遂果行也挺謂挺特】若並行於時有用舍焉【遂行挺執】子謂李靖曰凝也若容於時則王法不撓矣【不撓曲】李靖問任智如何子曰仁以為已任小人任智而背仁為賊【盜亦有道】君子任智而背仁為亂【攻異端害也】薛收問仲長子光何人也【子光字不耀遊於河東人問者書老易二字為對王績有仲長先生傳】子曰天人也收曰何謂天人子曰眇然小乎所以屬於人曠哉大乎獨能成其天【以形言之則人以道言之則天禮曰安則久久則天】賈瓊問君子之道子曰必先恕乎曰敢問恕之說子曰為人子者以其父之心為心【孝則知父之慈】為人弟者以其兄之心為心【弟則知兄之友】推而達之於天下斯可矣【至孝近王至悌近霸推王道於天下可謂君子】子曰君子之學進於道【濟天下】小人之學進於利【營一身】楚難作使使召子子不往謂使者曰為我謝楚公【楊感襲封楚國公舉黎陽叛故曰難作】天下崩亂非至公血誠不能安苟非其道無為禍先【非應天順人則禍已】李宻問王霸之畧子曰不以天下易一民之命【易為輕易之易一民至細也不可以天下之大輕小民之命】李宻出子謂賈瓊曰亂天下者必是夫也幸災而念禍愛強而願勝神明不與也【竟叛伏誅】子居家雖孩孺必狎【不威】其使人也雖童僕必斂容【不慢】子曰我未見知命者也【命天命也徳合於天而心復於性是謂知命孔子五十而知天命孟子曰盡其心則知性知性則知天易曰窮理盡性以至於命是則命非性無能知者文中子嘆知性者尚少故曰未見知命者也】子曰不就利不違害不強交不苟絶【四者惟義所在】惟有道者能之【有道義】子躬耕或問曰不亦勞乎子曰一夫不耕或受其飢且庶人之職也【舜在畎畆志存天下聖賢躬耕蓋職其俗】亡職者罪無所逃天地之間吾得逃乎【不仕即農四民何逃】子藝黍登嵗不過數石以供祭祀冠婚賓客之酒也成禮則止子之室酒不絶【用有節禮不闕】薛方士問【方士未見】子曰貧者斂手足富者具棺槨【孔子謂子路曰斂手足形而顔回有棺無槨】封域之制無廣也【古不封不樹孔子謂不可不志也故封之後代因有文尺之制】不居良田【妨農】古者不以死傷生不以厚為禮【帝王陵惟漢文及唐太宗無珍寳盜不發】陳叔達問事神之道子曰敬而逺之【敬謂不敢無之逺謂不敢有之】問祭子曰何獨祭也亦有祀焉有祭焉有享焉三者不同古先聖人所以接三才之奧也【周禮祭天曰祀祭地曰祭祭宗廟曰享異其名言神道幽奧禮宜分也分而接之則配天而天人統和】達茲三者之說則無不至矣【祭多名不出三才之奧耳】叔達俛其首【因問祭得天人之道故俛首思之甚】子曰王猛有君子之徳三焉其事上也宻其接下也溫其臨事也斷【猛字景略為符堅相議赦而青蠅洩之宻矣兵至鄴而逺近恬然溫矣先黜屍素然後舉賢斷矣】或問蘇綽子曰俊人也曰其道何如子曰行於戰國可以強行於太平則亂矣【蘇綽字令綽後周文帝時為尚書掌機宻長於筭術申韓之學厚於用法非正道故云太平則亂】問牛子曰厚人也【牛字裡仁隋文時作相宣勑而口不能言時稱其質重故曰厚人】子觀田魏徵杜淹董常至子曰各言志乎徵曰願事明王進思盡忠退思補過【直而逐好諫】淹曰願執明王之法使天下無寃人【誠而厲常好平刑】常曰願聖人之道行於時【其動權】常也無事於出處【其靜至】子曰大哉吾與常也【可與權可與至其道入性命矣】子在長安曰歸來乎今之好異輕進者率然而作無所取焉【仁夀四年在長安謁文帝見公卿異端輕率文辭不根道義苟媚其主使無所取治焉遂歸】子在絳【絳州】程元者因薛收而來【元門人未見】子與之言六經元退謂收曰夫子載造彝倫一匡皇極微夫子吾其失道左見矣【晉尚虎言至南朝淫靡左道變雅天下遂亂續經既造人文乃正】子曰蓋有慕名而作者吾不為也【虛名失實】叔恬曰文中子之教興其當隋之季世皇家之末造乎將敗者吾傷其不得用【隋敗】將興者吾惜其不得見【唐興】其志勤其言徵其事以蒼生為心乎【時門人千數至卿相者十餘人蓋蒼生受賜多矣】文中子曰二帝三王吾不得而見也舍兩漢將安之乎【之往也】大哉七制之主其以仁義公恕統天下乎【仁若文帝感緹縈去肉刑義若武帝殺釣弋防後族之亂公若明帝不許管陶求郎恕若章帝救楚王徙者是也】其役簡【仁也】其刑清【義也】君子樂其道【公也】小人懐其生【恕也】四百年間【髙祖至獻帝四百一十六年】天下無二志其有以結人心乎終之以禮樂則三王之舉也【禮樂者王道淳則舉漢雜霸道故不及三代】子曰王道之駁久矣【駁雜】禮樂可以不正乎【禮論樂論所以正之】大義之蕪甚矣【荒蕪】詩書可以不續乎【續詩續書所以明之】子曰唐虞之道直以大故以揖讓終焉【堯直讓舜大也】必也有聖人承之何必定法【以聖承聖其何常法之有】其道甚濶不可格於後【後若無聖安能格及】夏商之道直以簡故以放弒終焉【湯直伐桀簡也】必也有聖人扶之何必在我【我謂我君】其道亦曠不可制於下【下若有奸臣則無君之心難制矣】如有用我者吾其為周公所為乎【可以承則承可以扶則扶此周公之為】子燕居董常竇威侍子曰吾視千載已上聖人在上者未有若周公焉其道則一而經制大備【一謂堯舜湯武一歸於道也公羊傳曰周公何以不之魯欲天下之一乎周也大備謂設官分職制禮作樂也禮曰禮器是謂大備大備盛徳也】後之為政有所持循【一本作脩漢史作循】吾視千載而下未有若仲尼焉其道則一而述作大明【謂吾道一以貫之是也述詩書作春秋所以明周公也禮曰述者之謂明】後之修文者有所折中矣【無位則修而取中焉】千載而下有申周公之事者吾不得而見也【時異事殊】千載而下有紹宣尼之業者吾不得而讓也【當仁】子曰常也其殆坐忘乎【顔子坐忘遺照】靜不證理而足用焉【靜則本性也本性則不待外徵物理而後致用也如此則當其無有證之用】思則或妙【妙謂幾微也知幾其神神妙萬物不思而得坐忘是也董生雖不證理而未能無思故曰思則或妙以解上文其殆之義】李靖問聖人之道子曰無所由亦不至於彼門人曰徵也至或曰未也門人惑子曰徵也去此矣而未至於彼【已離中賢之見然未至上哲之性】或問彼之說子曰彼道之方也【達者無方未達者迷焉故設之以方使趍於彼也】必也無至乎【待至彼然後見道亦未為達者也猶一隅以知三隅是亦有隅也大方無隅而神無方聖人與神道並行無所至無不至】董常聞之悅【知道自至】門人不達【若房魏尚未至彼安能無至故不達】董常曰夫子之道與物而來與物而去【致知在格物物格然後知至是以來而應之若與俱來去則忘之若與俱去道之應物如是無方非至惟幾妙乎萬物則安能通其去來哉】來無所從去無所視【去來既通則何有來何有去】薛收曰大哉夫子之道一而已矣【無所來去混然圓神若大衍之一不可得而見】子謂程元曰汝與董常何如程元曰不敢企常常也遺道徳【遺猶忘也道大而無所道徳髙而無所徳是忘矣】元也志仁義【志求仁則仁志求義則義無志則無得是志矣】子曰常則然矣而汝於仁義未數數然也【數數頻也】其於彼有所至乎【由専至一隅故也】子曰董常時有慮焉【時謂時中也雖未能不思而得不勉而中然思則或妙慮必時中】其餘則動靜慮矣【其餘程薛房魏輩慮非時中然防其有動靜則慮之耳猶顔回三月不違仁其餘日月至焉而已】子曰孝哉薛收行無負於幽明【收父道衡非辜見戮收遁於首陽山以免此行全幽明矣】子於是日弔祭則終日不笑【哀未忘】或問王隠【隠字處叔多知西都舊章撰晉書文體混漫義不可解世不甚傳】子曰敏人也其器明其才富其學贍或問其道子曰述作多而經制淺其道不足稱也【器謂才學而已若加之識則三長具可以知道矣】子謂陳夀有志於史依大義而削異端【夀字永祚著三國志善敘事初王沈撰魏書韋耀續成之夀乃具吳蜀三國變史稱志大抵簡畧存其大義】謂範寗有志於春秋徵聖經而詰眾傳【範寗字武子為穀梁集解謂左氏失誣公羊失俗穀梁失短皆詰正於道耳詰奚吉反】子曰使陳夀不美於史遷固之罪也【史記雜黃老之道壯奸雄之詞漢書又模範紀傳愈加文飾是史筆之罪也】使範寗不盡美於春秋歆向之罪也【劉向治穀梁劉歆好左氏各守一家而不能貫聖經之本是古學之罪也】裴晞曰何謂也子曰史之失自遷固始也記繁而志寡【但務廣記而不原聖人教化之志】春秋之失自歆向始也棄經而任傳【但爭眾傳而不原聖人權衡之法】子曰蓋九師興而易道微【淮南王聘九人明易者撰道訓二十篇號九師易】三傳作而春秋散【公羊髙穀梁喜左丘明皆孔子門人】賈瓊曰何謂也子曰白黑相渝能無微乎【白黑渝正色渝弋朱反】是非相擾能無散乎【是非擾正道】故齊韓毛鄭詩之末也【後蒼所傳為齊詩韓嬰所傳為韓詩毛鄭詩毛萇注鄭箋也】大戴小戴禮之衰也【二戴因曲臺記論於石渠成禮記戴徳號大戴戴聖號小戴】書殘於古今【孔安國家藏科斗尚書以今文易之劉歆別得古本奏立古文尚書】詩失於齊魯【齊轅固生治詩為博士齊人宗之魯申公漢初為儒學魯人宗之於是有齊魯詩】汝知之乎賈瓊曰然則無師無傳可乎子曰神而明之存乎其人【聖性神受天縱無師】苟非其人道不虛行【人能道】必也傳又不可廢也【傳之在師得之在已所傳有限所得無窮故周公師天下仲尼自得之仲尼師萬世仲淹自得之皆神契其道不盡由師明矣孟子曰君子之深造於道也欲其自得之自得之則居之安居之安則取諸左右逢其原然學不可無師而得之不由師也】子謂叔恬曰汝不為續詩乎則其視七代損益終懣然也【七代注見上懣昏也懣七困反】子謂續詩可以諷可以達【諷時政達下情】可以蕩可以獨處【盪滌鬰結獨處無邪】出則悌入則孝【上四徳備矣則孝悌動天地感神】多見治亂之情【治之情樂亂之情哀】文中子曰吾師也詞達而已矣【聖人不煩文惟達意而已】或問揚雄張衡子曰古之振竒人也其思苦其言艱【揚雄作太經及倉頡訓綦沈黙精思好學竒字張衡作渾天及地動儀如揚雄之學大抵好竒多艱若】曰其道何如子曰靖矣【艱苦而竒未足適變蓋守靖而已】子曰過而不文【不文過】犯而不校有功而不伐君子人哉子曰我未見見謗而喜聞譽而懼者子曰富觀其所與【與貧則仁與奸則賊】貧觀其所取【取於義則安取於利則危】達觀其所好【好賢則治好佞則亂】窮觀其所為【為善則生為惡則死】可也【四者可以知人不須多察】或問魏孝文子曰可與興化【後魏元氏名宏始都洛陽修文物制度太和詔冊帝自為之可與興文化矣】銅川夫人好藥【子之母】子始述方【伎術非事親不暇為也】芮城府君重隂陽【子之兄也為芮城令陜州縣名芮而銳反】子始著厯日且曰吾懼覽者或費日也【聖人與天地合徳安在推步隂陽蓋以事兄之心始著星厯恐門人拘忌妄習災福故特雲懼費日而已】子謂薛知仁善處俗【知仁未見處俗謂能隨俗而處】以芮城之子妻之子曰內難而能正其志【引明夷彖辭】同州府君以之【文中子髙祖名彥為同州刺史內難未詳】子曰吾於天下無去也無就也惟道之從【從中道】

The Master said: The round moves and the square is still; from this one can perhaps see the heart of Heaven and Earth [Heaven is round and moves, Earth is square and still, and humans live between motion and stillness. "The center" is the heart, which can be seen]. The Master said: The wise take joy, probably because they act upon what is preserved in things [what things preserve, I follow and benefit, hence joy]. The benevolent live long, probably because they act in forgetfulness of self [when I forget the credit, things transform of themselves, hence long life]. The Master said: Yao Yi is pure and dignified [Yao Yi's biography is not seen; pure and dignified]; Li Jing is kind and decisive [Li Jing was originally named Yaoshi; his maternal uncle Han Qinhu admired his skill in discussing warfare; kind to things and bravely decisive]; Dou Wei is gentle and broadly learned [Dou Wei, courtesy name Wenwei, was an elder cousin of Empress Dou; gentle in manner and broadly learned]; Xue Shou is expansive and solemn [Xue Shou's bearing was expansive and his aims solemn]; Jia Qiong is clear-minded and resolute [Jia Qiong was thoroughly clear and resolute]; Du Yan is sincere and stern [Du Yan, courtesy name Zhili, lived in seclusion on Mount Taibai in the Sui and came to study with the Master; sincere and stern]; Xuanling is purposeful and meticulous [Fang Qiao, courtesy name Xuanling ([character lost in transcription]), was a son of Fang Yanqian of the Sui; refined in purpose and meticulous in use]; Wei Zheng follows the straight Way and completes his tasks [Wei Zheng, courtesy name Xuancheng ([character lost in transcription]), followed the straight Way and carried it out]; Da Ya is deep and magnanimous [Wen Daya, courtesy name Yanhong ([character lost in transcription]), was deep in capacity and generous ([character lost in transcription])]; Shuda is simple, calm and upright [Chen Shuda, courtesy name Zicong, was the second son of Emperor Xuan of Chen ([character lost in transcription]); simple, calm, central and upright]. Had they met their times, they would not fall short of ministers and chancellors, yet rites and music would still not be complete [Li Jing and Yanbo became ministers of state, Dou Wei became Grand Secretary, Du Yan Censor-in-Chief, Xuanling Minister of Works, Wei Zheng Grand Preceptor, and Da Ya and Shuda both became ministers of the Secretariat; these were all ministers and chancellors. But each had two virtues and had not yet become all-round talents, so it is said that rites and music were incomplete]. Someone asked: Who was Dong Chang? The Master said: When he moves he can adapt to circumstances [adapting is talent], and when still he can reach the utmost [reaching the utmost is nature]; he is probably of the school of Yan Hui [of the subtlest beginnings of movement, he is nearly there; of the utmost stillness, he is often empty]. Shu Tian said: Shan Tao, serving in the Ministry of Personnel, raised up the worthy and promoted the good, and no one knew at the time; after his death the Son of Heaven brought his memorials to court, and only then was it known that all the talents had been advanced by Shan Tao. What of that? The Master said: He was secretive [Shan Tao, courtesy name Juyuan, served over ten years in charge of selecting officials, and the world called him one who obtained good men. Yet he was not like an official nor like a recluse; he was merely secretive]. Asked: Was he benevolent [as if forgetting what he did]? The Master said: I do not know. Li Mi came to see the Master and discussed warfare [Li Mi, courtesy name Fazhu, inherited a ducal title and plotted rebellion with Yang Xuangan ([character lost in transcription]); he thought himself skilled in arms]. The Master said: As for rites, trust, benevolence and righteousness, I will discuss them; as for "isolation and void" and trickery and force, I take no part ["isolation and void" is a technique of the military schools]. Li Boyao came to see the Master and discussed poetry [Boyao, courtesy name Zhonggui, a son of Delin, discussed the poetry of the Southern Dynasties]. The Master did not answer. Boyao withdrew and said to Xue Shou: Above I set forth Ying and Liu, below I narrate Shen and Xie [Ying Qu and Liu Gonggan of Wei, Shen Yue and Xie Lingyun of Liang]; I divide the four tones and eight faults [the rhyme system of the four tones began with Shen Yue; the eight faults are not known in detail], hard and soft, clear and turbid each have their proper order [vigorous speech is hard, far-reaching meaning is soft; lofty and free is clear, solid and plain is turbid], and the sounds resemble the xun and chi [the xun is an earthen instrument, hard and turbid; the chi is a bamboo instrument, soft and clear. In the Rites of Zhou the junior music master takes charge of the xun, which has a pointed top, a flat bottom and six holes; the chi is blown crosswise and has seven holes]. Yet the Master did not respond; perhaps I have not yet understood? Xue Shou said: I once heard the Master discuss poetry. Above it makes clear the three bonds, below it reaches the five constants [moral influence on husband and wife is the first of the three bonds; chanting of feeling and nature is the root of the five constants], and then it examines survival and loss and distinguishes gain and fault. So petty people sing it to present the customs, gentlemen compose it to express their aims ["present" means to report. By singing of the green bamboo one knows the customs of Wei; by singing of the plank houses one knows the customs of Qin. When the six ministers of Zheng saw off Han Xuanzi, Xuanzi said: from this I know the aims of Zheng], and sages collect it to observe change [establishing officials to gather poems]. Now you bustle and gallop in the lowest stream [the last stream of the decayed literature of Qi and Liang], which is what grieves the Master. There is a reason he did not answer. The Master said: Is learning merely wide recitation? It must penetrate to the Way. Is writing merely casual composing? It must be of benefit to righteousness [learning and writing are originally for the sake of the Way and righteousness]. The Secretary Xue saw the Master in Chang'an, and on withdrawing said to his son Xue Shou: The River Chart and the Luo Writing are both here; go and serve him, and do not miss the chance [Xue Daoheng was then Palace Secretary and knew Wenzhongzi was a sage, saying that the eight trigrams and the nine divisions could all be taken as models in him]. The Master said: I have not yet seen a scholar who wears splendid clothes and eats fresh food yet delights in the Way [extravagance means little virtue]. The Master said to Wei Zheng: You and Wang Ning are both naturally straight men. Zheng is "carrying through" and Ning is "standing out" ["carrying through" is acting resolutely, "standing out" is being distinguished]. If both acted in the times, there would be use and discarding [carrying through is acting, standing out is holding firm]. The Master said to Li Jing: If Ning were accepted by the times, then the king's law would not be bent [not bent]. Li Jing asked how it is to rely on wisdom. The Master said: Take benevolence as your own task. A petty person relies on wisdom and turns against benevolence, and is a thief [even thieves have a way]; a gentleman who relies on wisdom and turns against benevolence causes disorder [the harm of attacking heterodoxy]. Xue Shou asked who Zhongzhang Ziguang was [Ziguang, courtesy name Buyao, wandered in Hedong; when asked about himself he wrote the two characters "Lao" and "Yi" in reply. Wang Ji wrote a Biography of Master Zhongzhang]. The Master said: A man of Heaven. Xue Shou said: What is a man of Heaven? The Master said: How tiny and distant, hence he belongs to men; how vast and open, he alone can complete his Heaven [in form he is a man, in the Way he is Heaven. The Rites say: what is at peace lasts, what lasts becomes Heaven]. Jia Qiong asked about the Way of the gentleman. The Master said: It must first be reciprocity. Asked: May I ask about reciprocity? The Master said: As a son, take your father's heart as your own heart [with filial piety one knows the father's kindness]; as a younger brother, take your elder brother's heart as your own heart [with brotherly respect one knows the elder brother's affection]. Extend this to all under heaven, and that is enough [supreme filial piety is close to kingliness and supreme brotherly respect is close to hegemony. One who extends the kingly Way to the world can be called a gentleman]. The Master said: The gentleman's learning advances toward the Way [relieving the world], the petty person's learning advances toward profit [managing one body]. When the troubles in Chu broke out, someone was sent to summon the Master, but he did not go, and said to the envoy: Please thank the Duke of Chu for me [Yang Xuangan ([character lost in transcription]) had inherited the title Duke of Chu and raised troops in rebellion at Liyang, hence "troubles broke out"]. When the world collapses into disorder, only the utmost impartiality and sincere blood can settle it. If it is not that way, do not become a leader of calamity [if it does not answer Heaven and follow the people, the disaster falls on oneself]. Li Mi asked about the strategy of kingly rule and hegemony. The Master said: Do not take the world as a reason to treat lightly the life of one person ["treat lightly" uses the yi of "easy". One person is the tiniest thing; one must not, for the sake of the vast world, treat lightly the life of a common man]. When Li Mi went out, the Master said to Jia Qiong: The one who throws the world into disorder is sure to be this man. He delights in disaster and thinks of calamity, loves strength and longs to win, and the spirits will not be with him [afterwards he indeed rebelled and was executed]. At home, the Master was affectionate even to young children [not stern], and in dealing with people he was composed even to boy servants [not arrogant]. The Master said: I have not seen anyone who knows destiny [destiny is the mandate of Heaven. When virtue accords with Heaven and the heart returns to its nature, that is called knowing destiny. Confucius at fifty knew the mandate of Heaven. Mencius said: one who exhausts his heart knows his nature, one who knows his nature knows Heaven. The Changes say: exhaust principle and fully realize nature to reach destiny. Thus destiny cannot be known without nature. Wenzhongzi lamented that even those who know their nature were few, so he said he had not seen one who knows destiny]. The Master said: Do not pursue profit, do not avoid harm, do not force friendship, do not casually sever it [the four lie only where righteousness lies]; only one who has the Way can do this [has moral principle]. The Master farmed with his own hands. Someone asked: Is that not toilsome? The Master said: If one man does not plow, someone goes hungry, and besides this is the duty of a commoner [Shun was in the fields yet his aim was on the world. The sages and worthies farmed in person to keep watch over the customs]. The guilt of abandoning one's duty has nowhere to flee between Heaven and Earth; can I flee it [if one does not serve in office, one farms; where could the four classes flee?]. The Master planted millet and harvested ([character lost in transcription]) only a few shi in a year, to supply the wine for sacrifices, capping and marriage rites, and guests. When the rite was complete he stopped. There was always wine in the Master's house [used with moderation and with no lack of rite]. Xue Fangshi asked about burial ([character lost in transcription]) [Fangshi's deeds are not seen]. The Master said: The poor gather the hands and feet, the rich provide the coffin and outer coffin [Confucius said to Zilu: gather the hands, feet and body and bury ([character lost in transcription]). Yan Hui had a coffin but no outer coffin]. Do not make the bounds of the grave too wide [in antiquity there were no mounds or trees. Confucius said that one cannot go without a marker, so earth was heaped up. Later generations therefore had rules of feet and inches], and do not occupy good fields [it harms farming]. The ancients did not harm the living for the dead, and did not take lavishness as ritual [of imperial tombs only those of Emperor Wen of Han and Taizong of Tang held no treasure, and robbers did not dig them up]. Chen Shuda asked about the Way of serving ([character lost in transcription]) spirits. The Master said: Respect them but keep your distance ["respect" means not daring to think they do not exist, "keep distance" means not daring to think they do]. Asked about sacrifice. The Master said: Not merely sacrifice. There is si, there is ji, and there is xiang. The three are different, and the ancient sages used them to meet the mysteries of the three powers [in the Rites of Zhou, sacrifice to Heaven is called si, sacrifice to Earth is called ji, and sacrifice at the ancestral temple is called xiang. Their names differ because the way of the spirits is hidden and mysterious and the rites must distinguish them. By distinguishing and meeting them, one matches Heaven and Heaven and man are unified in harmony]. Understanding these three explanations, there is nothing one cannot reach [the names of sacrifices are many, but they do not go beyond the mysteries of the three powers]. Shuda lowered his head [because asking about sacrifice he obtained the Way of Heaven and man, so he bowed his head in deep thought]. The Master said: Wang Meng had three gentlemanly virtues: he was discreet in serving superiors, mild in dealing with inferiors, and decisive in handling affairs [Wang Meng, courtesy name Jinglue, was chancellor to Fu Jian. When an amnesty was discussed and the bluebottle flies leaked it, that was discretion; when troops reached Ye and near and far were calm, that was mildness; he first dismissed the idle office-holders and then raised the worthy, that was decisiveness]. Someone asked about Su Chuo. The Master said: A man of talent. Asked: What of his Way? The Master said: Practiced in the Warring States it could make a state strong; practiced in an age of great peace it would bring disorder [Su Chuo, courtesy name Lingchuo, was a minister under Emperor Wen of the Later Zhou in charge of confidential matters, skilled in calculation and the learning of Shen and Han, and used law very heavily, which is not the correct Way, so it is said it would bring disorder in great peace]. Asked about Niu Hong ([character lost in transcription]). The Master said: A man of substance [Niu Hong, courtesy name Liren, was chancellor under Emperor Wen of the Sui; when issuing edicts his mouth could not speak, and the times called him weighty and plain, hence a man of substance]. The Master was looking at the fields when Wei Zheng, Du Yan and Dong Chang arrived. The Master said: Let each say his aim. Wei Zheng said: I wish to serve an enlightened king, in advancing to think of giving full loyalty, and in retiring to think of mending faults [straight and thorough, fond of remonstrance]. Du Yan said: I wish to hold the laws of an enlightened king so that no one in the world suffers injustice [sincere and stern, always fond of fair punishments]. Dong Chang said: I wish that the Way of the sage may be practiced in the age [when he moves he can adapt]; as for myself, Dong Chang, I am not attached to serving or retiring [when still he can reach the utmost]. The Master said: Great, I approve of Chang [one with whom one can adapt and reach the utmost; his Way has entered nature and destiny]. The Master in Chang'an said: Let me return home. Now those who love the strange and rush forward lightly act on impulse, and there is nothing to take from them [in the fourth year of Renshou he paid his respects to Emperor Wen in Chang'an and saw that the ministers held heterodox views, were careless with literary phrases, were not rooted in the Way and righteousness, and flattered the ruler for the moment, so that there was nothing to take for the Way of governing; so he went home]. The Master was in Jiang [Jiangzhou] when Cheng Yuan came through Xue Shou [Cheng Yuan was a disciple whose deeds are not seen]. The Master discussed the Six Classics with him. Cheng Yuan withdrew and said to Xue Shou: The Master has rebuilt the human bonds and set the royal standard straight at a stroke. Without the Master, I would probably have lost the Way and seen only the left [the Jin honored empty talk, and by the Southern Dynasties extravagance had reached heterodoxy and changed the elegant, so the world fell into disorder. Only after he continued the Classics was human culture set right]. The Master said: There are probably those who write for the sake of fame; I do not [vain fame loses reality]. Shu Tian said: The rise of Wenzhongzi's teaching came probably just in the last years of the Sui, at the end of the imperial house. For what was about to fall, I grieve that he could not be used [the fall of the Sui]; for what was about to rise, I regret that he could not be seen [the rise of the Tang]. His aim was diligent, his words were borne out, and his work took the common people to heart [at that time he had a thousand disciples, and over ten became ministers, so the people probably received much]. Wenzhongzi said: The Two Emperors and Three Kings I cannot see; setting aside the two Han, where shall I go ["zhi" means to go]? Great were the rulers of the seven institutions, who probably ruled the world with benevolence, righteousness, impartiality and reciprocity [benevolence, as when Emperor Wen, moved by Tiying, abolished mutilating punishments; righteousness, as when Emperor Wu killed Lady Gouyi to forestall disorder from the empress's kin; impartiality, as when Emperor Ming refused the request of Guantao to appoint a gentleman; reciprocity, as when Emperor Zhang rescued the exiles of the Prince of Chu]. Light labor service [benevolence], clear punishments [righteousness], gentlemen enjoyed their Way [impartiality], and petty people cherished their lives [reciprocity]. For four hundred years [from Gaozu to Emperor Xian, four hundred and sixteen years] the world had no divided purpose, and there was probably something that bound men's hearts. Had it been crowned with rites and music, it would have been the work of the Three Kings [rites and music are performed only when the kingly Way is pure. The Han mixed in the hegemonic way, so they did not reach the Three Dynasties]. The Master said: The kingly Way has been mixed for a long time ["mixed" is mixed and impure]; may rites and music remain uncorrected [the Discourse on Rites and the Discourse on Music were used to correct it]? Great righteousness has become badly overgrown [overgrown with weeds]; may the Songs and Documents remain uncontinued [the continuation of the Songs and of the Documents was to make it clear]? The Master said: The Way of Tang and Yu was straight and great, so it ended in abdication [Yao was straight and yielded to Shun, which is great]. There must be a sage to succeed it; why must there be a fixed method [a sage succeeding a sage has no constant rule]? That Way was very broad and cannot be used to bound later people [if later people have no sage, how can they reach it]. The Way of Xia and Shang was straight and simple, so it ended in exile and assassination [Tang was straight and attacked Jie, which is simple]. There must be a sage to support it; why must it be me ["me" means my ruler]? That Way was also very empty and open and cannot be used to restrain those below [if there are treacherous ministers below, the heart that has no ruler is hard to restrain]. If someone were to use me, I would probably do what the Duke of Zhou did [what could be inherited he inherited, what could be supported he supported, which was the Duke of Zhou's work]. The Master was at leisure, with Dong Chang and Dou Wei attending. The Master said: Looking over a thousand years and more before us, among sages in high places, none was like the Duke of Zhou. His Way was one, and his classic institutions were complete ["one" means that Yao, Shun, Tang and Wu all returned to the Way. The Gongyang Commentary says: why did the Duke of Zhou not go to Lu? He wished to unify the world under Zhou. "Complete" means establishing offices and dividing duties, creating rites and composing music. The Rites say: ritual vessels are called complete, and completeness is abundant virtue]. Later rulers had something to follow [another text uses a different form of the character xiu; the Han History has xun, to follow]. Looking over a thousand years and more after us, none will be like Zhongni. His Way was one, and his transmission and composition were greatly bright [this means my Way is threaded by one thread. He transmitted the Songs and Documents and composed the Spring and Autumn Annals to illuminate the Duke of Zhou. The Rites say: the one who transmits is called bright]. Later writers have something to hold to the mean [lacking position, they edit and take the mean]. If, a thousand years hence, anyone sets out to clarify the work of the Duke of Zhou, I shall not see it [times differ and affairs differ]; if anyone takes up the work of Xuanni (Confucius), I shall not yield [when it comes to benevolence]. The Master said: Chang is probably close to sitting in forgetfulness [Yan Zi's sitting in forgetfulness and leaving reflections behind]. In stillness he does not seek proof in principle and yet has enough to use [stillness is the original nature. Nature does not wait for outer proof of the principles of things and then become effective. Thus when there is nothing, there is the use of proof]; in thinking he may perhaps be subtle ["subtle" is the barely perceptible. To know the incipient is divine, and divinity makes all things subtle; to obtain without thinking is sitting in forgetfulness. Though Master Dong does not seek proof in principle, he is not yet without thought, hence "in thinking he may perhaps be subtle," explaining the meaning of "probably" above]. Li Jing asked about the Way of the sage. The Master said: It has no source from which it comes, nor does it arrive at that. A disciple said: Jing has arrived. Someone said: Not yet. The disciples were puzzled. The Master said: Jing has left here but has not yet reached that [he has left the views of the middling worthy but has not reached the nature of the highest sage]. Someone asked about that. The Master said: That is the direction of the Way [those who have arrived have no direction, and those who have not are confused, so a direction is set up so that they move toward that]. There must be no arriving, then [when one reaches that, one then sees the Way, but still it is not arrival. It is like knowing three corners from one; there is still a corner. The great square has no corners and the spirit has no direction; the sage proceeds together with the divine Way, arriving nowhere and failing to arrive nowhere]. Dong Chang was glad on hearing it [he knew the Way would arrive of itself]. The disciples did not understand [people like Fang and Wei had not reached that, so how could they have no arrival; hence they did not understand]. Dong Chang said: The Master's Way comes with things and goes with things [extending knowledge lies in investigating things; when things are investigated, knowledge is complete. So it comes and responds, as if coming with the thing; it goes and forgets, as if going with it. The Way's response to things is this without direction. Without utmost ([character lost in transcription]), the incipient, and subtlety in all things, how could one penetrate its coming and going]. It comes from nowhere and goes with nothing to be seen [since coming and going are penetrated, what is coming and what is going]. Xue Shou said: Great is the Master's Way, it is only one [there is no coming or going, it is a rounded, undivided spirit, like the One of the great expansion, which cannot be seen]. The Master said to Cheng Yuan: How do you compare with Dong Chang? Cheng Yuan said: I dare not look up to Chang. Chang can forget the Way and virtue ["forget" means to lose sight of. The Way is great and has nothing to call the Way, virtue is high and has nothing to call virtue, which is forgetting]; I, Cheng Yuan, have my aim set on benevolence and righteousness [when the will seeks benevolence there is benevolence, when it seeks righteousness there is righteousness. Without will there is no gain, which is aim]. The Master said: Chang is like that, while you in benevolence and righteousness are not yet frequent ["frequent" is repeated]. Perhaps you have reached something of that [because of devoting yourself to one corner]. The Master said: Dong Chang is at times reflective ["at times" means at the right time. Though he cannot yet obtain without thinking and hit the mean without effort, in thinking he may be subtle, and when he reflects he surely hits the mean at the right time]. The others reflect only when there is movement or stillness [the rest, Cheng, Xue, Fang and Wei, do not reflect at the right time, but only reflect when there is movement or stillness. It is like Yan Hui who for three months did not depart from benevolence, while the others reached it only for a day or a month]. The Master said: Filial indeed is Xue Shou; his conduct did not fail either the visible or the hidden world [Xue Shou's father Daoheng was killed though innocent, and Xue Shou fled to Mount Shouyang to avoid disaster. This conduct preserved both the visible and the hidden]. On days of condolence and sacrifice, the Master did not smile all day [grief not yet forgotten]. Someone asked about Wang Yin [Wang Yin, courtesy name Chushu, knew much of the old regulations of the western capital and compiled a History of Jin, but its style was confused and its meaning hard to follow, and it did not circulate much in the world]. The Master said: A quick man. His capacity was bright, his talent rich, his learning abundant. Someone asked about his Way. The Master said: His narration and composition are many but his classic institutions are shallow; his Way is not worth mentioning [capacity is only talent and learning; if insight is added, then the three strengths are complete and one can know]. The Master said that Chen Shou had an aim in history, relying on great meaning and cutting away heterodoxy [Chen Shou, courtesy name Chengzuo (the base text has "Yongzuo"), wrote the Records of the Three Kingdoms and was good at narration. At first Wang Shen compiled the Book of Wei and Wei Yao continued it; Chen Shou then made Wu and Shu complete, and the Three Kingdoms changed history to records, mostly brief, preserving the great meaning]. He said that Fan Ning had an aim in the Spring and Autumn Annals, testing the sage classic and questioning the many commentaries [Fan Ning, courtesy name Wuzi, wrote the Collected Explanations of the Guliang Commentary, saying the Zuo's fault was fabrication, the Gongyang's was vulgarity, and the Guliang's was brevity, and he questioned and corrected all according to the Way. Pronunciation note: "jie" is read xi-ji]. The Master said: If Chen Shou did not make history fully fine, that is the fault of Qian and Gu [the Records of the Historian mixed in the way of Huang-Lao and magnified the words of schemers; the Han History again modeled itself on annals and biographies and added more ornament. This is the fault of the historian's pen]. If Fan Ning did not make the Spring and Autumn Annals fully fine, that is the fault of Xin and Xiang [Liu Xiang studied the Guliang and Liu Xin loved the Zuo, each holding to one school and unable to penetrate the root of the sage classic. This is the fault of ancient learning]. Pei Xi said: What do you mean? The Master said: The failure of history began with Qian and Gu, who recorded much and aimed little [they only worked at wide record and did not trace back to the sage's aim in teaching and transforming]. The failure of the Spring and Autumn Annals began with Xin and Xiang, who abandoned the classic and relied on the commentary [they only contended over the many commentaries and did not trace back to the sage's method of weighing]. The Master said: Probably when the Nine Masters arose the Way of the Changes grew faint [the King of Huainan summoned nine men who understood the Changes and compiled twenty chapters of Instruction on the Way, called the Changes of the Nine Masters]; when the three commentaries were written the Spring and Autumn Annals dispersed [Gongyang Gao, Guliang Xi and Zuo Qiuming were all disciples of Confucius]. Jia Qiong said: What do you mean? The Master said: When white and black change and confuse each other, can it not grow faint [white and black confuse the proper colors. Pronunciation note: "yu" is read yi-zhu]; when right and wrong stir each other up, can it not disperse [right and wrong stir up the correct Way]. So Qi, Han, Mao and Zheng are the lower streams of the Songs [what Hou Cang transmitted was the Qi Songs, what Han Ying transmitted was the Han Songs, and the Mao and Zheng Songs are Mao Chang's commentary and Zheng Xuan's ([character lost in transcription]) notes]; Elder Dai and Younger Dai are the decline of the Rites [the two Dais compiled the Record of Rites based on the Qutai Record and the discussions at Shiqu. Dai De is called Elder Dai and Dai Sheng Younger Dai]. The Documents were damaged by old and new [the Kong Anguo family kept the tadpole-script Book of Documents and altered it with modern script; Liu Xin separately obtained an old text and petitioned to set up the Old Text Documents], and the Songs were lost in Qi and Lu [Yuan Gusheng of Qi taught the Songs as an Erudite and the people of Qi revered him; Shen Gong of Lu was a Confucian scholar in the early Han and the people of Lu revered him. Hence there were the Qi Songs and the Lu Songs]. Do you know this? Jia Qiong said: Then is it acceptable to have no teacher and no transmission? The Master said: To make it divine and bright lies in the person [the sage's nature is divinely received, endowed by Heaven, and has no teacher]. If it is not that person, the Way will not be practiced in vain [a person can broaden ([character lost in transcription]) the Way]. Yet the transmission cannot be discarded [transmission lies in the teacher and attainment lies in oneself. What is transmitted is limited, what is attained is limitless. So the Duke of Zhou taught the world and Zhongni attained it himself; Zhongni taught ten thousand generations and Zhongyan attained it himself. All were divinely in accord with the Way, not wholly through teachers, which is plain. Mencius said: the gentleman goes deep in the Way, wishing to attain it himself. When he attains it himself he dwells in it at ease, dwelling in it at ease he draws on it from left and right and finds its source. Yet learning cannot do without a teacher, though attainment does not come from a teacher]. The Master said to Shu Tian: Will you not make a continuation of the Songs? Then to look at the gains and losses of the seven dynasties will end in confusion [the seven dynasties are annotated above. "Men" means dim. Pronunciation note: "men" is read qi-kun]. The Master said that the continuation of the Songs can criticize and can communicate [criticize the government, communicate the feelings of those below], can cleanse and can bear solitude [cleanse pent-up feelings, be without deviation in solitude], going out one shows brotherly respect and coming in one shows filial piety [when the four virtues above are complete, filial piety and brotherly respect move Heaven and Earth and stir ([character lost in transcription]) the spirits], and one sees much of the feelings of order and disorder [the feeling of order is joy, and the feeling of disorder is grief]. Wenzhongzi said: My method as a teacher is only that words be clear [sages do not trouble about literary flourish, but only convey meaning]. Someone asked about Yang Xiong and Zhang Heng. The Master said: Men of the ancient world who brought forth the strange. Their thought was laborious and their words difficult [Yang Xiong wrote the Canon of the Great Mystery ([character lost in transcription]) and the Cangjie Commentary, thinking deeply in silence and fond of strange characters. Zhang Heng made the armillary sphere and the seismograph. Yang Xiong's learning was fond of strangeness and mostly difficult]. Asked: What of their Way? The Master said: Placid [laborious and strange, not enough to adapt to change; they probably only kept to placidity]. The Master said: To have fault and not disguise it [not disguising faults], to be offended and not take it to heart, to have merit and not boast of it, such is a gentleman. The Master said: I have not seen anyone who is glad on being slandered and afraid on hearing praise. The Master said: With the rich, look at what he gives [giving to the poor is benevolent, giving to the treacherous is brigandage]; with the poor, look at what he takes [taking by righteousness is secure, taking by profit is dangerous]; with the successful, look at what he likes [liking the worthy brings order, liking flatterers brings disorder]; with the destitute, look at what he does [doing good brings life, doing evil brings death]; this is enough [with these four one can know a person without much scrutiny]. Someone asked about Emperor Xiaowen of Wei. The Master said: One can start a transformation of culture with him [Yuan Hong of the Later Wei first made Luoyang his capital and reformed institutions; the edicts of the Taihe era were written by the emperor himself, so one can start culture with him]. Madam Tongchuan loved medicines [the Master's mother], so the Master first began to describe prescriptions [if skills were not for serving one's parents, he would have no leisure for them]. The Lord of Ruicheng valued yin and yang [the Master's elder brother, who served as magistrate of Ruicheng, a county in Shaanzhou. Pronunciation note: "rui" is read er-rui], so the Master first began writing calendars, and said: I fear that those who read them may waste days [sages join their virtue to Heaven and Earth; how could they be concerned with calculating yin and yang? Probably with the heart of serving an elder brother he first began writing star calendars. Fearing disciples would become taboo-bound and wrongly study omens of fortune and misfortune, he deliberately said only that he feared wasting days]. The Master said that Xue Zhiren was good at dealing with customs [Zhiren's deeds are not seen. "Dealing with customs" means able to live along with the customs], and married the daughter of Ruicheng to him. The Master said: To have inner difficulty and yet keep one's aim straight [quoting the Judgment of Mingyi], Lord Tongzhou was like this [Wenzhongzi's high ancestor was named Yan and was governor of Tongzhou. His inner difficulty is not known]. The Master said: Toward the world I have nothing to leave and nothing to join; I only follow the Way [follow the Way of the mean].

房齡問事君之道子曰無私問使人之道曰無偏曰敢問化人之道子曰正其心問禮樂子曰王道盛則禮樂從而興焉非爾所及也【仁義著則王道盛也樂者仁之聲也禮者義之容也必待明王乃可興非今爾所及】或問楊素子曰作福作威玉食不知其他也【驕且吝不足觀】房齡問郡縣之治【秦罷侯置守郡縣始於此】子曰宗周列國八百餘年【列國謂封建五等諸侯】皇漢雜建四百餘載【漢監秦亡之勢雖無五等而雜封功臣宗室子弟】魏晉已降滅亡不暇【魏晉已有封爵然虛名無實故防於權臣之手】吾不知其用也【觀周漢之永魏晉之促其用可知矣】楊素使謂子曰盍仕乎子曰防屬之南【疏屬山名山海經云枕汾水名管岑】汾水之曲有先人之弊廬在可以避風雨有田可以具饘粥彈琴著書講道勸義自樂也願君侯正身以統天下【素驕故以正規之】時和歳豐則通也受賜多矣不願仕也【終巽言以拒之】子曰古之為政者先徳而後刑故其人悅以恕【悅謂知徳及我恕謂知刑不得已而行】今之為政者任刑而棄徳故其人怨以詐【怨謂不教我而致我犯詐謂矯求苟免】子曰古之從仕者養人今之從仕者養已【嘆反古】子曰甚矣齊文宣之虐也【北齊髙洋以峻法御下】姚義曰何謂克終子曰有楊遵彥者寔國掌命【楊愔字遵彥文宣時為尚書本史稱朝章國命一人而已】視民如傷奚為不終【言有賢臣故不亡】竇威好議禮子曰威也賢乎哉我則不敢【威所好者禮之文耳文中子不敢者禮之情也夫知禮樂之情者能作識禮樂之文者能述隋室禮壤賢威有心大抵治定而後議今非其時故曰不敢】北山丈人【山海經云北山之首曰單孤文人無名氏】謂文中子曰何謂遑遑者無急歟子曰非敢急傷時怠也【怠而不修斯文喪矣】子曰吾不度不執【度徳執用】不常不遂【得常遂行】房齡曰書云霍光廢帝舉帝何謂也【續書有霍光之事言廢帝舉帝之事光字子孟先是武帝盡周公相成王圖以賜光光盡忠輔之昭帝崩立昌邑王賀賀有罪三千條光廢之而立宣帝續書云大臣之義載於業者有七其一曰命文中子曰書有命邃矣其有成敗於其間天下懸之不得已而臨之乎】子曰何必霍光古之大臣廢昏舉明所以康天下也【古若伊尹】子游河間之渚【隋河間郡連涿水渚今深州】河上丈人曰何居乎斯人也【丈人無名氏居音姬發語之端】心若醉六經目若營四海何居乎斯人也文中子去之薛收曰何人也子曰隠者也收曰盍從之乎【訝子去之】子曰吾與彼不相從久矣【吾吾道也吾道自仲尼與荷蓧丈人已來不相從也故曰久矣】至人相從乎【收問至人無名還從隠乎】子曰否也【言至人有名而難名者也今之隠者異於是獨善一身不以天下為道】子在河上曰滔滔乎昔吾願止焉而不可得也今吾得之止乎【聖人時行則行時止則止昔常欲止而心猶有為故獻防於長安今道之不行得以止矣故退居於河曲】子見牧守屢易曰堯舜三載考績仲尼三年有成今旬月而易吾不知其道【痛隋行秦苟且之政】薛收曰如何子曰三代之興邦家有社稷焉【諸侯稱邦卿大夫稱家立社稷世奉其祀】兩漢之盛牧守有子孫焉【襲爵通侯無罪國不除】不如是之亟也【亟猶遽也】無定主而責之以忠無定民而責之以化雖曰能之末由也已【末莫也】賀若弼請射於子發必中【弼字輔伯平陳有武功為總管隋主宴突厥人使命之射一發中的命弼射一發亦中的弼自矜善射故請子觀】子曰美哉乎藝也【六藝次三曰射】古君子志於道據於徳依於仁而後藝可遊也【言藝成而下君子游之而已】弼不悅而退子謂門人曰矜而愎難乎免於今之世矣【弼竟誅死】子謂荀悅史乎史乎【悅字仲豫漢獻帝時侍講禁中依編年體著前漢紀三十篇詞約事詳申明制度重言美之也】謂陸機文乎文乎【機字士衡作文賦及辨亡論蓋有述作之志復祖之風】皆思過半矣子謂文士之行可見謝靈運小人哉其文傲君子則謹【靈運之孫襲爵康樂公性奢豪曽為永嘉太守多遊山不聽民訟召為侍中稱疾不朝此傲可見也】沈休文小人哉其文冶君子則典【沈約字休文始制音韻好艶冶之辭梁朝士人宗之益務妍侈此冶可見矣】鮑昭江淹古之狷者也其文急以怨【昭字明逺為宋臨江王防軍有虛詞而官不達故多怨刺淹字文通為宋建平王從事有罪下獄上書其言急皆狷可見矣】吳筠孔珪古之狂者也其文怪以怒【南史無吳筠疑是吳均文之誤也均字叔庠文體古怪又疑是王筠字元禮為文好押強韻多而不精一官一集孔稚珪字徳章與江淹對掌文翰而不肯伏淹皆狂可見矣】謝莊王融古之纎人也其文碎【莊字希逸善詞賦歌詩傳於樂府嘗作殷妃誄使堯門故事宋帝深銜之融字元長文詞辨捷長於屬綴後坐罪誅此纎碎可見矣】徐陵庾信古之夸人也其文誕【陵字孝穆陳後主詔冊皆陵為之好裁緝新意自成文體信字子山與徐陵同為學士文體相誇時稱徐庾此誕可見矣】或問孝綽兄弟子曰鄙人也其文淫【劉綽字孝綽兄弟孝威孝儀俱以才名顯其舅王筠常稱孝綽雲天下文章若無我當歸阿士阿士孝綽小名蓋淫詞類舅此鄙可見矣】或問湘東王兄弟子曰貪人也其文繁【南齊世祖之子湘東王名子建與兄競陵王子良及隋郡王子隆皆好文章有集傳世然志貪富貴繁可見矣】謝朓淺人也其文防【朓字暉為齊新安王記室牋詞敏防此淺可見矣】江總詭人也其文虛【總字總持與陳後主為長夜之飲相和為詩不持政事此詭佞可見矣】皆古之不利人也【或喪身或亂國】子謂顔延之王儉任昉有君子之心焉其文約以則【詞簡約而理有法則是君子用心也延之字延年宋時為侍郎常言天下之務當與天下共之平生不拘小節不營財利儉字仲寶南齊時為尚書令好禮學文詞風流自比謝安上宴命群臣作樂儉獨念封禪文昉字彥升梁時掌文誥累為太守凡饋遺與親戚以俸米散荒民當世仕進無不厯其門者昉接引之常言憂人之憂樂人之樂此心可見矣】尚書召子仕【隋尚書署天下吏】子使姚義往辭焉曰必不得已署我於蜀【寧僻逺以藏用署常恕反】或曰僻子曰吾得從嚴楊游泳以卒世何患乎僻【嚴君平揚雄】子曰吾惡夫佞者必也愚乎愚者不妄動吾惡夫豪者必也悋乎悋者不妄散【佞惑主豪誘眾不若愚悋守其分】子曰達人哉山濤也多可而少怪【宏達】或曰王戎賢乎【戎字濬仲晉司空】子曰戎而賢天下無不賢矣【戎典選未嘗進寒素近虛名天下目為膏肓之疾及愍懐之廢又無一言以諫但苟且簡靜容身而已實非賢】子曰陳思王可謂達理者也以天下讓時人莫之知也【曹植字子建魏祖欲立為太子植不自雕礪飲酒晦跡兄文帝矯情自飾以求為嗣人不知子建署兄耳】子曰君子哉思王也其文深以典【親親表典矣出師表深矣】房齡問史子曰古之史也辯道【約理明變】今之史也耀文【空事詞語】問文子曰古之文也約以達今之文也繁以塞【不通理曰塞】薛收問續詩子曰有四名焉有五志焉何謂四名一曰化【續大雅也】天子所以風天下也【形天下之風】二曰政【續國風】蕃臣所以移其俗也【蕃臣比古諸侯移俗猶易俗也】三曰頌【續周殷魯頌】以成功告於神明也【歌之樂府享於宗廟】四曰嘆【續變風變雅】以陳誨立誡於家也【國異政家殊俗詩人哀之嘆之所以吟詠於家諷刺其上使達此變以懐舊俗也】凡此四者或美焉【嘉美之】或勉焉【無足嘉則勉之】或傷焉【勉不得則傷之】或惡焉【不足傷則惡也】或誡焉【語他事使聞之自誡】是謂五志【皆志所之】子謂叔恬曰汝為春秋元經乎春秋元經於王道是輕重之權衡曲直之繩墨也失則無所取衷矣【衷中也過則抑之不及則勸之皆約歸中道】子謂續詩之有化其猶先王之有雅乎續詩之有政其猶列國之有風乎【雅合天下而言也風分郡縣而言也】子曰郡縣之政其異列國之風乎【列國變則懐其舊俗郡縣變則惟新是圖】列國之風深以固其人篤【世修政教故俗亦深厚】曰我君不卒求我也其上下相安乎【曰者假列國之人為言也我君謂天子也言天子封建列國本求冶也上安其下則下亦安其上故云相安】及其變也【變風】勞而散其人蓋傷君恩之薄也而不敢怨【薄謂不安其下】郡縣之政悅以幸其人慕【苟悅其民幸於成功故民亦擇善而慕之】曰我君不卒撫我也其臣主屢遷乎【此假郡縣之人為言也言我君不終撫吾民使善政不久居而屢易之乎】及其變也【變政】苛而迫其人蓋怨吏心之酷也而無所傷焉【史苟一時急功則政酷民怨】雖有善政未及行也魏徵曰敢問列國之風變傷而不怨郡縣之政變怨而不傷何謂也子曰傷而不怨則不曰猶吾君也【民君本國諸侯亦猶諸侯君天子】吾得逃乎何敢怨【可逃避不敢怨】怨而不傷則不曰彼下矣【彼謂郡縣長下猶去也言終替去】吾將賊之又何傷【賊害之】故曰三代之末尚有仁義存焉【邦家有社稷故】六代之季仁義盡矣【牧守無子孫故】何則導人者非其路也【不以王路使人由之】子曰變風變雅作而王澤竭矣【周先王之澤】變化變政作而帝制衰矣【漢諸帝之制】子曰言取而行違溫彥博惡之【彥博大雅弟貞觀中為御史大夫有才辨官終僕射】面譽而背毀魏徵惡之【二子正直同】子曰愛生而敗仁者其下愚之行歟【觸情亡性】殺身而成仁者其中人之行歟【強仁非安行】遊仲尼之門未有不治中者也【殺身若子路結纓葢其中賢也】陳叔達為絳郡守下捕賊之令曰無急也請自新者原之以觀其後【容其改過刑之未遲】子聞之曰陳守可與言政矣上失其道民散久矣【隋季如周衰】苟非君子焉能固窮【小民窮則盜】導之以徳懸之以信且觀其後不亦善乎【容在徳刑在信】薛收問恩不害義儉不傷禮何如子曰此文景尚病其難行也夫廢肉刑害於義【義象秋也天不為人惡寒而變肅殺之今】損之可也【刑不濫則損】衣弋綈傷乎禮【禮象夏也君不以小善卑當陽之義】中焉可也【不偪下則中】雖然以文景之心為之可也不可格於後【本心在愛民節用不意其害義傷禮后王必稽中道】子曰古之事君也以道不可則止【直道】今之事君也以佞【枉道】無所不至【所至皆佞】子曰吾於讃易也述而不敢論【述謂修之論謂別立理】吾於禮樂也論而不敢辯【論沿革而已不敢辯興衰之極】吾於詩書也辯而不敢議【辯治亂之事不敢議其得失之由】或問其故子曰有可有不可【聖人立言或徴而顯或蓋而彰或曲而中或肆而隠各有奧義不可防窺是故有可以述則述可以論則論其於辯議皆然】曰夫子有可有不可乎子曰可不可天下之所存也我則存之者也【夫經天下之公言也故我續而存之者耳非我自可否也】子閒居儼然其動也徐若有所慮【貌敦】其行也方【短步也】若有所畏【禮恭】其接長者恭恭然如不足接防者溫溫然如有就【敬愛得中】子之服儉以防無長物焉【長剰也】綺羅錦繡不入於室曰君子非黃白不御【黃白取自然絲色】婦人則有青碧【染之易者】子宴賔無貳饌【不重味】食必去生味必適【適中】果菜非其時不食曰非天道也非其土不食曰非地道也【皆保真性者也】鄉人有窮而索者【索求】曰爾於我乎取無擾爾鄰里鄉黨為也【周禮五家為鄰五鄰為裡五州為鄉五族為黨】我則不厭鄉人有喪子必先往【匍匐救之】反必後【木忘哀】子之言應而不唱【問則應不唱始】唱必有大端【人言所不及則唱之】子之鄉無爭者【近易化】或問人善子知其善則稱之不善則曰未嘗與久也子濟大川有風則止不登髙不履危不乗悍【悍馬】不奔馭鄉人有水土之役則具畚鍤以往曰吾非從大夫也【畚草器鍤鍬也非大夫則從行畚布忖反鍤楚洽反】銅川府君之喪【父喪】勺飲不入口者三日營具曰必儉也吾家有制焉棺槨無飾衣衾而舉帷車而載【飾謂漆飾也衾帷亡者生所御物】塗車蒭靈則不從五世矣【禮曰塗車蒭靈自古有之孔子謂蒭靈者善謂俑者不仁不殆於用人乎】既之曰自仲尼已來未嘗無志也於是立墳髙四尺不樹焉【孔子曰我東西南北之人不可弗識也封之崇四尺】子之他鄉舍人之家【舍於主人】出入必告既而曰奚適而無稟【言人動有所稟】萬春鄉社【所居鄉名社祀句龍】子必與執事翼如也【執爼豆之事翼如恭貌】芮城府君起家【除服被起】為御史將行謂文中子曰何以贈我子曰清而無介【清極則介】直而無執【直甚則執】曰何以加乎子曰太和為之表【清而外和】至心為之內【直而內至】行之以恭守之以道【恭外道內】退而謂董常曰大廈將顛非一木所支也【言隋將顛非御史可救】子曰婚娶而論財夷虜之道也君子不入其鄉古者男女之族各擇徳焉不以財為禮【引古正今】子之族婚嫁必具六禮【納采問名納吉納徵請期親迎】曰斯道也今亡矣三綱之首不可廢吾從古【夫為婦之綱】子曰惡衣薄食少思寡慾今人以為詐我則好詐焉不為誇若愚似鄙今人以為恥我則不恥也子曰古之仕也以行其道【道行於人】今之仕也以逞其欲【厚已所欲】難矣乎【雞致太平】子曰吏而登仕勞而進官非古也其秦之餘酷乎【周禮胥吏執事而已非委之以政教也春秋有功賞邑而已非假之以名器也秦政酷故用吏才而官不授徳】古者士登乎仕【士謂俊造也從王命為仕】吏執乎役【力役】祿以報勞官以授徳【祿及勞者一身而已官則為天下設也】子曰美哉公旦之為周也外不屑天下之謗而私其跡曰必使我子孫相承而宗祀不絶也【不屑不介意也跡謂攝位也曰者假周公為言也】內實達天下之道而公其心曰必使我君臣相安而禍亂不作【達道制禮作樂也公謂終復子明辟也】深乎深乎安家者所以寧天下也存我者所以厚蒼生也【奉文武業必存我身所以寧國厚民】故遷都之義曰洛邑之地四達而平使有徳易以興無徳易以衰【曰者周公雲也卜洛相宅義不恃險而在修徳】無功作五斗先生傳【王績字無功子之弟也不遇時則縱酒一飲五斗自作五斗先生傳以見志】子曰汝忘天下乎【言未能忘天下】縱心敗矩吾不與也【貴其敗人倫之法】

