Jin Si Lu (近思錄) · Volume 9

明道因論口將言而囁嚅雲若合開口時要他頭也須開口【本注云如荊軻於樊於期】須是聴其言也厲【囁嚅欲言而不敢發之貌厲剛決之意理明義直內無不足則出於口者自然剛決不可回撓安有囁嚅之態○朱子曰合開口者亦曰理之所當言樊於期事非理所得言特取其事之難言而猶言之耳】

Mingdao, in discussing the saying 'when about to speak, one stammers and hesitates,' said: "If it is time to open one's mouth, one must open it even if it costs one's head." [The original note says: Like Jing Ke toward Fan Yuqi.] "One must make one's words stern when they are heard." [Stammering and hesitating is the appearance of wanting to speak and not daring to utter. Stern is the sense of being firm and decisive. When principle is clear and right is straight and there is no lack within, then what comes out of the mouth is naturally firm and decisive and cannot be bent, so how could there be a stammering and hesitating manner? Zhu Xi says: 'It is time to open one's mouth' also means what principle requires to be said. The affair of Fan Yuqi was not something principle allows one to say, and the example is taken only because it was hard to say and yet he said it.]

須是就事上學蠱振民育徳然有所知後方能如此何必讀書然後為學【振民育徳修己治人之事也然必知之至而後行之至無非學也豈但讀書而謂之學哉子路亦嘗有是言而夫子斥之何也葢為學之道固不専於讀書必以讀書為窮理之本子羔既未及為學而遽使之以仕為學則非持失知行之序而且廢窮理之大端臨事錯繆安能各當其則哉程子之教固以讀書窮理為先務然不就事而學則舍簡策之外凡應事接物之際不知所以用力其學之間防多矣二者之言各有在也】

"One must learn through affairs. Gu (Decay) says: 'Rouse the people and nurture virtue.' But only after one has knowledge can one do this. Why must one read books and only then call it learning?" [Rousing the people and nurturing virtue are matters of cultivating oneself and governing others. But one must reach the utmost of knowledge before reaching the utmost of action, and none of this is outside learning; how could only reading books be called learning? Zilu once said something like this and the Master rebuked him; why? The way of learning is indeed not solely in reading books, but one must take reading as the root of exhausting principle. Zigao had not yet studied, and to make him take office as a means of study lost not only the order of knowing and acting but also abandoned the main part of exhausting principle, and when facing affairs he would err and could hardly meet the standard in each case. Master Cheng's teaching did take