Fang Xuanling (the original character was lost in transcription; it is Xuan, and so below) asked about the way of serving a ruler. The Master said: Have no selfishness. He asked about the way of employing people. He said: Have no partiality. He said: May I ask about the way of teaching and transforming people. The Master said: Set their hearts right. He asked about ritual and music. The Master said: When the kingly way flourishes, ritual and music will rise along with it; this is beyond what you can reach [When benevolence and righteousness are manifest, the kingly way flourishes. Music is the sound of benevolence, ritual is the face of righteousness. They can rise only when an enlightened king appears, which is beyond what you can reach today]. Someone asked about Yang Su. The Master said: He makes fortune and makes awe, and has fine food and drink; I know nothing else [He is arrogant and miserly, not worth looking at]. Fang Xuanling asked about governing by commanderies and counties [Qin abolished the feudal lords and set up commandery governors; commanderies and counties began there]. The Master said: Zhou's ancestral line and its enfeoffed states lasted over eight hundred years [the enfeoffed states means the five ranks of feudal lords]; the great Han mixed the two for over four hundred years [Han, having seen the situation in which Qin perished, though it did not have the five ranks, still enfeoffed meritorious ministers and imperial kinsmen in a mixed way]; Wei and Jin and after were destroyed almost before they could do anything [Wei and Jin already had titles of nobility, but they were empty names without substance, so power fell into the hands of powerful ministers (the original has "fang" here, a corruption of "luo", meaning "fell")]. I do not know what use it was [Seeing the longevity of Zhou and Han and the brevity of Wei and Jin, its use can be known]. Yang Su sent someone to ask the Master: Why do you not take office? The Master said: South of Shushu [Shushu is the name of a mountain; the Classic of Mountains and Seas says it rests on the Fen River, and is called Guancen (the original has Guancen with a variant character)], at a bend of the Fen River, there is my ancestors' ruined house, where I can shelter from wind and rain; there are fields where I can prepare thick gruel. I play the zither, write books, lecture on the Way and encourage righteousness, and take my own pleasure. I wish the Marquis would set himself right in order to guide the world [Yang Su was arrogant, so he was admonished with "setting right"]. If the seasons are harmonious and the harvests abundant, then I, Wang Tong, will have received much, and I do not wish to take office [In the end he refused him with modest words]. The Master said: Those who governed in antiquity put virtue first and punishment after, so the people there were glad and forgiving [Glad means they knew virtue had been brought to bear on them; forgiving means they knew punishment was applied only when unavoidable]; those who govern now rely on punishment and abandon virtue, so the people there resent and cheat [Resent means they were not taught but were made to offend; cheat means they feign sincerity to escape]. The Master said: Those who held office in antiquity nurtured the people; those who hold office now nurture themselves [A lament over departure from antiquity]. The Master said: How excessive was the cruelty of Wenxuan of Qi [Gao Yang of Northern Qi governed his subordinates with harsh laws]. Yao Yi said: Why then was he able to die a natural death? The Master said: There was a Yang Zunyan who really held the fate of the state [Yang Yin, style name Zunyan, was Director of Affairs under Wenxuan. The standard history says the court regulations and the state's fate rested on one man], and he looked on the people as if they were wounded; how could he fail to die a natural death [This means that having a worthy minister prevented ruin]. Dou Wei liked to discuss ritual. The Master said: Wei may be called worthy, but I would not dare [What Wei liked was the outward form of ritual; what Wenzhongzi did not dare to touch was its inner feeling. One who knows the inner feeling of ritual and music can create them; one who discerns their outward form can record them. Ritual in the Sui house was in ruins, and a man as worthy as Dou Wei having this concern is probably because discussion comes only after order is settled; now was not the time, so he said he would not dare]. The Old Man of Beishan [the Classic of Mountains and Seas says the first of the northern mountains is called Danhu; the Old Man was nameless] said to Wenzhongzi: Why are you so restless and anxious? Is it not too hurried? The Master said: I dare not be unhurried; I grieve that the people of this age are slack [Slack and not cultivating, so this culture is being lost]. The Master said: I do not take up what I have not measured [measuring virtue and holding on to its use], and I do not proceed without finding the constant [one proceeds only after obtaining the constant Way]. Fang Xuanling said: The Book says Huo Guang deposed one emperor and raised another; what does this mean [The continuation of the Book includes the affair of Huo Guang, discussing his deposing one emperor and raising another. Huo Guang, style name Zimeng. Earlier, Emperor Wu had given Huo Guang a picture of the Duke of Zhou assisting King Cheng, and Huo Guang assisted loyally with all his strength. When Emperor Zhao died, the Prince of Changyi, He, was installed, but He had three thousand offenses; Huo Guang deposed him and installed Emperor Xuan. The continuation of the Book says that among the principles for great ministers, seven are recorded under "Deeds," and the first is called Command. Wenzhongzi said: The Book has the "Command," and it is profound. In it there is success and failure; the world hung above it, and he acted only because he had no choice]. The Master said: Why must it be Huo Guang? A great minister of antiquity deposed the benighted and raised the enlightened, in order to give peace to the world [as Yi Yin did in antiquity]. The Master traveled on a small islet in Hejian [the islet in Hejian Commandery of Sui adjoining the Zhuo River, now belonging to Shenzhou]. The Old Man by the River said: What is this, this person [the Old Man was nameless; the word "ji" is a sentence-opening particle]? His heart seems drunk in the Six Classics, his eyes seem to be managing the four seas; what is this, this person? Wenzhongzi left him. Xue Shou said: Who was he? The Master said: A recluse. Xue Shou said: Why did you not follow him [surprised that the Master left him]? The Master said: I and he have not followed one another for a long time ["I" is my Way. My Way has not followed along with that of the Old Man with the carrying basket since Zhongni, so he said "long"]. Do perfect men follow one another [Xue Shou asks whether the perfect man, though unnamed, would still follow the recluse]? The Master said: No [meaning that the perfect man has a name that is hard to describe. The recluses of today are different from this; they perfect themselves alone and do not take the world as their Way]. The Master said by the river: How it flows on. Formerly I wished to stop but could not; now I have obtained it, so let me stop [A sage moves when it is time to move and stops when it is time to stop. Formerly he often wanted to stop, but his heart still had things to do, so he presented his plan at Chang'an (the original has "fang" as a corruption of "ce", meaning "plan"); now the Way cannot be carried out and he is able to stop, so he withdrew to the bend of the river]. The Master saw provincial governors being replaced repeatedly and said: Yao and Shun evaluated performance after three years, and Zhongni said that in three years something would be accomplished. Now they are replaced within ten days or half a month, and I do not know the reason [He grieved that the Sui dynasty practiced Qin's makeshift government]. Xue Shou said: How so? The Master said: When the Three Dynasties arose, states and houses had altars of soil and grain [lords were called states, and ministers and grand masters were called houses; they set up altars of soil and grain and sacrificed generation after generation]; when the two Han flourished, governors had descendants [they inherited titles of marquis with full authority, and were not dismissed unless they committed crimes against the state]. It was not hurried like this ["qi" is like "ju", hurried]. If one has no fixed lord and yet demands his loyalty, if one has no fixed people and yet demands their transformation, though one says it can be done, there is no way to begin ["mo" means none]. He Ruobi invited the Master to watch him shoot, and every arrow hit [Bi, style name Fubo, had military merit in conquering Chen and served as governor-general. The Sui emperor feasted the Turkic envoys and ordered him to shoot, and with one arrow he hit the target; he ordered Bi to shoot, and with one arrow he also hit. Bi boasted of his skill at archery, so he invited the Master to watch]. The Master said: Splendid, this skill [archery is the third of the six arts]! The gentleman of antiquity set his will on the Way, relied on virtue, depended on benevolence, and only then could he roam in the arts [meaning that the arts come last, and the gentleman merely roams in them]. He Ruobi withdrew displeased. The Master said to his disciples: Boastful and also stubborn, he will find it hard to escape in the present age [He Ruobi was later executed]. The Master said of Xun Yue: Historian, oh historian [Yue, style name Zhongyu, served in the palace as a lecturer to Emperor Xian of Han and, following the annalistic form, wrote the Han Annals in thirty chapters, concise in words and detailed in events, making institutions clear. He praised him with repetition]; he said of Lu Ji: Literature, oh literature [Ji, style name Shiheng, wrote the Rhapsody on Literature and the Essay on Discerning the Fall, probably with the ambition to compose and revive the manner of his ancestors]. Both have already thought through more than half of it. The Master said: The conduct of literary men can be seen from their writings. Was Xie Lingyun a petty man? His writing is haughty, while the gentleman's is careful [Lingyun was a grandson of Xie Xuan and inherited the title Duke of Kangle; he was extravagant and bold by nature, once served as governor of Yongjia, often roamed the mountains and ignored the people's lawsuits, and when summoned as palace attendant he claimed illness and did not attend court; this haughtiness can be seen]. Was Shen Xiuwen a petty man? His writing is seductive, while the gentleman's is classical [Shen Yue, style name Xiuwen, first set the rules of rhyme and was fond of seductive diction; the scholars of the Liang court revered him and strove even more for beauty and extravagance; this seductiveness can be seen]. Bao Zhao and Jiang Yan were the zealous of old. Their writing is urgent and resentful [Zhao, style name Mingyuan, served as an adviser (the original has "fang", a corruption of "can", meaning "adviser") to the Prince of Linjiang of Song; he had fine rhetoric but his career did not go well, so he often voiced resentment and satire. Yan, style name Wentong, served as an official under the Prince of Jianping of Song, was imprisoned for an offense and wrote a memorial in urgent words. Both show their zeal]. Wu Jun and Kong Gui were the wild of old. Their writing is strange and angry [The History of the Southern Dynasties has no Wu Yun, so it is probably a mistake for Wu Jun. Jun, style name Shuxiang, had an odd literary style. It may also be Wang Yun, style name Yuanli, who liked to use forced rhymes, wrote much but not finely, one office and one collection. Kong Zhigui, style name Dezhang, shared the literary posts with Jiang Yan but would not yield to Yan. Both show their wildness]. Xie Zhuang and Wang Rong were the petty of old. Their writing is fragmentary [Zhuang, style name Xiyi, was good at rhapsodies and poems, which passed to the Music Bureau; he once wrote an elegy for Consort Yin using the story of the Yao gate, and the emperor of Song resented it deeply. Rong, style name Yuanchang, was quick in rhetoric and skilled at stringing things together, and later was executed for a crime. This pettiness can be seen]. Xu Ling and Yu Xin were the boastful of old. Their writing is extravagant [Ling, style name Xiaomu, wrote all the edicts and decrees of the last ruler of Chen, and liked to cut and stitch new ideas into a style of his own. Xin, style name Zishan, was a scholar with Xu Ling, and the two boasted of each other's style, so that the age called them Xu-Yu. This extravagance can be seen]. Someone asked about Liu Xiaochuo and his brothers. The Master said: Vulgar men. Their writing is licentious [Liu Xiaochuo, style name Xiaochuo, had brothers Xiaowei and Xiaoyi, all renowned for talent. His maternal uncle Wang Yun often praised Xiaochuo, saying that if I were absent from the world's literature, it would belong to Ashi. Ashi was Xiaochuo's childhood name. Probably his licentious diction resembled his uncle's, and this vulgarity can be seen]. Someone asked about the Prince of Xiangdong and his brothers. The Master said: Greedy men. Their writing is profuse [The son of Emperor Shizu of Southern Qi, the Prince of Xiangdong, named Zijian, along with his elder brother the Prince of Jingling, Ziliang, and the Prince of Suijun, Zilong, all loved literature and left collections to posterity, but their ambition was for greed and wealth, so the profusion can be seen]. Xie Tiao was a shallow man, and his writing is swift (the original has "fang" for "jie", meaning "swift") [Tiao, style name Xuanhui, served as secretary to the Prince of Xin'an of Qi, and his letters were nimble (the original has "fang" for "jie"); his shallowness can be seen]. Jiang Zong was a deceitful man, and his writing is hollow [Zong, style name Zongchi, held all-night drinking parties with the last ruler of Chen, composed verses in turn with him, and did not manage government affairs, so his deceit and flattery can be seen]. All were men whom things did not favor in antiquity [some lost their lives, some brought disorder to the state]. The Master said that Yan Yanzhi, Wang Jian and Ren Fang had the heart of a gentleman, and their writing is concise and has rules [Their words are brief and their reasoning has rules, which is a gentleman's care. Yanzhi, style name Yannian, served as palace attendant in Song and often said that the affairs of the world should be shared with the people of the world; in life he did not bind himself to small matters and did not manage wealth or profit. Jian, style name Zhongbao, served as Director of the Secretariat in Southern Qi, loved ritual studies and had an elegant style, compared himself to Xie An; when the emperor held a banquet and ordered the ministers to compose music, Jian alone remembered the text of the sacrifice on Mount Tai. Fang, style name Yansheng, was in charge of edicts in Liang and repeatedly served as governor; when he gave gifts to relatives he distributed his salary rice to disaster victims, and in his time every man seeking advancement passed through his door and Fang received them, often saying that he grieved over others' griefs and rejoiced in others' joys. This heart can be seen]. The Ministry summoned the Master to take office [the Sui Secretariat assigned officials across the empire]. The Master had Yao Yi decline for him, saying: If it cannot be avoided, assign me to Shu [better a remote place in which to hide one's use. Pronunciation note: "shu" is read as "chang shu fan"]. Someone said: It is remote. The Master said: I could wander with Yan Junping and Yang Xiong and finish this life; what is there to fear in remoteness [Yan Junping and Yang Xiong]? The Master said: I hate flatterers; they must be stupid, mustn't they? The stupid do not act rashly. I hate the overbearing; they must be stingy, mustn't they? The stingy do not scatter rashly [Flatterers confuse the ruler and the overbearing lure the crowd, which is worse than the stupid and the stingy keeping to their station]. The Master said: A man of breadth, Shan Tao! He approved of much and was surprised by little [broad-minded]. Someone said: Was Wang Rong worthy [Rong, style name Junchong, was Minister of Works of Jin]? The Master said: If Rong was worthy, then no one in the world is unworthy [When Rong was in charge of selection he never promoted the humble and plain, and drew close to empty reputations, so the world regarded it as an incurable illness; when the Crown Prince Huai was deposed he did not have a single word of remonstrance, and merely drifted along, calm and concise, protecting himself, which truly is not worthy]. The Master said: The Prince Si of Chen may be called a man who understood principle; he gave up the world, and no one at the time knew [Cao Zhi, style name Zijian. Emperor Wu of Wei wanted to make him crown prince, but Zhi did not polish himself and hid his traces in wine; his elder brother Emperor Wen put on a show of feeling to seek the succession, and people did not know that Zijian was yielding to his elder brother]. The Master said: A gentleman indeed, Prince Si! His writing is deep and classical [the Memorial on Loving Kin is classical, the Memorial on the Expedition is deep]. Fang Xuanling asked about history. The Master said: The history of antiquity made the Way clear [concise in principle and clear about change]; the history of today shows off style [work done in vain on words]. He asked about literature. The Master said: The literature of antiquity was concise and could communicate; the literature of today is profuse and blocked [not communicating principle is called blocked]. Xue Shou asked about the continuation of the Songs. The Master said: It has four names and five aims. What are the four names? The first is called Transformation [continuing the Greater Odes], by which the Son of Heaven stirs the world [displaying the wind of the world]; the second is called Government [continuing the Airs of the States], by which a vassal minister changes the customs [a vassal minister is like the lords of old; changing customs is like altering practices]; the third is called Hymn [continuing the Hymns of Zhou, Shang and Lu], by which success is reported to the spirits [sung in the music bureau and offered in the ancestral temple]; the fourth is called Lament [continuing the Changed Airs and Changed Odes], by which instruction and warning are set out for the household [when states have different governments and houses different customs, the poets lament them, so they chant at home to satirize those above and make those above understand the change and long for the old customs]. In all these four, there is either praise [approving it], or encouragement [where it is not worth praising, encourage], or grief [where encouragement fails, grieve], or hatred [where grief is not enough, hate], or warning [speaking of other matters so that he hears them and warns himself]; this is called the five aims [all are where the will goes]. The Master said to Shuhuo: Are you making the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Yuan Classic? For the kingly way, the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Yuan Classic are the scales of weight, and the ink line of straight and crooked; when lost, there is no way to take the mean ["zhong" means the middle. What exceeds is restrained, what falls short is encouraged, all brought back to the middle way]. The Master said: The continuation of the Songs has Transformation, probably as the former kings had the Odes; the continuation has Government, probably as the states had the Airs [the Odes speak of the whole world together, the Airs speak of commanderies and counties separately]. The Master said: Is the government of commanderies and counties different from the Airs of the enfeoffed states [when the enfeoffed states change they long for the old customs, when commanderies and counties change they only seek renewal]? The Airs of the enfeoffed states are deep and firm, and the people there are sincere and generous [they cultivated government and teaching for generations, so the customs too are deep and generous], saying: My lord does not in the end seek something from me, does he; do not those above and below live in peace with each other ["said" borrows the voice of the people of the states. "My lord" refers to the Son of Heaven. It means that when the Son of Heaven enfeoffed states, it was originally to seek good order (the original has a variant character for "order"). Those above are at ease with those below, and those below are at ease with those above, so they live in peace]. When it changed [the changed airs], it was toilsome and scattered; the people there probably grieved at the thinness of their lord's grace yet did not dare to resent it [thin means not at ease with those below]. The government of commanderies and counties is pleasing and fortunate, and the people there admire it [carelessly pleasing their people and fortunate in success, so the people also choose the good and admire it], saying: My lord will not in the end comfort me, will he; will not the ministers and rulers be replaced again and again [this borrows the voice of people of commanderies and counties. It means that my lord will not in the end comfort my people, so that good government cannot stay long and is replaced repeatedly]. When it changed [the changed government], it was harsh and pressing; the people there probably resented the cruelty of the officials' hearts yet had nowhere to grieve [officials are careless for the moment and eager for merit (the original has a variant character for "officials"), so government is cruel and the people resent]. Even if there was good government, there was no time to carry it out. Wei Zheng said: May I ask what it means that when the Airs of the enfeoffed states change they grieve without resenting, and when the government of commanderies and counties changes they resent without grieving? The Master said: Grieving without resenting means they do not say "still our lord" [the people took the lord of their own state as their ruler, just as the lords took the Son of Heaven as theirs]; I can escape it, how would I dare resent [one can flee, but not resent]. Resenting without grieving means they do not say that man will go down ["that man" refers to the commandery or county head, and "go down" is like going away, meaning he will in the end be replaced and leave]; I will harm him, what is there to grieve ["harm" means to injure]. Therefore it is said that at the end of the Three Dynasties benevolence and righteousness still remained [because states and houses had altars of soil and grain], and at the end of the Six Dynasties benevolence and righteousness were exhausted [because governors had no descendants]. Why? What leads people is not that road [the kingly road is not used for people to walk]. The Master said: When the changed airs and changed odes arose, the kingly grace dried up [the grace of the former kings of Zhou]; when changed transformation and changed government arose, the imperial institutions declined [the institutions of the Han emperors]. The Master said: Taking with the mouth and going against it in action, Wen Yanbo hated this [Yanbo was the younger brother of Daya; in the Zhenguan era he served as Censor-in-Chief, had talent in argument and rose to Minister]; praising to the face and slandering behind the back, Wei Zheng hated this [the two men were alike in uprightness]. The Master said: Loving life and ruining benevolence is probably the conduct of the lowest fools [giving in to feeling and losing one's nature]; sacrificing life to achieve benevolence is probably the conduct of middling people [forcing oneself to practice benevolence, not resting easy in it]. Among those who roamed at Zhongni's gate, none were without moderation [sacrificing one's life like Zilu tying his cap strings, probably the middle sort of worthy]. Chen Shuda was governor of Jiangjun and issued an order to arrest bandits, saying: Do not be hasty; those who ask to renew themselves, forgive them, and then see what they do [allowing him to correct his faults, it is not too late to use punishment]. The Master heard this and said: Governor Chen can be talked with about government. When those above lose their Way, the people have long been scattered [the end of Sui is like the decline of Zhou]. If they are not gentlemen, how can they hold firm in poverty [common people, when poor, become bandits]. To guide them by virtue, to hang good faith there, and to watch what they do afterward, is that not good [leniency lies in virtue, punishment in good faith]? Xue Shou asked: Kindness that does not harm righteousness, frugality that does not damage ritual, how is that? The Master said: Even Wen and Jing of Han found this hard to do. Abolishing corporal punishment harms righteousness [righteousness is like autumn. Heaven does not change the order of killing frost because people dislike the cold]; reducing it is acceptable [if punishment is not excessive, reduce it]; wearing thick black silk damages ritual [ritual is like summer. A ruler does not lower the righteousness of standing in the yang for the sake of a small kindness]; moderating it is acceptable [if it does not press the people below, it is moderate]. Even so, to act with the heart of Wen and Jing is fine, but it cannot be used as a standard for later generations [their original heart lay in loving the people and being frugal, and did not expect it to harm righteousness or damage ritual; later kings must examine the middle way]. The Master said: In antiquity one served the ruler by the Way, and if it could not be done, one stopped [the straight way]; now one serves the ruler by flattery [the crooked way], and there is nowhere it does not reach [wherever it reaches is flattery]. The Master said: In regard to praising the Changes, I transmit and do not dare to discuss [transmitting is to put it in order, discussing is to set up a new principle]; in regard to ritual and music, I discuss and do not dare to dispute [only discussing their continuity and change, not daring to dispute the extremes of rise and decline]; in regard to the Songs and Documents, I dispute and do not dare to deliberate [disputing the affairs of order and disorder, not daring to deliberate the causes of gain and loss]. Someone asked the reason. The Master said: There are things permissible and things not permissible [In the words a sage sets up, some are subtle yet clear, some contained yet bright, some indirect yet apt, some free yet hidden, each with deep meaning that cannot be recklessly peered into (the original has "fang", probably an error for "wang", meaning "recklessly"). So what can be transmitted I transmit, what can be discussed I discuss, and as for disputing and deliberating, it is all like this]. He said: Does the Master have things permissible and not permissible? The Master said: Permissible and not permissible are what the world preserves, and I am simply one who preserves them [the classics are the public words of the world, so I merely continue and preserve them, and it is not that I myself permit or forbid]. When the Master was at leisure, his bearing was solemn. When he moved he was slow, as if deep in thought [his appearance honest and generous]; when he walked he was square [with small steps], as if in awe of something [ritually respectful]. When he received elders, he was reverent as if not sufficient; when he received the young (the original has "fang" for "you", meaning "young"), he was gentle as if drawing toward them [respect and love in due measure]. The Master's clothes were frugal and clean (the original has "fang" for "jie", meaning "clean"), with nothing superfluous ["chang" means surplus]. Patterned silk and brocade did not enter his room. He said: A gentleman wears nothing but yellow or white [yellow and white take the natural color of silk], while women may have blue and green [easy to dye]. When the Master entertained guests he never served two dishes [flavor was not emphasized]; in eating he always removed what was raw, and the flavor was always moderate [moderate]. He did not eat fruit and vegetables out of season, saying: it is not the way of Heaven; he did not eat what was not produced in that soil, saying: it is not the way of earth [all to preserve the true nature]. When someone in the village was poor and came to ask ["suo" is to ask], he said: Take from me, and do not trouble your neighbors and fellow villagers [the Rites of Zhou: five families make a neighborhood, five neighborhoods a hamlet, five districts a township, five clans a party]. I am not weary of it. When someone in the village had a funeral, the Master always went first [rushing to help], and returned last [still not forgetting the grief (the original has a variant character for "not")]. The Master's words responded and did not lead [he answered when asked and did not begin], and when he led it was always about something major [he led only what others' words had not reached]. In the Master's village no one quarreled [close and easy to transform]. Someone asked about a person's goodness. The Master praised him if he knew him to be good; if not, he said: I have not been with him long. When the Master crossed a great river, he stopped if there was wind; he did not climb high, did not tread on danger, did not ride a fierce horse [fierce horse], and did not gallop or drive recklessly. When the villagers had labor for water and soil, he prepared baskets and spades and went, saying: I am not following the grand master [the ben is a straw implement and the cha is a shovel. If not a grand master, he joined the labor. Pronunciation note: "ben" is read "bu cun fan", "cha" is "chu qia fan"]. At the funeral of the Lord of Tongchuan [his father's funeral], not a spoonful of soup passed his mouth for three days. In arranging the burial (the original character was lost in transcription; it is "zang", burial) goods, he said: they must be frugal, and my family has its rules. The coffin and outer coffin were not lacquered; the body was carried in clothes and quilt, and carried on a curtained cart ["shi" means lacquered decoration. The quilt and curtain were things the deceased had used in life]. As for clay carts and straw spirits, we had not followed them for five generations [the Rites say clay carts and straw spirits have existed since antiquity. Confucius said the straw spirits were good and said that those who made figurines were unbenevolent, since it is close to using people]. After the burial (the original character was lost in transcription; it is "zang"), he said: Since Zhongni there has never been no marker. So he raised a mound four feet high and did not plant trees [Confucius said: I am a man of east, west, south and north, and cannot be without something to identify me; he raised the earth four feet]. When the Master went to another village and lodged with someone [staying at the host's house], he always told them when he went out or came in. Afterward he said: How can one go anywhere without reporting [meaning that when a person moves, there is always something to report]? At the village altar of Wanchun [the name of the village where he lived; the altar sacrificed to Gou Long], the Master always took part in the duties, in a manner of respectful bearing [handling the sacrificial vessels. "Yiru" means a respectful manner]. The Lord of Ruicheng, called back to office after mourning, served as censor, and when about to leave said to Wenzhongzi: What do you give me? The Master said: Be pure but not aloof [when purity is at its extreme it becomes aloofness], be upright but not obstinate [uprightness taken too far becomes obstinacy]. He said: What more? The Master said: Take great harmony as your outside [pure yet outwardly harmonious], and utmost sincerity as your inside [upright yet inwardly utmost], act with reverence and keep with the Way [reverence outside, the Way inside]. He withdrew and said to Dong Chang: When a great mansion is about to fall, one piece of timber cannot hold it up [meaning Sui is about to collapse, and a censor cannot save it]. The Master said: To marry and discuss money is the way of barbarians, and a gentleman does not enter such a village. In antiquity the families of man and woman each chose virtue and did not use wealth as the rite [citing antiquity to correct the present]. When the Master's clan members married, they always had the six rites [accepting the proposal, asking the name, divination, betrothal gifts, setting the date, and meeting the bride]. He said: This way is now lost. The first of the three bonds must not be abandoned, and I follow antiquity [the husband is the bond of the wife]. The Master said: Coarse clothes and thin food, few thoughts and few desires, people today think of as deceit, and I like this deceit; not making a display (the original character was lost in transcription; it is "xuan", display), seeming stupid and rustic, people today think of as shame, and I do not think of it as shame. The Master said: In antiquity one held office to practice the Way [the Way carried out among people]; now one holds office to indulge desire [to enrich one's own wants]. It is hard [hard to bring about great peace (the original has a variant character for "hard")]. The Master said: Clerks rising to office and laborers advancing in rank were not the ancient way, and are probably the remaining cruelty of Qin [In the Rites of Zhou, clerks merely carried out tasks, and government and teaching were not entrusted to them. In the Spring and Autumn Annals, merit was rewarded only with a fief, and titles and vessels were not lent. Qin's government was cruel, so it used the talents of clerks and did not grant office to virtue]. In antiquity scholars rose to office ["scholars" means the outstanding, who followed the king's command as officials], and clerks held to service [labor service]; salary was used to repay labor and office was used to confer virtue [salary only reaches the laborer's own person, while office is established for the world]. The Master said: How splendid was what the Duke of Zhou did for Zhou! Outwardly he did not mind the world's slander and attributed his traces to selfishness, saying: Let my descendants succeed one another and the ancestral sacrifices not be cut off ["not caring" means not minding. "Traces" refers to acting as regent. "Said" borrows the voice of the Duke of Zhou]; inwardly he truly penetrated the Way of the world and attributed his heart to the public, saying: Let my ruler and ministers be at ease with each other and let calamity and disorder not arise [the penetrated Way is making ritual and music. "Public" means in the end he returned power to King Cheng]. How deep, how deep! Giving his house peace was to bring peace to the world, preserving himself was to enrich the common people [to carry on the work of Wen and Wu he had to preserve himself, so he gave peace to the state and enriched the people]. Hence the meaning of moving the capital says: The land of Luoyi is open in all four directions and level, so that the virtuous rise easily and the unvirtuous decline easily ["said" is the Duke of Zhou speaking. Divining at Luo and surveying the site, the principle is not to rely on strong terrain but to cultivate virtue]. Wugong wrote the Biography of Master Five Pecks [Wang Ji, style name Wugong, was the Master's younger brother. When he did not meet his time he gave himself to wine, drank five pecks at a time, and wrote the Biography of Master Five Pecks himself to show his will]. The Master said: Have you forgotten the world [meaning he had not yet been able to forget the world]? To let the heart go and ruin the rules, I do not approve [rebuking him for ruining the rules of human relations].

子謂周公之道曲而當私而恕【攝政誅管蔡曲而當也代武王笞伯禽私而恕也】其窮理盡性以至於命乎【曲而當於理窮矣私而恕於性盡矣理則性性則天天則命此所以為聖也】子曰聖人之道其昌也潛其弊也寢【潛寢省漸也】亹亹焉若寒暑進退物莫不從之而不知其由也【亹亹循環不絶貌顯諸仁則民從之藏諸用則民不知】溫彥博問嵇康阮籍何人也【嵇康字叔夜山濤舉之自代康絶交其介局如此阮籍字嗣宗居喪用琴酒且曰禮豈為我輩設其放曠如此】子曰古之名理者而不能窮也【談名理不窮其變或失於介或失於放】曰何謂也子曰道不足而器有餘【道不通則介故不足器不執則放故曰有餘】曰敢問道器子曰通變之謂道【可以變則變】執方之謂器【可以方則方】曰劉伶何人也【劉伶字伯倫性淡黙不交遊以酒自樂常攜壺使人荷鍤隨行曰死則埋之】子曰古之閉關人也【閉闗喻藏身也此世人所不能窺其閫閾】曰可乎曰兼忘天下不亦可乎【一身可忘也天下不可兼忘】曰道足乎曰足則吾不知也【伶亦放而已非中道】陳守謂薛生曰吾行令於郡縣而盜不止夫子居於鄉里而爭者息何也【陳守叔達也薛生收也夫子謂文中子】薛生曰此以言化【行令示法】彼以心化【行道感人】陳守曰吾過矣退而靜居【思行其道】三月盜賊出境子聞之曰收善言叔達善徳【二子同志】房齡問田疇何人也子曰古之義人也【田疇字子泰幽州牧劉虞使疇奉使於天子及廻虞為公孫瓉所害疇哭虞墓而去魏相欲封疇疇不受此節義人也】子謂武徳之舞勞而決其發謀動慮經天下乎【漢髙祖廟奏武徳舞狀干戈勤勞決取以經營天下也】謂昭徳之舞閒而泰其和神定氣綏天下乎【漢文帝廟奏昭徳舞狀修文物以綏安天下也】太原府君曰何如子曰或決而成之或泰而守之吾不知其變也【凡帝道有成之者有守之者樂武象焉其變在文武相須】噫武徳則功存焉不如昭徳之善也【功立一時而已徳必常守於萬世】且武之未盡善久矣其時乎其時乎【湯武革命一時之功周行典禮萬世之道】子謂史談善述九流【司馬談為太史故曰史談九流一儒家二道家三隂陽家四法家五名家六墨家七縱橫家八雜家九農家】知其不可廢而知其各有弊也安得長者之言哉【逸謂九流異道猶五方殊俗在致治者因而利之器而使之故不廢而同歸於儒矣長者言殊道無不容無不通也不廢則容之有則排之非真儒通變不能極此】子曰通其變天下無弊法【何常之有法弊則革】執其方天下無善教【偏執一隅有時作尼】故曰存乎其人【人謂真儒】子曰安得圓機之士與之共言九流哉【圓無執張機發必中】安得皇極之主與之共敘九疇哉【九疇一五行二五事三八政四五紀五皇極六三徳七稽疑八庶徵九五福皇極居九數之中當主位也】杜淹問崔浩何人也子曰迫人也執小道亂大經【崔浩字伯淵好星厯及真君長生之術蓋迫小不知通儒之道】程元曰敢問豳風何也子曰變風也【豳今為邠周始興之地也變風自鄶至王泰離】元曰周公之際亦有變風乎子曰君臣相誚其能正乎【成王聴流言之誚非正風也】成王終疑則風遂變矣【儻金縢未開則終疑周公】非周公至誠孰能卒之哉【發乎情是至誠也止乎禮義是卒正之也】元曰豳居變風之末何也【剛詩何以豳在列國之後】子曰夷王已下變風不復正矣【夷王下堂而見諸侯周始衰微國風遂變不復雅正矣】夫子蓋傷之者也【傷周】故終之以豳風言變之可正也唯周公能之故繋之以正【周已變而以豳正之者周公也】歌豳曰周之本也【七月陳王業后稷公劉之本】嗚呼非周公孰知其艱哉【王業艱難】變而克正危而克扶始終不失於本其惟周公乎繋之豳逺矣哉【周公之詩不繫周而系豳者正其本存乎逺也】子曰齊桓尊王室而諸侯服惟管仲知之【管仲字夷吾齊桓公伯諸侯仲之力也故曰知之】苻秦舉大號而中原靜惟王猛知之【前秦苻堅得天下三分之二故曰中原靜也亦其相王猛之力】或曰苻秦逆【東晉在而堅僭號是逆】子曰晉制命者之罪也【晉不能命方伯使徵不庭】苻秦何逆【上順下違曰逆上亂下抗非逆也義在下文】昔周制至公之命【若策命曰五侯九伯汝實徵之是至公也】故齊桓管仲不得而背也【上順故】晉制至私之命【惠帝已後賄賂大行天下謂之互市】故苻秦王猛不得而事也【晉東遷中國無主秦乃抗號】其應天順命安國濟民乎是以武王不敢逆天命揹人而事紂齊桓不敢逆天命揹人而黜周故曰晉之罪也苻秦何逆三十餘年中國士民東西南北自逺而至猛之力也子曰苻秦之有臣其王猛之所為乎【見王猛功業知秦有臣】元魏之有主其孝文之所為乎【觀孝文治具知魏有主】中國之道不墜孝文之力也【都洛邑興文物】太原府君曰溫子升何人也子曰險人也智小謀大永安之事同州府君常切齒焉則有由也【溫子升字鵬舉掌魏國文翰性似靜而實深險其後與元瑾謀逆坐誅永安莊帝年號也時魏國大亂切齒未詳】子讀三祖上事【讀魏書也】曰勤哉而不補也【見同州府君勤三事蹟也】無謂魏周無人吾家適不用爾【魏帝寳炬入闗依宇文泰泰子覺建號稱周】子之家廟座必東南向自穆公始也曰未忘先人之國【穆公虯自宋奔魏自是廟座向東南】遼東之役子聞之曰禍自此始矣【煬帝大業八年徵遼二百萬眾並陷九年又徵之山東始亂十年又徵天下遂喪】天子不見伯益讃禹之詞【益讃於禹曰惟徳動天無逺弗屆禹乃班師振旅七旬苖格】公卿不用魏相諷宣帝之事【漢宣帝使趙充國擊匈奴魏相諫曰臣聞恃大威者為驕兵兵驕者滅非但人事乃天道也】王孝逸謂子曰天下皆爭利棄義吾獨若之何【利已曰利利物曰義】子曰舍其所爭取其所棄不亦君子乎子謂賈瓊王孝逸凌敬曰諸生何樂賈瓊曰樂閒居【退靜】子曰靜以思道可矣王孝逸曰樂聞過【思益】子曰過而屢聞益矣凌敬曰樂逢善人【好賢】子曰多賢不亦樂乎薛收遊於館陶【魏有館陶縣】適與魏徵歸告子曰徵顔冉之器也徵宿子之家言六經逾月不出及去謂薛收曰明王不出而夫子生是三才九疇屬布衣也【道兼天地理通皇極】劉見子談六經唱其端終日不竭【炫字伯光開皇中表乞興學校然好自矜伐為執政所抑著五經正名十二卷行於世】子曰何其多也曰先儒異同不可不述也【注傳異同】子曰一以貫之可矣爾以尼父為多學而識之耶【天下何思何慮殊途而同歸百慮而一致此尼父之學也】退子謂門人曰榮華其言小成其道難矣哉【難入尼父之門矣】凌敬問禮樂之本子曰無邪【禮樂本乎情情無邪則貌恭而氣和恭禮也和樂也】凌敬退子曰賢哉儒也以禮樂為問【賢其學正道】子曰大風安不忘危其霸心之存乎【漢髙祖歇雲安得猛士兮守四方此不忘武備而心在雜霸也】秋風樂極哀來其悔志之萌乎【漢武歌雲歡樂極兮哀情多此悔悟前過志形哀痛之語也】子曰詩書盛而秦世滅非仲尼之罪也【秦不用詩書致滅】虛長而晉室亂非老莊之罪也【老莊存太古之教非適時之典晉賢蕩焉故亂】齋戒修而梁國亡非釋迦之罪也【釋氏本空寂之法非化俗之原梁主惑焉故亡】易不云乎苟非其人道不虛行【聖人非不知太古之樸空寂之性然而應物致理必有制焉晉賢蕩梁主惑非立人之制也故虛行者爾】或問佛子曰聖人也【聖人之寂滅者】曰其教何如曰西方之教也【西方化外可行非中國禮義之俗可習】中國則泥【泥猶溺也】軒車不可以適越冠冕不可以之胡古之道也【越舟而不車胡髪而不冠古者夷不亂華】或問宇文儉子曰君子儒也防通知逺其書之所深乎【儉事蹟未見】銅川府君重之豈徒然哉【父之友】子游太樂【樂署】聞龍舟五更之曲【煬帝將遊江都宮作此曲】瞿然而歸曰靡靡樂也【紂作靡靡之樂亡國之音也】作之邦國焉不可以遊矣子謂姚義盍官乎【官仕】義曰舍道干祿義則未暇【言隋仕人皆舍道】子曰誠哉【信有此】或問荀彧荀攸子曰皆賢者也曰生死何如【或死攸生】子曰生以救時死以明道荀氏有二仁焉【彧字文若佐魏祖有大功或謂魏祖宜加九錫彧曰本起義兵所以正朝安國也君子愛人以徳不宜如此魏祖聞之不悅彧飲藥而死彧從子攸字公達魏國初建防謀帷幄舉事慎宻雖子弟不能知魏祖常稱曰荀令君之仁荀軍師之智又曰令君舉善不進不休軍師去惡不去不止然彧初仕漢漢亡則死攸獨仕魏魏存則生明道救時皆謂仁矣】子曰言而信未若不言而信行而謹未若不行而謹賈瓊曰如何子曰推之以誠則不言而信【心至誠雖未言人已知其必信矣】鎮之以靜則不行而謹【性復靜雖未行人知必謹】惟有道者能之【有儒道者能如此】楊素謂子曰甚矣古之為衣冠裳履何樸而非便也【撲虛裝貌】子曰先王法服不其深乎【有深旨】為冠所以莊其首也為履所以重其足也衣裳襜如【衣下曰裳襜如盛貌】劒佩鏘如【帶劒示威垂佩合節鏘如響聲】皆所以防其躁也【威重有節則躁無自入焉】故曰儼然人望而畏之以此防民猶有疾驅於道者今舍之曰不便是投魚於淵寘猿於木也【為禮使人別禽獸】天下庸得不馳騁而狂乎引之者非其道也【責素不以禮引人】董常歌鄁栢舟【言仁不遇也衛頃公之時仁人不遇小人在側卒章雲憂心悄悄慍於群小】子聞之曰天實為之謂之何哉【此北門篇也刺士不得志煬帝任群小仁人憂之言董常不遇者天也】邳公好古物【蘇威封邳國公】鐘鼎什物珪璽錢具必具子聞之曰古之好古者聚道【聚淳樸之性】今之好古者聚財【聚珍異之器】子謂仲長子光曰山林可居乎【子光注見上】曰防逢其適也焉知其可【防當其意有所適則居之耳不知其可不可也】子曰達人哉隠居放言也【任意所適達也適在山林隠也不知其可放也】子光退謂董薛曰子之師其至人乎死生一矣不得與之變【極乎道為至人死生不變其道者一貫天下者也】薛收問隠子曰至人天隠【藏其天真髙莫窺測】其次地隠【闢地山林髙身全節】其次名隠【名混朝市心在世外】子謂姚義能交【結交】或曰簡【簡靜】子曰所以為能也【淡故簡】或曰廣【廣泛交也】子曰廣而不濫又所以為能也【泛愛中有擇】子謂晁厝率井田之序有心乎復古矣【晁厝說文帝曰五口之家服作者不過三人能耕者不過百畆古者一夫一婦受田百畆此井田之制也文帝不能行故漢致治不及三代文中子惜其有復古之心焉】賈瓊問續書之義子曰天子之義列乎範者有四曰制【制命也秦改命為制漢因之】曰詔【詔令也秦改令為詔漢因之】曰志【志謂帝王有志於治道而未形乎制詔者也】曰策【求直言而防慮之】大臣之義載於業者有七曰命【爵命】曰訓【師訓】曰對【奏對】曰讃【襄讃】曰議【評議】曰誡【監誡】曰諫【箴諫】文中子曰帝者之制恢恢乎其無所不容【恢恢如天容物】其有大制制天下而不割乎【子曰大制不割割分判者也】其上湛然其下恬然【湛恬皆靜】天下之危與天下安之天下之失與天下正之【凡舉一事必以犬下同之】千變萬化吾常守中焉【吾常假帝制自謂也】其卓然不可動乎其感而無不通乎此之謂帝制矣【言二帝之典三王之誥兩漢之記皆同制矣】文中子曰易之憂患業業焉孜孜焉其畏天憫人思及時而動乎【業業畏天孜孜憫人易者天人以時而動也】繁師曰逺矣吾視易之道何其難乎【難知】子笑曰有是夫終日干幹可也【乾乾勤學不難】視之不臧我思不逺【又舉詩勉之使勤學易比載馳篇雲也言汝不思善道則已在我思之不為逺】越公聘子子謂其使者曰存而行之可也【姑存此聘禮即可非得聘賢之實也】歌幹髦而遣之【幹髦衛詩美臣子多好善】既而曰玉帛云乎哉【果求賢不在虛飾】子謂房齡曰好成者敗之本也願廣者狹之道也【欲速不達】齡問立功立言何如子曰必也量力乎【量力相時】子謂姚義可與友久要不忘賈瓊可與行事臨難不變【相友貴久臨事貴斷】薛收可與事君仁而不佞董常可與出處介如也【事君貴正出處貴潔】子曰賤物貴我君子不為也【賈誼曰小智自私賤彼貴我】好竒尚怪蕩而不止必有不肖之心應之【理使之然】薛宏請見六經【薛宏未見經續經也】子不出門人惑子笑曰有好古博雅君子則所不隠【言宏非好古者】子有內弟之喪【內表弟】不飲酒食肉郡人非之【非其過禮】子曰吾不忍也賦載馳卒章而去【國詩卒章雲大夫君子無我有尤百爾所思不如我所之此言我自不忍而然】鄭和【未見】譖子于越公曰彼實慢公【彼謂文中子】公何重焉越公使問子子曰公可慢則僕得矣不可慢則僕失矣得失在僕公何預焉越公待之如舊【理遣也】子曰我未見勇者或曰賀若弼子曰弼也戾焉得勇【勇於義曰勇勇於力曰戾】李密問英雄子曰自知者英【自知故能知人】自勝者雄【自勝故能勝人】問勇子曰必也義乎【凡勇不得其宜皆悖戾爾】賈瓊曰甚矣天下之不知子也子曰爾願知乎哉姑修焉天將知之況人乎【孟子曰盡心者知其性也知性則知天言聖人知天則天亦知聖人】賈瓊請六經之本曰吾恐夫子之道或墜也子曰爾將為名乎有美玉姑待價焉【待明王出當自求行之】楊感問孝子曰始於事親終於立身【言爾父不陷不義則爾身可立矣】問忠子曰孝立則忠遂矣【楊素賢則隋不亂】

The Master discussed the Way of the Duke of Zhou: he was accommodating yet fitting, partial yet forgiving [acting as regent and executing Guan and Cai was being accommodating yet fitting; striking Bo Qin in place of King Wu was being partial yet forgiving]. Surely he exhausted principle and fulfilled his nature so as to reach the Mandate [being accommodating yet fitting exhausts principle; being partial yet forgiving fulfills nature. Principle is nature, nature is Heaven, and Heaven is the Mandate; this is why he was a sage]. The Master said: The Way of the sage lies hidden when it flourishes and rests when it decays [hidden and resting mean receding gradually]. Tirelessly it turns like the advance and retreat of cold and heat; nothing fails to follow it, yet no one knows why ["tirelessly" means turning without end. When it is shown through benevolence the people follow; when it is stored in function the people do not know]. Wen Yanbo asked: What sort of men were Ji Kang and Ruan Ji [Ji Kang, courtesy name Shuye, was recommended by Shan Tao to succeed him in office, and Kang broke off with him; such was his uncompromising bearing. Ruan Ji, courtesy name Sizong, used the zither and wine during mourning and said that ritual was surely not made for the likes of them; such was his unrestraint]? The Master said: They were men of ancient times who talked of names and principles, yet could not exhaust them [to talk of names and principles without probing their transformations, one may fall into rigidity or into license]. He asked: What do you mean? The Master said: Their Way was insufficient while their vessel was in excess [where the Way does not penetrate there is rigidity, hence insufficiency; where the vessel is not held to there is license, hence excess]. He asked: May I ask about the Way and the vessel? The Master said: To penetrate change is called the Way [change when change is possible], and to hold to a fixed form is called the vessel [be square when squareness is possible]. He asked: What sort of man was Liu Ling [Liu Ling, courtesy name Bolun, was reserved by nature and did not socialize; he took pleasure in wine, and would always bring a jug and have a servant follow with a spade, saying that if he died he should be buried on the spot]? The Master said: A man of ancient times who shut his gate [shutting the gate is a metaphor for hiding oneself; he is one whose threshold the world could not glimpse]. He asked: Is that acceptable? The Master said: Forgetting the whole world together, would that not be acceptable [one may forget oneself, but cannot forget the whole world together]? He asked: Was his Way sufficient? The Master said: Whether it was sufficient I do not know [Ling too was merely unrestrained, which is not the Middle Way]. The Governor of Chen said to Scholar Xue: In the commanderies and counties I issue orders and yet bandits do not cease, while the Master lives in the village and those who quarrel stop; why [the Governor of Chen was Shuda; Scholar Xue was Shou; "the Master" refers to Wenzhongzi]? Scholar Xue said: You transform people with words [issuing orders and displaying laws], while he transforms them with the heart [practicing the Way and moving people]. The Governor said: I was wrong. He withdrew and lived in quiet [wishing to practice that Way], and after three months the bandits left his territory. The Master heard of it and said: Shou is good at words, and Shuda is good at virtue [the two shared the same aim]. Fang Xuanling asked what sort of man Tian Chou was. The Master said: A man of righteousness of ancient times [Tian Chou, courtesy name Zitai. Liu Yu, Governor of You Province, sent Chou as envoy to the Son of Heaven; when Chou returned, Yu had been killed by Gongsun Zan, and Chou wept at Yu's grave and left. The Chancellor of Wei wished to enfeoff Chou, but Chou refused. He was a man of integrity and righteousness]. The Master said: The Wu De dance is laborious and decisive, so surely its conceiving of plans and moving of thought is about running the world [in the temple of Emperor Gaozu of Han the Wu De dance was performed, depicting how shield and spear toil and decisively seize in order to run the world]; the Zhao De dance is leisurely and at ease, so surely its harmonizing of spirit and calming of qi is about pacifying the world [in the temple of Emperor Wen of Han the Zhao De dance was performed, depicting how cultivating civil institutions pacifies the world]. The Lord of Taiyuan said: How so? The Master said: Some complete it by decision, some preserve it by ease, and I do not know the transformation between them [in the Way of emperors, some build and some preserve; music and dance symbolize these, and the transformation lies in the civil and the martial needing each other]. Alas, in the Wu De, achievement is what remains, and it is not as good as the Zhao De [achievement is established only for a moment, but virtue must be preserved for ten thousand generations]. Moreover the Wu dance has long been unable to be perfectly good. Is this the course of the times? Is this the course of the times [the revolutions of Tang and Wu were the achievement of a moment, but the Zhou's carrying out of rites and institutions is the Way of ten thousand generations]? The Master said that Shi Tan was good at recording the Nine Schools [Sima Tan was Grand Historian, hence called Shi Tan. The Nine Schools: first the Confucians, second the Daoists, third the Yin-Yang school, fourth the Legalists, fifth the School of Names, sixth the Mohists, seventh the Diplomats, eighth the Eclectics, ninth the Agriculturalists]. He knew they could not be discarded, and also knew that each has its flaws. Where can one find words like those of an elder [Ruan Yi notes: the Nine Schools differ in their ways, as the five regions differ in customs; one who brings about order uses them to his benefit and employs them as tools, so they are not discarded and all return to Confucianism. The words of an elder: where ways differ, there is nothing he does not accommodate or penetrate. What is not to be discarded he accommodates; what has flaws he removes. Without a true Confucian who can penetrate change, none could exhaust this]? The Master said: If one penetrates their changes, there is no flawed method under Heaven [what is there that is constant and does not change? When a method becomes flawed, reform it]; if one holds to their fixed forms, there is no good teaching under Heaven [clinging to one corner, one will at times become sticky and stuck]. Hence it is said that it depends on the man ["the man" means a true Confucian]. The Master said: Where can I find a man of the round mechanism, to discuss the Nine Schools with him ["round" means holding to nothing; when the mechanism is released it always hits the mark]? Where can I find a ruler of the Supreme Ridgepole, to set out the Nine Categories with him [the Nine Categories: first the Five Phases, second the Five Affairs, third the Eight Policies, fourth the Five Records of Time, fifth the Supreme Ridgepole, sixth the Three Virtues, seventh the examination of doubts, eighth the manifold verifications, ninth the Five Blessings. The Supreme Ridgepole stands at the middle of the nine numbers, exactly in the position of the ruler]? Du Yan asked what sort of man Cui Hao was. The Master said: A narrow and cramped man. He held to a petty way and threw the great constants into disorder [Cui Hao, courtesy name Boyuan, was fond of astrology and the calendar and of the arts of long life of the Zhenjun; he was likely hemmed in by small things and did not know the Way of the universally learned Confucian]. Cheng Yuan said: May I ask what the Bin Feng is? The Master said: It is among the airs of change [Bin is now called Bin county; it is where the Zhou first rose. The airs of change run from the Kuai songs to "Millet Ripening" in the Wang section]. Cheng Yuan said: Were there airs of change even in the time of the Duke of Zhou? The Master said: When ruler and minister mock each other, can it still be called correct [King Cheng listened to the mockery of slander, which is not a correct air]? King Cheng in the end doubted him, so the airs changed [had the golden casket not been opened, he would have doubted the Duke of Zhou to the end]. Had it not been for the Duke of Zhou's utmost sincerity, who could have gathered it back to correctness [arising from feeling is utmost sincerity, stopping at ritual and righteousness is ending in correctness]? Cheng Yuan said: The Bin comes at the end of the airs of change; why [why is Bin placed after the airs of the various states]? The Master said: From King Yi onward, the airs of change were no longer corrected [King Yi came down from the hall to meet the feudal lords, and the Zhou began to decline; the airs of the states then changed and were no longer elegant and correct]. Surely Confucius grieved over this [grieved over the Zhou], and so concluded with the Bin Feng, saying that change can still be corrected, and only the Duke of Zhou could do it, so he attached it to correctness [the Zhou had already changed, and it was the Duke of Zhou who corrected it by means of Bin]. In singing of Bin, he said it is the root of the Zhou [the "Seventh Month" sets out the work of kingship, the root laid by Hou Ji and Gong Liu]. Alas, who but the Duke of Zhou knew its hardship [the hardship of the kingly enterprise]? To change and yet correct, to be in danger and yet support, from beginning to end never losing the root: is this not only the Duke of Zhou? To attach his poems to Bin is profound and far-reaching [the Duke of Zhou's poems were attached not to Zhou but to Bin, which corrects the root and preserves it in the distance]. The Master said: Duke Huan of Qi honored the royal house and the feudal lords submitted; only Guan Zhong understood this [Guan Zhong, courtesy name Yiwu. That Duke Huan of Qi became hegemon over the lords was through Zhong's power, hence it is said he understood]; the Fu Qin raised a great title and the Central Plain was quiet; only Wang Meng understood this [Fu Jian of Former Qin held two thirds of the realm, hence the Central Plain was quiet, also through the power of his chancellor Wang Meng]. Someone said that the Fu Qin was rebellious [the Eastern Jin still existed, and Fu Jian usurped the title, which is rebellion]. The Master said: That is the fault of the men who held the power to issue mandates in the Jin court [the Jin could not appoint regional governors to punish those who did not come to court]; how can the Fu Qin be called rebellious [to comply above and defy below is called rebellion; where there is disorder above and resistance below, it is not rebellion. The principle is in what follows]? Formerly the Zhou issued mandates of utmost public spirit [as in the investiture proclamation saying "you, lord of the five ranks and the nine earls, are to punish in earnest"; this is utmost public spirit], so Duke Huan of Qi and Guan Zhong could not defy them [because they complied from above]; the Jin issued mandates of utmost selfishness [after Emperor Hui, bribery was rampant, and the world called it a marketplace], so the Fu Qin and Wang Meng could not serve them [with the Jin moving east, the Central Land had no ruler, and the Qin only then raised its title in opposition]. Surely this was answering Heaven and following the mandate, bringing security to the state and relief to the people? Thus King Wu did not dare defy Heaven's mandate and turn his back on the people to serve Zhou, and Duke Huan of Qi did not dare defy Heaven's mandate and turn his back on the people to depose the Zhou. Hence it is said to be the Jin's fault; how can the Fu Qin be called rebellious? For more than thirty years the scholars and people of the Central Land came from the east, west, south, and north from far away; this was the power of Wang Meng. The Master said: That the Fu Qin had good ministers was surely Wang Meng's doing [seeing Wang Meng's achievements, one knows that Qin had ministers]; that the Yuan Wei had a lord was surely Emperor Xiaowen's doing [seeing Xiaowen's governing instruments, one knows that Wei had a lord]. That the Way of the Central Land did not fall was the power of Xiaowen [he made Luoyang his capital and promoted civil institutions]. The Lord of Taiyuan said: What sort of man was Wen Zisheng? The Master said: A dangerous man. His wit was small and his schemes were great. The affair of Yong'an is something the Lord of Tongzhou always ground his teeth over, and there is a reason [Wen Zisheng, courtesy name Pengju, managed the literary documents of Wei; he seemed quiet in temperament but was in fact deeply treacherous, and was later executed for plotting rebellion with Yuan Jin. Yong'an was the reign title of Emperor Zhuang, when Wei fell into great disorder. The reason for grinding teeth is unclear]. The Master read of the affairs of his three ancestors [reading the Book of Wei], and said: How diligent, yet it could not be made good [seeing the Lord of Tongzhou's diligence in the affairs of the three ancestors]! Do not say that Wei and Zhou had no men; it was simply that my family happened not to be employed [Emperor Baoju of Wei entered the Pass and relied on Yuwen Tai, and Tai's son Jue established the title of Zhou]. In the Master's family temple, the seats always faced southeast, beginning with Duke Mu. He said: This is not forgetting the state of our forebears [Duke Mu, Qiu, fled from Song to Wei, and from then on the temple seats faced southeast]. At the Liaodong campaign, the Master heard of it and said: Disaster begins here [in the eighth year of Daye, Emperor Yang attacked Liao and two million men were lost together; in the ninth year he attacked again and Shandong began to be in turmoil; in the tenth year he attacked again and the world was then lost]. The Son of Heaven did not see the words of Yi assisting Yu [Yi advised Yu, saying: "Only virtue moves Heaven; none is too far to be reached." Yu then withdrew his troops, and in seventy days the Miao came to submit], and the Ministers did not use what Wei Xiang remonstrated to Emperor Xuan [Emperor Xuan of Han sent Zhao Chongguo to attack the Xiongnu, and Wei Xiang remonstrated: "I have heard that relying on great might is the arrogant army, and the arrogant army perishes, not only through human affairs but also by the Way of Heaven"]. Wang Xiaoyi said to the Master: The whole world is contending for profit and abandoning righteousness; what should I alone do [benefiting oneself is called profit, benefiting things is called righteousness]? The Master said: Give up what they contend for and take what they abandon; would that not also be a gentleman? The Master asked Jia Qiong, Wang Xiaoyi, and Ling Jing: What do you students delight in? Jia Qiong said: I delight in living at leisure [retiring in quiet]. The Master said: Thinking of the Way in stillness will suffice. Wang Xiaoyi said: I delight in hearing of my faults [wishing to benefit]. The Master said: To hear of one's faults repeatedly is to benefit. Ling Jing said: I delight in meeting good people [loving the worthy]. The Master said: To have many worthy people, is that not also a joy? Xue Shou traveled to Guantao [there was a Guantao county in Wei], and happened to return together with Wei Zheng, and told the Master: Zheng has the capacity of Yan and Ran. Wei Zheng stayed at the Master's home, lectured on the Six Classics, and did not go out for a month. When he left, he said to Xue Shou: A bright king has not emerged, yet the Master was born; this means that the Three Powers and Nine Categories have come to belong to a commoner [the Way embraces Heaven and Earth, and principle penetrates the Supreme Ridgepole]. Liu Xuan saw the Master and discussed the Six Classics, and once he began did not run dry all day [Xuan, courtesy name Boguang, in the Kaihuang era submitted a memorial asking to promote schools, but he liked to boast of himself and was suppressed by those in power; he wrote the Wu Jing Zheng Ming in twelve volumes, which circulated in the world]. The Master said: How abundant. Xuan said: The agreements and differences of earlier scholars cannot but be recorded [the differences in annotations and commentaries]. The Master said: One thread running through it all is enough. Do you think Confucius learned much and remembered it all ["What does Heaven think or worry about? Paths differ yet lead to the same end, hundred considerations reach one conclusion"; this is Confucius's learning]? After Xuan withdrew, the Master said to his disciples: To make speech flowery and to let the Way be only slightly attained is hard [hard to enter Confucius's gate]. Ling Jing asked about the root of ritual and music. The Master said: Without depravity [ritual and music are rooted in feeling; when feeling is without depravity, the appearance is respectful and the qi harmonious. Respect is ritual, and harmony is music]. After Ling Jing withdrew, the Master said: Worthy, this Confucian! He asks about ritual and music [his worthiness lies in studying the correct Way]. The Master said: The "Great Wind" does not forget danger in safety, so surely the mind of a hegemon is still there [Emperor Gaozu of Han sang: "Where can I find brave men to guard the four quarters?" This is not forgetting martial readiness, and his mind lay in mixed hegemony]; the "Autumn Wind" has sorrow come when joy is at its height, so surely a will to regret has sprouted [Emperor Wu of Han sang: "When joy is at its height, sorrowful feelings are many." These are words of repenting earlier faults, the will taking shape in grief]. The Master said: That the Odes and Documents flourished and the Qin age perished is not Confucius's fault [Qin did not use the Odes and Documents and so perished]; that empty mystery grew and the Jin house fell into disorder is not Laozi's and Zhuangzi's fault [Laozi and Zhuangzi preserved the teaching of high antiquity, not a canon suited to the times; the Jin worthies were unrestrained and so fell into disorder]; that fasting and abstinence were practiced and the Liang state perished is not Shakyamuni's fault [the Buddhist teaching is originally a method of emptiness and stillness, not a source for transforming customs; the ruler of Liang was deluded and so perished]. Does the Changes not say: if it is not the right man, the Way will not be practiced in vain [the sage does not fail to know the simplicity of high antiquity or the nature of emptiness and stillness, but responding to things and bringing about order requires institutions. The Jin worthies' unrestraint and the ruler of Liang's delusion were not institutions for establishing people, so it was merely vain practice]? Someone asked about the Buddha. The Master said: He was a sage [a sage of extinction and stillness]. He asked: What of his teaching? The Master said: It is a teaching of the West [the West is beyond the reach of civilization and can practice it, but it is not something that the customs of ritual and righteousness of China can adopt]; when it comes to China, it becomes stuck ["stuck" is like "drowned"]. A carriage cannot go to Yue, and a cap cannot go to the Hu; this is the Way of antiquity [Yue uses boats and not carriages, the Hu wear their hair loose and do not wear caps. In ancient times the barbarians did not confuse the Chinese]. Someone asked about Yuwen Jian. The Master said: A gentleman Confucian. Broad-minded and far-seeing (the source text reads "fang tong zhi yuan", where "fang" is a mistake for "shu"), surely he is among those the Documents deeply values [no deeds of Jian are seen]. That Lord Tongchuan valued him, was it in vain [a friend of his father]? The Master visited the Music Bureau [the music office] and heard the tune "Five Watches of the Dragon Boat" [Emperor Yang, about to tour the Jiangdu palace, composed this tune], and started and returned, saying: Decadent music [King Zhou made decadent music, the sound of a lost state]. To compose this within the state, one must not go there. The Master said to Yao Yi: Why do you not take office ["office" means serving in government]? Yi said: Leaving the Way to seek a stipend, I have no leisure for it [meaning that the officials of Sui all abandoned the Way]. The Master said: Truly so [indeed such was the case]. Someone asked about Xun Yu and Xun You. The Master said: Both were worthy. He asked: What of life and death [Yu died, You lived]? The Master said: One lived to save the age, one died to make the Way clear; the Xun family had two who were benevolent [Yu, courtesy name Wenruo, greatly assisted Cao Cao of Wei. Someone said Cao Cao should be granted the Nine Bestowments, but Yu said that the righteous army was originally raised to set the court right and give peace to the state, and that a gentleman loves people through virtue, so it should not be so. Cao Cao was displeased, and Yu drank poison and died. Yu's nephew You, courtesy name Gongda, when Wei was first established, planned within the tent, and conducted affairs so carefully that even his own sons and brothers could not know. Cao Cao often said: Lord Xun's benevolence, and Military Adviser Xun's wisdom. He also said: The Lord recommends the good and does not rest until they advance; the Military Adviser removes the bad and does not stop until it is removed. Yet Yu first served Han, and when Han perished he died; You alone served Wei, and while Wei existed he lived. To make the Way clear and to save the age were both called benevolence]. The Master said: To speak and be trusted is not as good as to be trusted without speaking; to act and be careful is not as good as to be careful without acting. Jia Qiong said: How so? The Master said: To extend by sincerity, then one is trusted without speaking [when the heart is utterly sincere, though one has not yet spoken, people already know he will surely be trustworthy]; to settle by stillness, then one is careful without acting [when nature returns to stillness, though one has not yet acted, people know he will surely be careful]. Only one who has the Way can do this [one who has the Confucian Way can be so]. Yang Su said to the Master: It is excessive; in ancient times, making clothes, caps, skirts, and shoes was so plain and inconvenient ["plain" is the look of an empty display; the source text has "pu" in place of "pu", a mistake]. The Master said: Are the ritual garments of the former kings not deeply meaningful [they have a deep purpose]? They made the cap to give gravity to the head and made the shoe to give weight to the feet. The garments hang full [the lower garment is called the skirt, and "hang full" describes its fullness], the sword and pendants ring [wearing a sword shows might, and hanging pendants keep time, "ring" being the sound], all to guard against his rashness [with might and weight in measure, rashness has no way in. Here "guard" is the guard of embankment, the original character]. Therefore it is said he is dignified, and people look on him and are in awe. Even using this to guard the people (here "guard" is again the guard of embankment), there are still those who gallop on the road. Now to discard it and say it is inconvenient is like throwing fish into a deep pool or putting monkeys up a tree [to practice ritual is to let people distinguish themselves from beasts]. How can the world not gallop wildly? What leads them is not that Way [this rebukes Yang Su for not using ritual to lead people]. Dong Chang sang "Cypress Boat" from the Bei songs [meaning that the benevolent do not meet with a good time. In the time of Duke Qing of Wei, the benevolent did not meet success and petty men were at his side. The last stanza says: "My anxious heart is troubled; I am resented by the petty crowd"]. The Master heard it and said: Heaven truly makes it so; what is there to say [this is the poem "North Gate", which satirizes an officer who could not realize his aims. Emperor Yang employed petty men, and the benevolent grieved over it. It means that Dong Chang's failure to meet success was Heaven's doing]. The Duke of Pi liked antiques [Su Wei was enfeoffed as Duke of Pi], and bells, tripods, utensils, jade tablets, seals, and coin-tools were all sure to be on hand. The Master heard of it and said: Those who loved the ancient in ancient times gathered the Way [gathering the nature of purity and simplicity]; those who love the ancient today gather wealth [gathering rare and strange objects]. The Master said to Zhongchang Ziguang: May one live in the mountains and forests [Ziguang is annotated above]? He said: It is a matter of meeting what suits one, no more; how would I know that it can be done ["meeting" (the source text has "fang" for "hui", a mistake) what suits one's will, and living where one is suited, not knowing whether it can be done or not]. The Master said: A man of attainment! He lives in seclusion and speaks freely [to follow one's own inclination is attainment, to be suited in the mountains and forests is seclusion, and not knowing whether it can be done is freedom]. Ziguang withdrew and said to Dong and Xue: Is your teacher perhaps a perfect man? Life and death are one, and cannot change him [one who reaches the extreme of the Way is a perfect man; one whose Way does not change in life or death is one who threads the whole world on a single string]. Xue Shou asked about seclusion. The Master said: The perfect man hides in Heaven [hiding his heavenly genuineness, so high that no one can fathom him]; next, hiding in earth [avoiding the world in the mountains and forests, keeping body high and integrity whole]; next, hiding in name [his name mixes in the court and market while his heart is beyond the world]. The Master said Yao Yi could make friends [forming relationships]. Someone said he was simple [simple and quiet]. The Master said: That is why he could. Someone said he was broad [broad in his acquaintances]. The Master said: Broad but not indiscriminate, that too is why he could [within wide affection there is selection]. The Master said: Chao Cuo (the source text has "Chao Cuo" with a variant character) followed the order of the well-field system and had a mind to restore antiquity [Chao Cuo urged Emperor Wen, saying that in a household of five, those who do the labor are no more than three, and those who can plow are no more than one hundred mu. In antiquity each husband and wife received one hundred mu, which was the well-field system. Emperor Wen could not carry it out, so the Han did not reach the order of the Three Dynasties. Wenzhongzi regretted that he had a mind to restore antiquity]. Jia Qiong asked the meaning of continuing the Documents. The Master said: The imperial categories, as arranged in the model, are four: called Zhi [zhi means command; Qin changed "command" to "zhi", and Han followed it], called Zhao [zhao means order; Qin changed "order" to "zhao", and Han followed it], called Zhi [here a different word, meaning will: when an emperor has a will for the Way of government that has not yet taken the form of a Zhi or Zhao], and called Ce [seeking frank words and deliberating on them (the source text has "fang" for "chou", a likely mistake)]. The categories for ministers recorded in the work are seven: called Ming [titles and appointments], called Xun [teachers' instruction], called Dui [replies to the throne], called Zan [assisting], called Yi [deliberation], called Jie [admonition], and called Jian [remonstrance]. Wenzhongzi said: The institutions of an emperor are vast and contain everything [vast like Heaven containing things]. Surely there are great institutions that govern the world without cutting it up [the Master said that a great system does not cut; cutting means dividing and judging]. Above, they are calm; below, they are at ease [calm and at ease both mean still]. When the world is in danger, he makes it safe together with the world; when the world errs, he rights it together with the world [in every undertaking, he always shares it with the world (the source text has "quan xia", a mistake for "tian xia")]. Through a thousand changes and ten thousand transformations, I constantly keep to the center ["I constantly" is the Master speaking in the imperial institution's place]. Surely he stands firm and cannot be moved? Surely he responds and nothing fails to penetrate? This is called the imperial institution [meaning that the canons of the two emperors, the proclamations of the three kings, and the records of the two Han are all the same as institution]. Wenzhongzi said: The anxiety of the Changes, diligent and earnest, is surely a reverence for Heaven and pity for people, wishing to move in due season ["diligent" is reverence for Heaven, "earnest" is pity for people. The Changes is Heaven and man moving according to the season]. Fan Xuanshi said: How far-off it is; I see how difficult the Way of the Changes is [hard to know]. The Master smiled and said: Is that so? "All day long creative" is enough ["creative" means studying diligently, and then it is not difficult. The source text writes the character for "qian" as a variant]. "If you see it as not good, my thoughts are not far" [citing the Odes again to encourage him to study the Changes diligently, following the Zai Chi poem. It means that if you do not think of the good Way, so be it; but in my thinking, it is not far]. The Duke of Yue sent a summons to the Master. The Master said to his envoy: Keep it and practice it, that will do [simply keep this summons; it did not truly amount to summoning a worthy]. He sang "Gan Mao" to see him off ["Gan Mao" is a Wei poem praising ministers who love the good]. Afterward he said: Is it only jade and silk [in truth, seeking the worthy does not lie in empty display]? The Master said to Fang Xuanling: One who likes completion is the root of failure; one who wishes to be broad is on the road to narrowness [haste does not reach the goal]. Xuanling asked about establishing merit and establishing words. The Master said: One must measure one's strength [measure strength and watch the times]. The Master said: Yao Yi can be befriended, remembering long-standing agreements; Jia Qiong can be acted with, not changing in the face of difficulty [in friendship, lasting is valued; in action, decisiveness is valued]; Xue Shou can be served with a ruler, benevolent and not flattering; Dong Chang can be gone out and stayed with, upright [in serving a ruler, correctness is valued; in going out and staying in, purity is valued]. The Master said: To belittle things and value oneself, a gentleman does not do [Jia Yi said: petty wisdom is selfish, belittling others and valuing oneself]. To love the strange and prize the odd, to be unrestrained and not stop, will surely be answered by an unworthy heart [principle makes it so]. Xue Hong asked to see the Six Classics [no deeds of Xue Hong are seen. The classics are the continued classics]. The Master did not bring them out, and his disciples were puzzled. The Master smiled and said: When there is a gentleman who loves antiquity and is broadly refined, there is nothing hidden [meaning that Hong was not one who loved antiquity]. The Master had a mourning for his maternal cousin [a cousin on the mother's side], and did not drink wine or eat meat. The men of the commandery criticized him [criticizing him for exceeding ritual]. The Master said: I cannot bear it. He recited the last stanza of "Zai Chi" and left [the last stanza of the Wei poem (the source text has a lost character; some say Yong) says: "You gentlemen and officers, do not blame me; all your thoughts are not as good as where I go." It means that he himself could not bear it and so did as he did]. Zheng He [no deeds seen] slandered the Master before the Duke of Yue, saying: He truly slights the Duke ["he" refers to Wenzhongzi]; why does the Duke value him? The Duke of Yue sent someone to ask the Master. The Master said: If the Duke can be slighted, then I have gained; if he cannot be slighted, then I have lost. Gain and loss lie with me; why should the Duke interfere? The Duke of Yue treated him as before [dispelling it by principle]. The Master said: I have never seen a brave man. Someone said Helu Bi. The Master said: Bi was perverse; how can he be called brave [to be brave in righteousness is called courage, and to be brave in force is called perversity]? Li Mi asked about heroes. The Master said: One who knows himself is outstanding [because he knows himself he can know others], and one who overcomes himself is a hero [because he overcomes himself he can overcome others]. He asked about courage. The Master said: It must be righteous [all courage that does not find its proper place is perverse]. Jia Qiong said: It is too much; the world does not know the Master. The Master said: Would you like to be known? Simply cultivate yourself, and Heaven will know you, to say nothing of people [Mencius said that by exhausting one's heart one knows one's nature, by knowing one's nature one knows Heaven. It means that if the sage knows Heaven, Heaven also knows the sage]. Jia Qiong asked for the root of the Six Classics, saying: I fear that the Master's Way may fall. The Master said: Will you act for fame? There is fine jade; simply wait for a price [when a bright king emerges, he will naturally seek it and put it into practice]. Yang Xuangan asked about filial piety. The Master said: It begins with serving one's parents and ends with establishing oneself [it means that if your father does not fall into unrighteousness, your person can be established]. He asked about loyalty. The Master said: When filial piety is established, loyalty is thereby fulfilled [if Yang Su is worthy, Sui will not fall into disorder].

劉炫問易子曰聖人於易沒身而已況吾儕乎【聖人終身立易中劉但熟易之文而不知易在身也】炫曰吾談之於朝無我敵者【但談易文自謂無敵】子不答退謂門人曰黙而成之不言而信存乎徳行【此所謂易在身】魏徵曰聖人有憂乎子曰天下皆憂吾獨得不憂乎問疑子曰天下皆疑吾獨得不疑乎徵退子謂董常曰樂天知命吾何憂窮理盡性吾何疑【憂疑出乎情爾情者性之慾也聖人性不憂而人以為憂者以天下之情為憂也聖人性無疑而人以為疑者以天下之情為疑也故聖人應物以跡復性以心義終下文】常曰非告徵也子亦二言乎【前雲有憂疑後雲無憂疑是二言】子曰徵所問者跡也【舉天下物情之動而聖人應之曰跡】吾告汝者心也【以一性之本合乎天命曰心】心跡之判久矣【判分也自周公已來心跡分故曰久矣夫堯禪舜舜禪禹以心言之則一也其所以禪之者跡也湯伐桀武王伐紂以堯舜之心言之亦一也其所以伐之者跡也周公仲尼之心與堯舜湯武同也而跡不應乎天下蓋時異耳使周孔居禪之時則舜禹也居伐之時則湯武也文中子不得其時兩存心跡聖矣哉】吾獨得不二言乎【言周公仲尼於易已二言矣】常曰心跡固殊乎【疑二言為二道】子曰自汝觀之則殊也【自爾猶言自彼也以彼觀我則心跡固殊】而適造者不知其殊也【適造謂我適至於道乗時而用則安知心與跡果殊哉】各雲當而已矣【當謂惟義所在不必執乎心執乎跡時行則行時止則止各當而已】則夫二未違一也【言則二道則一也若先天而天弗違後天而奉天時先後則二而其不違時一也】李播聞而嘆曰大哉乎一也【李播亦門人未見傳】天下皆歸焉而不覺也【聖人之道常存於天下然文中子出非其時故天下生民不覺也孟子稱伊尹曰天之生民使先知覺後知使先覺覺後覺】程元問叔恬曰續書之有志有詔何謂也叔恬以告文中子子曰志以成道言以宣志【道出乎志也雖未詔天下而其言已宣故曰志】詔其見王者之志乎【詔行天下則志可見矣】其恤人也周其致用也悉一言而天下應一令而不可易【恤人故皆應悉用故不改】非仁智博達則天明命其孰能詔天下乎【言詔如是之大】叔恬曰敢問防何謂也【續書有防】子曰其言也典其致也博憫而不私【憫世病不私諱過】勞而不倦【勞心問賢不倦聴】其惟策乎【若漢武帝策董仲舒】子曰續書之有命邃矣【天爵人爵皆為命也邃者言非止君命抑亦天命之耳】其有君臣經略當其地乎【命其地必有經畧】其有成敗於其間天下懸之不得已而臨之乎【言命之所歸不得已而當之】進退消息不失其幾乎【經略如此】道甚大物不廢髙逝獨往中權契化自作天命乎【天下懸於已故曰自作天命】文中子曰事者【續書有事】其取諸仁義而有謀乎雖天子必有師【事由師謀而成】然亦何常師之有唯道所存以天下之身受天下之訓【言不惟師也天下之人有善皆可從】得天下之道成天下之務民不知其由也其惟明主乎【民間之事君皆行焉民亦不知其君得善之由】文中子曰廣仁益智莫善於問【續書有問】乗事演道莫善於對【續書有對】非明君孰能廣問非達臣孰能専對乎其因宜取類無不經乎【經營】洋洋乎晁董公孫之對【晁厝對策雲三王臣主俱賢合謀相輔莫不本於人情也董仲舒對策曰春秋王道之端傳之於正正次王王次春春者天之所為也正者王之所為也公孫對策雲致利除害兼愛無私謂之仁明是非立可否謂之義治之大用也此三對皆洋洋然得王道大綱】文中子曰有美不揚天下何觀君子之於君贊其美而匡其失也【續書有賛】所以進善不暇天下有不安哉【言無不安】文中子曰議其盡天下之心乎【續書有議】昔黃帝有合宮之聴堯有衢室之問舜有總章之訪皆議之謂也【合宮總章皆明堂異名也衢室當衢為室以採民言也管子曰堯問衢室聴於民也】大哉乎並天下之謀兼天下之智而理得矣我何為哉恭已南面而已【言黃帝堯舜得天下謀議為理】子曰人心惟危道心惟微言道之難進也故君子思過而預防之所以有誡也【續書有誡】切而不指【切至指訐】勤而不怨曲而不諂直而有禮其惟誡乎【勤拳委曲以禮誡之】子曰改過不恡無咎者善補過也古之明王詎能無過從諫而已矣【續書有諫】故忠臣之事君也盡忠補過君失於上則臣補於下臣諫於下則君從於上此王道所以不跌也【不差跌】取泰於否易昏以明非諫孰能臻乎【言遂事亦可諫】文中子曰晉而下何其紛紛多主也【紛不一姓】吾視惠懐傷之【惠帝政由賈后為趙王倫所篡懐帝防塵於平陽為劉聰所害】舍三國將安取志乎【三國各有平天下之志此又明續書有志】三國何其孜孜多虞乎【雖有志而無制】吾視桓靈傷之【漢桓帝諱志梁冀執政權傾天下靈帝諱宏黃巾賊起董卓作亂】舍兩漢將安取制乎【七制之主可以垂法此又明續書有制也】子謂太和之政近雅矣【太和後魏孝文帝年號也都洛陽文物始備故曰近雅】一明中國之有法【中國久無定主孝文立二十餘年造明堂祀圓丘置職制定律令舉兵百萬伐江南其後宣武孝明皆能修太和之政是中國之法也】惜也不得行穆公之道【穆公虯子之祖自江南來奔太和八年始仕焉虯薦王肅及□朗未幾孝文崩虯亦卒惜其道未及行也】程元曰三教何如【儒老釋】子曰政惡多門久矣【教不一則政多門】曰廢之何如子曰非爾所及也【聖賢出則異端自去非遽能廢也】真君建徳之事適足推波助瀾縱風止燎爾【真君後魏太武年號也時崇道教毀佛法建徳後周武帝年號也毀釋老二教隋公輔政時更興之是暫廢而愈盛若波瀾風燎爾】子讀洪範讜議【安康獻公撰皇極讜議】曰三教於是乎可一矣【洪範五皇極者義貴中道爾致中和天地位焉萬物育焉人者天地萬物中和之物也教雖三而人則一矣】程元魏徵進曰何謂也子曰使民不倦【易曰通其變使民不倦】賈瓊習書至郅惲之事問於子曰敢問事命志制之別【郅惲王莽時上書曰漢祚久長神器有命不可虛受上天垂戒欲悟陛下宜即臣位莽怒脅惲令稱病惲罵曰所言皆天命也非狂人造焉莽終不敢害事者謂行事之跡也命者謂事應天命者也志者謂志蘊於心也制者謂志行於禮義者也】子曰制命吾著其道焉志事吾著其節焉【道兼天下節守一身】賈瓊以告叔恬叔恬曰書其無遺乎書曰惟精惟一允執厥中其道之謂乎詩曰採葑採菲無以下體其節之謂乎子聞之曰凝其知書矣子曰事之於命也猶志之有制乎非仁義發中不能濟也【事與志發乎中命與制形於外】子曰達制命之道其知王公之所為乎其得變化之心乎【已形於外則心可知矣】達志事之道其知君臣之所難乎其得仁義之幾乎【發於中則幾可得矣】子曰處貧賤而不懾可以富貴矣【無隕穫必不驕矜】僮僕稱其恩可以從政矣【恩及賤況良民乎】交遊稱其信可以立功矣【推而廣於天下】子曰愛名尚利小人哉未見仁者而好名利者也【譏時】賈瓊問君子之道子曰反是不思亦已焉哉【詩氓篇卒章也言必反覆思其所行之道苟不思則已矣】子見縗絰而哭不輟者遂吊之問喪期曰五載矣子然曰先王之制不可越也【喪不可過必俯而就之縗七回反絰徒結反】楚公問用師之道子曰行之以仁義【必也至仁伐不仁大義誅不義】曰若之何決勝【言仁義何能勝兵】子曰莫如仁義過此敗之招也【責其知勝人以力不知勝人以道】子見耕者必勞之【慰勞】見王人必俛之【俛俯僂避之】鄉里不騎【不騎馬】雞初鳴則盥嗽具服【內則事父母禮盥古緩及】銅川夫人有病子不交睫者三月人問者送迎之必泣以拜【喜懼並】子曰史傳興而經道廢矣【若史記先黃老後六經是廢也】記注興而史道誣矣【若裴松之注三國志反毀陳夀是誣也】是故惡夫異端者【述之而反異之】薛收曰何為命也子曰稽之於天合之於人謂其有定於此而應於彼【天時人事稽合曰命此人事也彼天時也知人而不知天與知天而不知人皆非知命也故君子修性以合天理所以定命矣易雲窮理盡性以至於命】吉凶曲折無所逃乎【事有不虞之舉是時與之吉也事有求全之毀是時與之兇也蓋事與時並非人力獨能致之故委曲折旋無以逃其吉凶矣】非君子孰能知而畏之乎【知天命畏天命惟君子】非聖人孰能至之哉【儘性以至命惟聖人】薛收曰古人作元命其能至乎【元命苞易書也】子曰至矣【易者性命之書也知易則至命】賈瓊曰書無制而有命何也【魏而下續書無制而有命】子曰天下其無主而有臣乎【漢制以亡獨臣尚能稟命爾】曰兩漢有制志何也子曰制其盡美於防人乎【漢七主本以憂民而作制】志其慙徳於備物乎【漢末徳不備尚有志而已】薛收曰帝制其出王道乎【問漢製出三王之道否乎】子曰不能出也後之帝者非昔之帝也【昔之帝者以道若三王是也後之帝者以名若秦始兼帝而稱是也】其雜百王之道而取帝名乎其心正其跡譎【防人之心則正雜霸之跡則譎】其乗秦之不得已而稱之乎【天下已熟秦稱皇帝之名故漢因之不得已而亦稱帝也】政則苟簡【董仲舒曰秦為苟簡之文】豈若唐虞三代之純懿乎【二帝三王名實稱】是以富人則可典禮則未【漢富民之術可稱長世之禮未備】薛收曰純懿遂亡乎【疑二帝三王之道不可復】子曰人能道焉知來者之不如昔也【後來聖人生則道矣安知其無純懿之時耶】子謂李靖智勝仁程元仁勝智【五行之秀有偏故五常之性有勝若木性多水性少則仁勝智推此為然】子謂董常幾於道可使變理【五常具則庶幾乎聖道通變之謂道故曰變理】賈瓊問何以息謗子曰無辯【勿與小人辯明】曰何以止怨曰無爭【勿與小人爭理】子謂諸葛王猛功近而徳逺矣【一時霸其國為功雖近然謀及身後為徳蓋逺】子在蒲【蒲古中都之地隋為河中郡】聞遼東之敗【大業八年九軍並陷】謂薛收曰城復於隍矣【易泰卦上六城復於隍勿用師其命亂也】賦兎爰之卒章【王國詩也桓王失信諸侯背叛卒章雲我生之後逢此百兇】歸而善六經之本曰以俟能者【俟百姓與能者行之】子曰好動者多難【煬帝如此】小不忍致大災【隋文如此】子曰易聖人之動也於是乎用以乗時矣【易變易也功業見乎變吉凶生乎動變動者聖人適時之用也無變則功不可大故因二以濟無動則吉不先見故惟幾成務存時効動易可知焉】故夫卦者智之鄉也動之序也【爻在卦如人居鄉逐位而動是其次序】薛生曰智可獨行乎【言卦為智郷則謂智可獨行】子曰仁以守之【智不以仁則易失之賊】不能仁則智息矣安所行乎哉【不能仁雖智無用】子曰元亨利貞運行不匱者智之功也【元仁也亨禮也利義也貞信也運之以智五常成功】子曰佞以承上殘以御下誘之以義不動也【凡佞人殘人不可以義誘】董常死子哭之終日不絶門人曰何悲之深也曰吾悲夫天之不相道也【董常弱冠而死門人亞聖者也死後無人助行周孔之道】之子歿吾亦將逝矣【天喪斯文我必不乆生】明王雖興無以定禮樂矣【後唐太宗議禮樂房魏自言不備】子讃易至序卦曰大哉時之相生也達者可與幾矣【序卦輪衍六十四卦也時行時止生生不窮達則至之故曰幾也】至雜卦曰旁行而不流守者可與存義矣【雜卦止說一卦也守則終之故曰義矣】子曰名實相生利用相成是非相明去就相安也【名由實生實由名顯此謂相生利在有用用則成利此謂相成是未果是有非然後明此謂相明去不安則就就不安則去此謂相安已上皆因賛易而言也】賈瓊問太平可致乎子曰五常之典三王之誥兩漢之制粲然可見矣【古道備在方冊行之可致顔子曰舜何人也餘何人也有為者亦若是】文中子曰王澤竭而諸侯仗義矣【續書所以明此變也】帝制衰而天下言利矣【續書所以救此失也】文中子曰強國戰兵【惟恃力爾】霸國戰智【不戰而屈人之兵在智】王國戰義【禁民為非不獨任智】帝國戰徳【仁者無敵於天下徳可知矣】皇國戰無為【神武而不殺安見其有為】天子而戰兵則王霸之道不抗矣【戰不以智與義則道不能舉】又焉取帝名乎【道不抗雖名存何取】故帝制沒而名實散矣【此言名實散則元經必為行其法也】子曰多言徳之賊也【有徳則不言】多事生之讎也【保生者少事】薛方士【未見傳】曰逢惡斥之遇邪正之何如子曰其有不得其死乎【貴其太剛也若暴虎慿河子路終死】必也言之無罪聞之以誡【言逢惡遇邪當譎諫喻之孔子曰諫有五吾從其諷】或問韋孝寛【韋叔裕字孝寛後周武帝臣也】子曰幹矣【北齊攻雍州孝寛守之不下齊桓歸憤而崩此幹事而已】問楊愔【楊愔字遵彥北齊文宣帝之臣也愔於斟反】子曰輔矣【愔以朝章國令為務不幹小事而已故可稱輔相之器】宇文化及問天道人事如何【化及隋右將軍述之子也煬帝幸江都化及弒逆】子曰順隂陽仁義如斯而已【立天之道曰隂與陽立人之道曰仁與義天人相與則一故君陽臣隂陽為仁隂為義此人事所以一天道也化及有無君之心故云守仁義以戒之爾】賈瓊為吏以事楚公【隋三公府皆自署吏未君命故云事楚公】將行子餞之瓊曰願聞事人之道子曰逺而無介【恭而逺之無傷介】就而無諂【洩就其身不苟言貌】泛乎利而諷之無鬭其防【泛泛因所利而諷之勿辯防自取禍】瓊曰終身誦之子曰終身行之可也【不惟事人也處世盡宜然】子曰元經其正名乎【正帝名】皇始之帝徵天以授之也【皇始後魏道武帝號也始有中原建天子旌旗得正綂此天授之也】晉宋之王近於正體【東晉至劉宋中國無真主則江南以為正體故曰近】於是乎未忘中國【晉宋皆舉兵中原有復一之志】穆公之志也【晉陽穆公作政大論言帝王之道元經所以帝元魏而斥齊梁蓋其志也】齊梁陳之徳【僭徳】斥之於四夷也以明中國之有代太和之力也【後魏孝文太和元年宋蒼梧王元徽五年也時江南衰替中國始尊】子曰改元立號非古也【後文帝始改中元后元年號】其於彼心自作之乎【彼漢以心自改之可也非古也】或問志意修驕富貴道義重輕王侯如何【此苟卿子言也下句雲內省而外物輕矣】子曰彼有以自守也【處士橫議非天下公言自守此說而已凡聖人之道無所驕無所輕】薛生曰殤之後帝制絶矣元經何以不興乎【和帝在位十載竇憲不軌殤帝二嵗鄧後臨朝且此時漢制已絶何為於此不續元經以振王法乎】子曰君子之於帝制並心一氣以待也【以待其復興也】傾耳以聴拭目而視【待之極也】故假之以歲時【自殤和綿綿至桓靈假嵗時而終不復興】桓靈之際帝制遂亡矣【曹操舉兵吳蜀繼作孝獻禪魏漢制乃絶】文明之際魏制其未成乎【魏文帝明帝未能平吳蜀一制天下】太康之始書同文車同軌【晉武太康元年平吳天下同一】君子曰帝制可作矣而不克振【太康三年劉毅比帝為桓靈蓋帝制尋大壞矣】故永熈之後君子息心焉曰謂之何哉【太康十一年武帝崩楊駿矯詔輔政改元永熈賈后殺駿天下大亂】元經於是不得已而作也【上無王法故君子作賞罰以戒亂臣賊子豈好辨哉誠不得已也】文中子曰春秋作而典誥絶矣【孟子曰王者之跡熄然後詩亡詩亡然後春秋作】元經興而帝制亡矣【元經作於續書續詩之後】文中子曰諸侯不貢詩【古者列國歌頌皆貢於王若魯季孫行父請命於周是也】天子不採風【古有采詩之官】樂官不達雅【古為詩樂為歌以合雅道】國史不明變【國史明乎得失之跡】嗚呼斯則久矣【自仲尼歿詩有空文而其實廢矣】詩可以不續乎【漢而下風化不傳於詩故君子不可不續】

Liu Xuan asked about the Changes. The Master said: "Sages deal with the Changes until the end of their lives, to say nothing of people like us. [The sage stands within the Changes all his life. Liu Xuan knew only the words of the Changes and did not know the Changes in his own person.]" Xuan said: "When I discuss the Changes at court, no one can match me. [He spoke only of the text of the Changes and thought himself unrivaled.]" The Master did not answer. After Xuan withdrew, he said to his disciples: "Complete it in silence, be trusted without speaking: it lies in virtuous conduct. [This is what is meant by the Changes being in one's person.]" Wei Zheng said: "Does the sage have worries?" The Master said: "All the world worries; how could I alone be free of worry?" "Does he have doubts?" The Master said: "All the world doubts; how could I alone be free of doubt?" After Zheng withdrew, the Master said to Dong Chang: "Delighting in Heaven and knowing destiny, what is there for me to worry about? Exhausting principle and fulfilling nature, what is there for me to doubt? [Worry and doubt arise only from feeling. Feeling is the desire of nature. The sage's nature has no worry, yet people think he worries, taking the feelings of the world as his worry; the sage's nature has no doubt, yet people think he doubts, taking the feelings of the world as his doubt. Hence the sage responds to things by means of traces, and returns to his nature by means of the heart. The meaning is completed in the passage below.]" Chang said: "Is what you told Zheng not two sets of words from you, Master? [The first said there is worry and doubt, the later said there is none; these are two sets of words.]" The Master said: "What Zheng asked about was the trace [that is, the movements of the feelings of all things in the world, and the sage's response to them, are called the trace]; what I told you is the heart [that is, uniting the root of the single nature with Heaven's mandate is called the heart]. The separation of heart and trace has been long. [Pan means to separate. Since the Duke of Zhou the heart and the trace have been separated, so it is said to be long. Yao yielding to Shun and Shun yielding to Yu are, as regards the heart, one, so what was yielded was the trace. Tang attacking Jie and King Wu attacking Zhou are, as regards the heart of Yao and Shun, also one, so what was attacked was the trace. The hearts of the Duke of Zhou and Zhongni are the same as those of Yao, Shun, Tang and Wu, but their traces did not answer to the world, probably because the times differed. Had Zhou and Confucius lived in a time of yielding they would have been Shun and Yu, and in a time of attacking, Tang and Wu. Wenzhongzi did not find his time and kept both heart and trace; a sage indeed.] Can I alone avoid speaking in two sets of words? [This means that the Duke of Zhou and Zhongni had already spoken in two sets of words on the Changes.]" Chang said: "Are heart and trace really different?" [He suspected that the two sets of words were two Ways.] The Master said: "From your standpoint they are different. ["From you" is like "from them": seen from their side, heart and trace are indeed different.] But one who has just reached the Way does not know that they differ. [To have just arrived means that I have just reached the Way and ride the time and use it; how would I know that heart and trace are really different?] Each simply fits its occasion. [To fit is to be wherever righteousness lies, without clinging to heart or to trace. When the time is to move, move; when the time is to stop, stop; each simply fits.] So the two do not violate the one. [In words there are two, in the Way there is one. Like acting before Heaven and Heaven not opposing, or acting after Heaven and honoring Heaven's seasons: before and after are two, but not opposing the season is one.]" Li Bo heard this and sighed: "Great is that One! The whole world turns toward it without noticing. [Li Bo was also a disciple; his biography is not seen. The Way of the sage always exists in the world, but Wenzhongzi appeared at the wrong time, so the people of the world did not notice. Mencius praised Yi Yin, saying: 'Heaven gave birth to the people so that the earlier to know would awaken the later to know, and the earlier to awaken would awaken the later to awaken.']" Cheng Yuan asked Shu Tian: "In the sequel to the Book of Documents there are the Aims and the Edicts; what do they mean?" Shu Tian took the question to Wenzhongzi. The Master said: "Aims are used to complete the Way, and words are used to proclaim the aim. [The Way issues from the aim. Though it has not yet been proclaimed to the world, its words are already declared, hence it is called an aim.] The Edicts probably let one see the aim of a king. [When an edict is carried out in the world the aim can be seen.] He cares for people thoroughly and employs resources completely; with a single word the world responds, and one decree cannot be altered. [Because he cares for people all respond; because he uses all resources it is not altered.] Who but one who is humane, wise and broadly penetrating, who models himself on Heaven and makes its mandate clear, could issue edicts to the world? [This means edicts are so great.]" Shu Tian said: "May I ask what the Policy Questions mean? [In the sequel to the Documents there are the Policy Questions (the base text has a wrong character).]" The Master said: "Their words are elegant and their use is broad; they grieve for the world without partiality [they grieve over the world's ills and do not hide its faults], and toil without wearying [they toil in heart to ask the worthy and do not tire of listening]; probably only the Policy Questions are like this. [As when Emperor Wu of Han put policy questions to Dong Zhongshu.]" The Master said: "In the sequel to the Documents the Mandates are profound. [Both the Heavenly rank and the human rank are mandates. 'Profound' means it is not only the ruler's command but also Heaven's mandate.] They probably involve ruler and minister managing the proper territory. [The mandate to a territory certainly involves planning.] They probably have success and failure between them, with the world hanging over them, and one takes up the task only when there is no alternative. [This means where the mandate lands, one shoulders it only when unavoidable.] In advancing and retreating, waxing and waning, they do not lose the subtle moment. [This is the planning.] The Way is great and things are not discarded; he goes high and alone, holds the balance in the center and accords with transformation, and makes Heaven's mandate himself. [The world hangs on himself, so it is said he makes the mandate himself.]" Wenzhongzi said: "Affairs [the sequel to the Documents has the Affairs] probably take from humaneness and righteousness and have planning. Though the Son of Heaven must have a teacher, what constant teacher is there? It is only where the Way is found. With one's own person one receives the instruction of the world [this means not only a teacher: from anyone in the world who has goodness one can follow], gains the Way of the world, and completes the tasks of the world, and the people do not know the reason; probably only an enlightened ruler can do this. [What the people carried out in their affairs the ruler had all carried out, and the people did not know how their ruler obtained the good.]" Wenzhongzi said: "To broaden humaneness and increase wisdom, nothing is better than asking [the sequel to the Documents has the Inquiries]; to ride affairs and expound the Way, nothing is better than answering [the sequel to the Documents has the Replies]. Who but an enlightened ruler can ask broadly? Who but a penetrating minister can answer alone? They probably take types according to what is fitting, and nothing is left unmanaged. [Management.] How vast are the replies of Chao, Dong and Gongsun! [Chao Cuo (the base text has a wrong character) said in his reply: 'The ministers and ruler of the Three Kings were both worthy, planning together and helping one another, and none did not rest on human feeling.' Dong Zhongshu said in his reply: 'The Spring and Autumn Annals is the beginning of the kingly Way, passed on in correctness; correctness follows the king, the king follows spring. Spring is what Heaven does, and correctness is what the king does.' Gongsun Hong (a character lost in transcription of the base text, namely Hong) said in his reply: 'To bring benefit and remove harm, to love all without partiality, is called humaneness; to make clear right and wrong and to establish what may and may not be done is called righteousness; these are the great uses of government.' These three replies all vastly grasp the great outline of the kingly Way.]" Wenzhongzi said: "If there is a fine quality and it is not made known, what will the world see? A gentleman toward his ruler praises his excellence and corrects his faults. [The sequel to the Documents has the Praises.] So there is no leisure in advancing the good; is there anything in the world that would not be at peace? [This means nothing would be unsettled.]" Wenzhongzi said: "Deliberation probably exhausts the heart of the world. [The sequel to the Documents has the Deliberations.] Formerly the Yellow Emperor had the hearings in the Hall of Union, Yao had the inquiries at the Hall at the Crossroads, and Shun had the consultations at the Hall of Display; all are what is called deliberation. [The Hall of Union and the Hall of Display are different names for the Bright Hall. The Hall at the Crossroads was a chamber built at a crossroads to gather the words of the people. The Guanzi says: 'Yao inquired at the Hall at the Crossroads and listened to the people.'] Great indeed! They joined the plans of the world and combined the wisdom of the world, and the order was obtained. What did they do? They simply sat reverently facing south. [This means the Yellow Emperor, Yao and Shun obtained the world's plans and deliberations and so ordered it.]" The Master said: "'The human heart is perilous, the heart of the Way is subtle': this says the Way is hard to advance. So the gentleman thinks of faults and guards against them, hence there are the Admonitions. [The sequel to the Documents has the Admonitions; here 'guard' is the guard of an embankment.] They are urgent without pointing out, diligent without resentment, indirect without flattery, upright with propriety; probably only the Admonitions are so. [Earnest and subtle, admonishing by propriety.]" The Master said: "'To mend a fault without reluctance, and be without blame' is to be good at repairing mistakes. How could the enlightened kings of old have been without faults? They simply followed remonstrance. [The sequel to the Documents has the Remonstrances.] So a loyal minister serving his ruler exhausts his loyalty and repairs his faults. When the ruler errs above, the minister repairs below; when the minister remonstrates below, the ruler follows above; this is why the kingly Way does not stumble. [Does not err.] To take Tai out of Pi and turn darkness into brightness, who but remonstrance could achieve it? [This means even what has already been done can be remonstrated against.]" Wenzhongzi said: "How confused and full of many rulers were the Jin and after! [Confusion means that it was not one surname.] I look at Emperors Hui and Huai and grieve. [Emperor Hui's government came from Empress Jia and he was usurped by Prince Lun of Zhao; Emperor Huai fled into the dust at Pingyang (the base text has a wrong character) and was killed by Liu Cong.] Leaving aside the Three Kingdoms, where would one take the aim? [Each of the Three Kingdoms had the aim to pacify the world. This again indicates that the sequel to the Documents has the Aims.] How earnest and full of worries the Three Kingdoms were! [Though they had aims, they had no systems.] I look at Emperors Huan and Ling and grieve. [Emperor Huan of Han, whose personal name was Zhi, had Liang Ji in power, whose authority overturned the world; Emperor Ling, whose personal name was Hong, saw the Yellow Turban bandits arise and Dong Zhuo cause chaos.] Leaving aside the two Hans, where would one take the system? [The seven rulers of systems can pass down a model. This again indicates that the sequel to the Documents has the Systems.]" The Master said that the government of Taihe came close to being elegant. [Taihe was the reign title of Emperor Xiaowen of the Later Wei, who had his capital at Luoyang, where cultural institutions began to be complete, so it is said to be close to elegant.] "It alone made clear that China has laws. [China had long lacked a settled ruler. Xiaowen, after more than twenty years on the throne, built the Bright Hall, sacrificed at the round mound, set up offices, fixed statutes, and raised a million troops to attack south of the Yangzi. Later Xuanwu and Xiaoming were able to cultivate the government of Taihe; these were China's laws.] A pity that the Way of Duke Mu could not be carried out! [Qiu, Duke Mu, was the Master's ancestor, who came from south of the Yangzi and only began to serve in the eighth year of Taihe. Qiu recommended Wang Su and Guan Lang (a character is damaged in the base text); soon Xiaowen died and Qiu died too, and it is a pity that his Way was not carried out.]" Cheng Yuan said: "What of the Three Teachings? [Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism.]" The Master said: "It has long been disliked that government has many gates. [When teaching is not of one face, government has many gates.]" He asked: "What if they were abolished?" The Master said: "That is not something you can achieve. [When sages and worthies arise, heterodoxy goes away of itself; it cannot be abolished suddenly.] The affairs of Zhenjun and Jiande were just enough to fan the waves, spread the wind and stop the fire. [Zhenjun was a reign title of Emperor Taiwu of the Later Wei, when Daoism was honored and Buddhism destroyed. Jiande was a reign title of Emperor Wu of the Later Zhou, who destroyed both Buddhism and Daoism. When the Duke of Sui took over the government they rose again, so the temporary abolition only made them flourish more, like waves, wind and fire.]" The Master read the Deliberations on the Great Plan [the Duke Xian of Ankang wrote the Deliberations on the Supreme Ultimate] and said: "Now the Three Teachings can be made one. [In the Great Plan, the fifth is the supreme ultimate; its meaning values only the middle way. When centrality and harmony are attained, Heaven and Earth are in their places and the myriad things are nourished. Humans are the things of the center and harmony among Heaven, Earth and the myriad things. Though the teachings are three, the people are one.]" Cheng Yuan and Wei Zheng came in and said: "What does that mean?" The Master said: "To keep the people from weariness. [The Changes says: 'Penetrate its changes, so that the people are not wearied.']" Jia Qiong studied the Documents, and when he reached the affair of Zhi Yun, he asked the Master: "May I ask the differences among Affairs, Mandates, Aims and Systems? [In the time of Wang Mang, Zhi Yun submitted a memorial saying: 'The Han fortunes are long, the divine vessel has a mandate and cannot be received in emptiness; Heaven sends a warning wishing Your Majesty to awaken, and you should take the place of a subject.' Mang was angry and forced Yun to claim illness. Yun scolded him: 'What I said was all Heaven's mandate, not made up by a madman.' Mang never dared to harm him in the end. Affairs refers to the traces of action; Mandates refers to affairs answering Heaven's mandate; Aims refers to aims stored in the heart; Systems refers to aims carried out in ritual and righteousness.]" The Master said: "Of Systems and Mandates, I make their Way plain; of Aims and Affairs, I make their integrity plain. [The Way embraces the world; integrity guards one's person.]" Jia Qiong took this and told Shu Tian. Shu Tian said: "Probably the Documents leave nothing out! The Documents say 'be refined and be one, truly hold to the center,' which is the meaning of that Way, is it not? The Odes say 'gathering mustard and radish, do not discard the lower part,' which is the meaning of that integrity, is it not?" The Master heard it and said: "Ning knows the Documents." The Master said: "Affairs relate to Mandates as Aims relate to Systems, do they not? Unless humaneness and righteousness issue from within, they cannot be completed. [Affairs and Aims issue within; Mandates and Systems take form without.]" The Master said: "One who understands the Way of Systems and Mandates probably knows what kings and dukes do; he probably gains the heart of transformation. [Once something has taken form outside, the heart can be known.] One who understands the Way of Aims and Affairs probably knows the difficulties of rulers and ministers; he probably gains the subtle moment of humaneness and righteousness. [What issues within, its subtle moment can be gained.]" The Master said: "One who dwells in poverty and lowliness without trembling may attain wealth and honor [with no loss of heart, he surely will not be arrogant]; one whose servants praise his kindness may take part in government [kindness reaches the lowly, how much more the good people]; one whom his friends praise for trustworthiness may establish achievements [extended to the whole world]." The Master said: "Loving fame and prizing profit: petty people! I have never seen a humane person who loved fame and profit. [A rebuke of the times.]" Jia Qiong asked about the Way of the gentleman. The Master said: "'If one returns to it and does not think, then enough.' [The last verse of the Odes, 'Mang'. It means one must repeatedly think over the Way one practices; if one does not think, let it be.]" The Master saw a man in mourning clothes who wailed without stopping and so offered condolences to him. He asked about the mourning period and was told: "Five years." The Master wept and said: "The system of the former kings cannot be exceeded. [Mourning cannot be overdone; one must stoop and conform to it. Pronunciation notes: 'cui' with the reading qihui, 'die' with the reading tujie.]" The Duke of Chu asked about the Way of using troops. The Master said: "Carry it out with humaneness and righteousness. [It must be the utmost humane attacking the inhumane, and great righteousness punishing the unrighteous.]" He asked: "How does one win decisively? [This means how can humaneness and righteousness surpass troops?]" The Master said: "Nothing is better than humaneness and righteousness. Going beyond them invites defeat. [He is rebuked for knowing only how to defeat others by force and not how to defeat them by the Way.]" When the Master saw a plowman he would always console him [console], and when he saw the king's men he would always bow [bow means to stoop and step aside]. In his village he did not ride a horse [did not ride a horse]. At the first cockcrow he washed his hands and mouth and put on full dress [the rite of serving parents in the Domestic Rules; pronunciation note: 'guan' reads gu-huan]. When the lady of Tongchuan was ill, the Master did not close his eyes for three months. When people came to ask after her, he saw them off and welcomed them, and always wept and bowed [joy and fear were both present]. The Master said: "When the historical biographies arose, the Way of the classics was abandoned. [As in the Records of the Grand Historian, which put Huang-Lao first and the Six Classics later, this is abandonment.] When records and commentaries arose, the Way of history was falsified. [As Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Records of the Three Kingdoms in fact damaged Chen Shou, this is falsification.] So I hate that heterodoxy. [Its record in fact differs from it.]" Xue Shou said: "What is mandate?" The Master said: "It is examined in Heaven and matched in human affairs; one says it is fixed here and answered there. [To examine and match Heaven's seasons and human affairs is called mandate. Here is human affairs, there is Heaven's season. To know people but not Heaven, or to know Heaven but not people, is not to know the mandate. So the gentleman cultivates his nature to match Heaven's principle, and so fixes the mandate. The Changes says: 'Exhaust principle and fulfill nature to reach the mandate.'] Good and ill fortune twist and turn, and nothing escapes. [When praise comes unexpectedly in affairs, that is the time giving him good fortune; when blame comes from seeking perfection, that is the time giving him ill fortune. Probably affairs and times are not brought about by human strength alone, so in their twists and turns there is no escaping their good or ill fortune.] Who but a gentleman can know it and fear it? [Knowing Heaven's mandate and fearing Heaven's mandate belong only to the gentleman.] Who but a sage can reach it? [To fulfill nature in order to reach the mandate belongs only to the sage.]" Xue Shou said: "The ancients wrote the Yuan Ming; probably it reached it? [The Yuan Ming Bao is a book of the same kind as the Changes.]" The Master said: "It reached it. [The Changes is a book of nature and mandate; to know the Changes is to reach the mandate.]" Jia Qiong said: "The sequel to the Documents has Mandates but no Systems; why? [The continuations of the Documents from the Wei onward have mandates but no systems.]" The Master said: "Probably the world had no ruler but had ministers. [The Han systems were already lost, and only ministers could still receive mandates.]" He asked: "The two Hans had Systems and Aims; why?" The Master said: "The Systems probably exhausted their excellence in caring for people (the base text has a wrong character). [The seven rulers of the Han made their systems out of concern for the people.] The Aims probably felt shame in virtue's providing for things. [In the late Han virtue was not complete, and there were only aims.]" Xue Shou said: "Did the imperial systems come from the kingly Way? [He asked whether the Han systems came from the Way of the Three Kings.]" The Master said: "They could not. The later emperors were not the earlier emperors. [The earlier emperors ruled by the Way, like the Three Kings; the later emperors by name, like the First Emperor of Qin, who combined and took the title.] They probably mixed the Ways of the hundred kings and took the imperial name. Their hearts were correct, but their traces were deceptive. [The heart of caring for the people (the base text has a wrong character) was correct; the traces of mixing in hegemony were deceptive.] They probably rode on Qin's decay and took the title because there was no alternative. [The world was already used to the title of emperor from Qin, so Han followed it and also took the title, with no alternative.] Their government was careless and simple [Dong Zhongshu said Qin's documents were careless and simple], not like the pure excellence of Tang, Yu and the Three Dynasties. [The Two Emperors and Three Kings were fit in name and reality.] So they were adequate in enriching the people but not in ritual. [The Han methods of enriching the people can be praised, but the rites for a long-lasting age were incomplete.]" Xue Shou said: "Is pure excellence then lost? [He suspected that the Way of the Two Emperors and Three Kings could not return.]" The Master said: "People can broaden the Way; how can one know that those to come will not equal those of old? [When a later sage is born the Way is broadened; how would one know there will be no time of pure excellence?]" The Master said that Li Jing's wisdom exceeded his humaneness and Cheng Yuan's humaneness exceeded his wisdom. [The excellence of the Five Phases is uneven, so the nature of the five constants has its excesses. For example, with much wood and little water, humaneness exceeds wisdom, and so on.] The Master said that Dong Chang was close to the Way and could be made to harmonize principle. [When the five constants are complete one comes near the sage's Way. To penetrate change is called the Way, hence it is said to harmonize.] Jia Qiong asked: "How does one stop slander?" The Master said: "Do not argue. [Do not argue things out with petty people.]" "How does one stop resentment?" He said: "Do not contend. [Do not contend about principle with petty people.]" The Master said of Zhuge and Wang Meng: "Their achievements were near, but their virtue was far. [They were hegemons of their state for a time and their achievement was near, but planning for after their own lives was far-reaching virtue.]" The Master was at Pu [Pu is the ancient place of Zhongdu, which was Hezhong commandery under the Sui], and heard of the defeat at Liaodong [in the eighth year of Daye, nine armies were all lost together]. He said to Xue Shou: "The wall has fallen back into the moat. [The top line of the hexagram Tai in the Changes: 'The wall falls back into the moat; do not use troops; its mandate is chaos.']" He chanted the last verse of the Tu Yuan [a poem of the royal domain, when King Huan lost trust and the lords rebelled; the last verse says: 'In my life after this, I meet these hundred woes']. Returning, he perfected the root of the Six Classics and waited each day for the capable [waiting for the people and the capable to put it into practice]. The Master said: "Those who like to move have many troubles [as Emperor Yang did]; failing to endure a small matter brings great disaster [as Emperor Wen of Sui did]." The Master said: "The Changes is the sage's movement, and is thus used to ride the times. [The Changes is change. Achievement appears in change, and good and ill fortune arise from movement. Change and movement are the sage's use in keeping with the time. Without change, achievement cannot be great, so one relies on duplication to help; without movement, good fortune is not seen first, so one alone completes tasks by the subtle moment. In preserving the time and showing movement, the Changes can be known.] So the hexagram is the home of wisdom and the order of movement. [The lines in a hexagram are like people dwelling in a home, moving place by place; this is its order.]" Master Xue said: "Can wisdom travel alone? [This means that since the hexagram is the home of wisdom, he thought wisdom could travel alone.]" The Master said: "Guard it with humaneness. [Wisdom without humaneness easily falls into cruelty.] If one cannot be humane, wisdom stops; where would it go? [Without humaneness, wisdom is useless.]" The Master said: "Primal, penetrating, beneficial, correct: what moves without exhaustion is the work of wisdom. [Primal is humaneness, penetrating is propriety, beneficial is righteousness, and correct is trustworthiness. By wisdom moving them, the five constants are completed.]" The Master said: "One who serves his superior with flattery and controls his inferiors with cruelty will not move even if lured with righteousness. [One cannot lure flatterers and cruel men with righteousness.]" When Dong Chang died, the Master wept for him all day without stopping. A disciple said: "Why so deeply grieved?" He said: "I grieve that Heaven does not help the Way. [Dong Chang died at the age of twenty, and was next only to the sage among the disciples. After his death there was no one to help carry out the Way of Zhou and Confucius.] This man has died; I too will soon pass away. [Heaven has destroyed this culture; I surely will not remain long among people.] Though an enlightened king arise, there is no way to fix ritual and music. [Later Emperor Taizong of Tang discussed ritual and music, and Fang and Wei themselves said it was incomplete.]" The Master praised the Changes, and when he reached the Sequence of the Hexagrams, he said: "Great is the mutual birth of the times! One who penetrates can be near them. [The Sequence of the Hexagrams rotates and expands through the sixty-four. In moving and stopping according to the time there is no exhaustion of generation. One who penetrates reaches it, hence it is said to be near.]" When he reached the Miscellaneous Hexagrams, he said: "Moving sideways without flowing away: one who keeps can share its righteousness with it. [The Miscellaneous Hexagrams speak of only one hexagram at a time. Keeping completes it, hence it is said righteousness.]" The Master said: "Name and reality give birth to each other, benefit and use complete each other, right and wrong clarify each other, and leaving and approaching settle each other. [Name arises from reality and reality is shown by name: this is mutual birth. Benefit lies in having use, and use completes benefit: this is mutual completion. Right is not yet right until there is wrong, and only then is it clear: this is mutual clarification. If leaving is not settled, one approaches; if approaching is not settled, one leaves: this is mutual settling. All of the above are said on account of praising the Changes.]" Jia Qiong asked: "Can great peace be brought about?" The Master said: "The canons of the five constants, the proclamations of the Three Kings and the systems of the two Hans can be seen in splendor. [The ancient Way is fully in the bamboo slips and boards, and carrying it out can bring it about. Yan Hui said: 'What kind of man was Shun, and what kind am I? One who acts is likewise.']" Wenzhongzi said: "The kingly grace dried up and the lords relied on righteousness [the sequel to the Documents therefore marks this change]; the imperial system declined and the world spoke of profit [the sequel to the Documents therefore rescues this fault]." Wenzhongzi said: "A strong state fights with troops [relying only on force]; a hegemonic state fights with wisdom [defeating the enemy's troops without fighting lies in wisdom]; a kingly state fights with righteousness [forbidding the people to do wrong, not relying only on wisdom]; an imperial state fights with virtue [the humane has no enemy under Heaven; virtue can be known]; a sovereign state fights with non-action [divinely martial without killing; where would action be seen?]." When a Son of Heaven fights with troops, the Way of king and hegemon cannot be carried out [when fighting uses neither wisdom nor righteousness, the Way cannot be carried out], so from where does he take the imperial name? [When the Way cannot be carried out, what is there to take though the name remains?] So the imperial system is lost and name and reality scatter. [This means that when name and reality scatter, the Yuan Jing must carry out its method.] The Master said: "Much speech is the thief of virtue [one with virtue does not speak]; much business is the enemy of life [one who preserves life has little business]." Xue Fangshi [biography not seen] said: "If one rebukes evil whenever one meets it and corrects wickedness whenever one encounters it, how is that?" The Master said: "Probably such a man will not die a natural death. [He is rebuked for being too hard, like one who fights a tiger bare-handed or fords a river on foot, as Zilu died in the end.] One must speak without fault and be heard so as to be warned. [This means that on meeting evil and wickedness one should remonstrate indirectly and instruct. Confucius said there are five kinds of remonstrance, and I follow the hinting one.]" Someone asked about Wei Xiaokuan [Wei Shuyu, styled Xiaokuan, was a minister of Emperor Wu of the Later Zhou]. The Master said: "He did the work. [When Northern Qi attacked Yongzhou, Xiaokuan held it and did not fall, and the Qi ruler died of resentment. This is only doing the work.]" He asked about Yang Yin [Yang Yin, styled Zunyan, was a minister of Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi; pronunciation note: 'yin' reads yu-zhen]. The Master said: "He assisted. [Yin devoted himself to court regulations and state decrees and did not meddle in petty matters, so he can be called a vessel fit to be chief minister.]" Yuwen Huaji asked about Heaven's Way and human affairs. [Huaji was the son of the Right General Shu of the Sui. When Emperor Yang went to Jiangdu, Huaji murdered him.] The Master said: "Follow yin and yang, humaneness and righteousness; that is all. [To establish Heaven's Way is called yin and yang; to establish the human Way is called humaneness and righteousness. Heaven and humans together are one, so the ruler is yang and the minister yin; yang is humaneness and yin is righteousness. This is why human affairs are the same as Heaven's Way. Huaji had no heart for a ruler, so it is said to warn him by keeping humaneness and righteousness.]" Jia Qiong became an official to serve the Duke of Chu [the three ducal offices of the Sui each appointed their own clerks, without a ruler's command yet, so it is said he served the Duke of Chu], and as he was about to leave, the Master gave him a farewell feast. Qiong said: "I would like to hear the Way of serving others." The Master said: "Be distant without being solitary [be respectful and keep distance, not hurt by solitary aloofness], be close without flattering [be near him in person, without carelessness in word and appearance], touch broadly on the profit and hint to him, and do not contend with his quick eloquence (the base text has a wrong character). [Hint broadly according to what benefits him, and do not bring disaster on yourself by a quick tongue (the base text has a wrong character).]" Qiong said: "I will recite it all my life." The Master said: "Practice it all your life and that is enough. [It applies not only to serving others but to living in the world.]" The Master said: "The Yuan Jing is probably the rectification of names. [Rectifying the imperial name.] The emperor of Huangshi was one whom Heaven sent to bestow it. [Huangshi was a reign title of Emperor Daowu of the Later Wei, who first possessed the central plain, set up the Son of Heaven's banners, and obtained legitimacy; this was Heaven giving it to him.] The kings of Jin and Song came near to the true body. [From Eastern Jin to Liu Song, China had no true ruler, so the south of the Yangzi was taken as the true body, hence it is said to come near.] Thus they had not forgotten China. [Jin and Song both raised troops in the central plain with the aim to restore unity.] This was the aim of Duke Mu. [Duke Mu of Jinyang wrote the Great Essay on Government, which discussed the Way of emperors and kings. That the Yuan Jing treats the Yuan Wei as emperors and rejects Qi and Liang is probably that aim.] The virtue of Qi, Liang and Chen [usurped virtue] was rejected as that of the four barbarians, to show that China had a succession; this was the strength of Taihe. [The first year of Taihe of Emperor Xiaowen of the Later Wei was the fifth year of Yuanhui of King Cangwu of Song; at that time the south of the Yangzi had declined and China began to be honored.]" The Master said: "Changing the reign title and establishing a name was not ancient. [Only later did Emperor Wen of Han change the reign titles of the middle and later years.] It was probably made in his own heart. [Han could change it by its own heart; it was not ancient.]" Someone asked: "When aspirations are cultivated one disdains wealth and honor, and when the Way and righteousness are weighty one slights kings and lords; how is that? [These are words of Xunzi. The next line says that when one looks inward, outside things become light.]" The Master said: "He had something with which to keep himself. [Scholars out of office speak freely, but this is not the public voice of the world; he merely guards himself by this saying. The sage's Way has nothing to disdain and nothing to slight.]" Master Xue said: "After Emperor Shang the imperial system ceased; why did the Yuan Jing not begin there? [Emperor He reigned ten years, with Dou Xian acting lawlessly; Emperor Shang was two years old and Empress Deng ruled. Moreover, at this time the Han system was already cut off; why did it not continue the Yuan Jing here to revive the kingly law?]" The Master said: "A gentleman toward the imperial system waits with one heart and one breath for it. [Waiting for its revival.] He cocks his ear to listen and wipes his eyes to see. [Waiting to the utmost.] So he gave it years and seasons. [From Shang and He through the long span to Huan and Ling, he gave years and seasons and in the end it did not revive.] At the time of Huan and Ling the imperial system was lost. [Cao Cao raised troops, Wu and Shu arose in turn, and when Emperor Xian yielded to Wei the Han system was cut off.] In the time of Wen and Ming the Wei system was probably not yet complete. [Emperors Wen and Ming of Wei could not subdue Wu and Shu and unify the world under one system.] At the start of Taikang, writing was unified and carriage axles made uniform. [In the first year of Taikang Emperor Wu of Jin conquered Wu and the world was one.] The gentleman said the imperial system could be made, yet it could not be revived. [In the third year of Taikang Liu Yi compared the emperor to Huan and Ling, probably because the imperial system soon collapsed again.] So after Yongxi the gentleman gave up, saying: What shall we call it? [In the eleventh year of Taikang Emperor Wu died, Yang Jun forged an edict to take over the government, and changed the reign title to Yongxi; Empress Jia killed Jun and the world fell into great disorder.] The Yuan Jing was then made because there was no alternative. [With no kingly law above, the gentleman made rewards and punishments to warn rebellious ministers and thieving sons. How could this be fondness for dispute? It was truly unavoidable.]" Wenzhongzi said: "When the Spring and Autumn Annals was made, the canons and proclamations were cut off [Mencius said that when the traces of the kings were extinguished the Odes were lost, and when the Odes were lost the Spring and Autumn Annals was made]; when the Yuan Jing arose, the imperial system was lost. [The Yuan Jing was made after the sequels to the Documents and the Odes.]" Wenzhongzi said: "The lords do not present poems [anciently the songs of the various states were all presented to the king, as Jisun Xingfu in Lu asked for a command from Zhou], the Son of Heaven does not collect folk airs [anciently there was an official who collected poems], the music officials do not convey the Odes of the court [anciently poems and music were made into songs to match the elegant Way], and the state historians do not make clear the changes [the state historians made clear the traces of gain and loss]. Alas, it has been long! [Since Zhongni died the Odes have had empty text while the substance has been abandoned.] Can the Odes be left without a sequel? [From the Han onward, moral influence was not passed on in poems, so the gentleman cannot but continue them.]"

子曰吾於禮樂正失而已【正禮樂沿革之文而已】如其製作以俟明哲必也崇貴乎【王道盛則可以制禮作樂明哲君子必得公輔崇貴之位乃助成王道也】賈瓊薛收曰道不行如之何子曰父母安之兄弟愛之朋友信之施於有政道亦行矣奚謂不行【亂世道不能濟天下則修身以正家可矣】子謂任薛王劉崔盧之昏非古也何以視譜【古者氏族家譜所以僄門地謹昏姻也任姓出黃帝六代孫大壬薛姓出黃帝六代孫奚仲居薛此二姓同譜王姓出舜之後封於劉至漢有王於齊者號王氏此二姓同譜崔姓帝嚳姜嫄之後居崔邑盧姓亦姜姓之後居盧國此二姓同譜皆古禮不通昏也】文中子曰帝之不帝久矣【百王稱帝者相沿前代號也自秦始皇始故曰不帝久矣】王孝逸曰敢問元經之帝何也【三代稱王故春秋書王以尊天子稟正朔也秦漢稱帝則元經書帝以尊中國而明正統也】子曰絜名索實此不可去【舉後世之名者貴存前帝之實也中國天子不可去此號】其為帝實失而名存矣【實道也名空號爾】或問謝安子曰簡矣【謝安字安石為東晉相處富貴而獨退靜破苻堅而無喜色終優遊東山此簡可見矣】問王導子曰敬矣【王導字茂事晉元明成三帝為相每進爵必拜元帝山陵此恭可見矣】問溫嶠子曰毅人也【嶠字太真與王導平王敦蘇峻之亂皆有功初鎮武昌聞國難泣涕率兵來赴天子留嶠輔政嶠讓王導此果毅可知矣】問桓溫子曰智近謀逺鮮不及矣【溫字子元為晉將軍破李勢平苻健有功為大都督乂北伐不已為慕客垂所敗歸而潛有墓誌此智近謀逺之驗】賈瓊問群居之道子曰同不害正異不傷物【外雖同而內必正內雖異則外無傷此中庸者乎】曰可終身而行乎子曰烏乎而不可也【烏何也】古之有道者內不失真而外不殊俗夫如此故全也【知道可與適道者也不失真可與立者也不殊俗可與權者也三者備何往不全】繁師曰敢問稽古之利子曰執古以御今之有乎【今之有利者皆古有之矣故必稽古】子曰居近識逺處今知古惟學矣乎【孔子曰吾非生而知之好古敏以求之】子曰恭則物服【儼然人望而毘之】慤則有成【先誠其意】平則物化【無私於物物亦公焉】子曰我未見平者也【隋政多私】或曰君子仁而已矣何用禮為子曰不可行也【行仁必以禮節之】或曰禮豈為我輩設哉【阮籍雲】子不答既而謂薛收曰斯人也旁行而不流矣【旁行一隅不知流通之變】安知教意哉有若謂先王之道斯為美也【有若孔子弟子】文中子曰七制之主道斯盛矣【七制注見上】薛收曰何為其然子曰嗚呼惟明王能受訓【續書有訓】收曰無制而有訓何謂也子曰其先帝之制未亡乎大臣之命尚正乎【若孝武之制未亡霍光之命尚正則可以訓前漢諸帝也尤武之制未亡桓榮之命尚正則可以訓後漢諸君也】無制而有訓天下其無大過矣否則蒼生不無大憂焉【若昌邑王不廢東海王不讓則必有兵爭起而生民憂也】薛收曰讃其非古乎【續書有讃】子曰唐虞之際斯為盛大禹皋陶所以順天休命也【益賛於禹又臯陶曰贊贊襄哉】文中子曰議天子所以兼採而博聴也【續書有議】唯至公之主為能擇焉【公朝共議擇善而從】文中子曰誡其至矣乎【續書有誡】古之明王敬慎所未見悚懼所未聞刻於盤盂【盤銘雲徳日新荀子曰君者盤也水者民也盤圓則水圓君者盂也盂方則水方】勒於几杖【杖銘雲扶危定傾皆戒也】居有常念動無過事其誡之功乎【常念日新扶危之誡自無過】薛收曰諫其見忠臣之心乎【續書有諫】其志直其言危【志直若周昌雲口不能言心知不可是也言危若樊噲雲陛下獨不見趙髙之事乎是也】子曰必也直而不迫危而不詆其知命者之所為乎【不迫若賈誼曰今之進言者皆雲天下治臣獨以為未是也知命為知其君可諫則諫進退不違天命也】狡乎逆上吾不與也【狡謂志不直也言不危也非忠順故曰逆】賈瓊曰虐哉漢武未嘗從諫也子曰孝武其生知之乎雖不從未嘗不悅而容之【子言漢武大體生知不由人諫而理也若初即位崇太學立明堂黜百家策賢良雄才大畧此皆天縱也如汲黯之訐方朔之滑稽雖未聴亦能容之矣】故賢人攅於朝直言屬於耳斯有志於道故能知悔而康帝業【賢人若仲舒申公枚臯相如嚴樂輩是也此數子每大臣奏事則皆辨論之是攅於朝屬於耳也晚年下詔覺用兵之悔封丞相舊千秋為富民侯是知悔而帝業康也】可不謂有志之主乎【續書所以有志】子曰姚義之辯李靖之智賈瓊魏徵之正薛收之仁程元王孝逸之文加之以篤固【七子各得一長更能敦篤則固】申之以禮樂可以成人矣【既固矣必能成之禮樂通才然後及也】子謂京房郭璞古之亂常人也【京房字君明習災變之學以卦直日用事本姓李氏而輒自推律改為京氏郭璞字景純好隂陽算術被髪銜刀竟坐誅二子並乖正經亂人倫者也】子曰冠禮廢天下無成人矣昏禮廢天下無家道矣【士冠昏禮二十而冠三十而昏成人正家不可廢也】喪禮廢天下遺其親矣祭禮廢天下忘其祖矣【亦言士喪祭禮也孟子曰未有仁而遺其親也又曰祭必自其祖】嗚呼吾末如之何也已矣【傷時廢此四禮】越公問政子曰恭以儉【楊素驕侈故防之】邳公問政【蘇威封邳國公為僕射】子曰清以平【威以老臣貴位引其子夔預朝政非清白公平也故亦規之】安平公問政【李徳林封安平郡公】子曰無鬭人以名【徳林文學擅名然多自負見毀於時故規之使無鬬名】子謂薛收賈瓊曰春秋元經其衰世之意乎義直而微言曲而中【直微曲中蓋權行取中】越公初見子遇內史薛公曰公見王通乎【楊素問薛道衡】薛公曰鄉人也【並家河東】是其家傳七世矣【家傳儒業】皆有經濟之道而位不逢【不逢明時】越公曰天下豈有七世不逢乎薛公曰君子道消十世不逢有矣【若孔子自弗父何嗣厲公及正考甫佐戴武宣公至孔父嘉立殤公至仲尼凡三百年不遇明時三十年為一世】越公曰奚若其祖公曰王氏有祖父焉有子孫焉雖然久於其道鍾美於是也是人必能敘倫矣【六經續而彜倫敘】子出自蒲闗【自長安出蒲州龍門闗北歸晉】闗吏陸逢止之曰未可以遯我生民也【陸逢賢人隠於關吏】子為之宿翌日而行【子知其賢意在生民故特為宿未忍去】陸逢送子曰行矣江湖鱣鯨非溝瀆所容也【聖道大非群小所知】程元曰敢問風自火出家人何也【易彖詞】子曰明內而齊外【離明巽齊】故家道正而天下正【治國者先齊家】子曰仁義其教之本乎【立人之道曰仁與義是謂教本】先王以是繼道徳而興禮樂者也【韓愈曰仁與義為定名道與徳為虛位然則道徳者本仁而中和之所以為禮樂也】子曰禮其皇極之門乎聖人所以嚮明而節天下也【喻門南向使人出入而節限內外】其得中道乎【解上文皇極義】故能辯上下定民志【上不偪下下不僭上人志自定是中也】或問君子子曰知微知章知柔知剛【易繫辭】曰君子不器何如子曰此之謂不器【即此防章柔剛是不器】文中子曰周齊之際王公大臣不暇及禮矣【北齊髙洋至髙緯二十八年後周自宇文覺至介國公二十五年日尋干戈雖有名臣豈暇及禮哉】獻公曰【安康獻公】天子失禮則諸侯修於國諸侯失禮則大夫修於家【周東遷邦禮喪韓宣子適魯曰周禮在魯矣此諸侯修於國也魯三家專政八佾舞庭孔子自衛反魯乃定禮樂此大夫修於家也】禮樂之作獻公之志也【禮論樂論蓋推獻公之志而作】程元問六經之致【續經】子曰吾續書以存漢晉之實【續書起於漢髙祖止晉武帝】續詩以辯六代之俗【六代詩見上】修元經以斷南北之疑【晉東遷故南朝推運厯者因以齊梁陳為正綂後魏據中原故北朝推運厯者以北齊周隋為正綂於是南北二史夷虜相稱而天下疑矣元經者所以尊中國故中國無主則正綂在晉宋中國有主則正綂歸魏周】讃易道以申先師之防【申明十翼也】正禮樂以旌后王之失【后王有不合周公製作者則論而正之】如斯而已矣程元曰作者之謂聖述者之謂明夫子何處乎【處居中】子曰吾於道屢伸而已【言我亦不作亦不述蓋以微言絶大義乖則我再三伸明之爾】其好而能樂勤而不厭者乎【言我但好學不厭而已】聖與明吾安敢處【不敢當程元所言】子曰有坐而得者有坐而不得者有行而至者有不行而至者【老子曰坐進此道書曰行之惟難坐之行之一也而有得有不得有至有不至此言人性差殊各由所習遂相逺也】子曰見而存【因所見而存諸心】未若不見而存者也【不待見而心常存之猶言不勉而中不言而信也】子曰君子可招而不可誘【可以禮招不可以機誘】可棄而不可慢【棄謂道不同慢謂傷名教】輕譽苟毀好憎尚怒小人哉【四者任情】子曰以勢交者勢傾則絶以利交者利窮則散故君子不與也【不與之交】子謂薛収善接小人逺而不疎近而不狎頽如也【頽如不矜持之貌】子逰汾亭坐鼓琴【君子不去琴瑟】有舟而釣者過曰美哉琴意【釣隠者也聞琴知意】傷而和怨而靜【傷怨和靜乃縵傷弦調也】在山澤而有廊廟之志非太公之都磻溪則仲尼之宅泗濱也【時亂賢人隠於野磻薄官反】子驟而鼓南風釣者曰嘻非今日事也道能利生民功足濟天下其有虞氏之心乎不如舜自鼓也聲存而操變矣【所傳南風聲則存矣而所操者之情則變而不類】子遽舍琴謂門人曰情之變聲也如是乎起將延之釣者搖竿鼓栧而逝門人追之子曰無追也播鼗武入於河擊磬襄入於海固有之也【掌鼗掌磬之官武襄是其名也魯哀公時禮壊樂崩樂人皆去】遂志其事作汾亭操焉【文中子撰此操】子之夏城【絳州有夏城縣】薛收姚義後遇牧豕者問塗焉牧者曰従誰歟薛收曰從王先生也牧者曰有鳥有鳥則飛於天有魚有魚則潛於淵【一本作泉後人避唐諱也】知道者蓋黙黙焉【牧者亦隠士也意謂魚鳥尚得其所知道者何不黙而遁】子聞之謂薛收曰獨善可矣【斥牧者】不有言者誰明道乎【既雲知道即不可獨善其身必當言於天下使明而行焉】子不相形【不可以貌取人】不禱疾【無妄之疾勿藥有喜】不卜非義【不疑何卜】子曰君子不受虛譽不祈妄福不避死義【三者常徳也】文中子曰記人之善而忘其過溫大雅能之【深而宏能容物】處貧賤而不懾魏徴能之【直而遂能強立】聞過而有喜色程元能之【好學】亂世羞富貴竇威能之【好禮儉肅竇田反】慎宻不出董常能之【知時】陳叔達謂子曰吾視夫子之道何其早成也【子謁隋文帝時年二十一是早成】子曰通於道有志焉又焉取乎早成耶【言志學於道非務早成】叔達出遇程元竇威於塗因言之程元曰夫子之成也吾儕慕道乆矣未嘗不充欲焉【所問道必充其欲】逰夫子之門者未有問而不知求而不給者也【凡登門者皆充欲】詩云實獲我心葢天啟之非積學能致也【言早成亦非志學葢天縱生知爾】子聞之曰元汝知乎哉天下未有不學而成者也【必須學】或問長生神仙之道子曰仁義不修孝悌不立奚為長生【苟不仁不孝長生何為】甚矣人之無厭也【秦皇漢武無厭妄求】或問嚴光樊英名隠【光字子陵少與漢光武同學除為諫議不就耕於富春山釣於瀬上樊英字季齊明經善推歩之術順帝徴不出隠於壺山此並不求名而隠故曰名隠】子曰古之避言人也【避譭譽之言而已】問東方朔【朔字曼倩漢武帝時為郎諸郎呼為狂人醉歌曰陸沈於俗避世金馬門】子曰人隠者也【詭跡混俗不自求別於眾人故曰人隠】子曰自太伯虞仲已來天下鮮避地者也【古公長子太伯次虞仲少季厯季厯子昌有聖瑞太伯虞仲知立季厯以及昌於是如荊吳以讓季厯一雲虞仲乃仲雍之孫也君於吳後武王克商封虞仲於周未知孰是言二人皆奔之逺地以避賢君故曰避地】仲長子光天隠者也無往而不適矣【因言數人其隠則一而道徳相逺或蔵名或混俗或讓國皆執一有跡也惟天隱浩然太虛孰為名孰為俗孰為國惟變所適人不能知是天隠也】子曰遁世無悶其避世之謂乎【避世即天隠也生世間治則彰亂則晦樂則行憂則違適時而已又何悶哉此與名隠人隠地隠異矣】非夫無可無不可不能齊也【可不可齊致則成天隠】文中子曰小雅盡廢而春秋作矣【四夷交侵故春秋作以尊中國】小化皆衰而天下非一帝【續詩有大化小化亦大小雅之義也及其衰也四夷僣帝號故曰非一帝】元經所以續而作者其衰世之意乎【救世衰故續春秋之法】子在絳出於野遇陳守【叔達時為絳郡守】曰夫子何之乎子曰將之夏【絳州夏城縣】陳守令勸吏息役【慮其師見役民】董常聞之曰吾知夫子行國矣未嘗虛行也【漢置八使行國以觀天下風俗文中子一布衣出行而郡守息役是不虛行也】賈瓊事楚公因防而歸以告子【楚公注見上】子曰瓊汝將閉門卻掃歟不知緘口而內修也【古人杜門卻掃者義在緘口淨其內也】瓊未達古人之意焉【將謂真閉門】仲長子光曰在險而運竒不若宅平而無為【運竒一時之用無為長世之圖】文中子以為知言【言得大者逺者】文中子曰其名彌消其徳彌長其身彌退其道彌進此人其知之矣【此人即謂仲長子光也退宅平無為則知消長進退之極致也】子曰知之者不如行之者【苟不能行猶不知】行之者不如安之者【委物以能不勞聰明安然而事自行此亦廣上文無為之義】仲長子光字不曜董常字履常子曰稱徳矣子之叔弟績字無功子曰字朋友之職也【朋友呼而字之非自立也】神人無功非爾所宜也常名之【績終號無功子自作傳棄官不仕】季弟名靜薛收字之曰保名子聞之曰薛生善字矣靜能保名有稱有誡薛生於是乎可與友也【表徳則稱之未有可稱則誡之葢益友矣】

The Master said: As for ritual and music, I have only corrected what was lost [only correcting the wording of the history of ritual and music]. As for creating them, that waits for a clear-sighted sage, who must surely be raised to high honor [only when the kingly way flourishes can ritual and music be made; a clear-sighted gentleman must obtain the exalted position of a high minister before he can help bring the kingly way to completion]. Jia Qiong and Xue Shou said: If the Way cannot be practiced, what then? The Master said: If parents are at ease with you, brothers love you, and friends trust you, and this extends to the conduct of government, then the Way is practiced; how can you say it is not practiced? [In a disordered age, when the Way cannot save the world, cultivating oneself to set one's household right is enough.] The Master said: The marriages of the Ren, Xue, Wang, Liu, Cui and Lu clans are not in the ancient manner; why look at the genealogies? [In ancient times clan genealogies were used to mark out family standing and to be careful about marriage (the base text has a character that is probably a copying error for "mark"). The Ren clan descends from Da Ren, a sixth-generation descendant of the Yellow Emperor, and the Xue clan from Xi Zhong, also a sixth-generation descendant, who dwelt in Xue; these two clans share a genealogy. The Wang clan descends from the line of Shun enfeoffed at Liu, and in the Han the title of King of Qi gave rise to the Wang clan; these two share a genealogy. The Cui clan descends from Jiang Yuan, consort of Emperor Ku, who dwelt in the town of Cui, and the Lu clan too descends from the Jiang line and dwelt in the state of Lu; these two share a genealogy. By ancient ritual, such clans did not intermarry.] Wenzhongzi said: It has been a long time since an emperor was truly like an emperor [the title of emperor claimed by the many kings was inherited from earlier ages, beginning with the First Emperor of Qin; hence he says it has been long since there was a true emperor]. Wang Xiaoyi said: May I ask what the Yuan Jing means by "emperor" [the Three Dynasties called their rulers kings, so the Spring and Autumn Annals writes "king" to honor the Son of Heaven and to receive the correct calendar; Qin and Han called theirs emperors, so the Yuan Jing writes "emperor" to honor the Central States and make plain the legitimate line]? The Master said: Examine the name and seek out the reality; this cannot be dropped [citing the names of later ages, the value lies in preserving the reality of the earlier emperors; the Son of Heaven of the Central States cannot give up this title]. As emperors, in fact the reality was lost and only the name remained [the reality is the Way; the name is an empty title only]. Someone asked about Xie An. The Master said: Simple [Xie An, courtesy name Anshi, was chancellor of the Eastern Jin; though in wealth and rank he alone withdrew into quiet, showed no joy on defeating Fu Jian, and finally lived at ease in the Eastern Mountains; his simplicity can be seen]. He asked about Wang Dao. The Master said: Reverent [Wang Dao, courtesy name Maohong (a character is missing in the base text after transcription, namely "hong"), served as chancellor under three emperors of Jin, Yuan, Ming and Cheng, and each time he was promoted in rank he first paid homage at the tomb of Emperor Yuan; his reverence can be seen]. He asked about Wen Jiao. The Master said: A resolute man [Jiao, courtesy name Taizhen, with Wang Dao had merit in putting down the rebellions of Wang Dun and Su Jun. At first he garrisoned Wuchang, and on hearing of the national crisis he wept and led his troops to the rescue; the Son of Heaven kept Jiao to assist in government, and Jiao yielded the post to Wang Dao. His resoluteness can be known]. He asked about Huan Wen. The Master said: Near in wisdom but far in schemes; rarely does such a man avoid disaster [Wen, courtesy name Ziyuan, as a general of Jin had merit in defeating Li Shi and pacifying Fu Jian; as grand commander he campaigned north without cease, was defeated by Murong Chui, and on returning secretly harbored the ambition to usurp the throne (the base text has a character that is a mistake for "usurp"). This is the proof of being near in wisdom and far in schemes]. Jia Qiong asked about the way of living among a group. The Master said: Agreeing should not harm what is right, and differing should not injure others [outwardly agreeing yet inwardly being upright; inwardly differing yet outwardly doing no injury. This is the Doctrine of the Mean, perhaps]. He asked: Can this be practiced for one's whole life? The Master said: Why can it not? ["Wu" here means "why".] People of old who had the Way did not lose their true nature within and did not differ from the customs of their time without. In this way they stayed whole [knowing that one can go along the Way together, not losing one's true nature one can take a stand together, not differing from custom one can act with flexibility together. With these three combined, where would one not be whole?]. Fan Shixuan (a character is missing in the base text after transcription, namely "xuan") said: May I ask the benefit of studying antiquity? The Master said: By holding to the past one commands what exists in the present, probably. The Master said: To dwell near and know what is far, to live in the present and know the past, is possible only through study [Confucius said: I was not born with knowledge; I love antiquity and diligently seek it]. The Master said: Reverence makes people submit [being solemn, people look at him and revere him (the base text has a mistaken character for "revere")], sincerity brings accomplishment [first make one's intentions true], and fairness transforms people [being without selfishness toward things, things too become impartial]. The Master said: I have never seen a man who is fair [Sui government was full of selfishness]. Someone said: A gentleman need only be benevolent; what use is ritual? The Master said: That cannot be done [practicing benevolence must be regulated by ritual]. Someone said: Was ritual set up for people like us? [These are the words of Ruan Ji.] The Master did not answer, but afterward said to Xue Shou: This man goes sideways and does not flow [he goes sideways into one corner and does not know the change of flowing freely], so how could he understand the meaning of teaching? You Ruo said the way of the former kings, in this, was beautiful [You Ruo was a disciple of Confucius]. Wenzhongzi said: With the rulers of the seven institutions, the Way was then at its height [for the seven institutions, see the note above]. Xue Shou said: Why is that so? The Master said: Alas, only an enlightened king can receive instruction [the continuation of the Book of Documents has the "Instruction" genre]. Shou said: Where there is no institution yet there is instruction; what does that mean? The Master said: Perhaps the institutions of the former emperors have not yet perished? And the commands of the great ministers are still upright? [For example, when the institutions of Emperor Xiaowu had not perished and the commands of Huo Guang were still upright, one could instruct the emperors of the Former Han; when the institutions of Guangwu (the base text has a mistaken character for "Guang") had not perished and the commands of Huan Rong were still upright, one could instruct the rulers of the Later Han.] Where there is no institution yet there is instruction, the world will probably have no great fault; otherwise the common people will not lack for great sorrow [for example, had the Prince of Changyi not been deposed and the Prince of Donghai not yielded, military strife would surely have arisen and the people would have grieved]. Xue Shou said: The "Eulogy" genre is probably not ancient [the continuation of the Book of Documents has the "Eulogy"]? The Master said: In the age of Tang and Yu it was then at its height. Yu the Great and Gao Yao thereby followed Heaven's good mandate [Yi gave a eulogy to Yu, and Gao Yao also said, "I would help and assist"]. Wenzhongzi said: Deliberation is what the Son of Heaven uses to gather views widely and listen broadly [the continuation of the Book of Documents has the "Deliberation" genre]. Only a ruler of utmost impartiality can choose among them [the court deliberates in common, choosing the good and following it]. Wenzhongzi said: The "Admonition" has probably reached the highest point [the continuation of the Book of Documents has the "Admonition"]? The enlightened kings of old were reverent about what they had not yet seen and fearful about what they had not yet heard, and engraved their warnings on basins and bowls [the basin inscription says "virtue renews itself daily"; Xunzi says: the ruler is the basin and the people are the water; if the basin is round the water is round; the ruler is the bowl, and if the bowl is square the water is square] and carved them on tables and staffs [the staff inscription says "support the endangered and steady the toppling"; all are admonitions]. At rest they had constant mindfulness, in action they made no mistakes; this is probably the achievement of the admonition [constant mindfulness of daily renewal and the admonition to support the endangered naturally leave no fault]. Xue Shou said: Remonstrance can probably reveal the heart of a loyal minister [the continuation of the Book of Documents has the "Remonstrance"]? His will is straight and his words are perilous [a straight will is like Zhou Chang saying, "My mouth cannot speak, but my heart knows it cannot be done"; perilous words are like Fan Kuai saying, "Has Your Majesty alone not seen the affair of Zhao Gao?"]. The Master said: One must be straight without being pressing and perilous without being abusive; this is probably the conduct of one who knows destiny [not pressing is like Jia Yi saying, "Those who give counsel today all say the world is well governed, but I alone think it is not yet so"; knowing destiny is knowing that if one's ruler can be remonstrated with one remonstrates, and in advancing or withdrawing does not go against the mandate of Heaven]. One who is cunning and goes against his superior I do not approve of [cunning means the will is not straight and the words are not perilous, which is not loyal compliance, so it is called going against]. Jia Qiong said: How cruel; Emperor Wu of Han never once followed remonstrance. The Master said: Emperor Xiaowu was perhaps born with knowledge? Though he did not follow it, he never failed to take it with pleasure and tolerance [the Master said that Emperor Wu of Han, on the whole, was born knowing and ordered affairs without needing others' remonstrance. Early in his reign he honored the Imperial Academy, established the Hall of Light, dismissed the hundred schools and set examinations for worthy men; with great talent and bold strategy, all this was Heaven-given. Even Ji An's hard criticism and Dongfang Shuo's jesting, though not heeded, were tolerated]. So worthy men were gathered at court, and straight words were pressed close to his ears. He had a will toward the Way, and so he could repent and restore the imperial enterprise [the worthy men were such as Dong Zhongshu, Shen Gong, Mei Gao, Sima Xiangru, Yan Zhu and Xu Le. Whenever the great ministers presented matters, these men all debated them, so they were gathered at court and attached to his ear. In his later years he issued an edict showing awareness of his regret over military campaigns, and enfeoffed Chancellor Tian Qianqiu as Marquis of Enriching the People; this is repenting, and the imperial enterprise was restored]. Can one not say he was a ruler with a will? [This is why the continuation of the Book of Documents has the "Will" genre.] The Master said: The eloquence of Yao Yi, the wisdom of Li Jing, the uprightness of Jia Qiong and Wei Zheng, the benevolence of Xue Shou, the writing of Cheng Yuan and Wang Xiaoyi, together with steadfastness [the seven men each had one strength, and with added sincerity there is firmness], extended by ritual and music, can make a complete man [once firm, he will surely be able to achieve it; only after one has mastered ritual and music is it complete]. The Master said that Jing Fang and Guo Pu were men of old who threw constants into disorder [Jing Fang, courtesy name Junming, studied the lore of calamities and changes and used the hexagrams to assign each day's affairs. His family name was originally Li, but he reckoned the pitch-pipes himself and changed it to Jing. Guo Pu, courtesy name Jingchun, was fond of yin-yang and calculation arts, let down his hair and held a knife in his mouth, and in the end was executed. Both men departed from the right classics and threw human relations into disorder]. The Master said: When the capping ceremony is abandoned, the world has no adults; when the marriage ceremony is abandoned, the world has no family way [the capping and marriage rites for gentlemen, capping at twenty and marrying at thirty, by which one becomes an adult and sets the household right, cannot be abandoned]; when mourning rites are abandoned, the world abandons its parents; when sacrificial rites are abandoned, the world forgets its ancestors [this also refers to the mourning and sacrificial rites of gentlemen. Mencius said that there has never been a benevolent man who abandoned his parents, and also that sacrifice must begin with one's ancestors]. Alas, there is nothing I can do about it [grieving that the age has abandoned these four rites]. The Duke of Yue asked about government. The Master said: Be reverent and frugal [Yang Su was arrogant and extravagant, so he was guarded against (here the word for "guard" means to dike or embank)]. The Duke of Pi asked about government [Su Wei was enfeoffed as Duke of Pi and served as Grand Secretary]. The Master said: Be pure and fair [Wei, as an old minister of high rank, brought his son Su Kui into the government, which was not pure or fair, so he too was admonished]. The Duke of Anping asked about government [Li Delin was enfeoffed as Duke of Anping commandery]. The Master said: Do not contend with others over reputation [Delin made a name in letters, but was often self-assured and was slandered in his time, so he was admonished not to contend over reputation]. The Master said to Xue Shou and Jia Qiong: The Spring and Autumn Annals and the Yuan Jing probably carry the meaning of a declining age; their righteousness is direct but subtle, their words roundabout but on target [direct yet subtle, roundabout yet on target, probably acting with flexibility to take the mean]. When the Duke of Yue first saw the Master, he met the Palace Secretary, Lord Xue, and said: Have you met Wang Tong? [Yang Su was asking Xue Daoheng.] Lord Xue said: He is a man from my home region [both their families were in Hedong]. His family has handed down its learning for seven generations [the family tradition was Confucian learning], all with the way of ordering the world but without meeting the right post [not meeting an enlightened age]. The Duke of Yue said: How can there be seven generations in the world who did not meet the right time? Lord Xue said: When the way of the gentleman is on the wane, even ten generations without meeting it can happen [for example, from Fu Fuhe succeeding Duke Li, through Zheng Kaofu assisting Dukes Dai, Wu and Xuan, to Kong Fujia setting up Duke Shang, down to Zhongni, three hundred years in all without meeting an enlightened age; thirty years make a generation]. The Duke of Yue said: How does he compare with his forebears? Lord Xue said: The Wang family has grandfathers and fathers, sons and grandsons. Even so, those who stay long in their Way concentrate the finest in this man, and this man will surely be able to set the constant relations in order (a character is missing in the base text after transcription, namely "constant") [the Six Classics are continued and the constant relations put in order]. The Master came out through Pu Pass [from Chang'an, leaving by the Longmen Pass of Puzhou to return north to Jin]. The pass official Lu Feng stopped him and said: You still must not leave me, the living people. [Lu Feng was a worthy man who hid himself as a pass official.] The Master stayed one night for him and left the next day [the Master knew he was worthy and meant the living people, so he stayed specially for him and could not bear to leave at once]. Lu Feng saw the Master off and said: Go on. The sturgeon and whales of the rivers and lakes cannot be contained by ditches and channels [the sage's way is great and is not understood by the many petty ones]. Cheng Yuan said: May I ask what is meant by "wind comes out of fire: the family" [the judgment text of the Book of Changes]? The Master said: Brightness is within and order is without [Li is brightness, Xun is order], so when the family way is right the world is right [one who governs a state first sets his household in order]. The Master said: Benevolence and righteousness are probably the root of teaching [the way of establishing humankind is called benevolence and righteousness; this is called the root of teaching]. The former kings used these to continue the Way and virtue and to raise ritual and music [Han Yu said that benevolence and righteousness are fixed names, while the Way and virtue are empty positions. So the Way and virtue are the root, and benevolence, tempered by the mean and harmony, is what makes ritual and music]. The Master said: Ritual is probably the gate of the supreme ridgepole? It is how sages face the light and regulate the world [as a figure of speech the gate faces south, lets people go in and out, and sets limits between inside and outside]. It probably holds to the middle way [this explains the meaning of the supreme ridgepole in the previous passage]. So it can distinguish high from low and settle the people's will [superiors do not press on inferiors, inferiors do not overstep superiors, and people's wills are naturally settled; this is the mean]. Someone asked about the gentleman. The Master said: He knows the subtle, knows the manifest, knows the soft and knows the hard [Book of Changes, Appended Remarks]. He asked: The gentleman is not a utensil; what does that mean? The Master said: That is what it is to be not a utensil [this very knowing of the subtle, the manifest, the soft and the hard is being not a utensil (the base text has a mistaken character for "know" before "manifest", with the word "subtle" omitted following the preceding passage)]. Wenzhongzi said: In the age of Zhou and Qi, kings, dukes and great ministers had no leisure to attend to ritual [from Gao Yang of Northern Qi to Gao Wei was twenty-eight years, and from Yuwen Jue of Later Zhou to the Duke of Jie was twenty-five years; day after day they sought shield and spear, and though there were famous ministers, how could they find leisure to attend to ritual]. Duke Xian said [Duke Xian of Ankang]: When the Son of Heaven loses ritual, the feudal lords cultivate it in their states; when the feudal lords lose ritual, the great officers cultivate it in their families [after the Zhou moved east, the rites of the state were lost, and when Han Xuanzi went to Lu he said that the rites of Zhou were in Lu, this being the feudal lords cultivating them in their states. The Three Families of Lu monopolized government, and eight rows of dancers performed in the courtyard; only when Confucius returned from Wei to Lu were ritual and music settled, this being the great officers cultivating them in their families]. The making of ritual and music was Duke Xian's aspiration [the "Discourse on Ritual" and "Discourse on Music" were probably composed by extending Duke Xian's aspiration]. Cheng Yuan asked about the purport of the Six Classics [the continuations]. The Master said: I continued the Book of Documents to preserve the reality of Han and Jin [the continuation of the Book of Documents begins with Emperor Gaozu of Han and ends with Emperor Wu of Jin], continued the Book of Songs to distinguish the customs of the six dynasties [the songs of the six dynasties are given above], compiled the Yuan Jing to settle doubts between north and south [after Jin moved east, southern scholars who reckoned the cycles therefore took Qi, Liang and Chen as the legitimate line; the Later Wei held the Central Plain, so northern scholars who reckoned the cycles took Northern Qi, Zhou and Sui as legitimate. Thus the two histories, southern and northern, called each other barbarians and the world was in doubt. This is why the Yuan Jing honors the Central States: when the Central States have no ruler, legitimacy lies with Jin and Song, and when the Central States have a ruler, legitimacy goes to Wei and Zhou], praised the Way of the Changes to set forth and make plain the purport of the former teachers (the base text has a mistaken character for "purport") [setting forth the Ten Wings], and corrected ritual and music to expose the faults of later kings [where later kings departed from the creations of the Duke of Zhou, I discussed and corrected them]. That is all. Cheng Yuan said: One who creates is called a sage, one who transmits is called enlightened; where does the Master stand ["stand" means to take the middle position]? The Master said: As for the Way, I merely make it plain again and again [meaning that I neither create nor transmit; probably because subtle words were cut off and great meanings were distorted, I only make them plain again and again]. Probably I love it and can take pleasure in it, work at it and do not tire [meaning that I merely love learning and do not tire of it]. As for sage and enlightened, how would I dare to claim them [not daring to accept what Cheng Yuan said]. The Master said: Some obtain it by sitting, and some do not obtain it by sitting; some arrive by walking, and some arrive without walking [Laozi said, "sitting, one advances in this Way"; the Book of Documents said, "practice is the hard part". Sitting and walking are one, yet some obtain and some do not, some arrive and some do not. This is saying that people's natures differ, each according to what they have practiced, and so they are far apart]. The Master said: Seeing and preserving [preserving in the heart what one has seen] is not as good as preserving without seeing [not waiting to see, the heart always preserves it, as one hits the mark without effort and is trusted without speaking]. The Master said: A gentleman can be invited but cannot be lured [he can be invited by ritual but not lured by schemes], can be abandoned but cannot be insulted [abandoning means the Ways differ; insulting injures the teaching of names]. To praise lightly and slander carelessly, to love and hate and favor anger, is small men's way [these four follow one's feelings]. The Master said: Those who associate through power will break off when power falls; those who associate through profit will scatter when profit runs out. So the gentleman does not take part [does not associate with them]. The Master said that Xue Shou was good at dealing with small men, being distant but not estranged, near but not familiar, easy and unaffected ["easy and unaffected" means without stiffness]. The Master toured the Fen Pavilion and sat playing the zither [a gentleman does not put away the zither]. A man fishing from a boat passed by and said: How fine is the zither's meaning! [The fisherman was a recluse, who knew its meaning on hearing the zither.] It is grieved yet gentle, resentful yet calm! [grief, resentment, gentleness and calm are the slackening and tightening of the strings]. Dwelling in mountains and marshes yet having the aspiration of the temple and court: if not Taigong in Panxi, then Zhongni living by the Si River [in a disordered age worthy men hide in the wilds. Pronunciation note: "Pan" is read bo-guan]. The Master suddenly played the Southern Breeze. The fisherman said: Ah, that is not for today. A Way able to benefit the living people, a merit sufficient to save the world, perhaps this comes from the heart of the Lord of Youyu? It is better that Shun himself play it. The sound remains but the mood has changed [the sound of the Southern Breeze as handed down remains, but the feeling of the one who plays it has changed and is no longer similar]. The Master quickly put down the zither and said to his disciples: Is it so, that feeling alters sound? He rose, about to invite him over, but the fisherman shook his pole, beat the oar and left. The disciples chased after him. The Master said: Do not pursue. Wu the drum-shaker entered the river, and Xiang the stone-chime striker went into the sea; there have always been such things [the officials in charge of the hand drum and the stone chime, Wu and Xiang being their names. In the time of Duke Ai of Lu ritual collapsed and music was lost, and the musicians all left]. So he recorded this and composed the "Fen Pavilion Melody" [Wenzhongzi composed this melody]. The Master went to Xiacheng [Jiangzhou has Xiacheng county]. Xue Shou and Yao Yi were behind, and met a swineherd to ask the way. The herder said: Whom do you follow? Xue Shou said: We follow Master Wang. The herder said: There are birds, there are birds, and they fly in the sky; there are fish, there are fish, and they dive in the deep [one text has "spring" here; later people avoided a Tang taboo]. Those who know are perhaps silent [the herder too was a recluse; the meaning is that fish and birds even find their places, so why do those who know not keep silent and hide away]. The Master heard this and said to Xue Shou: To perfect oneself alone is acceptable [this rebukes the herder]. If there is no one who speaks, who will make the Way plain? [Since he says he knows, he cannot perfect himself alone; he must speak to the world so that it is made clear and put into practice.] The Master did not read faces for fortune [one must not judge people by appearance], did not pray over illness [an unexpected illness needs no medicine to bring joy], and did not divine about what is not righteous [if there is no doubt, why divine]. The Master said: A gentleman does not accept empty praise, does not pray for undeserved blessing, and does not shun death for righteousness [these three are constant virtues]. Wenzhongzi said: Remembering others' good and forgetting their faults, Wen Daya is able [deep and broad, able to hold others]; remaining unafraid in poverty and low station, Wei Zheng is able [straight and thorough, able to stand firm]; glad when hearing of his faults, Cheng Yuan is able [fond of learning]; ashamed of wealth and rank in a disordered age, Dou Wei is able [fond of ritual, frugal and grave; pronunciation note: "Dou" is read tian-hou (a character is missing in the base text after transcription, namely "hou")]; careful, secretive and not going out, Dong Chang is able [knowing the times]. Chen Shuda said to the Master: Looking at the Master's Way, how early it was accomplished [the Master had his audience with Emperor Wen of Sui at twenty-one; this is early accomplishment]. The Master said: One who has a will toward the Way, how would he look for early accomplishment? [This says that one sets one's will on learning the Way and does not strive for early accomplishment.] Shuda went out and met Cheng Yuan and Dou Wei on the road, and told them of it. Cheng Yuan said: As to the Master's accomplishment, we who admire the Way have long known it, and he has never failed to fulfill our desire [what is asked about the Way he always fulfills fully]. Of those who visit the Master's gate, none asks without being answered or seeks without being supplied [all who come to his door are satisfied]. The Book of Songs says, "it truly gains my heart". Probably Heaven opened it, and it cannot be reached by accumulated study [this says that early accomplishment is not from aspiring to learn but probably from being Heaven-endowed with innate knowledge]. The Master heard this and said: Yuan, do you know? There is no one in the world who succeeds without learning [one must learn]. Someone asked about the way of long life and immortals. The Master said: If benevolence and righteousness are not cultivated and filial piety and brotherly respect not established, what use is a long life? [If one is neither benevolent nor filial, what is long life for?] How excessive, people's insatiability! [The First Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han were insatiable and sought recklessly.] Someone asked about Yan Guang and Fan Ying, reclusion for the sake of fame [Guang, courtesy name Ziling, studied in youth with Emperor Guangwu of Han, was appointed a remonstrance counselor but did not take office, and farmed at Fuchun Mountain and fished at the rapids. Fan Ying, courtesy name Jiqi, was learned in the classics and skilled in calendrical calculation, was summoned by Emperor Shun but did not go out, and lived in hiding at Hu Mountain. Neither sought fame by reclusion, so it is called reclusion for fame]. The Master said: People of old who avoided words [merely avoiding words of praise and blame]. He asked about Dongfang Shuo [Shuo, courtesy name Manqian, was a gentleman attendant under Emperor Wu of Han; the other attendants called him mad, and in his drunken song he said, "hidden among the common crowd, avoiding the world at the Golden Horse Gate"]. The Master said: A man who hides among men [he concealed his traces and blended into custom, not seeking to distinguish himself from others, so it is called hiding among men]. The Master said: Since Taibo and Yuzhong, there have been few in the world who withdrew from their land [Gugong's eldest son was Taibo, the second Yuzhong, the youngest Jili. Jili's son Chang had a sage's omens, and Taibo and Yuzhong, knowing that Jili would be established and then Chang, went to Jing and Wu to yield to Jili. One account says Yuzhong was a grandson of Zhongyong, ruled at Wu, and later King Wu, after conquering Shang, enfeoffed Yuzhong in Zhou; which is right is unknown. The point is that both fled to a distant land to avoid a worthy ruler, so it is called withdrawing from the land]. Master Zhongchang Guang was a man who hid in Heaven, going nowhere without being at ease [on account of this he mentioned several men; their hiding was one but their Way and virtue were far apart. Some concealed their names, some blended into custom, some yielded the state, all clinging to one thing and leaving traces. Only hiding in Heaven is vast and empty; what is name, what is custom, what is a state? One goes only where change takes one, and people cannot know it; this is hiding in Heaven]. The Master said: To withdraw from the world without distress is probably the meaning of avoiding the world [avoiding the world is hiding in Heaven. Living in the world, when it is well ordered one shines and when disordered one is dim, when happy one acts and when sorrowful one departs, only according to the time, so what is there to be distressed about? This differs from hiding for fame, hiding among men, or hiding by withdrawing from a land]. If one is not the sort who says nothing is permitted and nothing forbidden, one cannot make them equal [if allowed and not allowed are brought to one, it becomes hiding in Heaven]. Wenzhongzi said: When the Lesser Odes were entirely abandoned the Spring and Autumn Annals was made [the four barbarians invaded in turn, so the Spring and Autumn Annals was made to honor the Central States]. When the lesser transformation had declined the world no longer had one emperor [the continuation of the Book of Songs has the Greater Transformation and the Lesser Transformation, which also carry the meaning of the Greater and Lesser Odes. When they declined, the four barbarians usurped the title of emperor, so he says there was not one emperor]. The Yuan Jing was continued and made probably with the meaning of a declining age [to rescue a declining age, hence continuing the method of the Spring and Autumn Annals]. The Master was in Jiang and went out into the countryside, and met the Governor of Chen [Shuda at that time was governor of Jiang commandery], who said: Where is the Master going? The Master said: I am going to Xia [Xiacheng county of Jiangzhou]. The Governor of Chen ordered the officials to stop the labor service [out of concern that his teacher would see the people being conscripted]. Dong Chang heard of it and said: I know now that the Master's travels through the states have never been in vain [the Han set up eight envoys to travel the states to observe the customs of the world. Wenzhongzi, a commoner, traveled and a governor stopped his labor service; this is not a vain journey]. Jia Qiong served the Duke of Chu and returned home because of slander (the base text has a mistaken character for "slander"), and took it to tell the Master [for the Duke of Chu, see the note above]. The Master said: Qiong, will you close your door and sweep away visitors? You do not know to seal your mouth and cultivate within [the ancients closed their doors and swept away visitors, the sense being to seal the mouth and purify the inside]. Qiong had not yet understood the ancients' meaning [he thought it was to really close the door]. Zhongchang Zi Guang said: Taking risks and working wonders is not as good as dwelling in peace and doing nothing [working wonders is for a moment's use; doing nothing is a plan for the long term]. Wenzhongzi considered this knowing words [meaning that it grasps what is great and far-reaching]. Wenzhongzi said: The more his name fades, the more his virtue grows; the more his person withdraws, the more his Way advances. This man probably understood [this man refers to Zhongchang Zi Guang. Withdrawing, dwelling in peace and doing nothing, he knew the ultimate of waning and waxing, retreat and advance]. The Master said: One who knows it is not as good as one who practices it [if one cannot practice it, it is as if one did not know]; one who practices it is not as good as one who is at ease in it [entrusting things to those who are able, not wearying one's own hearing and sight, resting at ease while affairs carry on by themselves. This also extends the meaning of doing nothing in the passage above]. Zhongchang Zi Guang's courtesy name was Buyao, and Dong Chang's courtesy name was Lüchang. The Master said: They match their virtue. The Master's uncle and younger brother Ji had the courtesy name Wugong. The Master said: A courtesy name is the duty of friends [friends call one by it; one does not set it for oneself]. A divine man has no merit, which is not what you should have. He gave him this name regularly [Ji in the end took the style "Wugong", wrote his own biography, and gave up office and did not serve]. His youngest brother was named Jing, and Xue Shou gave him the courtesy name Baoming. The Master heard it and said: Master Xue is good at choosing courtesy names. Being still can preserve a name; there is both praise and warning in it. With Master Xue one can make friends [when a virtue is shown he praises it, and when there is not yet anything praiseworthy he warns. He is probably a beneficial friend].

子曰太熈之後述史者防乎罵矣故君子沒稱焉【太熈晉惠帝元年也已後至十六國載記及南北史有索虜島夷之呼如詬罵焉】楚公作難賈瓊去之【楚難注見上】子曰瓊可謂立不易方矣【恆卦象雲也瓊事楚公不預事】溫彥博問知子曰無知【彥博夲以多知為問子答以無知是知也】問識子曰無識【不言如愚】彥博曰何謂其然子曰是究是圖亶其然乎【棠棣詩箋雲汝深謀之誠如是矣】彥博退告董常常曰深乎哉此文王所以順帝之則也【大雅皇矣篇雲不識不知順帝之則】子曰詩有天下之作焉【謂大雅】有一國之作焉【謂國風】有神明之作焉【謂頌】吳季札曰小雅其周之衰乎豳其樂而不淫乎【左傅襄二十九年吳季札聘魯觀周樂聽小雅曰思而不貳怨而不言其周徳之衰乎聞周南召南曰勤而不怨聽豳曰樂而不淫】子曰孰謂季子知樂小雅烏乎衰其周之盛乎【烏何也小雅自鹿鳴至菁菁者莪皆言先王之徳也故天保已上治內采薇已下治外后王能修先王之政仲尼刪詩謂雖不及先王之大然亦不失其政故曰小雅言政之小者也季子所聽雲思而不貳怨而不言則不謂變雅者也幽厲之世國異政家殊俗斯變雅作矣然有先王之遺民不敢怨貳亦由先王盛徳使然文中子曰周之盛也何衰乎】豳烏乎樂其勤而不怨乎【季子言周南召南勤而不怨葢古文誤也當謂豳詩爾按周南闗雎樂而不淫豳實無樂文中子辨季札必知樂此文之誤耳】子曰太和之主有心哉【後魏孝文帝】賈瓊曰信美矣子曰未光也【有心扵治美矣未成化是未光】文中子曰元經作君子不榮祿矣【易否卦天地不交否君子以儉徳避難不可榮以祿言晉惠而下否矣故元經作】董常習書【續書】告於子曰吳蜀遂忘乎【續書有魏而無吳蜀】子慨然嘆曰通也敢忘大皇昭烈之懿識孔明公瑾之盛心哉【吳主孫權諡大皇帝蜀主劉備諡昭烈皇帝蜀相諸葛亮字孔明吳相周瑜字公瑾懿識謂能任賢也盛心謂亮雲普天之下莫匪漢民瑜雲曹公託名漢相實漢之賊是也】董常曰大哉中國五帝三王所自立也【五帝少吳都曲阜顓頊都濮陽帝嚳都亳堯都冀舜都蒲三王夏都安邑湯都亳周都雍洛皆中原之國也】衣冠禮義所自出也故聖賢景慕焉【春秋以中國為法】中國有一聖賢明之中國有並【並謂吳蜀是也】聖賢除之耶【除吳蜀】子曰噫非中國不敢以訓【周孔之志】董常曰元經之帝元魏何也【元經紀年書帝春王正月起晉惠帝止東晉及宋未忘中國故帝之至齊梁則中國有元魏故帝魏矣】子曰亂離斯瘼吾誰適歸【詩四月篇雲亂離瘼矣奚其適歸箋雲今政亂憂病必有之歸】天地有奉生民有庇即吾君也【必君元魏】且居先王之國【都洛】受先王之道【建明堂修典禮】予先王之民矣【予文中子自謂言予自晉陽穆公已來事魏故曰先王之民】謂之何哉【何為不帝】董常曰敢問皇始之授魏而帝晉何也【魏太祖入長安始有中原是歳丙申皇后元年當東晉孝武帝盡太元二十一年也然元經尚以安恭紀年】子曰主中國者將非中國也【晉主中國至孝武帝名存而實去矣故曰非中國】我聞有命未敢以告人【揚之水篇雲也聞有善政之命未敢告動民心去之】則猶傷之者也傷之者懐之也【雖實去尚追懐之】董常曰敢問卒帝之何也【魏至孝文方得紀帝】子曰貴其時大其事於是乎用義矣【天時人事盛大而帝之得其宜也】子曰穆公來王肅至而元魏達矣【穆公虯宋順帝升明二年奔魏王肅字恭懿齊明帝建武四年亦奔魏並魏孝文時也虯為晉陽太守肅為平南將軍皆預國政虯累薦肅肅制典章律令故曰達矣】子曰非至公不及史也【以先王為公】叔恬曰敢問元經書陳亡而具五國何也【書隋九年春帝正月晉宋齊梁陳亡】子曰江東中國之舊也衣冠禮樂之所就也永嘉之後江東貴焉【晉懐帝永嘉二年琅邪王叡自徐州移鎮建業中國衣冠往依焉】而卒不貴【貴猶興也】無人也【元明成三帝二十餘年賴王導為之輔康穆之世桓溫專政晉祚中防至孝武朝賴謝安為之佐江東復振安卒後桓篡位劉裕興焉是無多賢人使然】齊梁陳於是乎不與其為國也【宋嘗有樹晉之功君子猶與之也至齊梁陳無復念中國但自相篡立故曰不與其為國也】及其亡也君子猶懐之【齊梁陳亡君子猶懐晉宋】故書曰晉宋齊梁陳亡具五以歸其國【歸晉舊國】且言其國亡也【春秋書梁亡言自亡也江東亦然不任賢不修典禮尚淫靡之文自取亡國故曰自亡】嗚呼棄先王之禮樂以至是乎【南朝喪棄古道】叔恬曰晉宋亡國乆矣今具之何謂也子曰衣冠文物之舊君子不欲其先亡宋嘗有樹晉之功有復中國之志【宋祖劉裕平桓盧循此樹晉功也伐南燕擒慕容超伐後秦姚平洛陽修謁五陵留子義真守長安此復中國志也】亦不欲其先亡也故具齊梁陳以歸其國也其未亡則君子奪其國焉曰中國之禮樂安在【齊梁陳不修禮樂但自謀立故君子至公及史以其未亡而必奪之也】其已亡則君子與其國焉曰猶我中國之遺人也【已亡謂晉宋禮樂猶存先王之化衣冠猶有中國之人故君子及史雖其已亡而必與之也】叔恬曰敢問其志文中子然而興曰銅川府君之志也通不敢廢【銅川子之父也著興衰要論言六代得失此其志也】書五國並時而亡葢傷先王之道盡墜故君子大其言極其敗於是乎掃地而求更新也期逝不至而多為卹【枤杜篇雲匪載匪來憂心孔疚期逝不至而多為卹逝往也恤憂也言君子未來我憂恤之往不可期其來至而徒多日為病也文中子喻已懐先王之道亦猶此詩爾】汝知之乎此元經所以書也【所以書五國皆亡也】文中子曰漢魏禮樂其末不足稱也【末謂末節也】然書不可廢尚有近古對議存焉【續書有對議問對若髙貴鄉公問諸儒經義淳于俊馬昭等對曰三王以徳化民三王以禮為治是也議若夏侯議時事曰銓衡臺閣上之分孝悌閭里下之分是也】制志詔冊則防乎典誥矣【制發於君心也志臣下志君之善也誥君以告於下也冊君求於賢也皆近於二典九誥】薛收問仁子曰五常之始也【五常一曰仁在幹四徳為善長在孟子四端為惻隠】問性子曰五常之本也【本謂善也孟子曰人性無不善孔子曰繼之者善也成之者性也】問道子曰五常一也【性善其道一也禮曰率性之謂道】賈瓊曰子於道有不盡矣乎【言夫子以門人不可教而夫子不盡以道教之乎】子曰通於三才五常有不盡者神明殛也【責賈瓊不知心也言三才五常之道有為之教吾盡之矣如要無為則退蔵於密不能盡焉】或力不足者斯止矣【智不及則有不盡焉故不教爾也此謙辭】裴晞問穆公之事【續書有此篇名事則未詳】子曰舅氏不聞鳳皇乎覽徳暉而下何必懐彼也【晞文中子之舅也鳳翔千仞有徳則來無徳則去】叔恬曰穆公之事葢明齊魏【言續書之事非為穆公而已葢明南齊篡國君子振鳳翮而去之穆公所以來魏也】裴晞曰人夀防何吾視仲尼何其勞也【應聘列國未嘗暫暇】子曰有之矣其勞也敢違天乎【仲尼誠有此勞也然天行健君子自強不息豈敢違天】焉知後之視今不如今之視昔也【子自謂我勤道亦勞也然後人視我亦將譏人夀防何也】溫大雅問如之何可使為政子曰仁以行之寛以居之深識禮樂之情【若周公是也】敢問其次子曰言必忠行必恕鼓之以利害不動【若孟軻是也】又問其次子曰謹而固防而慮齪齪焉自保不足以發也【若伯夷叔齊是也齪測角反】子曰降此則穿窬之人爾【苟無周公之深識孟軻之不動又無伯夷叔齊之謹固則是竊祿如穿窬者爾窬容朱反】何足及政抑可使備員矣【若漢之張禹魏之鐘繇晉之張華之類備員相位實非及民之政也】子曰宗祖廢而氏姓離矣朋友廢而名字亂矣【大宗小宗同尊其祖所以親族不離朋友相字以表其徳所以稱謂不亂】內史薛公謂子曰吾文章可謂淫溺矣【薛道衡自謂淫文溺於所習】文中子離席而拜曰敢賀丈人之知過也薛公因執子手喟然而詠曰老夫亦何冀之子振頽綱【詠古詩也頽綱謂六朝文弊】子將之陜【河南陜縣唐置陜州】門人從者鏘鏘焉被於路子止之曰散矣不知我者謂我何求門人乃退【黍離詩曰知我者謂我心憂不知我者謂我何求】子謂賀若弼曰壯於趾而已矣【大壯初九壯於趾徵兇言居下用剛也】子曰天下未有不勞而成者也【孟子曰君子勞心小人勞力】賈瓊問正家之道子曰言有物而行有恆【答以家人卦大象詞】王孝逸謂子曰盍說乎【遊說】子曰嗚呼言之不見信乆矣【困卦辭雲有言不信周公之詞也故曰乆矣】吾將貞大人以取吉尚口則窮也且致命遂志其唯君子乎【困卦辭雲貞大人吉彖曰貞大人吉以剛中也有言不信尚口乃窮也象曰君子以致命遂志言命雖致困志必遂通】文中子曰春秋其以天道終乎故止於獲麟【麟不遇時天命窮矣】元經其以人事終乎故止於陳亡【先王之道掃地而求更新是人事極矣】於是乎天人備矣【春秋王次春正次王是天人之道參焉孔子因天命之窮仲淹因人事之極天人之道一也】薛收曰何謂也子曰天人相與之際甚可畏也【此董仲舒解春秋雲也】故君子備之子曰可與共樂未可與共憂可與共憂未可與共樂吾未見可與共憂樂者也【樂謂守成也治成則與民同樂憂謂慮始也事初則與民同患凡可與守成者難與慮始若成王初疑周公是也可與慮始不可與守成若范蠡終避勾踐是也有始有卒難全也哉】二帝三王可與憂矣【堯禪舜舜禪禹天下共樂矣湯伐桀武王伐紂天下共憂矣憂樂皆以天下故文中子以天下之道共與而言之也】子曰非君子不可與語變【變權也反經合道之謂也孔子曰可與適道未可與權】子讃易至於革嘆曰可矣其孰能為此哉【大業可革】至初九曰吾當之矣又安行乎【革初九曰鞏用黃牛之革象曰不可以有為也】薛收問一卦六爻之義子曰卦也者著天下之時也【闗氏易傳曰乾坤屯濟四卦時之門變之開闔也餘六十卦為六十時而小言之六時而已】爻也者效天下之動也【爻効也】趨時有六動焉吉凶悔吝所以不同也【一卦一時之動適時則失時則兇】收曰敢問六爻之義子曰六者非他也三才之道誰能過乎【天時人事不過乎六闗氏易傳曰六者天地生成之謂也】程元薛收見子子曰二生之學文奚志也對曰尼父之經夫子之續不敢殆也【殆怠同】子曰允矣君子展也大成【車攻詩云也允信展誠也大成謂致太平】居而安動而變可以佐王矣【居而安可與立也動而變可與權也】董常之喪子赴洛【常死在洛】道於池【河南有沔池縣唐置谷州】主人不授館子有飢色坐荊棘間讃易不輟也謂門人曰乆矣吾將輟也【輟讃易】而竟未獲【未獲已】不知今也而通大困困而不憂窮而不懾通能之斯學之力也主人聞之召舍具餐焉【世俗亦知非常人餐千安反】賈瓊請絶人事子曰不可請接人事子曰不可【絶之接之是執一端】瓊曰然則奚若子曰莊以待之信以従之去者不追來者不拒泛如也斯可矣【亂世當如此】文中子曰賈誼夭孝文崩則漢祚可見矣【賈誼年十八上書孝文帝謂才堪卿相然未及大用而誼夭帝崩使漢祚不及三代之永誠以此爾】子曰我未見謙而有怨亢而無辱惡而不彰者也【三者必然之理】董常曰子之十二策奚稟也子曰有天道焉有地道焉有人道焉此其稟也【策今亡】董常曰噫三極之道稟之而行不亦煥乎【極者謂動也】子曰十二策若行於時則六經不續矣董常曰何謂也子曰仰以觀天文俯以察地理中以建人極吾暇矣哉【足以無為】其有不言之教行而與萬物息矣【堯民曰日出而作日入而息帝何力於我哉是也】文中子曰天下有道聖人蔵焉【閒暇故蔵】天下無道聖人彰焉【辯不得已】董常曰願聞其説子曰反一無跡庸非蔵乎【反一謂反覆一性也復靜則萬慮何有老子曰歸根曰靜是也無跡謂無形也無形聖人所以蔵諸用葢不言之教也】因貳以濟能無彰乎【貳謂異端也異端乎大義我則闢之爾如尼父因史法之貳作春秋以濟之孟子因邪説之貳舉仁義以濟之文中子因亂華之貳尊元經以濟之葢有為之典也】如有用我者當處於泰山矣【泰山魯國周公禮樂之地文中子周之後故慕焉一説泰山黃帝有合宮在其下可以立明堂之制焉】董常曰將沖而用之乎【沖虛也老子曰道沖而用之言子不求官達而思慕泰山黃帝周公之道是將假沖虛為詞乎】易不云乎易簡而天地之理得矣【易簡言無為也道沖用則知子之志有不可為矣】杜淹問七制之主子曰大有功也【注見上】問賈誼之道何如子曰群疑亡矣【易睽卦曰遇雨則吉群疑亡也誼上書文帝曰漢興二十餘年當更秦之法定官名禮樂又對鬼神之事君臣相和如遇雨吉矣此其道也】或問楚元王子曰惠人也【惠才惠也元王名交好書多才嘗與魯申公白公穆生同受詩作傳曰元王詩又穆生不飲酒王設醴待之是惠也】問河間獻王子曰智人也【智謂能周防也獻王名徳好收書與朝廷等是時淮南王亦好書多招浮辯獻王修禮樂服儒術帝策問三十餘事王對以道術得事之中立是智也】問東平王蒼子曰仁人也【仁謂樂善也王名蒼明帝重之位三公上蒼意不安上疏歸藩帝問處家何樂蒼曰為善最樂是仁也】問柬海王強子曰義人也【光武太子名強母郭後有罪廢而強不自安乞歸藩光武不忍遲迴數年方許之遂封東海大國後明帝立葢強讓之也故曰義】保終榮寵不亦宜矣【言四王皆善終有惠智仁義】子曰婦人預事而漢道危乎【呂后梁後產祿之擅權冀之跋扈終危漢也】大臣均權而魏命亂矣【司馬宣王與曹爽爭權相傾終亂魏也】儲後不順而晉室隳矣【惠帝衷太子遹未加師訓而立果隳晉祚】此非天也人謀不臧咎矣夫【天謂厯數也人謂典禮也漢魏晉厯數不及三代者典禮不修故也此是人謀不臧之咎】

The Master said: After the Taixi era, those who narrated history almost cursed (the source text has 'fang hu ma', where 'fang' is an error for 'ji'), so the gentleman does not praise them [Taixi is the first year of Emperor Hui of Jin. Afterwards, in the Records of the Sixteen States and the Southern and Northern Histories, the northerners are called 'bound-hair barbarians' and the southerners 'island barbarians,' as if hurling abuse]. When the Duke of Chu rebelled, Jia Qiong left him [the Chu rebellion is annotated above]. The Master said: Qiong may be said to stand without changing his direction [from the Image of the Heng hexagram. Qiong served the Duke of Chu but took no part in the affair]. Wen Yanbo asked about knowing. The Master said: No knowing [Yanbo asked because he was known for broad knowledge, and the Master answered 'no knowing,' which is the real knowing]. He asked about discernment. The Master said: No discernment [it means appearing as a fool without speaking]. Yanbo said: Why so? The Master said: 'Consider it, plan it, truly it is so' [the commentary on the ode 'Changdi' says: you plan it deeply, and truly it is so]. Yanbo withdrew and told Dong Chang. Chang said: Profound! This is how King Wen followed the pattern of God [the Great Odes, 'Huang Yi,' says: not knowing, not discerning, following the pattern of God]. The Master said: The Odes include works for all under Heaven [meaning the Greater Odes], works for one state [the Airs of the States], and works for the spirits [the Hymns]. Ji Zha of Wu said: The Lesser Odes are probably a sign of Zhou's decline? The Bin odes are probably joyful without excess [in the twenty-ninth year of Duke Xiang in the Zuo Commentary, Ji Zha of Wu visited Lu and observed Zhou music; hearing the Lesser Odes he said: thoughtful without disloyalty, resentful without speaking out, probably the decline of Zhou's virtue; hearing the Zhounan and Shaonan he said: diligent without resentment; hearing the Bin odes he said: joyful without excess]. The Master said: Who says Ji Zi understood music? How could the Lesser Odes be a decline? They are probably the flourishing of Zhou [the word 'wu' here means 'how'. The Lesser Odes from 'Lu Ming' to 'Jing Jing Zhe E' all speak of the former kings' virtue. So the section up to 'Tian Bao' governs the interior and from 'Cai Wei' on governs the exterior. Later kings could cultivate the former kings' government, and when Confucius edited the Odes he said that although they do not match the greatness of the former kings, they do not lose their government either, so they are called Lesser, meaning small in government. What Ji Zi heard, 'thoughtful without disloyalty, resentful without speaking out,' is not about the altered Odes. It was in the age of Kings You and Li, when states differed in government and families in customs, that the altered Odes were composed. Even so, the surviving people of the former kings did not dare to resent or turn disloyal, which also came from the former kings' abundant virtue. Wenzhongzi says they are the flourishing of Zhou, so how could they be a decline]? How are the Bin odes joyful? They are probably diligent without resentment [Ji Zi said the Zhounan and Shaonan were diligent without resentment; the ancient text was probably mistaken, and this should refer to the Bin odes. Note that 'Guan Ju' in the Zhounan is joyful without excess, whereas the Bin odes in truth have no joy. Wenzhongzi argues that Ji Zha must have known music, which is the mistake of the text]. The Master said: The ruler of the Taihe era had a will [Emperor Xiaowen of Later Wei]. Jia Qiong said: Truly admirable. The Master said: But not yet glorious [to have a will to govern is admirable, but not yet to have achieved transformation is not yet glorious]. Wenzhongzi said: Since the Yuanjing was written, the gentleman no longer takes salary as an honor [in the Changes, the hexagram Pi says: Heaven and Earth do not commune, which is obstruction; the gentleman uses frugal virtue to avoid hardship and cannot be honored with salary. It means that from Emperor Hui of Jin onward there was obstruction, so the Yuanjing was written]. Dong Chang studied the Documents [the continuation of the Documents] and told the Master: Have we forgotten Wu and Shu then [the continuation of the Documents has Wei but not Wu and Shu]? The Master sighed with feeling and said: How would I dare forget the fine discernment of the Great Emperor and Zhaolie, and the noble hearts of Kongming and Gongjin [the ruler of Wu, Sun Quan, was given the posthumous title Great Emperor, and the ruler of Shu, Liu Bei, was given the title Zhaolie Emperor. The Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang had the courtesy name Kongming, and the Wu chancellor Zhou Yu had the courtesy name Gongjin. 'Fine discernment' means being able to employ the worthy; 'noble heart' refers to Liang saying that everyone under Heaven is a subject of Han, and Yu saying that Lord Cao used the name of Han chancellor but was truly a thief of Han]. Dong Chang said: Great is the Central Plain! It is where the Five Emperors and Three Kings established themselves [the Five Emperors: Shaohao had his capital at Qufu, Zhuanxu at Puyang, Emperor Ku at Bo, Yao at Ji, Shun at Pu. The Three Kings: Xia had its capital at Anyi, Tang at Bo, Zhou at Yong and Luo. All were states of the Central Plain]. It is the source of dress, rites and righteousness, and so sages and worthies admire it [the Spring and Autumn Annals takes the Central Plain as its model]. If the Central Plain has one ruler, the sages make him illustrious; if it has a rival [meaning Wu and Shu], do the sages remove it [removing Wu and Shu]? The Master said: Ah, what is not the Central Plain I dare not use for instruction [the aims of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius]. Dong Chang said: The Yuanjing treats Yuan Wei as an emperor; why [the Yuanjing records the years under the heading 'the emperor's first month of spring,' starting from Emperor Hui of Jin and ending with Eastern Jin and Song, who did not forget the Central Plain and so are treated as emperors; from Qi and Liang on, the Central Plain had Yuan Wei, so Wei is treated as the emperor]? The Master said: 'In the disorder and sorrow, to whom shall I turn' [the ode 'Siyue' says: disorder and sorrow, where shall I turn? The commentary says: now the government is disordered and men are anxious and sick, and they must have somewhere to turn]? Where Heaven and Earth are served and the living people are sheltered, that is my ruler [it must be Yuan Wei as ruler]. Moreover it dwells in the former kings' state [its capital was Luo], receives the former kings' Way [it built the Bright Hall and revived the rites], and I am a subject of the former kings [the 'I' is Wenzhongzi himself. It means: since Duke Mu of Jinyang I have served Wei, so I call myself a subject of the former kings]. What else should I call it [why not treat it as emperor]? Dong Chang said: May I ask why the Yuanjing gave the Huangshi era to Wei but still treated Jin as emperor [Taizu of Wei entered Chang'an and first held the Central Plain; that year was bingshen, in the twenty-first year of Taiyuan, the last of Emperor Xiaowu of Eastern Jin. Yet the Yuanjing still counts the years by Emperors An and Gong]? The Master said: The one ruling the Central Plain was about to cease to be the Central Plain [Jin ruled the Central Plain until Emperor Xiaowu, when the name remained but the substance had gone, so it is said not to be the Central Plain]. 'I hear there is a mandate, but dare not tell anyone' [from the ode 'Yang Zhi Shui': hearing of a good mandate of government, I dare not announce it and stir the people's hearts away]. Even so it still grieves for it. To grieve for it is to cherish it [though the substance has departed, still it recalls it]. Dong Chang said: May I ask why in the end it treats Wei as emperor [Wei only reached the imperial record under Xiaowen]? The Master said: It honors its time and magnifies its affairs, and so applies righteousness [the timing of Heaven and the affairs of men were great and thus it was treated as emperor, which was fitting]. The Master said: Duke Mu came, Wang Su arrived, and Yuan Wei became accomplished [Duke Mu Qiu fled to Wei in the second year of Shengming under Emperor Shun of Song; Wang Su, courtesy name Gongyi, also fled to Wei in the fourth year of Jianwu under Emperor Ming of Qi, both in the time of Xiaowen of Wei. Qiu became Governor of Jinyang and Su became General Who Pacifies the South, and both took part in state affairs. Qiu repeatedly recommended Su, who established the statutes and laws, hence 'accomplished']. The Master said: Without utmost impartiality one is not fit to write history [taking the former kings as impartial]. Shu Tian said: May I ask why the Yuanjing records the fall of Chen and lists five states [it records, in the first month of spring of the ninth year of Sui, 'Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, Chen fell']? The Master said: Jiangdong was the old Central Plain, where dress, rites and music were achieved. After the Yongjia era Jiangdong was honored [in the second year of Yongjia under Emperor Huai of Jin, Prince Rui of Langya moved from Xuzhou to Jianye, and the dress and caps of the Central Plain followed him there], but in the end it was not honored [honored here means flourished]. There were no men [for over twenty years the Emperors Yuan, Ming and Cheng relied on Wang Dao as their aide. In the Kang and Mu reigns Huan Wen monopolized government and the Jin throne grew faint (the source text has 'zhong fang,' where 'fang' is an error for 'wei'). By the reign of Xiaowu they relied on Xie An as aide, and Jiangdong revived. After An died, Huan Xuan (the source text has this character lost in transcription, namely 'xuan') usurped the throne and Liu Yu arose. This happened because there were not many worthies]. Qi, Liang and Chen then were not treated as states [Song had once the merit of establishing Jin, so the gentleman still granted it a state. Qi, Liang and Chen no longer cherished the Central Plain and only usurped from one another, so they are said not to be treated as states]. When they fell, the gentleman still cherished them [when Qi, Liang and Chen fell, the gentleman still cherished Jin and Song]. So it is written: 'Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, Chen fell,' with all five returning to their states [returning to old Jin]. It also says their states fell [the Spring and Autumn Annals writes 'Liang fell,' meaning it destroyed itself. Jiangdong was the same: it did not employ the worthy, did not cultivate rites, and favored licentious writing, bringing ruin on itself, so it is called self-destruction]. Alas, was it by abandoning the former kings' rites and music that it came to this [the Southern Dynasties lost and abandoned the ancient Way]? Shu Tian said: Jin and Song had fallen long ago; why list them now? The Master said: The gentleman did not wish the old dress and cultural things to be lost first. Song once had the merit of establishing Jin and the aim of restoring the Central Plain [Liu Yu, founder of Song, put down Huan Xuan and Lu Xun, which was establishing Jin; he attacked Southern Yan and captured Murong Chao, attacked Later Qin and Yao Hong (the source text has this character lost, namely 'hong'), pacified Luoyang, repaired and visited the Five Tombs, and left his son Yizhen to guard Chang'an, which was his aim of restoring the Central Plain], and so he did not wish it to be lost first. So he listed Qi, Liang and Chen returning to their states. When a state had not yet fallen, the gentleman took away its state, saying: where are the rites and music of the Central Plain [Qi, Liang and Chen did not cultivate rites and music and only schemed to establish themselves. So the gentleman, in his utmost impartiality and in history, takes away their state although it had not yet fallen]; when it had already fallen, the gentleman granted it its state, saying: they are still the remaining people of my Central Plain [those already fallen refer to Jin and Song, where rites and music still preserved the transformation of the former kings and the dress and caps still held people of the Central Plain. So the gentleman in history grants them even though they have fallen]. Shu Tian said: May I ask about that aim? Wenzhongzi rose tearfully (the source text has this character lost, namely 'xuan') and said: It was the aim of the Lord of Tongchuan, and I dare not abandon it [Tongchuan was the Master's father, who wrote On the Rise and Decline of the Six Dynasties discussing their gains and losses; this was that aim]. Writing that five states fell at the same time probably grieves that the former kings' Way was wholly lost. So the gentleman magnifies his words and carries their defeat to the limit, so as to sweep the ground clean and seek renewal. 'The time passed and they did not come, and I am much grieved' [the ode 'Di Du' (the source text has a variant spelling) says: they did not ride, they did not come, my heart is greatly pained. 'The time passed and they did not come, and I am much grieved.' 'Passed' means gone, and 'grieved' means worried. It means the gentleman has not come and I grieve for him, and since going cannot expect return, I merely add days of sickness. Wenzhongzi compares his own cherishing of the former kings' Way to this poem]. Do you understand? This is why the Yuanjing writes it [why it records that all five states fell]. Wenzhongzi said: The rites and music of Han and Wei were not worth praising in their latter part [the latter part meaning the details]. Even so, the Documents cannot be abandoned, and there are still replies and deliberations from the recent past preserved [the continuation of the Documents has replies and deliberations. Replies are like Duke Gaogui Xiang asking the Confucians about the meaning of the classics, with Chunyu Jun, Ma Zhao and others answering that the Three Kings transformed the people by virtue and governed by rites. Deliberations are like Xiahou Xuan (the source text has this character lost, namely 'xuan') deliberating on current affairs, saying: weighing and assessing the court belongs to those above, filial piety and fraternal duty in the villages belong to those below]. Edicts, records, decrees and ordinances are nearly like the Canons and Proclamations (the source text has 'fang hu,' where 'fang' is an error for 'ji') [edicts come from the ruler's mind, records are where a subject records the ruler's good, proclamations are the ruler telling those below, ordinances are the ruler seeking from the worthy. All approach the Two Canons and Nine Proclamations]. Xue Shou asked about benevolence. The Master said: It is the beginning of the five constants [the first of the five constants is benevolence, which among the four virtues of Qian is the 'excellence of the long,' and among Mencius' four sprouts is compassion]. He asked about nature. The Master said: It is the root of the five constants [the root means goodness. Mencius says human nature is never other than good. Confucius says: what continues it is good, and what completes it is nature]. He asked about the Way. The Master said: The five constants are one [nature is good and its Way is one. The Rites says: following nature is called the Way]. Jia Qiong said: Is there something about the Way that the Master has not exhausted [meaning: does the Master think the disciples cannot be taught, so that he does not teach them the Way fully]? The Master said: In regard to the three powers and five constants, there is something I have not exhausted, and the spirits will strike me dead [he reproaches Jia Qiong for not understanding his heart. It means that the Way of the three powers and five constants, as taught by action, I have exhausted; as for non-action, it is hidden in secrecy and cannot be exhausted]. If perhaps my strength is insufficient, then I stop there [when wisdom does not reach, there is something not exhausted, so it is not taught. This is a modest expression]. Pei Xi asked about Duke Mu's affair [the continuation of the Documents has this chapter title, but the affair is not detailed]. The Master said: Has my maternal uncle not heard of the phoenix? Seeing virtue's radiance, it descends; why should it cherish that place [Xi was Wenzhongzi's maternal uncle. The phoenix soars a thousand ren; where there is virtue it comes, and where there is none it leaves]. Shu Tian said: The affair of Duke Mu probably clarifies Qi and Wei [it means the affair in the continuation of the Documents is not only for Duke Mu, but probably clarifies how Southern Qi usurped the state and the gentleman spread the phoenix's wings and left, which is why Duke Mu came to Wei]. Pei Xi said: How long is a human life (the source text has 'fang he,' where 'fang' is an error for 'ji')? I see how toilsome Confucius was [he went to the states in answer to summons without a moment of leisure]. The Master said: That is so. As for that toil, would I dare to go against Heaven [Confucius did have that toil. Yet Heaven moves vigorously, and the gentleman strives without rest; how dare he go against Heaven]? How could one know that later people looking at the present will not be as the present looks at the past [the Master says: I toil in diligence for the Way, but later people looking at me will perhaps mock with 'how long is a life' (the source text has 'fang he')]. Wen Daya asked how one might be made to govern. The Master said: Practice it with benevolence, dwell in it with generosity, and know deeply the essence of rites and music [like the Duke of Zhou]. May I ask the next level? The Master said: Words must be loyal, conduct must be considerate, and one is not moved when enticed by profit or harm [like Mencius]. And the next? The Master said: Careful and firm, honest and prudent (the source text has 'fang er lu,' where 'fang' is an error for 'lian'), cautiously keeping oneself safe, not enough to bring things forth [like Boyi and Shuqi. Pronunciation note: 'chuo' is read 'ce jiao']. The Master said: Below this are thieves who climb through walls [if one has neither the Duke of Zhou's deep insight nor Mencius' immovability, nor the careful firmness of Boyi and Shuqi, then one is like a man who steals salary by climbing through a wall. Pronunciation note: 'yu' is read 'rong zhu']. How can such men count as government? At most they might be made to fill a post [like Zhang Yu of Han, Zhong Yao of Wei, and Zhang Hua of Jin, filling the chancellor's seat, but truly not government that reaches the people]. The Master said: When ancestral lines are abandoned, clan names are scattered; when friends are abandoned, personal names fall into confusion [the greater and lesser lineages equally honor their ancestor, so kin are not scattered; friends give each other courtesy names to show their virtue, so forms of address do not fall into confusion]. The Secretary Duke Xue said to the Master: My writing may be called dissolute and sunk in habit [Xue Daoheng himself said that his writing was sunk in the habits of ornate style]. Wenzhongzi left his seat and bowed, saying: I venture to congratulate you, venerable sir, on knowing your fault. Duke Xue then took the Master's hand, sighed, and chanted: 'What does this old man hope for? That this young man will raise the fallen net' [chanting an old poem. The fallen net refers to the decay of writing in the Six Dynasties]. The Master was about to go to Shan [Shan County in Henan, made Shan Prefecture by the Tang]. His disciples who followed him covered the road with clanking ornaments. The Master stopped them, saying: Disperse. Those who do not know me will say, what does he seek? The disciples then withdrew [the ode 'Shu Li' says: those who know me say my heart is sad; those who do not know me say, what does he seek]. The Master said to He Ruobi: Strong in the toes, that is all [the first nine of Great Strength says: strong in the toes, to advance is ominous, meaning using hardness while in a low position]. The Master said: Nothing under Heaven is accomplished without toil [Mencius says the gentleman toils with his mind and the small man toils with his strength]. Jia Qiong asked about the way of ordering the family. The Master said: Words have substance and conduct has constancy [answering with the Great Image of the Family hexagram]. Wang Xiaoyi said to the Master: Why not go and persuade the rulers [persuading]? The Master said: Alas, it has been long since words were believed [the judgment on the Kun hexagram says: if one has words but is not believed; this is the Duke of Zhou's wording, so it says long]. I will be firm toward the great man to gain good fortune. Valuing the mouth leads to exhaustion. Moreover, delivering one's life to fulfill one's aim is probably only for the gentleman [the Kun judgment says: firmness for the great man is fortunate. The Commentary says: firmness for the great man is fortunate because of being hard and central. If one has words and is not believed, valuing the mouth leads to exhaustion. The Image says: the gentleman delivers his life to fulfill his aim. It means that although fate brings hardship, the aim will surely get through]. Wenzhongzi said: The Spring and Autumn Annals probably ends with the Way of Heaven, so it stops at the capture of the unicorn [the unicorn did not meet its time, and the mandate of Heaven was exhausted]. The Yuanjing probably ends with human affairs, so it stops at the fall of Chen [the Way of the former kings was swept from the ground and sought renewal, which is the limit of human affairs]. Thus Heaven and humanity are both complete [in the Annals, the king comes after spring and the correct month after the king, which brings together the Way of Heaven and humanity. Confucius followed the exhaustion of Heaven's mandate, Zhongyan the limit of human affairs; the Way of Heaven and humanity is one]. Xue Shou said: What does this mean? The Master said: The relation between Heaven and humanity is truly fearful [this is what Dong Zhongshu said in explaining the Annals]. So the gentleman is prepared for it. The Master said: Some can share joy but not worry; some can share worry but not joy. I have not seen anyone who can share both worry and joy [joy is maintaining what has been achieved, so when government is accomplished one shares joy with the people; worry is planning the beginning, so at the start of an undertaking one shares hardship with the people. Those who can maintain achievement can hardly plan beginnings, as King Cheng at first doubted the Duke of Zhou; those who can plan beginnings cannot maintain achievement, as Fan Li finally avoided Goujian. To have both beginning and end is hard to accomplish]. The Two Emperors and Three Kings could share worry [Yao yielded to Shun, Shun to Yu, and all under Heaven shared joy; Tang attacked Jie and King Wu attacked Zhou, and all under Heaven shared worry. Worry and joy were both with all under Heaven, so Wenzhongzi speaks of the Way of all under Heaven being shared]. The Master said: Only a gentleman can be told about change [change means weighing circumstances, called going against the norm yet fitting the Way. Confucius said: one may walk the Way with someone yet not weigh circumstances with him]. When the Master expounded the Changes and reached the hexagram Ge (Revolution), he sighed and said: This will do, who could do it [great undertakings can be revolutionized]. At the first nine he said: I bear this; where else would I go [the first nine of Revolution says: bind it with the hide of a yellow ox. The Image says: no action is possible]. Xue Shou asked about the meaning of the six lines of a hexagram. The Master said: The hexagram displays the time of all under Heaven [Guan's Commentary on the Changes says Qian, Kun, Zhun and Ji are the gates of time and the opening and closing of change. The other sixty hexagrams are sixty times, and spoken of narrowly they are only six times]. The lines imitate the movements of all under Heaven [yao means imitation]. Following the time has six movements, so good fortune, misfortune, regret and humiliation differ [each hexagram is the movement of a time; to suit the time is fortunate (the source text has this character lost, namely 'ji'), to lose the time is ominous]. Shou said: May I ask the meaning of the six lines? The Master said: Six is nothing other than the Way of the three powers; who could go beyond it [the times of Heaven and affairs of men do not go beyond six. Guan's Commentary says six means the generation and completion of Heaven and Earth]. Cheng Yuan and Xue Shou visited the Master. The Master said: What are your two aims in studying letters? They answered: The classics of Master Ni, the continuation by the Master; we dare not be negligent [dai is the same as dai, negligence]. The Master said: 'Truly gentlemen, indeed greatly accomplished' [from the ode 'Che Gong'. Yun is trust, and zhan is sincerity. Great accomplishment refers to achieving great peace]. To dwell in peace and move with change, you can assist a king [dwelling in peace you can stand firm, moving with change you can weigh circumstances]. At the death of Dong Chang, the Master went to Luo [Chang died at Luo], and passing through Mianchi (the source text has this character lost, namely 'mian') [Mianchi County in Henan, made Guzhou by the Tang; the note writes it as Mianchi], the host did not give him lodging. The Master looked hungry and sat among brambles expounding the Changes without stopping. He said to his disciples: It has been long; I was about to stop [stop expounding the Changes], and yet could not [could not stop]. I did not expect Tong to be in such great hardship now. In hardship not to be sad, in poverty not to be afraid, Tong can do this, and it is the power of learning. The host heard and called him in, giving him lodging and food [even common people knew he was no ordinary man. Pronunciation note: 'can' is read 'qian an']. Jia Qiong asked to cut off human affairs. The Master said: You may not. He asked to engage in human affairs. The Master said: You may not [cutting off and engaging are each holding one extreme]. Qiong said: Then what should I do? The Master said: Treat people with solemnity and follow them with good faith. Do not pursue those who go, do not refuse those who come, float along. This is enough [one should be so in a chaotic age]. Wenzhongzi said: Jia Yi died young and Emperor Xiaowen died, and so the fortune of Han could be foreseen [at eighteen Jia Yi submitted a memorial to Emperor Xiaowen, whose talent was fit for minister or chancellor, but before he could be greatly employed Yi died young and the emperor died, so that the fortune of Han did not reach the length of the Three Dynasties, truly because of this]. The Master said: I have not seen one who is modest yet resented, one who is proud yet not humiliated, or one who is evil yet not exposed [these three are inevitable principles]. Dong Chang said: From what did your Twelve Strategies receive their endowment? The Master said: There is the Way of Heaven, the Way of Earth and the Way of Humanity; that is what they received [the Strategies are lost now]. Dong Chang said: Ah, receiving the Way of the three ultimates and carrying it out, is that not brilliant [ultimate here means movement]? The Master said: If the Twelve Strategies were carried out in their time, the six classics would not need a continuation. Dong Chang said: What does this mean? The Master said: Look up to observe the patterns of Heaven, look down to examine the patterns of Earth, and in the middle establish the human ultimate. I would then have leisure [enough for non-action]. Probably there is teaching without words, carried out so that I rest together with the ten thousand things [the people of Yao said: we rise at sunrise and rest at sunset, so what has the emperor to do with us? This is it]. Wenzhongzi said: When the world has the Way, the sage hides [leisure is the reason for hiding]; when the world lacks the Way, the sage shines [arguing is unavoidable]. Dong Chang said: I wish to hear your explanation. The Master said: Returning to the One leaves no trace; is that not hiding [returning to the One means returning again to the one nature. When quiet is restored, what worries remain? Laozi says returning to the root is called stillness. Leaving no trace means no form. Formlessness is how the sage hides in function, probably teaching without words]? Using duplicity to bring about help, can one avoid shining [duplicity refers to heterodoxies. When heterodoxies go against great principle (the source text has this character lost, namely 'bei'), I oppose them. As Master Ni wrote the Annals to remedy the duplicity in historical method, Mencius raised benevolence and righteousness to remedy the duplicity of perverse theories, and Wenzhongzi honored the Yuanjing to remedy the duplicity of those who threw China into disorder. This is probably a canon of action]? If anyone were to employ me, I would dwell at Mount Tai [Mount Tai is where the Duke of Zhou's rites and music were in Lu. Wenzhongzi was a descendant of Zhou and so longed for it. One says that the Yellow Emperor had a joint palace below Mount Tai, where the system of the Bright Hall can be set up]. Dong Chang said: Will you then use emptiness [emptiness means void. Laozi says the Way is empty yet in use. This means the Master does not seek office or distinction but longs for the Way of the Yellow Emperor and the Duke of Zhou at Mount Tai; is he borrowing the word emptiness]? Does the Changes not say: through ease and simplicity the principle of Heaven and Earth is grasped [ease and simplicity means non-action. When the Way is empty yet used, one knows the Master's aim has things that cannot be done]? Du Yan asked about the seven ruling lords. The Master said: Great merit [see the note above]. He asked about the Way of Jia Yi. The Master said: All doubts vanish [the Changes hexagram Kui says: meeting rain brings good fortune, and all doubts vanish. Yi submitted a memorial to Emperor Wen saying that twenty years after Han arose the laws of Qin should be changed, official titles, rites and music fixed, and then spoke of ghosts and spirits, with ruler and ministers in harmony like meeting rain and good fortune. This was that Way]. Someone asked about Prince Yuan of Chu. The Master said: A gracious man [gracious means talented. Prince Yuan, named Jiao, loved books and had many talents, and with Shen Gong of Lu, Bai Gong and Mu Sheng together received the Odes and made a commentary called the Yuanwang Odes. Also Mu Sheng did not drink wine, so the prince set out sweet wine for him. This was graciousness]. He asked about Prince Xian of Hejian. The Master said: A wise man [wise means able to guard carefully (here 'fang' means defense). Prince Xian, named De, loved to collect books, equaling the court. At that time the Prince of Huainan also loved books and gathered many empty debaters. Prince Xian cultivated rites and music and followed Confucian arts. The emperor put over thirty questions to him and the prince answered with the arts of the Way, hitting the point of affairs. This was wisdom]. He asked about Prince Cang of Dongping. The Master said: A benevolent man [benevolent means delighting in good. The prince named Cang was esteemed by Emperor Ming, his rank above the Three Dukes. Cang was uneasy and submitted a memorial to return to his fief. The emperor asked what he enjoyed at home and Cang said doing good is the greatest joy. This was benevolence]. He asked about Prince Qiang of Donghai (the source text has 'dong' for 'Dong' in error). The Master said: A righteous man [Emperor Guangwu's crown prince was named Qiang; his mother Empress Guo was guilty and deposed, and Qiang was uneasy and begged to return to his fief. Guangwu could not bear it and delayed several years before allowing it, and then enfeoffed him in the great state of Donghai. Later Emperor Ming was set up, probably through Qiang's yielding, so he is called righteous]. To end safely in glory and favor, is that not fitting [it means all four princes ended well, with graciousness, wisdom, benevolence and righteousness]. The Master said: When women meddled in affairs, the way of Han was endangered [Empress Lu and Empress Liang, Chan and Lu's seizure of power, Ji's arrogance, finally endangered Han]; when great ministers shared power, the mandate of Wei fell into disorder [Sima Xuan and Cao Shuang struggled for power and undermined each other, finally throwing Wei into disorder]; when the heir was not proper, the Jin house collapsed [Emperor Hui was dull-witted and Crown Prince Yu was set up without proper teachers' instruction, and indeed the Jin throne collapsed]. This was not Heaven; human planning was not good, and that is the fault [Heaven refers to the calendar of fate, humanity to rites and canons. The calendar of Han, Wei and Jin did not match that of the Three Dynasties because rites and canons were not cultivated. This is the fault of poor human planning].

子謂魏相真漢相識兵畧達時令逺乎哉【魏相字弱翁學易道舉賢良為漢宣帝相諫伐西域是識兵畧作明堂月令議是達時令也】子曰孰謂齊文宣瞢而善楊遵彥也【北齊文宣帝髙洋即位以法御下以功業自矜而瞢於為政然善待楊遵彥又似非瞢楊愔字遵彥事蹟注見上】謂孝文明吾不信也【後魏孝文帝元氏名宏都洛陽文物制度始備然有王虯不能用有爾朱榮不能圖似不明也】謂爾朱榮忠吾不信也【榮字天寳有戰功為都督將軍害靈後及少主而奉莊帝恐其難制也手刃殺之】謂陳思王善讓也能汙其跡可謂逺刑名矣【醉酒馳馬是汙跡也求小責免大患是逺刑也】人謂不宻吾不信也【皆謂植以才自顯不知汙跡保晦其心宻矣】董常問古者明而不視聰而不聞有是夫【古知道者視聽不用耳目故問】子曰又有圓而不同方而不礙直而不抵【抵訐也】曲而不佞者矣【廣推其類終乎中道】常曰濁而不穢清而不皎剛而和柔而毅可乎【常聞一知十】子曰出而不聲隠而不沒用之則成舍之則全吾與爾有矣【既泛言其道故終顯其志】子游馬頬之谷遂至牛首之谿【晉州有馬頬河牛首山】登降信宿從者樂姚義竇威進曰夫子遂得潛乎【潛隠也】子曰潛雖伏矣亦孔之昭【詩正月篇也箋雲喻賢人道不行雖潛伏亦甚易見】威曰聞朝廷有召子議矣【大業十一年再徴皆不至】子曰彼求我則如不我得執我仇讎亦不我力【箋雲彼王求我如不得言禮命多也仇讎謷謷也雖執留我然不問我功力】姚義曰其車既載乃棄爾輔【箋雲車載物喻王之任國事也棄其輔逺賢也】竇威曰終逾絶險曾是不意【箋雲車度險曾不為意乎喻治國亦然】子喟然遂歌正月終焉【感愴長言之終其意也】既而曰不可為矣【言隋必亡不可救】子曰書以辨事詩以正性【言常道在乎事思無邪在乎性】禮以制行【行不可縱必禮以斷之】樂以和徳【徳不可苦必樂以和之】春秋元經以舉往【仲尼舉周公之典禮仲淹修孔父之筆法是往也】易以知來【生生不窮是來也】先王之蘊盡矣【蘊奧賾也】王孝逸曰惜哉夫子不仕喆人徒生矣賈瓊曰夫子豈徒生哉以萬古為兆人五常為四國三才九疇為公卿又安用仕董常曰夫子以續詩續書為朝廷禮論樂論為政化賛易為司命元經為賞罰此夫子所以生也叔恬聞之曰孝悌為社稷不言為宗廟無所不知為富貴無所不極為死生天下宗之夫子之道足矣【雖生亂世而門人能宗其教以行扵天下生亦足矣喆陟列反】賈瓊曰中山吳欽天下之孝者也【吳欽史傳不顯】其處家也父兄欣欣然其行事也父兄焦然若無所據【欣悅也焦猶孑也孑然如無依據言事自集】子曰吾黨之孝者異此【設此以證彼之非】其處家也父母晏然【晏安也言不欣嗃而自安】其行事也父兄恬然若無所思【無思言無事也安用據哉】裴嘉有婚防【裴嘉未見】薛方士預焉【方士未見】酒中而樂作方士非之而出【士婚禮三日不舉樂】子聞之曰薛方士知禮矣然猶在君子之後乎【孔子言先進於禮樂謂情生禮樂之前也後進於禮樂謂文修於禮樂之後也方士不先為語之而後非之無益也故禮則然矣而用之何不從先進】文中子曰元經有常也所正以道於是乎見義【常經也經正則義存若五始不可移易是也】元經有變也所行有適於是乎見權【公羊傳曰反經合道為權言順時有適不執常道若與奪南北以尊中國是也】權義舉而皇極立矣【取衷義見上】董常曰夫子六經皇極之能事畢矣【董常知六經一貫而道皆歸乎大中也】文中子曰春秋一國之書也【周室一國】其以天下有國而王室不尊乎故約諸侯以尊王政【約之以禮法】以明天命之未改此春秋之事也【天命在周未改】元經天下之書也【罷侯置守天下為一國】其以無定國而帝位不明乎【無定國謂南北分名無一定也不明謂僣號作也】徴天命以正帝位以明神器之有歸此元經之事也【天命不改則周室以一國為春秋天命有歸則晉宋魏周隋合天下為元經文體雖殊其志一也】董常曰執小義妨大權春秋元經之所罪歟【上文雲權義舉而皇極立董常推此意以為義大權小則正以義歟或義小權大則適乎權歟】子曰斯謂皇之不極【執小妨大是大之不中也故必執大棄小是謂大中】御河之役子聞之曰人力盡矣【魏郡白溝焬帝開永濟渠名御河運糧徵遼】子居家不暫舍周禮門人問子子曰先師以王道極是也如有用我則執此以徃【先師謂孔子也定禮樂時極周道而已】通也宗周之介子敢忘其禮乎【孔子尚極此説我小子敢暫舍哉】子曰周禮其敵於天命乎【周公典禮與天命齊其長乆故曰敵也】春秋抗王而尊魯其以周之所存乎【抗舉也春秋舉周王正朔而書於魯史者以周禮盡在魯故也】元經抗帝而尊中國其以天命之所歸乎【元經舉帝號以得中國者為正朔葢天命歸中國也】張元素【史傳未見】問禮子曰直爾心儼爾形動思恭靜思正問道子曰禮得而道存矣【上四事合禮則道在其中】元素出子曰有心乎禮也夫禮有竊之而成名者況躬親哉【竊謂非已有也假外飾而行之尚得成名況元素有心於克己哉孟子曰堯舜性之湯武身之五霸假之也乆假而不歸焉知其非有也】魏徴問君子之辨子曰君子奚辯而有時乎為辯不得已也其猶兵乎【若湯武之兵伐桀紂孟子之辯排楊墨皆不得已也】董常聞之曰君子有不言之辯不殺之兵亦時乎【若顔回不言如愚知時之不可為也老子云善戰不陣時可無為也】子曰誠哉不知時無以為君子【善董常聞辯知時也】文中子曰聞謗而怒者防之由也見譽而喜者侫之媒也【為謗譽所動靜則防佞得計矣】絶由去媒防佞逺矣子曰聞難思解見利思避好成人之美可以立矣子謂董常曰我未見勤者矣【如天不息者】葢有焉我未之見也【因以激常】子曰年不豐兵不息吾已矣夫【年天也兵人也】子謂北山黃公善醫先寢食而後針藥汾隂侯生善筮先人事而後説卦【黃公侯生未見】房齡問正主庇民之道子曰先遺其身曰請究其説子曰夫能遺其身然後能無私無私然後能至公至公然後以天下為心矣道可行矣【修已以及天下漸也】齡曰如主何【再問正主之説】子曰通也不可究其説蕭張其猶病諸【蕭何知其主不可以正也而私營物產張良亦私自從赤松子逰皆病也】噫非子所及姑守爾恭執爾慎庶可以事人也【言隋主不可正】江都有變【焬帝幸江都宮宇文化及弒逆】子有疾謂薛收曰道廢乆矣【道謂先王典禮】如有王者出三十年而後禮樂可稱也【稱舉也】斯已矣【斯隋不能舉】收曰何謂也子曰十年平之十年富之十年和之斯成矣【平亂富民和以禮樂自江都有變是歳庚辰唐髙祖武徳三年也平之十年至太宗貞觀三年天下大定又富之至貞觀十三年房齡奏太平又和之終貞觀二十三年太宗崩禮樂已和然未大成爾】子曰早婚少聘教人以偷【偷薄也】妾媵無數教人以亂【言棄古禮是掌教者之罪也】且貴賤有等【妻妾媵各有等降之數】一夫一婦庶人之職也【國風正夫婦王化之本也】子謁見隋祖一接而陳十二策編成四卷【門人編之】薛收曰辯矣乎董常曰非辯也理當然爾【理奧則言辯非務其辯也】房齡請習十二策【誦習】子曰時異事變不足習也【適救隋弊非經乆策】虞世基【世南兄也焬帝時叅掌朝政唯諾取容而已焬帝遇弒世基見害】遣使謂子曰盍仕乎子曰通有疾不能仕也飲使者歌小明以送之【小雅詩大夫悔仕扵亂世也首章雲豈不懐歸畏此罪罟言世基必罪死】世基聞之曰吾特逰繒繳之下也若夫子可謂矣【楊子曰鴻飛弋者何慕】文中子曰問則對不問則述【若防問之則對不爾則自述其道待時而行】竊比我於仲舒【董仲舒漢武帝時對賢良防後為公孫宏所抑退免以著書為業】子曰吾不仕故成業【成所述業】不動故無悔【悔生乎動】不廣求故得【得足也】不雜學故明【明道也】文中子曰凝滯者智之蝥也忿憾者仁之螣也纎恡者義之蠧也【蝥螣蠧皆喻害物蝥亡遇反螣從曾反又徒得切蠧都故反】子曰元經之專斷葢蘊於天命吾安敢至哉【天命未改於晉祚則元經斷之於江南天命有歸扵中國則元經斷之於後魏言此皆天命所蘊非我能至也】董常聞之曰元經之與天命夫子而不至其孰能至也子謂竇威曰既冠讀冠禮將婚讀婚禮居喪讀喪禮既葬讀祭禮朝廷讀賓禮軍旅讀軍禮故君子終身不違禮【言學禮有次序】竇威曰仲尼言不學禮無以立此之謂乎【言孔子教鯉亦謂此次序】子述婚禮【述在禮論】賈瓊曰今皆亡又焉用續【續補亡也】子曰瓊爾無輕禮無諂俗【輕古禮阿時俗是汝也】姑存之可也【續而存之待時而行】子賛易至觀卦曰可以盡神矣【盥而不薦可以盡神之奧】子曰古者進賢退不肖猶患不治【有天下舉賢才則不肖者逺矣】今則吾樂賢者而哀不賢者【樂之不能進之也哀之不敢退之也】如是寡怨【不退之故不肖者不怨】猶懼不免【不免怨害】詩云惴惴小心如臨空谷【詩小宛篇注云衰亂之世賢人君子雖無罪猶恐懼】子讀説苑【劉向撰三十卷】曰可以輔教矣【其説禮樂可左右教化】子之韓城【馮翊有韓城縣】自龍門闗先濟【龍門漢皮氏縣魏改為龍門隋屬綘州今河中有縣】賈瓊程元后【従行在後】闗吏仇璋【字伯成】止之曰先濟者為誰【止二子問之】吾視其顙頽如也重而不亢【頽重之貌亢昂也】目燦如也澈而不瞬【澈清也睫目曰瞬】口敦如也闞而不張【敦厚闞深也】鳳頸龜背須垂至腰參如也【參參然盛貌】與之行俯然而色卑與之言泛然而後應浪驚柂旋而不懼【言狀貌皆異常人】是必有異人者也吾聞之天下無道聖人蔵焉鞠躬守黙斯人殆似也【鞠躬謂卑俯守黙謂泛應】程元曰子知人矣是王通者也賈瓊曰吾二人師之而不能去也仇璋曰夫杖一徳乗五常扶三才控六藝吾安得後而不往哉遂舍職從於韓城子謂賈瓊曰君子哉仇璋也比董常則不足方薛收則有餘文中子曰吾聞禮於闗生見負樵者防焉正樂於霍生見持竿者防焉【闗子明霍汲皆隠於樵漁防近也】吾將退而求諸野矣【野謂漁樵】子曰多言不可與逺謀【機易洩】多動不可與乆處【心易躁】吾願見偽靜詐儉者【矯時罕真靜儉者】賈瓊曰知善而不行見義而不勸雖有拱璧之迎吾不入其門矣【譏隋朝大臣不勸善而飾虛禮】子聞之曰強哉矯也【瓊也明而毅故曰強矯】仇璋謂薛收曰子聞三有七無乎收曰何謂也璋曰無諾責【不責人以必諾】無財怨【不以財使人怨】無專利【必先利人】無苟説【所説必以道】無伐善【不自矜伐】無棄人【片善亦取】無蓄憾【不念舊惡】薛收曰請聞三有璋曰有慈有儉有不為天下先收曰子及是乎曰此君子之職也璋何預焉子聞之曰唯其有之是以似之【裳裳者華篇注曰似嗣也】子曰君子先擇而後交【擇可交則與交】小人先交而後擇【驟以利合擇之即壊】故君子寡尤小人多怨良以是夫子曰君子不責人所不及不強人所不能【強謂力使之】不苦人所不好夫如此故免【免今世之禍】老耼曰吾言甚易行天下不能行信哉【信今亦然】仇璋問君子有爭乎子曰見利爭讓聞義爭為有不善爭改【言君子果有爭但爭為善而已】薛收問聖人與天地如何子曰天生之地長之聖人成之【天陽地隂之謂道聖人經之以善成之以性】故天地立而易行乎其中矣薛收問易子曰天地之中非他也人也【曰仁與義成性之本】收退而嘆曰乃今知人事修天地之理得矣【始悟易】子謂收曰我未見欲仁好義而不得者也【言人性修則天理得】如不得斯無性者也【仁義性之本也感物而動性之慾也應物而不化物則能復性故曰欲仁好義此言明天理也若化物而不能反躬復性則是天理滅矣故曰無性此言昧人事也】子曰嚴子陵釣於湍石【嚴光字子陵漢光武故人不仕隠釣於七裡湍】爾朱榮控勒天下【注見上文】故君子不貴得位【爾朱榮得位嚴光不貴之也】子曰火炎上而受制於水水趨下而得志於火故君子不欲多上人【言君子如水之性無不下】子讃易至山附於地剝曰固其所也【山固宜附地人固宜復靜】將安之乎【隋亂道剝我將何之】是以君子思以下人【孔子象曰君子以厚下安宅】芮城府君讀説苑【芮城説苑注見上】子見之曰美哉兄之志也於以進物不亦可乎【説苑有進物義】子之居常湛如也言必恕動必義與人款曲以待其防【會謂理與情會合】故君子樂其道小人懐其惠【小人但知惠】叔恬曰凝於先王之道行思坐誦常若不及臨事往來常若無誨【若無人教誨我】道果艱哉子曰吾亦然也【言先王之道非凝能及答雲吾亦然實勉之耳】叔恬曰天下惡直醜正凝也獨安之乎子悄然作色曰神之聽之介爾景福【詩小明篇靖恭爾位好是正直注景大也好與也介助也言有明王則道行而得福】君子之於道也死而後已天不為人怨諮而輟其寒暑【書曰冬祈寒夏暑雨小民怨諮】君子不為人之醜惡而輟其正直然汝不聞洪範之言乎平康正直夫如是故全【正直必平康故全身全道】今汝屑屑焉三徳無據而心未樹也【三徳平康正直為首其次髙明柔克沈潛剛克皆謂正必平易直必康和明必柔克潛必剛克率歸之中道也今凝雖正直而無據扵徳心亦未能務茲故曰未樹立也】無挺【挺然立不曲貌】無訐【訐斥言也】無固【固執】無抵【牴觸】斯之謂側僻民用僣忒無乃汝乎【終洪範之詞教之也言凝有是四者與無正直同】叔恬再拜而出仇璋進曰君子思以下人直在其中歟【璋言讃易剝卦得平康之徳】子笑而不答薛收曰君子樂然後笑夫子何為不與其進也子曰唯狂克念斯非樂乎【易道至深非璋盡達然嘉其狂念故樂然笑之】子謂仇璋薛收曰非知之艱行之惟艱【言克念之必須克行之】

The Master said: Wei Xiang was truly a chancellor of Han: he understood military strategy and was versed in the seasonal ordinances; how far-sighted! [Wei Xiang, styled Ruoweng, studied the way of the Book of Changes, was recommended as worthy and upright, and served as chancellor to Emperor Xuan of Han. He remonstrated against attacking the Western Regions, which shows his grasp of military strategy; he wrote a discussion on the monthly ordinances of the Bright Hall, which shows his command of seasonal ordinances.] The Master said: Who says Emperor Wenxuan of Qi was benighted and yet good at using Yang Zunyan? [Gao Yang, Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi, ruled his subordinates by law, was proud of his achievements and muddled in governing, yet treated Yang Zunyan well, which seems not muddled. Yang Yin, styled Zunyan, is noted above.] Who says Emperor Xiaowen was enlightened? I do not believe it. [Emperor Xiaowen of Later Wei, Yuan Hong, made his capital at Luoyang and first completed the institutions and culture, yet he could not use Wang Qiu and could not plan against Erzhu Rong, so he seems not enlightened.] Who says Erzhu Rong was loyal? I do not believe it. [Rong, styled Tianbao, had military merit and served as commander-general; he killed the Empress Dowager Ling and the young ruler and served Emperor Zhuang. Emperor Zhuang, fearing he was hard to control, killed him with his own hand.] As for Prince Si of Chen, who was good at yielding, he could stain his own record, so one may say he kept far from the matter of titles and punishments. [Galloping his horse while drunk was staining his record; seeking a small reproof to avoid a great calamity was keeping far from punishment.] People say he was not secretive; I do not believe it. [Everyone says Zhi displayed himself by talent, not knowing that by staining his record he hid and kept obscure, and his heart was secretive indeed.] Dong Chang asked: In antiquity, the enlightened looked without seeing and the keen-eared heard without hearing; was that so? [The ancients who knew the Way did not use their eyes and ears to see and hear, hence the question.] The Master said: There were also those who were round yet not at variance, square yet not obstructive, straight yet not offensive [offensive means accusing], and bent yet not flattering. [He extends the types widely, in the end reaching the middle way.] Chang said: Muddy yet not foul, clear yet not glaring, firm yet mild, gentle yet resolute: may that be so? [Chang heard one thing and knew ten.] The Master said: To come forth without noise, to hide without vanishing, to be complete when used and whole when set aside. I and you have this now. [Having spoken broadly of the Way, he finally reveals his own aim.] The Master wandered in the Valley of Horse Cheek and then came to the Stream of Ox Head [in Jinzhou there are the Horse Cheek River and Ox Head Mountain], going up and down for two nights, and his followers were happy. Yao Yi and Dou Wei came in and said: Master, have you now found a place to lie hidden? [Hidden means in seclusion.] The Master said: Though hidden, it is still very plain. [From the Zheng Yue ode in the Book of Songs. The commentary says it is a metaphor that when a worthy man's way is not practiced, even in hiding he is easily seen.] Wei said: We hear the court has summoned you to take part in deliberations. [In the eleventh year of Daye he was summoned again and again and did not go.] The Master said: They seek me as though they could not get me; when they hold me they hold me fast, yet will not use my strength. [The commentary says the king seeks me as if he could not get me, meaning many ceremonial summonses. Holding fast means arrogant. Though they detain me, they do not ask of my ability.] Yao Yi said: Your carriage is loaded, yet you cast aside your wheel-braces. [The commentary says a carriage carrying goods is a metaphor for the king's charge of state affairs; casting aside the braces is distancing the worthy.] Dou Wei said: In the end you will cross the perilous pass, and yet you gave no thought to it. [The commentary says: when a carriage crosses a danger, did it give no thought to it? It is a metaphor for governing a state too.] The Master sighed, and then sang the Zheng Yue ode to the end. [Moved and grieved, he sang it at length to finish its meaning.] Afterwards he said: It cannot be done. [This means the Sui is bound to perish and cannot be saved.] The Master said: The Documents are used to distinguish affairs, the Songs to rectify nature [the constant way lies in affairs, and thoughts without depravity lie in nature], the Rites to regulate conduct [conduct must not be left loose, and must be cut by rites], the Music to harmonize virtue [virtue must not be harsh, and must be harmonized by music], the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Yuan Classic to recall the past [Confucius took up the Duke of Zhou's ceremonies, and Zhongyan took up Confucius's brush method; this is the past], and the Changes to know the future [ceaseless generation is the future]. The stored depths of the former kings are exhausted. Wang Xiaoyi said: What a pity, Master, that you do not serve in office; a wise man has been born in vain. Jia Qiong said: How could the Master have been born in vain? He takes ten thousand ages as his people, the five constant virtues as his realm, and the three powers and nine categories as his ministers, so why would he need an office? Dong Chang said: The Master takes the continuation of the Songs and the Documents as his court, the Discourse on Rites and the Discourse on Music as his governance and transforming influence, his commentary on the Changes as his arbiter of fate, and the Yuan Classic as his rewards and punishments. This is why the Master was born. Shu Tian heard this and said: Filial piety and brotherly respect are his altars of state, not speaking is his ancestral temple, knowing everything is his wealth and rank, and reaching every limit is his life and death. All the world honors him, and the Master's way is sufficient. [Although he lived in a disordered age, his disciples could honor his teaching and practice it throughout the world, so his life was enough.] Jia Qiong said: Wu Qin of Zhongshan is the most filial man under Heaven. [Wu Qin is not prominent in the histories.] When he is at home, his father and brothers are joyful; when he acts, his father and brothers are anxious as though they had nothing to rely on. [Joyful means pleased. Anxious is like solitary, as though without support, meaning he does things on his own.] The Master said: The filial in our circle are different from this. [He sets this up to show the other's error.] When at home, their parents are at peace [at peace means secure, meaning they are not boisterous but at ease on their own]; when they act, their father and brothers are calm as though they had nothing to think about. [No thought means no trouble; what need is there to rely?] Pei Jia held a wedding feast [Pei Jia's deeds are not recorded], and the scholar Xue Fang attended. [Fang's deeds are not recorded.] In the middle of the wine, music began, and Fang criticized it and left. [At a scholar's wedding, music is not performed for three days.] The Master heard of it and said: Xue Fang knows ritual, yet he still comes after the gentleman. [Confucius said that those who first advanced in rites and music were those whose feelings arose before the rites and music, and those who came later in rites and music cultivated refinement after them. Fang did not tell them beforehand but criticized afterwards, which is of no use. So the rite is thus, yet why not follow those who advanced first?] Wenzhongzi said: The Yuan Classic has constants: what it corrects is by the Way, and in this righteousness is seen. [The constant is the classic. When the classic is correct, righteousness is preserved, like the five beginnings that cannot be changed.] The Yuan Classic also has variations: what it does has its fitting measure, and in this the weighing of circumstances is seen. [The Gongyang Commentary says that going against the classic yet according with the Way is weighing. It means following the time with what is fitting and not clinging to the constant way, as in granting and withholding, north and south, to honor the Middle Kingdom.] When weighing and righteousness are both upheld, the supreme ridgepole is set up. [The meaning of taking the middle is seen above.] Dong Chang said: The Master's Six Classics exhaust the work of the supreme ridgepole. [Dong Chang knew that the Six Classics run through as one and the Way all returns to the great middle.] Wenzhongzi said: The Spring and Autumn Annals is the book of one state. [The Zhou house was one state.] Probably because the world had states but the royal house was not honored, so it bound the feudal lords to honor the royal government [binding them by ritual and law] in order to make clear that the mandate of Heaven had not changed. This was the task of the Annals. [The mandate of Heaven was still with Zhou.] The Yuan Classic is the book of all under Heaven. [With feudal lords abolished and governors set up, all under Heaven became one state.] Probably because there was no settled state and the imperial seat was unclear [no settled state means north and south were divided in name with no fixity; unclear means titles were usurped], it examines the mandate of Heaven to set right the imperial seat, to make clear where the sacred vessel belongs. This was the task of the Yuan Classic. [If the mandate of Heaven had not changed, the Zhou house as one state is the Annals; if the mandate of Heaven has a place to return to, then Jin, Song, Wei, Zhou and Sui together as all under Heaven are the Yuan Classic. The forms differ but the aim is one.] Dong Chang said: To cling to small righteousness and hinder great weighing, is that what the Annals and the Yuan Classic condemn? [The above says that when weighing and righteousness are upheld the supreme ridgepole is set up. Dong Chang extends this meaning: if righteousness is great and weighing small, one corrects by righteousness; if righteousness is small and weighing great, one fits the weighing.] The Master said: This is called the failure of the ridgepole. [Clinging to the small to hinder the great is not hitting the great middle, so one must hold the great and set aside the small; this is called the great middle.] At the Yu River works, the Master heard of it and said: The people's strength is used up. [In Wei Commandery the Baigou; Emperor Yang opened the Yongji Canal, called the Yu River, to ship grain for the campaign against Liao.] The Master at home never put the Rites of Zhou away for a moment. A disciple asked him why. The Master said: My late teacher took this to exhaust the way of kingship. If someone were to use me, I would take this and go forward. [The late teacher means Confucius. When he set the rites and music, he only exhausted the way of Zhou.] I, Tong, am a minor descendant honoring Zhou; how dare I forget its rites? [Confucius himself exhausted this teaching, so how dare I little one leave it for a moment?] The Master said: The Rites of Zhou probably match the mandate of Heaven. [The Duke of Zhou's ceremonies are as long-lasting as the mandate of Heaven, so one says they match.] The Spring and Autumn Annals lifts up the king and honors Lu, probably because it is where Zhou was preserved. [Lifts up means raises. The Annals raises the Zhou king's calendar and records it in Lu's history, because Zhou's rites were all preserved in Lu.] The Yuan Classic lifts up the emperor and honors the Middle Kingdom, probably because it is where the mandate of Heaven returns. [The Yuan Classic takes the imperial title of whoever holds the Middle Kingdom as the true calendar, probably because the mandate of Heaven returns to the Middle Kingdom.] Zhang Yuansu [not seen in the histories] asked about ritual. The Master said: Make your heart straight and your bearing grave; when moving, think of reverence, and when still, think of rightness. He asked about the Way. The Master said: When ritual is attained, the Way is preserved. [When the four matters above accord with ritual, the Way is within them.] After Yuansu left, the Master said: He has his heart set on ritual. Even those who steal ritual and make a name from it, how much more one who practices it in person! [Steal means it is not one's own; even to borrow outer decoration and practice it can win a name, how much more Yuansu, who has set his heart on mastering himself. Mencius said Yao and Shun were it by nature, Tang and Wu embodied it, and the five hegemons borrowed it. If one borrows it long and does not return it, how does one know it is not one's own?] Wei Zheng asked about the gentleman's disputation. The Master said: What does a gentleman dispute? Sometimes he disputes, but when there is no alternative, much like the army. [Like the troops of Tang and Wu attacking Jie and Zhou, and Mencius's disputation against Yang and Mo, both done when there was no alternative.] Dong Chang heard this and said: The gentleman has a disputation without words and an army that does not kill; is that also a matter of timing? [Like Yan Hui who did not speak and seemed foolish, knowing that the time was not right to act. Laozi said that a good fighter does not form ranks; when the time allows, one does not act.] The Master said: Indeed. One who does not know the time has no way to be a gentleman. [He praises Dong Chang for hearing of disputation and knowing the time.] Wenzhongzi said: One who is angry on hearing slander is the source of slander; one who is pleased on seeing praise is the go-between of flattery. [If one is moved to rest or action by slander and praise, slanderers and flatterers succeed in their designs.] Cut off the source and remove the go-between, and slander and flattery will be far away. The Master said: To think of resolving it on hearing of difficulty, to think of avoiding it on seeing profit, and to love to complete the good in others: one can then stand. The Master said to Dong Chang: I have never seen one who is diligent. [Like Heaven that does not rest.] Perhaps there are some, but I have not seen them. [He says this to spur Chang on.] The Master said: When the harvest is not plentiful and the troops do not rest, I am finished. [Harvest is Heaven; troops are people.] The Master said that Huang Gong of Beishan was good at medicine, putting sleep and food first and needles and drugs after, and Hou Sheng of Fenyin was good at divination, putting human affairs first and the explanation of hexagrams after. [Huang Gong and Hou Sheng's deeds are not recorded.] Fang Xuanling asked about the way of correcting the ruler and sheltering the people. The Master said: First forget yourself. He said: Please exhaust the explanation. The Master said: One who can forget himself can then be without selfishness; without selfishness he can then be wholly impartial; wholly impartial, he can then take all under Heaven as his heart, and the Way can be practiced. [Cultivating oneself to reach all under Heaven is gradual.] Xuanling said: And toward the ruler? [He asks again about correcting the ruler.] The Master said: Tong cannot exhaust that explanation. Xiao and Zhang were probably troubled by this too. [Xiao He knew his ruler could not be corrected and privately set up estates; Zhang Liang also went privately to follow Chi Songzi; both were flaws.] Alas, it is not what you can reach. For now keep your respect and hold your caution, and you may perhaps serve people. [This says the Sui ruler could not be corrected.] There was a disturbance at Jiangdu. [Emperor Yang went to the Jiangdu palace, and Yuwen Huaji committed regicide.] The Master was ill and said to Xue Shou: The Way has been abandoned a long time. [The Way means the former kings' ceremonies.] If a true king arises, after thirty years rites and music can be spoken of. [Spoken of means raised.] That is all. [This means the Sui could not raise them.] Shou said: What do you mean? The Master said: Ten years to pacify, ten years to enrich, ten years to harmonize, and then it is done. [Pacify disorder, enrich the people, harmonize with rites and music. From the year of the Jiangdu disturbance, Gengchen, which was the third year of Wude under Emperor Gaozu of Tang, ten years of pacifying reached the third year of Zhenguan under Taizong when the world was greatly settled; ten more of enriching reached the thirteenth year of Zhenguan when Fang Xuanling reported great peace; ten more of harmonizing ended with Taizong's death in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan. Rites and music were harmonized but not greatly perfected.] The Master said: Early marriage and meager betrothal teach people to be mean [mean means thin]; innumerable concubines teach people disorder [this says that abandoning ancient rites is the fault of those who govern teaching]. Moreover, nobles and commoners have grades. [Wives, concubines and secondary wives each have degrees of rank.] One husband and one wife is the duty of commoners. [The Airs of the States put husband and wife right as the root of royal transformation.] The Master had an audience with the Sui founder, and at one meeting presented his Twelve Policies, compiled into four volumes. [Compiled by his disciples.] Xue Shou said: How eloquent! Dong Chang said: It is not eloquence; the principle is simply so. [When principle is profound, the words seem eloquent; it is not that he strove for eloquence.] Fang Xuanling asked to study the Twelve Policies. [To recite and study them.] The Master said: The times differ and affairs change; they are not worth studying. [They fit saving the Sui from its ills, not a lasting plan.] Yu Shiji [elder brother of Shinan; in Emperor Yang's time he took part in governing the court, only assenting to curry favor; when Emperor Yang was murdered, Shiji was killed] sent someone to ask the Master: Why do you not take office? The Master said: Tong is ill and cannot serve. He invited the messenger to drink and sang the poem Xiao Ming to send him off. [A poem from the Lesser Odes in which a senior officer regrets having served in a disordered age. The first stanza says: do I not long to go home, but I fear this net of guilt. It means Shiji will certainly die for his crimes.] When Shiji heard of it he said: I merely wander beneath the stringed arrows; the Master can be called one lost in the far dimness. [Yang Zi said that when the wild goose flies into the dimness, what does the archer long for?] Wenzhongzi said: If asked, I answer; if not asked, I set down. [If someone asks, I answer; otherwise I set down the Way myself and wait for the time to act.] They secretly compare me to Zhongshu. [Dong Zhongshu submitted his policy on the worthy and upright to Emperor Wu of Han and was later suppressed by Gongsun Hong, withdrew and made writing his work.] The Master said: By not holding office I complete my work [completing the work I set down], by not stirring I have no regret [regret arises from stirring], by not seeking widely I attain [attain means sufficiency], and by not studying in a scattered way I am clear [clear about the Way]. Wenzhongzi said: Rigidity is the grain-eating insect of wisdom, resentment is the leaf-eating worm of humaneness, and petty stinginess is the wood-boring worm of righteousness. [All are metaphors for pests that harm things.] The Master said: The independent judgment of the Yuan Classic probably lies in the mandate of Heaven, so how dare I presume to reach it? [If the mandate of Heaven had not yet changed in the Jin line, the Yuan Classic judges it in the south of the Yangtze; if the mandate has a place to return in the Middle Kingdom, the Yuan Classic judges it in the Later Wei. This says these are all stored in the mandate of Heaven and are not something I can reach.] Dong Chang heard this and said: As for the Yuan Classic and the mandate of Heaven, if the Master cannot reach it, who can? The Master said to Dou Wei: After capping, read the Rite of Capping; when about to marry, read the Rite of Marriage; in mourning, read the Rite of Mourning; after the burial, read the Rite of Sacrifice; at court, read the Rite of Guests; in the army, read the Rite of the Army. Thus the gentleman never departs from ritual all his life. [This says that learning ritual has an order.] Dou Wei said: Zhongni said that one who does not learn ritual has no way to stand; is this what it means? [This says Confucius's teaching of Li followed this order too.] The Master set down the rite of marriage. [Set down in the Discourse on Rites.] Jia Qiong said: Now they are all lost, so what use is there to continue them? [Continuing means mending what is lost.] The Master said: Qiong, do not despise ritual and do not flatter custom. [Despising ancient rites and flattering current customs is just you.] Just preserve them and that will do. [Continue and preserve, and wait for the time to act.] When the Master praised the Changes and came to the Guan hexagram, he said: It can exhaust the divine. [Washing the hands but not yet offering can exhaust the depths of the spirit.] The Master said: In antiquity they advanced the worthy and dismissed the unworthy and still worried that there was no order. [When one who holds the world raises the worthy, the unworthy are kept far.] Today I delight in the worthy and grieve for the unworthy. [I delight in them yet cannot advance them, I grieve for them yet dare not dismiss them.] In this way there is little resentment [because I do not dismiss them, the unworthy do not resent], yet I still fear I will not escape. [Not escape resentment and harm.] The Songs say: Trembling and careful, as though standing on the brink of an empty valley. [The poem Xiao Wan in the Book of Songs. The commentary says that in a declining and disordered age, worthy men and gentlemen, though blameless, still fear.] The Master read the Garden of Stories [thirty chapters compiled by Liu Xiang] and said: It can assist teaching. [What it says of rites and music can support and aid moral transformation.] The Master went to Hancheng [in Fengyi there is Hancheng county] and crossed first at the Longmen pass. [Longmen was the Han county of Pishi, renamed Longmen by Wei, belonging to Jiangzhou under Sui, and now a county in Hezhong.] Jia Qiong and Cheng Yuan were behind. [They followed behind.] The pass officer Qiu Zhang [styled Bocheng] stopped them and said: Who is the one who crossed first? [He stopped the two and asked.] I see that his forehead is grave and heavy yet not haughty [grave means heavy in appearance, haughty means raised]; his eyes are bright, clear and without blinking [clear means limpid, the movement of the eyelid is called blinking]; his mouth is thick, deep and not wide open [thick means generous, deep means profound]; he has a phoenix neck and a tortoise back, and his beard hangs to his waist, full and abundant [abundant is a flourishing appearance]. Walking with him he is humble and low in color; when speaking with him he answers casually and only after; when waves surge and the rudder turns he is not afraid. [This says his appearance is entirely unlike ordinary people.] This must be an unusual man. I have heard: when the world is without the Way, the sage hides, bowing low and keeping silence; this man is probably such. [Bowing low means humble, keeping silence means casual replies.] Cheng Yuan said: You know men. This is Wang Tong. Jia Qiong said: We two take him as teacher and cannot leave him. Qiu Zhang said: Supported by one virtue, riding the five constant virtues, upholding the three powers and holding the six arts, how could I lag behind and not go? So he gave up his post and followed to Hancheng. The Master said to Jia Qiong: A gentleman indeed, Qiu Zhang! Compared with Dong Chang he is not enough, but beside Xue Shou he is more than enough. Wenzhongzi said: I asked about ritual from Master Guan, and saw a man carrying firewood who was almost him; I corrected music with Master Huo, and saw a man holding a fishing rod who was almost him. [Guan Ziming and Huo Ji both lived in seclusion as woodcutters and fishermen, almost close.] I shall withdraw and seek it in the wilds. [The wilds mean fishermen and woodcutters.] The Master said: One who talks much cannot plan far-ranging matters [secrets leak easily], one who moves much cannot stay long [the heart is easily restless]. I wish to see those who feign quiet and counterfeit thrift. [Correcting the age, there are few who are truly quiet and thrifty.] Jia Qiong said: To know the good and not practice it, to see righteousness and not encourage it: even if a ring of jade were brought to welcome me, I would not enter such a gate. [He criticizes the Sui ministers for not encouraging good and for adorning empty rites.] The Master heard of it and said: Strong and unbending! [Qiong was clear and resolute, so he says strong and unbending.] Qiu Zhang said to Xue Shou: Have you heard of the three haves and seven have-nots? Shou said: What do you mean? Zhang said: Do not demand promises [do not demand that others must keep promises], do not cause resentment through wealth [do not make people resent through wealth], do not monopolize profit [first benefit others], do not speak carelessly [what one says must follow the Way], do not boast of good [do not brag], do not discard people [take even a bit of good], do not store grudges [do not dwell on old wrongs]. Xue Shou said: Please let me hear the three haves. Zhang said: Have kindness, have thrift, and do not put yourself ahead of all under Heaven. Shou said: Have you reached this? He said: This is the work of a gentleman, so how should Zhang presume to take part? The Master heard of it and said: Because he has it, he resembles it. [From the poem Chang Chang Zhe Hua; the commentary says resemble means succeed.] The Master said: The gentleman chooses first and then befriends [he chooses one fit to befriend and then befriends him]; the petty man befriends first and then chooses [suddenly joined by profit, upon choosing it falls apart]. So the gentleman has few faults and the petty man much resentment, truly because of this. The Master said: The gentleman does not blame people for what they cannot reach, does not force people to do what they cannot do [force means to use strength to make them], and does not trouble people with what they dislike. In this way he escapes. [Escapes the harm of the present age.] Lao Dan said: My words are very easy to practice, yet the world cannot practice them. How true! [It is true even now.] Qiu Zhang asked: Does a gentleman contend? The Master said: At seeing profit he contends to yield, at hearing of righteousness he contends to act, and at what is not good he contends to correct. [This says that if a gentleman really contends, he only contends to do good.] Xue Shou asked: How is the sage with Heaven and Earth? The Master said: Heaven gives birth to things, Earth raises them, and the sage completes them. [Heaven's yang and Earth's yin is called the Way. The sage guides it with goodness and completes it with nature.] So when Heaven and Earth are set up, the Changes operate within them. Xue Shou asked about the Changes. The Master said: What lies between Heaven and Earth is nothing other than man. [It is called humaneness and righteousness, the root of completing nature.] Shou withdrew and sighed: Only now I know that when human affairs are cultivated, the principle of Heaven and Earth is gained. [He first understood the Changes.] The Master said to Shou: I have never seen one who desired humaneness and loved righteousness and did not attain it. [This says that when human nature is cultivated, the principle of Heaven is gained.] If one does not attain it, he is a person without nature. [Humaneness and righteousness are the root of nature. Moving in response to things is nature's desire. To respond to things without being transformed by things is to restore one's nature, so it says to desire humaneness and love righteousness, which is to understand the principle of Heaven. If one is transformed by things and cannot turn back to restore nature, then the principle of Heaven is extinguished, so it says without nature, which is ignorance of human affairs.] The Master said: Yan Ziling fished at the rapids stones [Yan Guang, styled Ziling, an old friend of Emperor Guangwu of Han, did not serve and lived in seclusion fishing at the Seven-li Rapids], while Erzhu Rong controlled all under Heaven. [Noted above.] So the gentleman does not prize holding a position. [Erzhu Rong held a position, and Yan Guang did not prize it.] The Master said: Fire flames upward yet is subdued by water; water runs downward yet fulfills its will against fire. So the gentleman does not wish to place himself above many. [This says the gentleman is like the nature of water, which never fails to go down.] When the Master praised the Changes and came to Mountain attached to Earth, Stripping, he said: That is where it belongs. [A mountain should rightly be attached to earth, and a person should rightly return to stillness.] Where shall I go? [The Sui is disordered and the way stripped; where shall I go?] So the gentleman thinks to place himself below others. [Confucius's Image says the gentleman, by being generous to those below, secures his dwelling.] The Lord of Ruicheng read the Garden of Stories. [Ruicheng and the Garden of Stories are noted above.] The Master saw it and said: How fine, my brother's aim! Using it to present things, is that not also possible? [The Garden of Stories has the meaning of presenting things.] The Master's dwelling was always serene. His words were always considerate, his movements always righteous, and he dealt with people sincerely and awaited their coming together. [Coming together means principle and feeling meeting.] So the gentleman delights in his Way and the petty man cherishes his favors. [The petty man knows only favors.] Shu Tian said: As for Ning, regarding the way of the former kings, walking I think of it and sitting I recite it, always as though I fall short, and when facing things coming and going I always feel as though I had no teaching. [As though no one had taught me.] Is the Way truly so hard? The Master said: I am the same. [This says the way of the former kings is not something Ning can reach; answering that I am the same is really encouraging him.] Shu Tian said: The world hates the straight and finds the upright ugly; does Ning alone rest easy in this? The Master changed color gravely and said: The spirits listen to it and will bestow upon you great blessing. [From the poem Xiao Ming in the Book of Songs: Be still and reverent in your post, and love the upright. The commentary: great means big, love means grant, bestow means help. It means that when there is an enlightened king, the Way is practiced and blessing obtained.] A gentleman toward the Way continues until he dies. Heaven does not stop its cold and heat because people complain and sigh. [The Documents say that in winter there is great cold and in summer hot rain, and the common people complain and sigh.] The gentleman does not stop being straight because of others' ugliness. However, have you not heard the words of the Great Plan? Even, gentle, straight and upright. In this way one is preserved. [Uprightness must be even and gentle, so one preserves one's person and the Way.] Now you are petty and fussy, the three virtues have no hold on you and your heart is not established. [The three virtues begin with even, gentle, straight and upright, then lofty and clear overcoming by gentleness, and deep and sunk overcoming by firmness; all say that the upright must be even and plain, the straight must be easy and harmonious, the clear must overcome by gentleness, and the deep must overcome by firmness, all returning to the middle way. Now Ning, though upright, has no hold on virtue and his heart has not applied itself to this, so it says not established.] Do not be rigid [rigid is standing stiff and unbending], do not accuse [accuse means denounce], do not be obstinate [stubborn], do not collide [clash]. This is called lopsided and crooked. The people then overstep and err; is that not you? [He ends with words of the Great Plan to teach him. It says that if Ning has these four faults, it is the same as having no uprightness.] Shu Tian bowed twice and went out. Qiu Zhang came in and said: The gentleman thinks to place himself below others; does uprightness lie within that? [Zhang says it in praise of the Stripping hexagram in the Changes, which gains the virtue of evenness and gentleness.] The Master smiled and did not answer. Xue Shou said: The gentleman smiles when happy; why does the Master not approve of his advance? The Master said: Only the mad can reflect; is this not joy? [The way of the Changes is deepest, and Zhang does not fully reach it. But he commends his reflection, so he smiles in joy.] The Master said to Qiu Zhang and Xue Shou: It is not that knowing is hard; doing is what is hard. [This says that after one can reflect, one must still be able to act.]

文中子曰命之立也其稱人事乎【人生天地之間所以立命也是命者因人而稱天有情扵人而命之者也】故君子畏之【孔子畏天命者葢畏人事不修而違天也】無逺近髙深而不應也無洪纎曲直而不當也【易曰其受命如響】故歸之於天【聖人無不應無不當與天合徳故立命則曰天命】易曰乾道變化各正性命【引易以明命因性而稱也】魏徴曰書云惠迪吉從逆兇惟影響詩云不戢不難受福不那彼交匪傲萬福來求其是之謂乎【書大禹謨雲也惠順迪道也順道即吉從逆即防詩桑扈篇注戢聚難難也那多也言不聚法不戒難則福多矣彼賢交非傲即福亦就求之也】子曰徴其能自取矣【自取福】董常曰自取者其稱人耶【明魏徴能自取多福則顯上文其稱人事也】子曰誠哉惟人所召【召亦取也】賈瓊進曰敢問死生有命富貴在天何謂也【何獨死生言命而富貴則言天乎】子曰召之在前命之在後【凡未死世人皆雲命合生也已死矣則世人皆雲命不生也未富貴則世人皆雲命合貧賤也既富貴則世人皆雲命不貧賤是死生富貴皆人先自召之在前而後從而言命其在後也】斯自取也庸非命乎噫吾末如之何也已矣【末莫也言我莫知所如亂世不可自取理矣寧求退藏而已】瓊拜而出謂程元曰吾今而後知元命可作多福可求矣【若周公乞代武王仲尼求為東周皆自作元命終獲多福此知命之大者】程元曰敬佩玉音服之無斁【斁厭也】文中子曰度徳而師【度已不如則師之】易子而教【易互也】今亡矣【亡廢】子曰不以伊尹周公之道康其國非大臣也【以已之道安人之國不以嫌疑惜其身是大臣矣】不以霍光諸葛亮之心事其君者皆具臣也【受先君之顧命保后王之未明盡已之心不苟其位非具臣矣】董常嘆曰善乎顔子之心也三月不違仁矣【日乆不違是仁人矣】子聞之曰仁亦不逺姑慮而行之【上文謂常也時有慮焉亦三月之義】爾無苟羨焉【顔囘曰舜何人也餘何人也有為者亦若是彼顔囘不羨舜也故常亦無羨囘但慮而行之自及矣】惟精惟一誕先登於岸【書云惟精惟一允執厥中言道心精防仁性則一也詩云帝謂文王無然畔援無然歆羨誕先登於岸岸喻仁之地也言仁道不可畔不可羨亦執中而得也】常出曰慮不及精思不及睿【慮即道心也思曰睿】焉能無咎【咎謂貳過也】焉能不違【不違三月】繁師聞董常賢問賈瓊以齒【年齒】瓊曰始冠矣【年二十】師曰籲其幼達也【達謂達道】瓊曰夫子十五為人師焉【夫子謂文中子】陳留王孝逸先達之慠者也【慠謂未甞服人也】然白首北面豈以年乎【達不在年齒】瓊聞之徳不在年【左傳曰年均擇賢是則賢徳為上】道不在位【語曰富與貴是人之所欲不以其道得之不處也】門人有問姚義孔庭之法曰詩曰禮不及四經何也【鯉趨而過庭子曰學詩乎學禮乎】姚義曰嘗聞諸夫子矣【夫子謂文中子】春秋斷物志定而後及也【志在斷】樂以和徳全而後及也【樂象徳】書以製法從事而後及也【事以制立】易以窮理知命而後及也【理性至於命】故不學春秋無以主斷不學樂無以知和不學書無以議制不學易無以通理四者非具體不能及故聖人後之【言孔子不教鯉者待其具而後教之爾此並文中子言姚義志之也】豈養防之具耶或曰然則詩禮何為而先也義曰夫教之以詩則出辭氣斯逺暴慢矣約之以禮則動容貌斯立威嚴矣【此亦小成也】度其言察其志考其行辯其徳【凡師教人量其志行】志定則發之以春秋於是乎斷而能變【不變則斷不適中】徳全則導之以樂於是乎和而知節【不節則蕩】可從事則達之以書於是乎可以立制【事無制不永】知命則申之以易於是乎可與儘性【性與天道合為元命】若驟而語春秋則蕩志輕義【志未定故】驟而語樂則喧徳敗度【徳未全】驟而語書則狎法【狎法猶舞文也】驟而語易則玩神【不知性則以神為虛玩】是以聖人知其必然故立之以宗【宗即統言六經也】列之以次【次謂先詩禮而後次之四經也】先成諸已然後備諸物先濟乎近然後形乎逺【已近謂近取諸身也若出辭氣動容貌是也物逺謂逺取諸物也若斷物和行製法窮理是也】亶其深乎亶其深乎【亶信也信乎孔子先詩禮其教深奧】子聞之曰姚子得之矣【得六經之深故能言此】子曰識寡於亮徳輕於才斯過也已【有亮少識必有大緩之過有才少徳必有太淺之過】子曰治亂運也有乗之者有革之者【治亂皆由運則同也而乗之革之異焉乗之謂舜乗堯之類革之謂湯革夏之類是也】窮達時也【闗氏易傳曰時也者系乎君天下者也君天下得君子之道則時亨得小人之道則時塞】有行之者有遇之者【窮達皆由時然有行非其道而自窮於時者有雖行得道而遇時不明者時則一而行之遇之異焉】吉凶命也有作之者有偶之者【作謂自作孽自求多福皆由人作之者也偶謂庸人偶貴善人偶禍皆偶然者也】一來一往各以數至豈徒雲哉【往來循環數有竒耦人不能逃】遼東之役天下治船子曰林麓盡矣【治船伐盡麓盧谷反】帝省其山其將何辭以對【掌林麓之官何辭對帝】或問續經薛收姚義告子子曰使賢者非耶吾將飾誠以請對【對之以道賢者當悟】愚者非耶吾獨奈之何【愚者不知道不可對】因賦黍離之卒章【雲知我者謂我心憂不知我者謂我何求】入謂門人曰五交三釁劉峻亦知言哉【孝標論曰惟茲五交是生三釁釁許慎反】房齡問善則稱君過則稱已可謂忠乎子曰讓矣【無過而稱已過是隠也隠非忠也葢讓美扵君而已】杜如晦問政子曰推爾誠舉爾類賞一以勸百罰一以懲眾夫為政而何有【未有過此得為政之要者】如晦出謂竇威曰讜人容其訐【雖太訐必容】佞人杜其漸【漸猶不可況深乎】賞罰在其中吾知乎為政矣【容一訐直示賞百善之門絶一佞媚示罰眾惡之柄】文中子曰制命不及黃初【續書帝制公命惟漢有之不及魏矣黃初魏文帝初即位年號】志事不及太熈【續書君志臣事至晉太康而止矣不及惠帝太熈惠帝年號】褒貶不及仁夀【元經至隋開皇而止矣不及仁夀仁夀四年煬帝弒立】叔恬曰何謂也子然曰仁夀大業之際其事忍容言耶【大業煬帝年號事不忍言安所褒貶】賈瓊問富而教之何謂也子曰仁生於歉【歳歉則仁者惻隠歉苦簟反】義生於豐【豐盈則義者制宜】故富而教之斯易也【以豐思歉則為教易】古者聖王在上田裡相距雞犬相聞人至老死不相往來葢自足也【解上文富】是以至治之代【謂三皇時】五典潛五禮措五服不章【天子諸侯卿大夫士五者之服必章明白五章】人知飲食不知葢藏人知群居不知愛敬上如標枝下如野鹿【標枝野鹿自然分上下也】何哉葢上無為下自足故也賈瓊曰淳漓樸散其可歸乎【歸復也】子曰人能宏道苟得其行如反掌爾【人存則道行言亦易爾】昔舜禹繼軌而天下樸夏桀承之而天下詐成湯放桀而天下平殷紂承之而天下陂【陂險也】文武治而幽厲散文景寜而桓靈失斯則治亂相易澆淳有由【由上之所化】興衰資乎人得失在乎教【解上文人道】其曰太古不可復是未知先王之有化也詩書禮樂復何為哉【若言經籍不能復古何為虛設耶】董常聞之謂賈瓊曰孔孟雲亡夫子之道行則所謂綏之斯來動之斯和乎孰雲淳樸不可歸哉【當為決淳漓樸散之疑】子曰以性制情者鮮矣我未見處歧路而不遲迴者【路分二曰歧性感物而動曰情亦二之義也言情之惑性如歧之惑路也能制者鮮矣】易曰直方大不習無不利則不疑其所行也【直方性也不習謂不疑惑】竇威曰大哉易之儘性也門人孰至焉子曰董常近之【近庶防也】或問威與常也何如子曰不知【恐門人輕威而重常故答以不知】子曰大雅或防於道【溫大雅或防猶屢中也】葢隠者也黙而成之不言而信【防道則黙也黙似隠】或問陶元亮【潛字元亮】子曰放人也歸去來有避地之心焉【潛作歸去來辭】五栁先生傳則防於閉關矣【潛種五栁以自號閉關注見上】子曰和大怨者必有餘怨【若舜不怨而慕是也】忘大樂者必有餘樂【若顔回不改其樂是也】天之道也【性與天道相合故能如此】子曰氣為上形為下識都其中【都居也】而三才備矣氣為鬼其天乎識為神其人乎【易曰精氣為物遊魂為變是故知鬼神之情狀鬼者精氣之變也故曰氣為鬼易曰神而明之存乎其人非識則不能神故曰識為神】吾得之理性焉【窮理盡性則能行變化通鬼神】薛收曰敢問天神人鬼何謂也周公其達乎【仲尼曰鬼神之事吾亦難明周公曰不若旦多才多藝能事鬼神故止問周公】子曰大哉周公逺則諸心也心者非他也窮理者也【心謂天理】故悉本於天【悉盡也盡我於天理也孟子盡心章義同】推神於天葢尊而逺之也故以祀禮接焉【此宗祀大神也】近則求諸已也【已謂人倫】已者非他也儘性者也【反已復性】卒歸之人【如父與子性人人一同】推鬼於人葢引而敬之也故以饗禮接焉【此大禘人鬼也】古者觀盥而不薦思過半矣【盥絜貴敬也盥古緩反】薛收曰敢問地祗【既問天神人鬼故又問地祗】子曰至哉百物生焉萬類形焉示之以民斯其義也【古隻字示旁作民】形也者非他也肉之謂也【骨肉屬土】故以祭禮接焉【此既葬則祭於地下也】收曰三者何先子曰三才不相離也措之事業則有主焉圓丘尚祀觀神道也方澤貴祭察物類也宗廟用饗懐精氣也收曰敢問三才之蘊【蘊者精奧之稱】子曰至哉乎問夫天者統元氣焉非止蕩蕩蒼蒼之謂也地者統元形焉非止山川丘陵之謂也人者統元識焉非止圓首方足之謂也【三才取其氣形識不止形而已】乾坤之蘊汝思之乎於是收退而學易【易行乾坤之中故因三才之蘊始悟易】子曰射以觀徳今亡矣古人貴仁義賤勇力子曰棄徳背義而患人之不已親好疑尚詐而患人之不已信則有之矣【譏時】子曰君子服人之心不服人之言【孟子曰七十子之服仲尼中心悅而誠服也】服人之言不服人之身【此其次也】服人之身力加之也君子以義小人以力難矣夫【並譏當世尚力不知義者】子曰太熈之後天子所存者號爾【晉惠帝】烏乎索化列之以政則蕃君化之矣【續詩有政化】元經何以不興乎【詩亡則春秋作】房齡謂薛收曰道之不行也必矣夫子何營營乎【嗟師勤】薛收曰子非夫子之徒歟【不知道】天子失道則諸侯修之【若桓文】諸侯失道則大夫修之【若子產叔向】大夫失道則士修之【若孔孟】士失道則庶人修之【若董仲舒居家推災異】修之之道從師無常誨而不倦窮而不濫【濫謂不苟干祿棄道】死而後已得時則行失時則蟠【蟠屈】此先王之道所以續而不墜也古者謂之繼時【若孔子繼周公孟子繼孔子其適時一也】詩不云乎縱我不往子寧不嗣音【子衿篇刺亂世學校不修也注嗣讀也音謂誦】如之何以不行而廢也齡惕然謝曰其行也如是之逺乎【乃知營營非止身而已繼時之道當逺大】

Wenzhongzi said: The establishment of fate is probably named in terms of human affairs. [Humans are born between Heaven and Earth and so establish fate; this fate is named on account of people, Heaven having feeling for people and so decreeing for them.] So the gentleman reveres it. [Confucius revered the mandate of Heaven, probably revering that when human affairs are not cultivated one goes against Heaven.] There is nothing far or near, high or deep that does not respond, nothing large or fine, bent or straight that does not fit. [The Changes say it receives the mandate like an echo.] So it is attributed to Heaven. [The sage responds to all and fits all, and joins virtue with Heaven, so establishing fate is called the mandate of Heaven.] The Changes say: The way of Qian transforms and changes, each correcting its nature and fate. [He cites the Changes to show that fate is named on account of nature.] Wei Zheng said: The Documents say that following the Way brings good fortune and following the opposite brings ill, like shadow and echo. The Songs say: Neither gather nor fear difficulty, and one receives blessing in abundance; he does not treat others with arrogance, and ten thousand blessings come to seek him. Probably this is what it means. [The first is from the Counsels of Yu the Great in the Documents. Follow means obey, Way means the road. Following the Way is good fortune, following the opposite is ill. The second is from the Sang Hu ode in the Songs; the commentary says gather means accumulate, difficulty means hardship, abundant means many. It means that if one does not gather laws and does not guard against difficulty, blessings are many. If a worthy man associates without arrogance, blessings also come to seek him.] The Master said: Zheng can take it for himself. [Take blessing for himself.] Dong Chang said: What one takes for oneself is probably spoken of in terms of the person? [Making clear that Wei Zheng can take much blessing for himself shows what the above says about human affairs.] The Master said: Indeed. It is only what people call down. [Call down also means take.] Jia Qiong came in and said: May I ask what it means that life and death have fate and wealth and rank lie with Heaven? [Why is it that only life and death are said to be fate, while wealth and rank are said to lie with Heaven?] The Master said: The calling down is first, and the fate comes after. [For anyone not yet dead, everyone says fate was meant for life; once dead, everyone says fate did not intend life. For anyone not yet rich and noble, everyone says fate was meant for poverty and lowliness; once rich and noble, everyone says fate did not intend poverty. This means that in life and death, wealth and rank, people first call it down themselves, and only afterward speak of fate.] This is taking it for oneself, so is it not fate? Alas, I can do nothing about it. [Nothing means none. It says I do not know where to go; in a disordered age one cannot take things for oneself in principle, and it is better simply to withdraw and hide.] Qiong bowed and went out and said to Cheng Yuan: From now on I know that the great fate can be made and abundant blessings sought. [Like the Duke of Zhou begging to take King Wu's place and Zhongni seeking to make an Eastern Zhou, each made a great fate and in the end gained abundant blessing. This is the greatest knowing of fate.] Cheng Yuan said: I revere your jade words and will wear them without weariness. [Weary means tire of.] Wenzhongzi said: Weigh virtue and take a teacher [if one judges oneself not equal, take him as teacher], exchange sons to teach them [exchange means mutually]; now these are lost. [Lost means discarded.] The Master said: One who does not bring peace to his state by the way of Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou is not a great minister. [Using one's own way to secure another's state without sparing oneself for fear of suspicion is a great minister.] Those who do not serve their lord with the heart of Huo Guang and Zhuge Liang are all mere filler ministers. [Receiving the former lord's dying charge and protecting the later king who is not yet wise, exhausting one's heart without clinging to position, is not a filler minister.] Dong Chang sighed and said: How good, the heart of Master Yan! For three months he did not depart from humaneness. [One who does not depart for long is a humane man.] The Master heard of it and said: Humaneness is not far; just reflect and practice it. [The above says that Chang too reflects constantly, which is also the meaning of three months.] Do not envy carelessly. [Yan Hui said, who was Shun and who am I, one who acts will be like him. Yan Hui did not envy Shun, so Chang should not envy Hui, but reflect and practice, and he will naturally catch up.] Be refined and be single; boldly take the first step to the shore. [The Documents say be refined and single, and sincerely hold to the middle. It means the mind of the Way is subtle and the nature of humaneness is single. The Songs say that God said to King Wen: Do not stray, do not covet, boldly be the first to reach the shore. The shore is a metaphor for the ground of humaneness. It means the way of humaneness must not be strayed from nor coveted, and is also obtained by holding the middle.] Chang went out and said: Reflection that does not reach refinement and thought that does not reach insight; how can there be no fault? [Reflection is the mind of the Way, and thought is called insight.] How can one not depart? [Not depart for three months.] Fan Shixuan heard that Dong Chang was worthy and asked Jia Qiong about his age. [Years.] Qiong said: He has just been capped. [Age twenty.] Shixuan said: Oh, how young to have attained! [Attained means reached the Way.] Qiong said: The Master was a teacher of others at fifteen. [The Master means Wenzhongzi.] Wang Xiaoyi of Chenliu was a proud man among the early attained [proud means he had never submitted to anyone], yet in white-haired age he faces north as a disciple; how is it a matter of age? [Attainment does not lie in years.] I have heard: virtue does not lie in age [the Zuo Commentary says when years are equal, choose the worthy, so worthy virtue is above], and the Way does not lie in rank. [The Analects says wealth and rank are what people desire, but if not obtained by their proper way, one does not hold them.] A disciple asked Yao Yi: The teaching in Confucius's courtyard was the Songs and the Rites and did not reach the four other classics; why? [Boyu hurried across the courtyard, and the Master said, have you learned the Songs, have you learned the Rites?] Yao Yi said: I once heard the Master say this. [The Master means Wenzhongzi.] The Spring and Autumn Annals judges things, and one reaches it only after one's will is fixed [the aim lies in judging]; the Music is used for harmony, and one reaches it only after virtue is complete [music resembles virtue]; the Documents is used to make laws, and one reaches it only after one has handled affairs [affairs establish regulation]; the Changes is used to exhaust principle, and one reaches it only after one knows fate [principle and nature reach to fate]. So one who does not learn the Annals has nothing to rely on for judgment, one who does not learn the Music has no way to know harmony, one who does not learn the Documents has no way to deliberate regulations, and one who does not learn the Changes has no way to penetrate principle. The four cannot be reached without a full foundation, so the sage put them later. [This says Confucius did not teach Li these because he waited until he was prepared, and then taught. These are all Wenzhongzi's words, recorded by Yao Yi.] Are they tools for nurturing the young? Someone said: Then why do the Songs and Rites come first? Yi said: Teach with the Songs, and he learns how to put words and tone, and so keeps far from violence and arrogance; restrain with the Rites, and he moves his bearing and looks, and so establishes dignity. [This too is a small achievement.] Measure his words, observe his aims, examine his conduct and distinguish his virtue. [Every teacher measures a student's aims and conduct.] When the will is fixed, open him with the Spring and Autumn Annals, and then he can judge and also adapt [without adapting, judgment does not hit the middle]; when virtue is complete, guide him with Music, and then he is harmonious and knows measure [without measure he is dissolute]; when he can handle affairs, bring him through with the Documents, and then he can set up regulations [affairs without regulation do not last]; when he knows fate, extend him with the Changes, and then he can exhaust his nature together with it [nature and the Way of Heaven join as the great fate]. If one suddenly speaks to him of the Annals, his will will be loose and righteousness light [because his will is not fixed]; if one suddenly speaks to him of Music, virtue will be noisy and measure ruined [virtue not complete]; if one suddenly speaks to him of the Documents, he will treat law lightly [treating law lightly is like playing with words]; if one suddenly speaks to him of the Changes, he will trifle with the spirit [not knowing nature, he treats the spirit as an empty plaything]. So the sage knew this must be so and set up a head [the head means the Six Classics as a whole] and arranged an order [first the Songs and Rites, then the four classics in order]. First complete it in oneself, then provide for things; first help the near, then show in the far. [Oneself and the near means taking from one's own body, like putting words and tone and moving bearing and looks; things and the far means taking from things, like judging things, harmonizing conduct, making laws and exhausting principle.] Truly deep, truly deep! [Truly means it is credible that Confucius put the Songs and Rites first, and his teaching is profound.] The Master heard of it and said: Master Yao has got it. [He got the depth of the Six Classics and so could say this.] The Master said: Whoever has more integrity than insight, or virtue lighter than talent, is at fault. [One with integrity but little insight will surely err by great slackness; one with talent but little virtue will surely err by great shallowness.] The Master said: Order and disorder are fortune; there are those who ride it and those who change it. [Order and disorder both come from fortune and so are the same, but riding and changing differ. Riding is like Shun riding Yao; changing is like Tang changing Xia.] Adversity and success are timing [the Guan commentary on the Changes says timing is tied to whoever rules the world; if the ruler gets the gentleman's way, the time is open, and if he gets the petty man's way, the time is blocked], and there are those who act it and those who meet it. [Adversity and success both come from timing, but some act against the Way and bring adversity on themselves in their time, and some, though they act rightly, meet an unenlightened time. The timing is one, but acting and meeting differ.] Good and ill fortune are fate; some make it and some happen on it. [Making is to make one's own evil or seek one's own blessing, all made by people; happening upon is when a mediocre man happens on rank and a good man happens on harm, all by chance.] Coming and going, each arrives by number; how is this empty talk? [Going and returning circulate, numbers are odd and even, and people cannot escape them.] At the Liaodong campaign, ships were built all over the world. The Master said: The forests and foothills are used up. [They were cut down to build ships.] When the emperor inspects the mountains, with what words will they answer? [The officials in charge of forests and foothills, with what words will they answer the emperor?] Someone asked about continuing the classics. Xue Shou and Yao Yi told the Master. The Master said: If worthy men do not find it difficult, I will adorn my sincerity and ask them to reply. [Replying with the Way, worthy men should understand.] If the foolish do not find it difficult, what can I alone do? [The foolish do not know the Way and cannot be answered.] So he recited the final stanza of Millet Ripening. [Those who know me say my heart is sorrowful; those who do not know me ask what I seek.] He went in and said to his disciples: Five kinds of friendship give rise to three faults; Liu Jun did know how to speak. [Xiaobiao's treatise says that these five friendships give rise to three faults.] Fang Xuanling asked: To attribute good to the ruler and faults to oneself, can that be called loyalty? The Master said: That is yielding. [To call one's own fault when there is none is hiding, and hiding is not loyalty; it is probably only yielding credit to the ruler.] Du Ruhui asked about governance. The Master said: Extend your sincerity, raise your kind, reward one to encourage a hundred, punish one to warn the many. What else is there to governing? [No one has ever got the essentials of governance beyond this.] Ruhui went out and said to Dou Wei: Tolerate the outspoken in their accusations [even if too accusing, tolerate them], and stop flatterers at their beginnings [even the beginning cannot be allowed, how much less when deep]. Reward and punishment are within this. I now know how to govern. [Tolerating one frank accusation shows the gate of rewarding a hundred good deeds; cutting off one flatterer shows the handle of punishing many evils.] Wenzhongzi said: Edicts and decrees do not reach Huangchu [the continued Documents has imperial edicts and ducal decrees only through Han, not reaching Wei; Huangchu is the reign title of Emperor Wen of Wei in his first years]; aims and affairs do not reach Taixi [the continued Documents has rulers' aims and ministers' affairs only to Taikang of Jin, not reaching Taixi of Emperor Hui; Taixi is Emperor Hui's reign title]; praise and blame do not reach Renshou [the Yuan Classic goes to Kaihuang of Sui, not reaching Renshou; in the fourth year of Renshou, Emperor Yang murdered his father and took the throne]. Shu Tian said: What do you mean? The Master said tearfully: Between Renshou and Daye, how can one bear to speak of those matters? [Daye is Emperor Yang's reign title. The affairs are unspeakable, so what is there to praise or blame?] Jia Qiong asked: What does it mean to enrich them and then teach them? The Master said: Humaneness is born of dearth [in a lean year the humane feel compassion], and righteousness is born of plenty [in abundance the righteous regulate what is fitting]. So to enrich and then teach is easy. [From plenty one thinks of dearth, so teaching is easy.] In antiquity when sage kings were above, fields adjoined and one could hear the chickens and dogs from neighbors, yet people grew old and died without visiting each other, probably being self-sufficient. [This explains the above on enriching.] So in an age of perfect order, the five canons were hidden, the five rites set aside, and the five garments not displayed. [The garments of Son of Heaven, feudal lord, minister, senior officer and scholar must be plainly displayed, called the five displays.] People knew eating and drinking but not storing, knew living in groups but not loving and respecting. Those above were like the topmost branches, those below like wild deer. [Topmost branches and wild deer are naturally above and below.] Why? Probably because those above did nothing and those below were self-sufficient. Jia Qiong said: When purity has thinned and simplicity scattered, can one return? [Return means restore.] The Master said: People can broaden the Way; if one obtains its practice, it is only like turning over a hand. [When people are present the Way is practiced; this too says it is easy.] Long ago Shun and Yu followed one track and all under Heaven was simple; Jie of Xia inherited it and all under Heaven was deceitful; Tang of Cheng exiled Jie and all under Heaven was at peace; Zhou of Yin inherited it and all under Heaven was perilous [perilous means treacherous]; Wen and Wu governed and You and Li scattered it; Wen and Jing settled it and Huan and Ling lost it. So order and disorder replace each other and thinness and purity have their causes. [It all comes from what those above transform.] Rise and decline depend on people, gain and loss lie in teaching. [This explains the above on people being able to broaden the Way.] To say that high antiquity cannot be restored is not yet to know that the former kings had transforming influence. What then would the Songs, Documents, Rites and Music be for? [If the classics could not restore antiquity, why would they be set up in vain?] Dong Chang heard this and said to Jia Qiong: Confucius and Mencius are gone, and if the Master's Way is practiced, will it not be what is called: pacify them and they come, stir them and they harmonize? Who says purity and simplicity cannot be restored? [This should settle the doubt on whether thinness and simplicity scattered.] The Master said: Few can govern their feelings with their nature. I have never seen one who stands at a fork in the road and does not hesitate. [A road that splits in two is called a fork; nature moving in response to things is called feeling, which also has the meaning of two. It means that feeling bewildering nature is like a fork bewildering a road, and few can control it.] The Changes say: Straight, square and great, without practice there is nothing that does not profit, so one doubts not what one does. [Straight and square are nature; without practice means without doubt.] Dou Wei said: How great, the Changes' exhaustion of nature! Which disciple reaches it? The Master said: Dong Chang is near. [Near to almost reaching.] Someone asked how Wei and Chang compare. The Master said: I do not know. [He feared his disciples would belittle Wei and exalt Chang, so he answered that he did not know.] The Master said: Da Ya may be near the Way. [Wen Da Ya may be near, as one who often hits the mark.] Probably a hidden man. He completes things in silence and is trusted without speaking. [To be near the Way is to be silent. Silence is like hiding.] Someone asked about Tao Yuanliang. [Qian, styled Yuanliang.] The Master said: A man of release. His Return Home has the heart of avoiding the world. [Qian wrote the Return Home ode.] The Biography of Master Five Willows is almost closing the gate. [Qian planted five willows and took the name for himself. Closing the gate is noted above.] The Master said: One who makes peace with a great grievance must still have some grievance left [like Shun who did not resent but longed], and one who forgets great joy must still have some joy left [like Yan Hui who did not change his joy]. This is the way of Heaven. [Nature joins with the Way of Heaven, so one can be so.] The Master said: Qi is above, form is below, and consciousness resides within them, and the three powers are complete. [Resides means dwells.] Qi is the ghost, probably Heaven? Consciousness is the spirit, probably man? [The Changes say that essence and qi become things and wandering souls change, so one knows the conditions of ghosts and spirits. Ghosts are changes of essential qi, so it says qi is the ghost. The Changes say that to make the spirit bright lies in the person; without consciousness one cannot be spiritual, so it says consciousness is the spirit.] I obtained it through principle and nature. [By exhausting principle and fulfilling nature one can effect transformation and penetrate ghosts and spirits.] Xue Shou said: May I ask what is meant by the heavenly spirits and human ghosts? The Duke of Zhou probably reached it. [Zhongni said that matters of ghosts and spirits are hard for me to explain too. The Duke of Zhou said he was not like Dan with many talents and skills to serve ghosts and spirits, so he asked only about the Duke of Zhou.] The Master said: Great is the Duke of Zhou! Far off, he plumbed it in his heart. The heart is nothing other than exhausting principle. [The heart means the principle of Heaven.] So all is rooted in Heaven. [All means exhausted; exhausting myself in the principle of Heaven; this is the same meaning as Mencius's chapter on exhausting the heart.] He pushed spirits to Heaven, probably honoring and distancing them, so he received them with the rite of sacrifice. [This is honoring the great spirits.] Near at hand, he sought it in himself. The self is nothing other than fulfilling nature. [Turning back to oneself and restoring nature.] In the end he returned it to man. [Like father and son, nature is the same in everyone.] He pushed ghosts to man, probably drawing them near and revering them, so he received them with the rite of feasting. [This is the great sacrifice to human ghosts.] In antiquity, to observe the washing without the offering was enough to grasp more than half. [Washing means cleansing and valuing reverence.] Xue Shou said: May I ask about the earth spirits? [Having asked about heavenly spirits and human ghosts, he asks also about earth spirits.] The Master said: Ultimate! All things are born in it and all kinds take form in it. To show it to the people, this is its meaning. [In the old character for earth spirit, the component meaning show appears; the people in the source refers to showing by the earth.] Form is nothing other than what is called flesh and bone. [Flesh and bone belong to earth.] So he received them with the rite of burial offering. [This is offering below in the ground after burial.] Shou said: Which of the three comes first? The Master said: The three powers are not apart from one another. Set into practice, they have a master. The round mound honors sacrifice to observe the way of the spirits; the square pool values offering to examine kinds of things; the ancestral temple uses feasting to cherish the essential qi. Shou said: May I ask the stored depths of the three powers? [Stored depths means profound mystery.] The Master said: Ultimate is this question! Heaven rules original qi, and is not only the vast blue; Earth rules original form, and is not only mountains, rivers and hills; Man rules original consciousness, and is not only a round head and square feet. [The three powers take qi, form and consciousness, not form only.] Have you thought about the stored depths of Qian and Kun? Then Shou withdrew and studied the Changes. [The Changes run in Qian and Kun, so through the stored depths of the three powers he first understood the Changes.] The Master said: Archery to observe virtue is now lost. The ancients prized humaneness and righteousness and despised courage and strength. The Master said: To abandon virtue and betray righteousness yet fear that people will not be close to oneself, to be suspicious and love deceit yet fear that people will not trust oneself, there are such people. [He criticizes the age.] The Master said: The gentleman wins people's hearts, not their words [Mencius said that the seventy disciples submitted to Zhongni with hearts pleased and sincerely won over]; winning words, he does not win their persons. [This is the next level.] To win a person's body is to apply force. The gentleman uses righteousness, the petty man uses force. How hard! [He also criticizes those of his time who valued force and did not know righteousness.] The Master said: After Taixi, what the Son of Heaven kept was only a title. [Emperor Hui of Jin.] Alas, if you arrange it by government and transformation, then the lords of the borders compare with it. [The continued Songs has governance and transformation.] Why did the Yuan Classic not arise? [When the Songs are lost, the Annals arise.] Fang Xuanling said to Xue Shou: The Way will certainly not be practiced; why must the Master bustle about? [He sighs at the teacher's diligence.] Xue Shou said: Are you not a disciple of the Master? [He did not know the Way.] When the Son of Heaven loses the Way, the feudal lords cultivate it [like Huan and Wen]; when the feudal lords lose the Way, the senior officers cultivate it [like Zichan and Shuxiang]; when the senior officers lose the Way, the scholars cultivate it [like Confucius and Mencius]; when the scholars lose the Way, the commoners cultivate it [like Dong Zhongshu who stayed at home and inferred portents]. The way of cultivating it is: follow teachers without fixed rule, teach without weariness, be in poverty without excess [excess means carelessly seeking salary and abandoning the Way], and continue until death. When the time is right, act; when the time is lost, coil up. [Coil up means bend.] This is how the Way of the former kings continues and does not fall. In antiquity this was called continuing the age. [Like Confucius continuing the Duke of Zhou and Mencius continuing Confucius, fitting the time is one.] Do the Songs not say: Even if I do not go to you, can you not send word? [From the ode Zi Jin, which criticizes a disordered age in which schools are not maintained. The commentary: send means recite, word means chanting.] How can one abandon it because it is not practiced? Xuanling startled and apologized: Does the practice reach so far? [Only then did he know that the Master's bustling was not for his own person only, and the way of continuing the age should be far-reaching.]

或問闗朗子曰魏之賢人也孝文沒而宣武立穆公死闗朗退【並注見上】魏之不振有由哉【國不振由賢人不用】子曰中國失道四夷知之魏徴曰請聞其説子曰小雅盡廢四夷交侵斯中國失道也非其説乎徴退謂薛收曰時可知矣【時煬帝失道可知】薛收問曰今之民胡無詩【因聞古詩乃問今民何不作詩】子曰詩者民之情性也情性能亡乎【情不亡詩不廢】非民無詩職詩者之罪也【職詩謂史官不明變】姚義困於窶【窶貧】房齡曰傷哉窶也盍請乎姚義曰古之人為人請猶以為舍讓也【古冉子為公西赤之母請粟孔子曰君子周急不繼富葢非冉子棄讓也】況為己乎吾不願子聞之曰確哉義也實行古之道矣有以發我也難進易退【儒有難進易退姚義發明於我】子曰雖邇言必有可察求本則逺【舜好察邇言若不察其本則防説殄行至矣逺謂難及】王珪從子求續經子曰叔父【珪字叔玠子之從叔太宗朝為諫議多直言勑中書門下三品入閤使諫臣隨之自珪始也】通何徳以之哉【有何徳以當叔父之求學】珪曰勿辭也當仁不讓於師況無師乎吾聞闗朗之筮矣【事在闗朗傳】積亂之後當生大賢世習禮樂莫若吾族天未亡道振斯文者非子誰歟【珪言直故舉吾族】魏徴問議事以制何如子曰苟正其本刑將措焉如失其道議之何益故至治之代法懸而不犯【畫衣冠為法】其次犯而不繁【三代】故議事以制噫中代之道也【商周已後為中代】如有用我必也無訟乎【此仲尼之志】文中子曰平陳之後龍徳亢矣而卒不悔悲夫【隋文過亢不知故及弒】子曰吾於續書元經也其知天命而著乎【詩書亡然後元經作皆天命也】傷禮樂則述章志【樂章禮志】正厯數則斷南北【南北朝】感帝制而首太熈【書帝制尚不及黃初況太熈乎然元經首於太熈者葢感帝制之絶而特振之也】尊中國而正皇始【晉宋卒不振則厯數斷煬北朝以後魏孝文皇始年都洛歸得中國也】文中子曰動失之繁靜失之寡【不得中】子曰罪莫大於好進【進不以道】禍莫大於多言【言不以中】痛莫大扵不聞過【自蔽】辱莫大扵不知恥【自得】子曰天子之子合冠而議封【年二十成人始封之王】知治而受職【齒冑學古】古之道也【此周制】薛收問政扵仲長子光子光曰舉一綱眾目張弛一機萬事隳【引古語隳翾規反】不知其政也【隠者言放】收告文中子子曰子光得之矣【得為政之要也】文中子曰不知道無以為人臣況君乎【君更須知道】子曰人不里居地不井受終苟道也【秦廢井田開阡陌意在徙豪傑強本國然棄禮義起兼併為苟且之道】雖舜禹不能理矣【如此雖聖人復生難矣】子曰政猛寧若恩【先恩臨之】法速寜若緩【緩寛也】獄繁寧若簡【簡不滋彰】臣主之際其猜也寧信【並譏時】執其中者惟聖人乎【聖人之道不難知能行上四事則執中矣】子曰委任不一亂之媒也監察不止奸之府也【隋由此亡】裴晞聞之曰左右相疑非亂乎上下相伺非奸乎古謂之蛇豕之政噫亡秦之罪也【言王道喪自秦始】杜淹問隠子曰非伏其身而不見也時命大謬則隠其徳矣惟有道者能之故謂之退蔵扵密【有道謂聖人】杜淹曰易之興也天下其可疑乎故聖人得以隠【紂疑文王則文王隠】子曰顯仁蔵用中古之事也【演卦顯也就拘蔵也】淹曰敢問蔵之之説子曰泯其跡閟其心可以神防難以事求斯其説也又問道之防子曰非禮勿動非禮勿視非禮勿聽淹曰此仁者之目也【仲尼言仁】子曰道在其中矣【道在仁中】淹退謂如晦曰瞻之在前忽然在後信顔氏知之矣【知聖人道大不可以語言執也】文中子曰四民不分五等不建六官不職九服不序皇墳帝典不得而識矣【生民不復得而識也】不以三代之法統天下終危邦也【忠敬文相循之法】如不得已其兩漢之制乎【七制】不以兩漢之制輔天下者誠亂也已【制度不立則亂】文中子曰仲尼之述廣大悉備厯千載而不用悲夫【六經示後而後世但習空文不用其道可悲惜】仇璋進曰然夫子今何勤勤於述也子曰先師之職也不敢廢【儒職在祖述】焉知後之不能用也【後必有聖人出而用之】是藨是蓘則有豐年【逸詩譬如農夫是藨是蓘雖有饑饉必有豐年藨悲驕反蓘古夲反】子謂薛收曰元魏以降天下無主矣【無真主】開皇九載人始一【平陳一統】先人有言曰敬其事者大其始慎其位者正其名【先人謂銅川府君】此吾所以建議扵仁夀也【開皇改仁夀】陛下真帝也無踵偽亂【南北朝偽亂相繼】必紹周漢以土襲火【周木徳漢火徳隋當為土徳】色尚黃敷用五除四代之法【四代謂北朝魏周齊南朝陳也】以乗天命【時乗御天】千載一時不可失也髙祖偉之而不能用【偉其文而已不用其道】所以然者吾庶防乎周公之事矣【周公聖人之時者也故仲尼宗之敬其事正其始攝位則進正名則退公其心私其跡此周公之事也文中子謂隋祖必敬其始正其名】故十二策何先必先正始者也【正始策首篇名】魏永為龍門令【永未見】下車而廣公舍子聞之曰非所先也勞人逸已胡寜是營永遽止以謝子子曰不勤不儉無以為人上也【終戒之】門人竇威賈瓊姚義受禮溫彥博杜如晦陳叔達受樂杜淹房喬魏徴受書李靖薛方士裴晞王珪受詩叔恬受元經董常仇璋薛收程元備聞六經之義【中説終】凝常聞不專經者不敢以受也經別有説故著之【此太原府君王凝自記扵中説之後也】太原府君曰【稱府君者凝二子所記也】文中子之教不可不宣也日月逝矣不可使文中之後【後裔】不達於茲也召三子而教之畧例焉【續經畧例】太原府君曰凝常居栗如也子弟非公服不見閨門之內若朝廷焉昔文中子曰賢者凝也權則未而可與立矣府君再拜曰謹受教非禮不動終身焉貞觀中起家監察御史劾奏侯君集有無君之心【天下稱其讜正出為胡蘓令時杜淹為御史大夫王凝為監察上言侯君集有反狀太宗以君集有大功未之信而長孫無忌與君集善乃與杜淹不協而王凝貶出胡蘓令胡蘓漢東莞縣有胡蘓亭隋置縣名今屬州】及退則鄉黨以穆【不得志於時遂退】御家以四教勤儉恭恕正家以四禮冠婚喪祭【士禮】三年之畜備則散之親族【九年耕所儲畜】聖人之書及公服禮器不假【皆自足】垣屋什物必堅樸曰無苟費也門巷果木必方列曰無苟亂也事寡嫂以恭順著【文中子之室】與人不欵曲不受遺非其力非其祿未嘗衣食【力謂自耕桑者】饗食之禮無加物焉曰及禮可矣居家不肉食曰無求飽一布被二十年不易曰無為費天下也鄉人有誣其稅者一歳再輸臨官計日受俸年逾七十手不輟經親朋有非義者必正之曰面譽背毀吾不忍也群居縱言未嘗及人之短常有不可犯之色故小人逺焉杜淹曰續經其行乎太原府君曰王公大人最急也先王之道布在此矣天下有道聖人推而行之天下無道聖人述而蔵之所謂流之斯為川焉塞之斯為淵焉升則雲施則雨濳則潤何往不利也太原府君曰夫子得程仇董薛而六經益明對問之作四生之力也董仇早歿而程薛繼殂文中子之教其未作矣嗚呼以俟來哲【此並隠其意肆其言以傷河汾之教為長孫無忌所抑房魏等不能正之也】

Someone asked about Guan Lang. The Master said: A worthy man of Wei. Emperor Xiaowen died and Xuanwu took the throne, Duke Mu died, and Guan Lang withdrew [with notes above]. There was a reason Wei did not flourish [a state does not flourish because worthy men are not used]. The Master said: When the Middle Kingdom loses the Way, the four barbarian peoples know the Way. Wei Zheng said: May I hear the explanation? The Master said: When the Lesser Odes were entirely abandoned, the four barbarians invaded in turn; was that not the Middle Kingdom losing the Way? Zheng withdrew and said to Xue Shou: The times can now be known [the times: Emperor Yang's loss of the Way is known]. Xue Shou asked: Why do the people of today have no poems [having heard of the ancient poems, he asked why the people do not compose them now]? The Master said: Poetry is the people's feelings and nature. Can feelings and nature be lost [if feeling is not lost, poetry is not abandoned]? It is not that the people have no poems; it is the fault of those in charge of poetry [those in charge of poetry means the historians who did not understand change]. Yao Yi was hemmed in by poverty. Fang Xuanling (the character xuan is lost in transcription) said: What a pity, to be poor! Why not ask for help? Yao Yi said: The ancients, when asking on behalf of others, still thought of it as yielding [in ancient times Ran Zi asked for grain on behalf of Gongxi Chi's mother, and Confucius said a gentleman relieves the needy and does not add to the rich. Probably this was not Ran Zi abandoning yielding]; how much less for oneself? I do not wish to. The Master heard of it and said: Truly, Yi! He really practices the Way of the ancients. He has given me something to learn: hard to advance and easy to retire [a Confucian is hard to advance and easy to retire; Yao Yi has clarified this for me]. The Master said: Even common sayings must have something worth examining, but if you seek the root, it is far [Shun liked to examine common sayings. If one does not examine their root, partisan talk and ruined conduct arrive. "Far" means hard to reach]. Wang Gui asked the Master for the continuation of the Classics. The Master said: Uncle [Gui, courtesy name Shujie, was the Master's paternal cousin once removed. In Taizong's reign he served as remonstrator and spoke much directly. The order that officials of the third rank of the Secretariat and Chancellery should enter the hall with remonstrating ministers began with Gui], what virtue does Tong have to bear this [what virtue has he to meet his uncle's request to study]? Gui said: Do not decline. In matters of benevolence one does not yield even to a teacher, still less when one has no teacher. I have heard of Guan Lang's divination [the matter is in the Biography of Guan Lang]. After long disorder a great worthy should be born. Of those whose families have long practiced the Rites and Music, none surpasses our clan. Heaven has not yet destroyed the Way; who but you will revive this culture [Gui spoke directly, hence he raised the matter of our clan]? Wei Zheng asked: What about deliberating cases by established precedent? The Master said: If one rectifies the root, punishments will be set aside. If one loses the Way, what use is deliberation? So in an age of perfect order the law hangs up and is not violated [law was shown by painted clothing and caps], and the next best is violation without frequency [the Three Dynasties]. Hence cases are deliberated by precedent. Ah, that is the Way of the middle age [Shang and Zhou onward is the middle age]. If I were employed, there would surely be no lawsuits [this was Zhongni's aim]. Wenzhongzi said: After the Chen was pacified, the dragon's virtue overreached, and he never repented. How sad [Emperor Wen of Sui overreached without knowing, so he was assassinated]. The Master said: For the continuation of the Documents and the Yuan Jing, I probably write knowing the mandate of Heaven [after the Songs and Documents were lost, the Yuan Jing was composed, all by the mandate of Heaven]. Grieving over rites and music, I relate the musical chapters and ritual records [music chapters and ritual records]; correcting the calendar and succession, I divide north and south [the Northern and Southern Dynasties]; moved by the imperial institution, I begin with Taixi [the book of imperial institution did not yet even reach Huangchu, much less Taixi. Yet the Yuan Jing begins with Taixi, probably moved by the severing of the imperial institution and especially to revive it]; honoring the Middle Kingdom, I correct at Huangshi [the Jin and Song ended without recovering, so the succession was cut; after the Northern Dynasties, Emperor Xiaowen of Later Wei in the Huangshi years made Luoyang his capital and returned to hold the Middle Kingdom]. Wenzhongzi said: Movement errs in excess and stillness errs in lack [not obtaining the mean]. The Master said: No offense is greater than loving to advance [advancing not by the Way], no calamity is greater than much talk [speaking not to the mean], no pain is greater than not hearing of one's faults [self-concealment], no shame is greater than not knowing shame [self-satisfaction]. The Master said: The son of the Son of Heaven, when he reaches capping age, is discussed for enfeoffment [at twenty he becomes an adult and is first enfeoffed as a prince], and he knows government and receives office [he studies the old ways in the school of heirs]. This is the ancient Way [this is the Zhou system]. Xue Shou asked Zhongzhang Ziguang about government. Ziguang said: Raise one main cord and the many meshes open; loosen one trigger and ten thousand things collapse [quoting an old saying. Pronunciation note: "hui" is read xuan-gui]. He did not know that government [a recluse speaking freely]. Shou told Wenzhongzi. The Master said: Ziguang has got it [he has grasped the essence of government]. Wenzhongzi said: One who does not know the Way cannot be a minister, much less a ruler [a ruler must know the Way even more]. The Master said: If people do not live in neighborhoods and land is not received by the well-field system, it is in the end a shabby way [Qin abolished the well-field system and opened the paths and ridges, intending to move the powerful and strengthen the root of the state, but it abandoned rites and righteousness and started annexation, which is a makeshift way]. Even Shun and Yu could not govern it [so even if sages were reborn it would be hard]. The Master said: Severity in government is better replaced by kindness [first approach with kindness], swiftness in law is better replaced by slowness [slowness means leniency], many lawsuits are better replaced by few [fewness means not making things worse], and between minister and ruler, suspicion is better replaced by trust [all criticizing the times]. Only a sage can hold the mean [the Way of the sage is not hard to know, and one who can practice the four above holds the mean]. The Master said: Divided appointment is the matchmaker of disorder, and unceasing surveillance is the storehouse of treachery [the Sui perished through this]. Pei Xi heard this and said: Left and right suspecting each other, is that not disorder? Above and below spying on each other, is that not treachery? The ancients called it the government of snakes and boars. Ah, that was the fault of the doomed Qin [this says the kingly Way was lost starting with Qin]. Du Yan asked about reclusion. The Master said: It is not hiding one's body and not being seen. When the times and fate are badly wrong, one hides one's virtue. Only one who has the Way can do this, and so it is called withdrawing and hiding in secrecy [one who has the Way refers to a sage]. Du Yan said: When the Changes arose the world was probably doubtful, so the sage could hide [when Zhou doubted King Wen, King Wen hid]. The Master said: Displaying benevolence and hiding use is a matter of the middle antiquity [expounding the hexagrams was display, being imprisoned was hiding]. Yan said: May I ask about hiding it? The Master said: Erase one's traces and seal one's heart; it can be met by spirit and is hard to seek by affairs. That is the explanation. He asked again about the purport of the Way. The Master said: Do not move against ritual, do not look against ritual, do not listen against ritual. Yan said: These are the items of benevolence [Zhongni spoke of benevolence]. The Master said: The Way is in them [the Way is within benevolence]. Yan withdrew and said to Ruhui: Looking up at it, it is in front; suddenly it is behind. Truly the Yan family knew it [he knew the sage's Way is great and cannot be grasped by words]. Wenzhongzi said: The four classes are not divided, the five ranks not established, the six offices not discharged, the nine zones not ordered, and the books of the august and the emperors can no longer be known [the living people can no longer know them]. Not to rule the world by the laws of the Three Dynasties is in the end a perilous state [the method of loyalty, reverence and refinement following one another]. If there is no choice, probably the institutions of the two Han [the seven reigns]. One who does not assist the world with the institutions of the two Han will truly produce disorder [without institutions established, there is disorder]. Wenzhongzi said: Zhongni's narration was broad and complete, yet for a thousand years it has not been used. How sad [the Six Classics were shown to later ages, but later ages only practice empty words and do not use their Way, which is lamentable]. Qiu Zhang came in and said: Then why must the Master now toil so diligently at transmission? The Master said: It is the duty of the former teacher and I dare not abandon it [the Confucian office lies in handing on and honoring the ancestors]. How can one know later people cannot use it [surely a sage will later arise and use it]? Weed it and till it, and there will be a bountiful year [a lost ode: like a farmer, who weeds and tills, though there is famine there will be a plentiful year. Pronunciation notes: "biao" is read bei-jiao, "yi" is read gu-ben; the base text has a variant]. The Master said to Xue Shou: Since the Yuan Wei the world has had no ruler [no true ruler]. In the ninth year of Kaihuang people were first united [the pacification of Chen unified the land]. A forebear said: one who reveres his task enlarges its beginning, and one who is careful of his position rectifies its name [the forebear refers to Lord Tongchuan]. That is why I made my proposal in Renshou [Kaihuang became Renshou]. Your Majesty is a true emperor and should not follow the false and disordered [the false disorders of the Northern and Southern Dynasties succeeding one another]; he must continue the Zhou and the Han, taking Earth in succession to Fire [Zhou held Wood, Han held Fire, and the Sui should hold Earth], honoring yellow in color and using five as the number, and abolishing the methods of the four reigns [the four reigns are the Northern Wei, Zhou and Qi and the Southern Chen; the base text's "fu" is an error for "shu"], so as to ride the mandate of Heaven [riding the time and governing Heaven]. A chance that comes once in a thousand years must not be lost. Gaozu admired it but could not use it [he admired the writing only and did not use the Way]. This is why I come close to the work of the Duke of Zhou [the Duke of Zhou was a sage of the right time, so Zhongni honored him. Revering the task and rectifying the beginning, he advanced when acting as regent and withdrew when the name was rectified, made his heart public and his traces private; this is the Duke of Zhou's work. Wenzhongzi says the founder of the Sui must revere his beginning and rectify his name]. So what comes first in the Twelve Policies? Surely rectifying the beginning first [Rectifying the Beginning is the title of the first policy chapter]. Wei Yong was magistrate of Longmen [Yong's deeds are not seen], and upon taking up office enlarged the official residence. The Master heard of it and said: This is not what should come first. To toil others and ease oneself, why manage this? Yong hurriedly stopped and apologized to the Master. The Master said: Without diligence and thrift one cannot be above others [the final warning]. His disciples Dou Wei, Jia Qiong and Yao Yi received the Rites; Wen Yanbo, Du Ruhui and Chen Shuda received the Music; Du Yan, Fang Qiao and Wei Zheng received the Documents; Li Jing, Xue Fangshi, Pei Xi and Wang Gui received the Songs; Shu Tian received the Yuan Jing; Dong Chang, Qiu Zhang, Xue Shou and Cheng Yuan heard the meaning of all Six Classics [end of the Zhongshuo]. Ning once heard: whatever is not studied in specialty, one does not dare to hand on. The classics have separate explanations, so I set them down [this is Wang Ning, Lord of Taiyuan, recording himself after the Zhongshuo]. Lord of Taiyuan said [those called Lord are recorded by Ning's two sons]: Wenzhongzi's teaching must not fail to be proclaimed. Days and months pass, and it must not be that the descendants of Wenzhongzi do not understand this. He called his three sons and taught them the outline rules [the outline rules for continuing the Classics]. Lord of Taiyuan said: Ning often dwelt in awed reverence. His sons and younger brothers did not appear unless in official dress, and inside the women's quarters it was like a court. Formerly Wenzhongzi said: A worthy man is Ning; in adapting he is not yet there, but he can stand with us. The Lord bowed twice and said: I respectfully receive the instruction. He did not move against ritual for the rest of his life. In the Zhenguan era he began his career as a Censor, and impeached Hou Junji as having no loyalty to his ruler [the world praised his upright speech. He was sent out as magistrate of Husu. At that time Du Yan was Censor-in-Chief and Wang Ning was a Censor, and he said that Hou Junji had signs of rebellion. Taizong, because Junji had great merit, did not believe it, and Changsun Wuji was a friend of Junji, so he fell out with Du Yan and Wang Ning was sent out as magistrate of Husu. Husu was a county of Dongguan in the Han with a Husu pavilion; the Sui established it as a county, and it now belongs to Dizhou ([character lost in transcription])]. When he retired the village was at peace under him [not fulfilling his aims in the times, he withdrew]. He ruled his household with four teachings: diligence, thrift, reverence and reciprocity; and set his family right with four rites: capping, marriage, mourning and sacrifice [the rites of a scholar]. When three years of savings were prepared, he distributed them to relatives [stored from nine years of farming]. The books of the sages and official dress and ritual vessels he did not borrow [all were sufficient to himself]. Walls, houses and utensils had to be sturdy and plain, saying: do not waste carelessly; gateways and fruit trees had to be set in squares and rows, saying: do not be carelessly disordered. He served his widowed sister-in-law with respect and obedience, which was well known [Wenzhongzi's wife]. He did not put on airs with people, and did not accept gifts. He never wore or ate what was not from his own labor or salary [labor refers to his own farming and weaving]. At feast rites there was nothing extra, saying: it is enough to reach the rite. At home he ate no meat, saying: do not seek to be full. One cloth quilt was not changed for twenty years, saying: do not waste the world's resources. When a fellow villager falsely accused him over taxes, he paid twice in one year. In office he took salary by the day. Past seventy, his hands did not leave the classics. When relatives or friends did wrong, he always corrected them, saying: I cannot bear to praise to the face and slander behind the back. In company and free talk he never mentioned others' faults. He always had a look that could not be offended, so petty people kept away. Du Yan said: Can the continuation of the Classics be put into practice? The Lord of Taiyuan said: It is the most urgent matter for kings, dukes and great men. The Way of the former kings is spread out here. When the world has the Way, the sage extends and practices it; when the world lacks the Way, the sage hands it down and hides it. As it is said, when flowing it becomes a river, when blocked it becomes a pool, rising it becomes clouds, spreading it becomes rain, hidden it moistens; where would it not benefit? The Lord of Taiyuan said: The Master gained Cheng, Qiu, Dong and Xue, and the Six Classics grew clearer. The Questions and Answers were the work of four disciples. Dong and Qiu died early, and Cheng and Xue followed. Wenzhongzi's teaching was not yet fully done. Alas, we wait for a later sage [all this hides its meaning and gives free rein to words, to grieve that the teaching of Hefen was suppressed by Changsun Wuji, and Fang, Wei and others were unable to set it right].

文中子之教繼素王之道故以王道篇為首古先聖王俯仰二儀必合其徳故次之以天地篇天尊地卑君臣立矣故次之以事君篇事君法天莫如周公故次之以周公篇周公之道葢神乎易中故次之以問易篇易者教化之原也教化莫大乎禮樂故次之以禮樂篇禮樂彌文著明則史故次之以述史篇興文立制燮理為大惟魏相有焉故次之以魏相篇夫隂陽既燮則理性達矣窮理盡性以至扵命故次之以立命篇通性命之説者非易安能至乎闗氏易之深者也故次之闗朗篇終焉

Wenzhongzi's teaching continues the Way of the uncrowned king (Confucius), so the chapter Kingly Way is placed first. The ancient sage kings looked down and up at the two forms of Heaven and Earth and had to accord with the virtue of Heaven and Earth, so next comes the chapter Heaven and Earth. Heaven is honored and Earth is lowly, and the stations of ruler and minister are set up, so next comes the chapter Serving the Ruler. In serving the ruler and taking Heaven as a model, none compares with the Duke of Zhou, so next comes the chapter Duke of Zhou. The Duke of Zhou's Way has its wonder in the Changes, so next comes the chapter Asking about the Changes. The Changes are the source of transformation, and no transformation is greater than rites and music, so next comes the chapter Rites and Music. When the culture of rites and music becomes bright, it becomes history, so next comes the chapter Narrating History. To raise up culture and teaching, establish institutions, and harmonize yin and yang is a great matter that only Wei Xiang could do, so next comes the chapter Wei Xiang. When yin and yang are harmonized, nature and principle are penetrated; to exhaust principle and fully realize nature in order to reach destiny, so next comes the chapter Establishing Destiny. One who can penetrate the doctrine of nature and destiny, if not through the Changes, how could he arrive? The Guan family were deeply versed in the Changes, so the work closes with the chapter Guan Lang.

文中子王氏諱通字仲淹其先漢徴君霸絜身不仕十八代祖殷雲中太守家於祁以春秋周易訓鄉里為子孫資十四代祖述克播前烈著春秋義統公府闢不就九代祖防遭愍懐之難遂東遷焉防生罕罕生秀皆以文學顯秀生二子長曰謨次曰則謨以將畧升則以儒術進則字彥法即文中子六代祖也仕宋厯太僕國子博士常嘆曰先君所貴者禮樂不學者軍旅兄何為哉遂究道徳考經籍謂功業不可以小成也故卒為洪儒卿相不可以苟處也故終為博士曰先師之職也不可墜故江左號王先生受其道曰王先生業扵是大稱儒門世濟厥美先生生江州府君煥煥生虯虯始北事魏太和中為幷州刺史家河汾曰晉陽穆公穆公生同州刺史彥曰同州府君彥生濟州刺史一曰安康獻公安康獻公生銅川府君諱隆字伯髙文中子之父也傳先生之業教授門人千餘隋開皇初以國子博士待詔雲龍門時國家新有揖讓之事方以恭儉定天下帝從容謂府君曰朕何如主也府君曰陛下聰明神武得之扵天發號施令不盡稽古雖負堯舜之終以不學為累帝黙然曰先生朕之陸賈也何以教朕府君承詔著興衰要論七篇毎奏帝稱善然未甚達也府君出為昌樂令遷猗氏銅川所治著稱秩滿退歸遂不仕開皇四年文中子始生銅川府君筮之遇坤之師獻兆於安康獻公獻公曰素王之卦也何為而來地二化為天一上徳而居下位能以眾正可以王矣雖有君徳非其時乎是子必能通天下之志遂名之曰通開皇九年江東平銅川府君嘆曰王道無敘天下何為而一乎文中子侍側十歳矣有憂色曰通聞古之為邦有長乆之策故夏殷以下數百年四海常一統也後之為邦行苟且之政故魏晉以下數百年九州無定主也上失其道民散乆矣一彼一此何常之有夫子之嘆葢憂皇綱不振生人勞扵聚斂而天下亂乎銅川府君異之曰其然乎遂告以元經之事文中子再拜受之十八年銅川府君宴居歌伐木而召文中子子矍然再拜敢問夫子之志何謂也銅川府君曰爾來自天子至庶人未有不資友而成者也在三之義師居一焉道喪已來斯廢乆矣然何常之有小子勉旃翔而後集文中子於是有四方之志蓋受書扵東海李育學詩扵防稽夏琠問禮扵河東闗子明正樂扵北平霍汲考易扵族父仲華不解衣者六歳其精志如此仁夀三年文中子冠矣慨然有濟蒼生之心西逰長安見隋文帝帝坐太極殿召見因奏太平策十有二策尊王道推霸畧稽今驗古恢恢乎運天下扵指掌矣帝大悅曰得生防晚矣天以生賜朕也下其議扵公卿公卿不悅時將有蕭牆之釁文中子知謀之不用也作東征之歌而歸曰我思國家兮逺逰京畿忽逢帝王兮降禮布衣遂懐古人之心兮將興太平之基時異事變兮志乖願違吁嗟道之不行兮垂翅東歸皇之不斷兮勞身西飛帝聞而再徴之不至四年帝崩大業元年一徴又不至辭以疾謂所親曰我周人也家於祁永嘉之亂蓋東遷焉髙祖穆公始事魏魏周之際有大功扵生人天子錫之地始家扵河汾故有墳隴扵茲四代矣茲土也其人憂深思逺乃有陶唐氏之遺風先君之所懐也有弊廬在茅簷土堦撮如也道之不行欲安之乎退志其道而已乃續詩書正禮樂修元經讃易道九年而六經大就門人自逺而至河南董常太山姚義京兆杜淹趙郡李靖南陽程元扶風竇威河東薛收中山賈瓊清河房齡鉅鹿魏徴太原溫大雅頴川陳叔達等鹹稱師北面受王佐之道焉如往來受業者不可勝數葢千餘人隋季文中子之教興於河汾雍雍如也大業十年尚書召署蜀郡司戸不就十一年以著作郎國子博士徴並不至十三年江都難作子有疾召薛收謂曰吾夢顔回稱孔子之命曰歸休乎殆夫子召我也何必永厥齡吾不起矣寢疾七日而終門弟子數百人防議曰吾師其至人乎自仲尼已來未之有也禮男子生有字所以昭徳死有諡所以易名夫子生當天下亂莫予宗之故續詩書正禮樂修元經讃易道聖人之大防天下之能事畢矣仲尼既沒文不在茲乎易曰黃裳元文在中也請諡曰文中子絲麻設位哀以送之禮畢悉以文中子之書還於王氏禮論二十五篇列為十卷樂論二十篇列為十卷續書一百五十篇列為二十五卷續詩三百六十篇列為十卷元經五十篇列為十五卷賛易七十篇列為十卷並未及行遭時喪亂先夫人藏其書於篋笥東西南北未嘗離身大唐武徳四年天下大定先夫人返扵故居又以書授扵其弟凝文中子二子長曰福郊少曰福畤

Wenzhongzi, of the Wang family, was named Tong and styled Zhongyan. His ancestor was Wang Ba, the Han-dynasty Summoned Scholar, who kept himself pure and did not take office. His eighteenth-generation ancestor Wang Yin had been Governor of Yunzhong and settled in Qi, teaching the villages with the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Changes as the assets of his descendants. His fourteenth-generation ancestor Wang Shu could spread the achievements of earlier generations and wrote the Meaning and Lineage of the Spring and Autumn Annals; the government offices summoned him but he never accepted. His ninth-generation ancestor Wang Yu (the base text has a corrupt character; by genealogy this is the eastward move of the Wang Yu line) met the troubles of Emperors Min and Huai of Jin and so moved east. Wang Yu begat Wang Han, Wang Han begat Wang Xiu, all known for letters. Wang Xiu had two sons, the elder named Wang Xuanmo and the younger Wang Xuanze. Wang Xuanmo advanced through military strategy, and Wang Xuanze through Confucian learning. Wang Xuanze, styled Yanfa, was Wenzhongzi's sixth-generation ancestor and held office under the Song, serving as Grand Coachman and Erudite of the Imperial Academy. He often sighed and said: "What our late father valued was rites and music, and what he did not study was military matters. Why is my elder brother like this?" So he studied the Way and virtue deeply and examined the classics, holding that achievements should not be accomplished in a small way, hence he finally became a great scholar; that high office should not be taken carelessly, hence he ended as an Erudite, saying: "This is the duty of the former teachers and must not be allowed to fall." So the lands east of the river called him Master Wang, and those who received his Way were called the Wang Master's school, and so the Confucian school was greatly praised, and generation after generation completed that excellence. The Master begat Lord Jiangzhou, Wang Huan, and Wang Huan begat Wang Qiu. Wang Qiu first went north to serve the Wei dynasty, became Governor of Bingzhou in the Taihe era, settled at Hefen, and was called Duke Mu of Jinyang. Duke Mu begat Wang Yan, Governor of Tongzhou, called Lord Tongzhou. Wang Yan begat Wang Yi, Governor of Jizhou, called Duke Xian of Ankang. Duke Xian of Ankang begat Lord Tongchuan, named Long, styled Bogao, Wenzhongzi's father. He transmitted the Master's learning and taught more than a thousand disciples. In the early Kaihuang years of the Sui he waited for orders at Yunlong Gate as an Erudite of the Imperial Academy. At that time the state had only just had the abdication and was using respect and thrift to settle the world. Emperor Wen said calmly to the Lord: "What kind of ruler am I?" The Lord said: "Your Majesty is intelligent and divinely martial, obtained from Heaven; but in issuing commands you cannot wholly consult antiquity. Though you have the qualities of Yao and Shun, [character lost in transcription, by sense "zi" or "zi" meaning disposition] you will in the end be burdened by lack of learning." The emperor was silent for a moment and said: "You are my Lu Jia; what will you use to teach me?" The Lord, receiving the edict, wrote seven essays, On the Essentials of Rise and Fall; each time he submitted one, the emperor praised it, but it did not yet fully get through. The Lord went out as magistrate of Changle, moved to Yishi and Tongchuan, and the places he governed were all famous. When his term ended he retired and did not serve again. In the fourth year of Kaihuang, Wenzhongzi was born. Lord Tongchuan divined by the stalks and obtained Kun changing to Shi, and presented the omen to Duke Xian of Ankang. The Duke said: "This is the hexagram of the uncrowned king. Why does it come? Earth two transforms into Heaven one; one with supreme virtue who dwells in a low position and can use the rectitude of the multitude may be king. Though he has the virtue of a ruler, this is perhaps not that time? This child must penetrate the aims of the whole world." So he was named Tong. In the ninth year of Kaihuang, when Jiangdong was pacified, Lord Tongchuan sighed and said: "The kingly Way has no order; why has the world been unified?" Wenzhongzi was attending beside him, already ten years old, with a worried look on his face, and said: "I have heard that in ancient times, when states were governed there were long-lasting plans, so for several hundred years from Xia and Yin onward the four seas were often united; later generations governed with makeshift policies, so for several hundred years from Wei and Jin onward the nine provinces had no fixed ruler. Those above lost the Way and the people were scattered long since; one rises, another falls, what constant rule is there? Your sigh, Father, is probably out of worry that the imperial net is not taut, that the people toil under exactions, and that the world is about to fall into great disorder?" ([character lost in transcription], by sense "jiang", about to.) Lord Tongchuan was astonished and said: "Is it so?" So he told him about the Yuan Jing. Wenzhongzi bowed twice and accepted it. In the eighteenth year, Lord Tongchuan was at leisure and sang the poem "Felling Trees" and summoned Wenzhongzi. Wenzhongzi started, bowed twice and said: "May I ask what the Father's aim is?" Lord Tongchuan said: "Come here. From the Son of Heaven down to the commoner, none accomplishes anything without relying on friends. Among the meanings of the three, the teacher takes one place. Since the Way was lost, this has been neglected for a long time. But what is the constant rule? Child, strive on, and pause only after circling." Wenzhongzi then set his sights on the four quarters: he received the books from Li Yu in the eastern sea region, studied poetry from Xia Dian of Kuaiji, asked about rites from Guan Ziming of Hedong, corrected music with Huo Ji of Beiping, and examined the Changes with his clan uncle Zhonghua; for six years he did not take off his clothes, his sincerity so single-minded. In the third year of Renshou, Wenzhongzi was capped, and with a stirring heart to save the common people, he traveled west to Chang'an and was received by Emperor Wen of Sui. The emperor sat in the Taiji Hall and received him, and he presented the Twelve Policies for Great Peace, honoring the kingly Way and making clear the hegemonic strategy, examining the present and testing the ancient, vast and open, turning the world in the palm of his hand. The emperor was greatly pleased and said: "I have obtained you too late!" (the base text has "de sheng fang wan yi", where fang is an error for zhi.) "Heaven has given you to me." He sent his discussions down to the ministers. The ministers were displeased. At that time there was about to be trouble within the palace walls, and Wenzhongzi knew his plans would not be used; he made the Song of the Eastern Expedition and went home, singing: "I think of the state, and travel far to the capital; suddenly I meet the emperor, who lowers courtesy to a commoner. So I hold the heart of the ancients, and will raise up the foundation of great peace; times change and affairs shift, my aims and wishes part. Alas, the Way cannot be practiced; with drooping wings I return east; the emperor cannot decide, and I toil and fly west." The emperor heard of it and summoned him again, but he did not go. In the fourth year the emperor died. In the first year of Daye he was summoned once, but again did not go, excusing himself with illness. He said to those close to him: "I am a man of Zhou, and my home is in Qi. In the Yongjia troubles my family moved east. My high ancestor Duke Mu began serving the Wei dynasty, and between Wei and Zhou he did great service to the people; the Son of Heaven gave him land, and thus he settled at Hefen, and so there are tombs here, for four generations now. The people of this land have deep worries and far thoughts and still have the legacy of the House of Taotang, which was cherished by my late father. There is an old broken-down cottage, with thatched eaves and earthen steps, as small as that. If the Way cannot be practiced, where else would I go? I shall withdraw and record that Way, that is all." So he continued the Songs and Documents, corrected rites and music, compiled the Yuan Jing, and extolled the Way of the Changes, and in nine years the Six Classics were greatly completed. Disciples came from far away: Dong Chang of Henan, Yao Yi of Taishan, Du Yan of Jingzhao, Li Jing of Zhao Commandery, Cheng Yuan of Nanyang, Dou Wei of Fufeng, Xue Shou of Hedong, Jia Qiong of Zhongshan, Fang Xuanling of Qinghe, Wei Zheng of Julu, Wen Daya of Taiyuan, Chen Shuda of Yingchuan, and others all called him teacher and faced north to receive the Way of assisting a king. Those who came and went to receive instruction were too many to count, about a thousand and more. At the end of the Sui, Wenzhongzi's teaching rose at Hefen, harmonious and solemn. In the tenth year of Daye, the Secretariat summoned him to serve as acting Registrar of Shu Commandery, but he did not go. In the eleventh year he was summoned as Court Writer and Erudite of the Imperial Academy, but did not go to either. In the thirteenth year the troubles of Jiangdu occurred, and the Master fell ill; he summoned Xue Shou and said to him: "I dreamed that Yan Hui, bearing Confucius's command, said: Come back and rest. Probably the Master is calling me. Why prolong that span of years? I cannot rise." He lay ill for seven days and died. Several hundred disciples gathered and discussed it (the base text's "fang yi" should be "ji yi"), saying: "Our teacher was probably a perfect man! There has been none like him since Zhongni. By the rites, a man has a courtesy name at birth to make virtue clear, and a posthumous title at death to replace the name. The Master was born when the world was in great disorder and no one honored him, so he continued the Songs and Documents, corrected rites and music, compiled the Yuan Jing and extolled the Way of the Changes; the great embankments of the sages and the things the world can do were all completed. Since Zhongni died, is culture not here? The Changes say: yellow lower garment, supreme good fortune; culture is within. We ask that he be given the posthumous title Wenzhongzi." They set up a place with silk and hemp and sent him off with sorrow. When the rites were complete, all of Wenzhongzi's books were returned to the Wang family: the Discourse on Rites in twenty-five chapters arranged in ten scrolls, the Discourse on Music in twenty chapters arranged in ten scrolls, the Continuation of the Documents in one hundred and fifty chapters arranged in twenty-five scrolls, the Continuation of the Songs in three hundred and sixty chapters arranged in ten scrolls, the Yuan Jing in fifty chapters arranged in fifteen scrolls, and the Extolling of the Changes in seventy chapters arranged in ten scrolls, none yet put into practice, as the age fell into upheaval. His late wife kept the books in trunks and chests and did not leave them, east, west, south or north. In the fourth year of Wude of the great Tang, when the world was at last settled, his late wife returned to their old home and gave the books to Wenzhongzi's younger brother Wang Ning. Wenzhongzi had two sons, the elder named Fujiao and the younger named Fuzhi.

大唐龍飛宇內樂業文中子之教未行扵時後進君子鮮克知之貞觀中魏文公有疾仲父太原府君問焉留宿宴語中夜而嘆太原府君曰何嘆也魏公曰大業之際徴也嘗與諸賢侍文中子謂徴及房杜等曰先輩雖聰明特達然非董薛程仇之比雖逢明王必愧禮樂徴扵時有不平之色文中子笑曰乆乆臨事當自知之及貞觀之始諸賢皆亡而徴也房李溫杜獲攀龍鱗朝廷大議未嘗不參預焉上臨軒謂群臣曰朕自處蕃邸及當宸極卿等每進諫正色鹹雲嘉言良策患人主不行若行之則三皇不足四五帝不足六朕誠虛薄然獨斷亦審矣雖徳非徇齊明謝濬哲至於聞義則服庶防乎古人矣諸公若有長乆之策一一陳之無有所隠房杜等奉詔舞蹈讃揚帝徳上曰止引群公內宴酒方行上曰設法施化貴在經乆秦漢已下不足襲也三代損益何者為當卿等悉心以對不患不行是時群公無敢對者徴在下坐為房杜所目因越席而對曰夏殷之禮既不可詳忠敬之化空聞其説孔子曰周監二代鬱郁乎文哉吾従週週禮公旦所裁詩書仲尼所述雖綱紀頽缺而節制具焉荀孟陳之於前董賈伸之扵後遺談餘義可舉而行若陛下重張皇墳更造帝典則非駑劣所能議及也若擇前代憲章發明王道則臣請以周典唯所施行上大悅翌日又召房杜及徴俱入上曰朕昨夜讀周禮真聖作也首篇雲惟王建國辨方正位體國經野設官分職以為人極誠哉深乎良乆謂徴曰朕思之不井田不封建不肉刑而欲行周公之道不可得也大易之義隨時順人周任有言陳力就列若能一一行之誠朕所願如或不及強希大道畫虎不成為將來所笑公等可盡慮之因詔宿中書省防議數日卒不能定而徴尋請退上雖不復揚言而閒宴之次謂徴曰禮壊樂崩朕甚憫之昔漢章帝眷眷於張純今朕急急於卿等有志不就古人攸悲徴跪奏曰非陛下不能行蓋臣等無素業爾何愧如之然漢文以清靜富邦家孝宣以章程練名實光武責成委吏功臣獲全肅宗重學尊師儒風大舉陛下明徳獨茂兼而有焉雖未冠三代亦千載一時惟陛下雖休勿休則禮樂度數徐思其宜教化之行何慮晚也上曰時難得而易失朕所以遑遑也卿退無有後言徴與房杜等並慙栗再拜而出房謂徴曰齡與公竭力輔國然言及禮樂則非命世大才不足以望陛下清光矣昔文中子不以禮樂賜予良有以也向使董薛在適不至此噫有元首無股肱不無可嘆也十七年魏公薨太原府君哭之慟十九年授餘以中説又以魏公之言告予因敘其事時貞觀二十年九月記

When the great Tang arose, all within the seas lived in peace and contentment. Wenzhongzi's teaching had not yet been put into practice then, and few gentlemen of the later generation could know it. In the Zhenguan years Wei Wengong (Wei Zheng) fell ill, and my uncle, Lord of Taiyuan, went to ask after him (the base text has a character lost in transcription, by sense "asked after his illness") and stayed overnight talking. At midnight Lord Wei sighed. The Lord of Taiyuan said: "Why do you sigh?" Lord Wei said: "In the Daye years, I, Wei Zheng, once served Wenzhongzi together with the worthies. Wenzhongzi said to Zheng, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and others: 'You gentlemen, though intelligent and gifted, cannot compare with Dong Chang, Xue Shou, Cheng Yuan or Qiu Zhang. Even if you meet an enlightened king, you will surely be ashamed in matters of rites and music.' I then had a look of displeasure on my face. Wenzhongzi smiled and said: 'In time, when the matter comes, you will know it yourselves.' In the early Zhenguan years, those worthies had all died, while I, Wei Zheng, together with Fang Xuanling, Li Jing, Wen Daya and Du Ruhui, were able to cling to the dragon's scales, and there was no great court deliberation in which we did not take part. His Majesty, from his throne, said to the ministers: 'From my time in the princely residence to my taking the throne, each time you remonstrated your faces were stern, and you all said that fine words and good plans only fear the ruler not putting them into practice; if put into practice, even the Three Sovereigns would not suffice to make four and the Five Emperors would not suffice to make six. I am truly thin in virtue, but I am also careful in deciding alone. My virtue may not match swift sagacity, and my intelligence is inferior to deep wisdom, but in obeying righteousness when I hear it, I perhaps nearly match the ancients. If you gentlemen have a plan for the long term, state it one by one and hold nothing back.' Fang, Du and the others, receiving the order, danced and praised the emperor's virtue. His Majesty said: 'Enough.' He led the gentlemen into an inner banquet. When the wine had just gone round, His Majesty said: 'In establishing laws and applying transformation, what matters is lasting long. From Qin and Han onward there is nothing worth following. Of the gains and losses of the Three Dynasties, which is fitting? You gentlemen answer with all your hearts, and do not worry that I will not put it into practice.' At this time none of the gentlemen dared to reply. I sat in the lower seat, was signaled by Fang and Du, and left my place to answer: 'The rites of Xia and Yin can no longer be known in detail, and the teachings of loyalty and reverence are only heard of in empty words. Confucius said: Zhou looked back on two dynasties, how rich in culture it is, I follow Zhou. The rites of Zhou were set by the Duke of Zhou, the Songs and Documents were transmitted by Zhongni; though the bonds are fragmentary, the regulations are still complete. Xunzi and Mencius set it out before, Dong Zhongshu and Jia Yi extended it after, and the remaining talk and leftover meaning can be taken up and practiced. If Your Majesty wishes to expand again the tombs of the Three Sovereigns and make anew the canons of the Five Emperors, that is not something my dull and inferior talent can discuss. If Your Majesty chooses the institutions of a former dynasty and makes clear the kingly Way, then I ask to use the canon of Zhou and leave it to be carried out.' His Majesty was greatly pleased. The next day he summoned Fang, Du and me to come in together. His Majesty said: 'Last night I read the Rites of Zhou; it is truly the work of a sage. Its first chapter says: The king establishes the state, distinguishes the directions and fixes the positions, lays out the capital and divides the fields, sets up offices and divides duties, to be the pole for the people. Truly, how profound!' After a long time he said to me: 'I think: without the well-field system, without enfeoffing lords, without restoring mutilating punishments, yet wanting to practice the Way of the Duke of Zhou, cannot be done. The meaning of the Changes is to follow the times and accord with the people. Zhou Ren has a saying: exert strength and take one's place in the ranks. If it can be put into practice one by one, that is truly what I wish; if it cannot, to force a search for the great Way is like drawing a tiger and producing a dog, and will be laughed at in future. You gentlemen may consider with all your hearts.' So an edict was issued letting us stay overnight at the Secretariat to deliberate for several days (the base text's "fang yi" should be "ji yi"), but in the end it could not be decided, and not long after I asked leave to retire. Though His Majesty did not speak of it publicly again, at leisurely banquets he said to me: 'Rites are ruined and music has collapsed, and I deeply pity it. Formerly Emperor Zhang of Han fondly looked after Zhang Chun, and now I urgently look to you gentlemen. To have the aim and be unable to accomplish it is something the ancients also grieved over.' I knelt and replied: 'It is not that Your Majesty cannot do it, it is that we, your ministers, lack the learning of earlier days. What is more shameful than this? Yet Emperor Wen of Han made the state rich through quiet, Emperor Xuan tested names against reality by regulation, Emperor Guangwu demanded results and entrusted affairs to officials so that meritorious ministers were preserved, and Emperor Su valued learning and honored teachers so that Confucian customs greatly flourished. Your Majesty's bright virtue stands alone and combines all these. Though it has not yet crowned the Three Dynasties, it is a chance once in a thousand years. I only hope Your Majesty, though having fine virtue, will not rest on it; then rites, music and measures can be slowly considered for what suits, and why worry that the spread of transformation is late?' His Majesty said: 'The occasion is hard to get and easily lost, and that is why I am anxious. Withdraw, and do not have afterwords.' Fang, Du and I were all ashamed and trembling, and bowed twice and left. Fang Xuanling said to me: 'Xuanling and you have exhausted our strength in assisting the state, but when it comes to rites and music we are not great talents of the age and are not enough to look upon His Majesty's pure light. Formerly Wenzhongzi did not entrust rites and music to us, and there was truly a reason. If Dong Chang and Xue Shou were still alive, it would not have come to this. Alas, with a head but no limbs, one cannot help sighing!' In the seventeenth year Lord Wei died, and the Lord of Taiyuan wept bitterly. In the nineteenth year he gave the Zhongshuo to me and told me Lord Wei's words, hence I relate this matter. Recorded in the ninth month of the twentieth year of Zhenguan.

東臯先生諱績字無功文中子之季弟也棄官不仕耕於東臯自號東臯子貞觀初仲父太原府君為監察御史彈侯君集事連長孫太尉由是獲罪時杜淹為御史大夫密奏仲父直言非辜扵是太尉與杜公有隙而王氏兄弟皆抑而不用矣季父與陳尚書叔達相善陳公方撰隋史季父持文中子世家與陳公編之陳公亦避太尉之權藏而未出重重作書遺季父深言懃懇季父荅書其略曰亡兄昔與諸公逰其言皇王之道至矣僕與仲兄侍側頗聞大義亡兄曰吾周之後也世習禮樂子孫當遇王者得申其道則王業不墜其天乎其天乎時魏文公對曰夫子有後矣天將啟之徴也儻逢明主願翼其道無敢忘之及仲兄出胡蘓令杜大夫嘗扵上前言其朴忠太尉聞之怒而魏公適入奏事見太尉魏公曰君集之事果虛耶御史當反其坐果實耶太尉何疑焉扵是意稍解然杜與仲父抗志不屈魏公亦退朝黙然其後君集果誅且吾家豈不幸而為多言見窮乎抑天實未啟其道乎僕今耕於野有年矣無一言以禆於時無一勢以托其跡沒齒東臯醉醒自適而己然念先文中之述作門人傳受升堂者半在廊廟續經及中説未及講求而行嗟乎足下知心者顧僕何為哉願記亡兄之言庶防不墜足矣謹録世家既去餘在福郊面悉其意幸甚

Master Donggao, named Ji and styled Wugong, was Wenzhongzi's youngest brother. He abandoned office and did not serve, farmed at Donggao, and styled himself Donggaozi. In the early Zhenguan years, my uncle the Lord of Taiyuan, as Censor, impeached Hou Junji, and the matter involved Grand Commandant Changsun, so he was found guilty. At that time Du Yan was Censor-in-Chief and secretly reported that my uncle had spoken straight and had no fault, so the Grand Commandant and Lord Du fell out, and the Wang brothers were all suppressed and not employed. My youngest uncle was on good terms with Minister Chen Shuda. Lord Chen was then compiling the History of the Sui, and my uncle gave him the Family of Wenzhongzi to include. Lord Chen also avoided the Grand Commandant's power and kept it hidden without bringing it out, writing letter after letter to my uncle in earnest terms. My uncle replied, in brief: "My late brother formerly associated with the gentlemen, and what he spoke of as the Way of the august kings reached the utmost. I and my second brother attended him and heard much of the great meaning. My late brother said: 'I am a later descendant of Zhou, and our family has taught rites and music for generations. Our descendants should meet a true king and be able to make his Way plain, and then the kingly work will not fall. It is Heaven's will! It is Heaven's will!' At that time Lord Wei Wen replied: 'The Master has descendants, and Heaven is about to open the way for them. If I, Wei Zheng, meet an enlightened ruler, I wish to assist his Way and dare not forget.' When my second brother went out as magistrate of Husu, Censor-in-Chief Du once said before the emperor that he was plain and loyal. The Grand Commandant heard it and was angry. Lord Wei happened to enter to report a matter and saw the Grand Commandant. Lord Wei said: 'Is Junji's matter really false? Then that censor should be charged in return. Is it really true? Why does the Grand Commandant doubt?' So the Grand Commandant's mood eased somewhat. But Lord Du and my uncle held their ground and did not yield, and Lord Wei was silent as well on leaving court. Later Hou Junji was indeed executed. Moreover, was it not our family's misfortune to be impoverished by speaking too much? Or has Heaven really not yet opened that Way? I have farmed in the wilds for many years now, without a word of benefit to the times and without a bit of influence to rest my traces on, growing old at Donggao, content in drunkenness and sobriety. Yet I think of the works of our late Wenzhongzi, whose disciples transmitted and received them, and half of those who entered the hall are now in the court, but the continuation of the Classics and the Zhongshuo have not yet been studied and put into practice. Alas, you are a close friend; what do you see that I can still do? I hope you will record my late brother's words so that they do not fall, and that will be enough." I respectfully copied out the Family and sent it. After sending it off, Fujiao and I fully took in his meaning face to face, and felt honored.

闗朗字子明河東解人也有經濟大器妙極占筭浮沈鄉里不求官達太和末餘五代祖穆公封晉陽尚書署朗為公府記室穆公與談易各相歎服穆公謂曰足下竒才也不可使天子不識入言於孝文帝帝曰張彛郭祚嘗言之朕以卜筭小道不之見爾穆公曰此人道防言深殆非彛祚能盡識也詔見之帝問老易朗寄發明宗實陳王道諷帝慈儉為本飾之以刑政禮樂帝嘉嘆謂穆公曰先生知人矣昨見子明管樂之器豈占筭而已穆公再拜對曰昔伊尹負鼎於成湯今子明假占筭以謁陛下臣主感遇自有所因後宜任之帝曰且與卿就成筮論既而頻日引見際暮而出防帝有烏丸之役勑子明隨穆公出鎮幷州軍國大議馳驛而聞故穆公易筮往往如神先是穆公之在江左也不平袁粲之死恥食齊粟故蕭氏受禪而穆公北奔即齊建元元年魏太和三年也時穆公春秋五十二矣奏事曰大安四載防臣始生葢宋大明二年也既北逰河東人莫之知惟盧陽烏深竒之曰王佐才也太和八年徴為秘書郎遷給事黃門侍郎以謂孝文有康世之意而經制不立從容閒宴多所奏議帝虛心納之遷都雒邑進用王肅由穆公之潛策也又薦闗子明帝亦敬服謂穆公曰嘉謀長策勿慮不行朕南征還日當共論道以究治體穆公與朗欣然相賀曰千載一時也俄帝崩穆公歸洛逾年而薨朗遂不仕同州府君師之受春秋及易共隠臨汾山景明四年同州府君服闋援琴切切然有憂時之思子明聞之曰何聲之悲乎府君曰彥誠悲先君與先生有志不就也子明曰樂則行之憂則違之府君曰彥聞治亂損益各以數至苟推其運百世可知願先生以筮一為決之何如子明曰占筭幽防多則有惑請命蓍卦以百年為斷府君曰諾扵是揲蓍布卦遇夬之革【兊上幹下】【兊上離下】舍蓍而嘆曰當今大運不過一再傳爾従今甲申二十四歳戊申大亂而禍始宮掖有蕃臣秉政世伏其強若用之以道則桓文之舉也如不以道臣主俱屠地府君曰其人安出朗曰參代之墟有異氣焉若出其在並之郊乎府君曰此人不振蒼生何屬子曰當有二雄舉而中原分府君曰各能成乎朗曰我隙彼動能無成乎若無賢人扶之恐不能成府君曰請刻其歳朗曰始扵甲寅卒扵庚子天之數也府君曰何國先亡朗曰不戰徳而用詐權則舊者先亡也府君曰其後如何朗曰辛丑之歳有恭儉之主起布衣而並六合府君曰其東南乎朗曰必在西北乎大亂者未可以文治必須武定且西北用武之國也東南之俗其弊也剽西北之俗其興也勃又況東南中國之舊主也中國之廢乆矣天之所廢孰能興之府君曰東南之歳可刻乎朗曰東南運厯不出三百大賢大聖不可卒遇能終其運所幸多矣且辛丑明王當興定天下者不出九載己酉江東其危乎府君曰明王既興其道若何朗曰設有始有卒五帝三王之化復矣若非其道則終驕亢而晚節末路有桀紂之主出焉先王之道墜地乆矣苛化虐政其窮必酷故曰大軍之後必有凶年積亂之後必有兇主理當然也府君曰先王之道竟亡乎朗曰何謂亡也夫明王乆曠必有達者生焉行其典禮此三才五常之所繫也孔子曰文王既沒文不在茲乎故王道不能亡也府君曰請推其數朗曰乾坤之策隂陽之數推而行之不過三百六十六引而伸之不過三百八十四天之道也噫朗聞之先聖與卦象相契自魏已降天下無真主故黃初元年庚子至今八十四年更八十二年丙午三百六十六矣達者當生更十八年甲子其與王者合乎用之則王道振不用洙泗之教修矣府君曰其人安出朗曰其唐晉之郊乎昔殷後不王而仲尼生週週後不王則斯人生晉夫生扵周者周公之餘烈也生扵晉者陶唐之遺風也天地冥契其數自然府君曰厥後何如朗曰自甲申至甲子正百年矣過此未或知也府君曰先生説卦皆持二端朗曰何謂也府君曰先生毎及興亡之際必曰用之以道輔之以賢未可量也是非二端乎朗曰夫象生有定數吉凶有前期變而能通故治亂有可易之理是以君子之扵易動則觀其變而玩其占問之而後行考之而後舉欲令天下順時而進知難而退此占筭所以見重扵先王也故曰危者使平易者使傾善人少惡人多暗主眾明君寡堯舜繼禪厯代不逢伊周復辟近古亦絶非運之不可變也化之不可行也道悠世促求才實難或有臣而無君或有君而無臣故全之者鮮矣仲尼曰如有用我者吾其為東周乎此有臣而無君也章帝曰堯作大章一夔足矣此有君而無臣也是以文武之業遂淪扵仲尼禮樂之美不行扵章帝治亂之漸必有厥由而興廢之成終罕所遇易曰功業見乎變此之謂也何謂無二端府君曰周公定鼎於郟鄏卜世三十卜年八百豈亦二端乎朗曰聖人輔相天地凖繩隂陽恢皇綱立人極脩策迥馭長羅逺羈昭治亂扵未然算成敗扵無兆固有不易之數不定之期假使庸主守之賊臣犯之終不促已成之期於未衰之運故曰周徳雖衰天命未改聖人知明王賢相不可必遇聖謀睿策有時而弊故考之典禮稽之策即人事以申天命懸厯數以示將來或有已盛而更衰或過算而不及是故聖人之法所可貴也向使明王繼及良佐踵武則當億萬斯年與天無極豈止三十世八百年而已哉過算餘年者非先王之功即桓文之力也天意人事豈徒然哉府君曰防不出聖謀乎朗曰聖謀定將來之基防告未來之事遞相表裡安有異同府君曰大哉人謨朗曰人謀所以安天下也夫天下大器也置之安地則安置之危地則危是以平路安車狂夫審乎難覆乗奔馭朽童子知其必危豈有周禮既行厯數不延乎八百秦法既立宗祧能逾乎二世噫天命人事其同歸乎府君曰先生所刻治亂興廢果何道也朗曰文質遞用勢運相乗稽損益以驗其時百代無隠考防而研其慮千載可知未之思歟夫何逺之有府君蹶然驚起因書策而蔵之退而學易蓋王氏易道宗扵朗焉其後宣武正始元年歳次甲申至孝文永安元年二十四歳戊申而胡後作亂爾朱榮起幷州君臣相殘繼踵屠地及周齊分覇卒並扵西始扵甲寅終扵庚子皆如其言明年辛丑歳隋髙祖受禪果以恭儉定天下開皇元年安康獻公老扵家謂銅川府君曰闗生殆聖矣其言未來若合符契開皇四年銅川夫人經山梁履巨石而有娠既而生文中子先丙午之期者二載爾獻公筮之曰此子當之矣開皇六年丙午文中子知書矣厥聲載路九年己酉江東平髙祖之政始迨仁夀四年甲子文中子謁見髙祖而道不行大業之政甚扵桀紂扵是文中子曰不可以有為矣遂退居汾陽續詩書論禮樂江都失守文中寢疾嘆曰天將啟堯舜之運而吾不遇焉嗚呼此闗先生所言皆驗也

Guan Lang, style name Ziming, was a native of Jie in Hedong. He had the great capacity to order the world and relieve the people, and his skill in divination and calculation was exquisite in the extreme, but he drifted about the villages and did not seek office or distinction. In the last years of Taihe, my fifth-generation ancestor Duke Mu was enfeoffed at Jinyang, and the Secretariat appointed Guan Lang as a secretary in the duke's office. Duke Mu discussed the Book of Changes with him, and each admired the other. Duke Mu said to him: "You are a rare talent, and the Son of Heaven must not be left without knowing you." He went in and spoke to Emperor Xiaowen. The emperor said: "Zhang Yi and Guo Zuo have spoken of him before, but I consider divination a minor art, and I simply have not seen him." Duke Mu said: "This man's principles are subtle and his words are penetrating (the original reads 'dao fang yan shen', where 'fang' is probably an error for 'wei', meaning subtle), and probably neither Zhang Yi nor Guo Zuo could fully recognize him." An edict summoned him. The emperor asked about the Laozi and the Book of Changes, and Guan Lang, lodging his message in an exposition of the profound doctrine, set out the kingly way in practical terms, admonishing the emperor to take kindness and frugality as the root and then adorn it with punishments, government, ritual and music. The emperor praised and admired him, and said to Duke Mu: "You are a judge of men. When I saw Ziming yesterday, he had the capacity of Guan Zhong or Yue Yi; how could he be merely a diviner?" Duke Mu bowed twice and replied: "Long ago Yi Yin carried a cauldron on his back to meet Cheng Tang; now Ziming has used divination to present himself to Your Majesty. When ruler and minister meet in sympathy, each has his own reason, and afterward he should be employed." The emperor said: "For now, let me complete the discussion of divination with you." He then summoned him for audiences over many days, and he came out only at dusk. When the emperor went on the campaign against the Wuwan (the original has 'fang di', where 'fang' is an error for 'ji'), he ordered Ziming to accompany Duke Mu in garrisoning Bingzhou, and great decisions on military and state affairs were sent by courier horse to the court, so Duke Mu's Changes divinations were often like those of a spirit. Earlier, when Duke Mu was in Jiangzuo, he had been indignant at the death of Yuan Can and ashamed to eat the grain of the Qi dynasty, so when the Xiao house received the abdication, Duke Mu fled north, which was in the first year of Jianyuan of Qi and the third year of Taihe of Wei. At that time Duke Mu was fifty-two, and he reported: "In the fourth year of Da'an I was born." That would be about the second year of Daming of Song. After he traveled north to Hedong, people did not know him, except that Lu Yangwu was deeply astonished and said: "This is a talent fit to assist a king." In the eighth year of Taihe he was summoned as a secretary in the palace library and promoted to attendant gentleman of the Yellow Gate. He considered that Emperor Xiaowen had the intention of saving and aiding the world, yet regulations had not been established, so in relaxed and leisurely banquets he offered many proposals, and the emperor accepted them with an open mind. The moving of the capital to Luoyang and the employment of Wang Su all came from Duke Mu's quiet planning. He also recommended Guan Ziming, whom the emperor likewise respected, and the emperor said to Duke Mu: "With fine counsel and long strategy, there is no need to worry that it cannot be carried out. On the day I return from the southern campaign, we shall discuss the Way together to explore the essence of governance." Duke Mu and Guan Lang congratulated each other happily, saying: "This is a once-in-a-thousand-years moment." Soon the emperor died. Duke Mu returned to Luoyang and died a year later. Guan Lang then no longer held office. The Lord of Tongzhou took him as his teacher and received the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Changes, and they lived in seclusion together on Mount Linfen. In the fourth year of Jingming, when the Lord of Tongzhou finished his mourning, he played the zither with a plaintive sound, with a mind troubled by the times. Ziming heard it and said: "Why is the sound so sad?" The Lord said: "I, Wang Yan, truly grieve that my late father and you, teacher, had a purpose that could not be accomplished." Ziming said: "When joyful, act; when anxious, withdraw." The Lord said: "I have heard that order and disorder, loss and gain each arrive according to number, and if one calculates that cycle, a hundred generations can be known. I wish you would decide it with the milfoil; how would that be?" Ziming said: "Divination is subtle (the original has 'you fang', where 'fang' is probably 'wei'), and too much of it leads to confusion. Let me cast the stalks and set up a hexagram, with a hundred years as the limit." The Lord said: "Good." So he counted the stalks and laid out the hexagram, and obtained Guai changing to Ge. [Dui above Qian below] [Dui above Li below] (the original had the two hexagram figures, lost in transcription). He set down the stalks and sighed, saying: "The great cycle of the present time will pass only one or two more generations. From now, the jiashen year, for twenty-four years until wushen, there will be great disorder, and the calamity will begin in the palace; a vassal minister will seize control of government, and the world will submit to his strength. If he uses the Way, it will be an undertaking like Duke Huan of Qi or Duke Wen of Jin; if he does not use the Way, ruler and ministers will all be slaughtered and destroyed." The Lord said: "Where will that man come from?" Guan Lang said: "In the old ruins of Shen and Dai there is a strange qi. If he comes out, it would probably be in the outskirts of Bingzhou?" The Lord said: "If this man does not rise, to whom will the common people belong?" Ziming said: "Two heroes will rise together, and the Central Plain will split." The Lord said: "Will each succeed?" Guan Lang said: "On my side there is a gap and on the other side there is movement; how could it not succeed? But without the support of worthy men, I fear it cannot be accomplished." The Lord said: "Please fix those years." Guan Lang said: "It begins with jiayin and ends with gengzi, which is Heaven's number." The Lord said: "Which state will perish first?" Guan Lang said: "The one that does not contend through virtue but uses deceit and power; the old one will perish first." The Lord said: "And what comes after that?" Guan Lang said: "In the xinchou year, a respectful and frugal ruler will rise from commoner status and swallow up the six directions." The Lord said: "In the southeast?" Guan Lang said: "It must be in the northwest. In a time of great disorder one cannot govern by culture; one must settle by arms, and the northwest is a state of arms. The weakness of southeastern customs is their lightness and recklessness; the rise of northwestern customs is sudden vigor. Moreover, the southeast was the former ruler of China. China has been in decay for a long time; what Heaven has abandoned, who can raise?" The Lord said: "Can the years of the southeast be fixed?" Guan Lang said: "The southeast's calendar will not exceed three hundred years. Great worthies and great sages cannot be met in haste, and being able to complete that cycle is already much good fortune. Moreover, an enlightened king will rise in xinchou, and the pacification of the world will take no more than nine years, and in jiyou the southeast of Jiangdong is probably in danger." The Lord said: "Since the enlightened king has risen, what will his Way be like?" Guan Lang said: "If he has a beginning and an end, the teaching of the Five Emperors and Three Kings will be restored. If it is not that Way, he will end in arrogance, and at the end of his course there will appear a ruler like Jie or Zhou. The way of the former kings has fallen to the ground for a long time, and harsh transformation and cruel government, when exhausted, must be severe. So it is said that after great armies there must be years of famine, and after accumulated disorder there must be a cruel ruler; the principle is just so." The Lord said: "Is the way of the former kings really lost?" Guan Lang said: "How can it be said to be lost? When an enlightened king does not appear for a long time, a man of penetration must be born who carries out those rites, and this is what is held together by the three powers and five constants. Confucius said: With King Wen gone, is culture not here? So the kingly way cannot be lost." The Lord said: "Please calculate that number." Guan Lang said: "The counting rods of Qian and Kun and the numbers of yin and yang, when extended and applied, do not exceed three hundred and sixty-six, and when drawn out and expanded do not exceed three hundred and eighty-four; this is the Way of Heaven. Ah, what I, Lang, heard from the former sages agrees with the hexagram images. Since Wei there has been no true ruler in the world, so from the first year of Huangchu, gengzi, to now is eighty-four years; eighty-two more years to bingwu makes three hundred and sixty-six, and the man of penetration should be born; eighteen years after that, jiazi, he will probably meet a king. If he is used, the kingly way will be revived; if not, the teaching of the Zhu and Si rivers will cultivate itself and become clear." The Lord said: "Where will that man come from?" Guan Lang said: "Probably in the outskirts of Tang and Jin. Formerly the descendants of Yin could not be kings, and Zhongni was born in Zhou; if the descendants of Zhou cannot be kings, then this man will be born in Jin. One born in Zhou was the remaining glory of the Duke of Zhou; one born in Jin carries the lingering ways of Tao and Tang. Heaven and earth agree in secret, and that number is natural." The Lord said: "And after that?" Guan Lang said: "From jiashen to jiazi is exactly a hundred years. Beyond this I may not know." The Lord said: "In speaking of hexagrams, you always grasp both ends." Guan Lang said: "What do you mean?" The Lord said: "At every moment of rise and fall, you always say that if one uses the Way and is assisted by the worthy, it cannot be measured. Is that not two ends?" Guan Lang said: "An image has its fixed number from birth, and fortune and misfortune have their advance periods; but change can lead to penetration, so there is a principle by which order and disorder can be altered. Therefore the gentleman, in regard to the Changes, when he moves observes its changes and savors its divination, acts after asking, and undertakes after examining, wishing the world to advance with the times and to retreat when it knows difficulty; this is why divination was valued by the former kings. So it is said: make the precarious secure, and overturn the negligent. Good people are few and bad people many, benighted rulers numerous and enlightened ones rare. Yao and Shun passed on the throne in succession, but later generations did not meet such; Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou re-established rulers, but in recent times this too has vanished. It is not that the cycle cannot change, nor that teaching cannot be carried out; the Way is long and the age is short, and truly it is hard to find talent. Some have ministers but no ruler, some have a ruler but no ministers, so few are preserved. Zhongni said: If someone were to use me, would I not make an eastern Zhou? This is having a minister but no ruler. Emperor Zhang said: Yao made the Great Zhang music, and one Kui was enough. This is having a ruler but no minister. Therefore the work of Wen and Wu fell upon Zhongni, and the beauty of ritual and music could not be carried out under Emperor Zhang. The gradual change of order and disorder must have its cause, but the completion of rise and decline is rarely met with. The Book of Changes says: Achievement is seen in change. This is what it means. How can it be said there are not two ends?" The Lord said: "When the Duke of Zhou fixed the cauldrons at Jiaru, he divined thirty generations and eight hundred years; is that also two ends?" Guan Lang said: "The sage assists Heaven and earth, takes yin and yang as his rule, enlarges the imperial net, establishes the human ultimate, drives with a long whip from afar and casts a long net far away, showing order and disorder before they have formed and reckoning success and failure where there is no sign, and there are certainly numbers that cannot be altered and periods that cannot be fixed in advance. If a mediocre ruler holds to it and a rebel minister offends against it, in the end he will not hasten a period already formed onto a cycle that has not yet declined. So it is said that although Zhou's virtue declined, Heaven's mandate had not changed. The sage knows that an enlightened king and a worthy minister cannot necessarily be met, and that a sage's plans and wise strategies sometimes break down, so he examines them in ritual and canon, checks them with tortoise and milfoil, uses human affairs to set out Heaven's mandate, and hangs up the calendrical numbers to point to the future. Some have flourished and then declined, some have exceeded the calculation but could not catch up, so the sage's method is valuable. If enlightened kings continued to come and good assistants advanced one after another, then it should last ten thousand million years like Heaven with no end; how could it be only thirty generations and eight hundred years? The years beyond the calculation are either the merit of the former kings or the strength of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin. Are Heaven's will and human affairs ever in vain?" The Lord said: "Do the tortoise and milfoil (the character for 'tortoise' was lost in transcription) not come out of the sage's plan?" Guan Lang said: "The sage's plan sets the foundation of the future, and the tortoise and milfoil announce what is to come; they serve as outside and inside to each other, so how could they differ?" The Lord said: "Great are human plans!" Guan Lang said: "Human plans are used to settle the world. The world is a great vessel; put in a safe place it is safe, put in a dangerous place it is dangerous. Hence a steady cart on a level road, even a madman understands, is hard to overturn; riding a galloping horse and driving with a rotten rope, even a child knows it must be dangerous. How could Zhou's ritual have been carried out and yet its calendar not extend to eight hundred years, or Qin's law have been established and yet its ancestral temple have lasted beyond the second generation? Ah, Heaven's mandate and human affairs probably come to the same end." The Lord said: "The order, disorder, rise and decline that you have fixed, what Way is it ultimately?" Guan Lang said: "Form and substance are used in turn, and force and cycle ride on each other. If you examine loss and gain to verify that time, in a hundred generations nothing is hidden; if you consult tortoise and milfoil to investigate that concern, a thousand years can be known. It is just that people have not thought about it; what is far about it?" The Lord rose abruptly in astonishment, and thereupon wrote down the plan and stored it. He withdrew and studied the Changes, and the Wang family's Changes tradition probably honors Guan Lang. Later, in the first year of Zhengshi of Emperor Xuanwu, the year jiashen; in the first year of Yong'an of Emperor Xiaoming, twenty-four years later, wushen, Empress Dowager Hu caused disorder, Erzhu Rong rose from Bingzhou, and rulers and ministers killed one another and were slaughtered in succession. When Zhou and Qi split and contended for supremacy, they were finally absorbed in the west, beginning with jiayin and ending with gengzi, all as he had said. The next year, xinchou, Emperor Gaozu of Sui received the abdication and indeed used respect and frugality to settle the world. In the first year of Kaihuang, the Duke Xian of Ankang, aged at home, said to the Lord of Tongchuan: "Master Guan was almost a sage; what he said about the future matches like a tally." In the fourth year of Kaihuang, the lady of Tongchuan crossed a mountain ridge, stepped on a great stone and became pregnant, and later gave birth to Wenzhongzi, two years earlier than the bingwu date. Duke Xian divined and said: "This child bears that number." In the sixth year of Kaihuang, bingwu, Wenzhongzi already knew books, and his voice filled the road. In the ninth year, jiyou, Jiangdong was pacified, and Gaozu's government began to press hard. In the fourth year of Renshou, jiazi, Wenzhongzi had an audience with Gaozu, but the Way could not be carried out. The government of Daye was worse than that of Jie and Zhou, and Wenzhongzi said: "Nothing can be done." So he retired to Fenyang, continued the Songs and Documents, and discussed ritual and music. When Jiangdu fell, Wenzhongzi lay ill and sighed, saying: "Heaven is about to open the cycle of Yao and Shun, and I do not meet it. Alas!" This is what Master Guan said, and all of it was fulfilled.

太原府君諱凝字叔恬文中子亞弟也貞觀初君子道亨我先君門人布在廊廟將播厥師訓施於王道遂求其書扵仲父仲父以編寫未就不之出故六經之義代莫得聞仲父釋褐為監察御史時御史大夫杜淹謂仲父曰子聖賢之弟也有異聞乎仲父曰凝忝同氣昔亡兄講道河汾亦嘗預扵斯然六經之外無所聞也淹曰昔門人鹹存記焉蓋薛收姚義綴而名曰中説茲書天下之昌言也防而顯曲而當旁貫大義宏闡教源門人請問之端文中行事之跡則備矣子盍求諸家仲父曰凝以喪亂以來未遑及也退而求之得中説一百餘紙大抵雜記不著篇目首卷及序則蠧絶磨滅未能詮次防仲父黜為胡蘓令嘆曰文中子之教不可不宣也日月逝矣歳不我與乃解印而歸大考六經之目而繕録焉禮論樂論各亡其五篇續詩續書各亡小序惟元經讃易具存焉得六百六十五篇勒成七十五卷分為六部號曰王氏六經仲父謂諸子曰大哉兄之述也以言乎皇綱帝道則大明矣以言乎天地之間則無不至焉自春秋以來未有若斯之述也又謂門人曰不可使文中之後不達扵茲也乃召諸子而授焉貞觀十六年餘二十一歳受六經之義三年頗通大略嗚呼小子何足以知之而有志焉十九年仲父被起為洛州録事又以中説授餘曰先兄之緒言也餘再拜曰中説之為教也務約致深言寡理大其比方論語之記乎孺子奉之無使失墜餘因而辨類分宗編為十編勒成十卷其門人弟子姓字本末則訪諸紀諜列扵外傳以備宗本焉且六經中説於以觀先君之事業建義明道垂則立訓知文中子之所為者其天乎年序寖逺朝廷事異同志淪殂帝閽攸邈文中子之教抑而未行籲可悲哉空傳子孫以為素業云爾時貞觀二十三年正月序

The Lord of Taiyuan was named Ning, style name Shuhuo, and was the second younger brother of Wenzhongzi. In the early years of Zhenguan, the way of the gentleman was prosperous, and the disciples of my late father were spread through the court, intending to spread the teacher's instruction and carry it into the kingly way, so they asked my uncle for the books. My uncle, because the compilation was not yet complete, did not bring them out, so in that age no one could hear the meaning of the Six Classics. When my uncle took off his commoner's garb and became a surveillance censor, the Censor-in-Chief Du Yan said to him: "You are the younger brother of a sage; have you heard anything special?" My uncle said: "I am unworthily a brother by the same mother. In the past when my late elder brother lectured on the Way at Hefen, I too took part. But apart from the Six Classics I heard nothing else." Du Yan said: "In the past the disciples all kept records, probably put together by Xue Shou and Yao Yi, called the Zhongshuo. That book is the world's wholesome speech, plain and clear, indirect and apt, penetrating the great principles all around and widely expounding the origin of teaching. The points the disciples asked about and the traces of what Wenzhongzi did are all there. Why do you not ask for it at home?" My uncle said: "Since the troubles of mourning and disorder I have not yet had leisure." Withdrawing, he searched for it and obtained over a hundred sheets of the Zhongshuo, mostly miscellaneous notes without chapter titles; the first volume and the preface had been eaten through by insects and worn away, and could not be arranged. When my uncle was demoted to magistrate of Husu, he sighed and said: "Wenzhongzi's teaching must be proclaimed. The sun and moon pass, and years do not wait for me." So he laid down his seal and returned, devoted himself to examining the chapters of the Six Classics and copying them. Of the Discourse on Ritual and the Discourse on Music, five chapters each were lost, and the Continuation of the Songs and the Continuation of the Documents each lost their short prefaces; only the Yuan Classic and the Praise of the Changes were fully preserved. In all he obtained six hundred and sixty-five chapters, compiled into seventy-five volumes, divided into six parts, called the Six Classics of the Wang family. My uncle said to his sons: "Great are my elder brother's writings! In regard to the imperial net and the emperor's way, they are already greatly clarified; in regard to what lies between Heaven and earth, there is nothing they do not reach. Since the Spring and Autumn Annals there has been no writing like this." He also said to the disciples: "The descendants of Wenzhongzi must not be left without understanding these." So he summoned his sons and taught them. In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, when I was twenty-one, I received the meaning of the Six Classics, and in three years I had a fair grasp of the outline. Ah, how could a youth like me be worthy to know, but I had the will. In the nineteenth year my uncle was recalled as record clerk of Luozhou, and he also gave me the Zhongshuo, saying: "These are my elder brother's remaining words." I bowed twice and said: "As teaching, the Zhongshuo seeks brevity and reaches depth, with few words and great principles; it can probably be compared to the records of the Analects. I, a youth, will hold it and not let it fall." I therefore sorted it by kind and divided it by lineage, compiling ten books in ten volumes. The surnames, names and careers of the disciples I sought out in genealogies and listed in the outer biography, to complete the roots of the school. Moreover, from the Six Classics and the Zhongshuo one can see my late father's work: establishing great righteousness, making the great Way clear, handing down rules and fixing instruction. To know what Wenzhongzi did is probably Heaven's will! The years gradually grew distant, the court's circumstances changed, like-minded people died away, the palace gates were far off, and Wenzhongzi's teaching was suppressed and not carried out. Ah, how sad! It was merely handed down to descendants as an unadorned family heritage. Written as a preface in the first month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan.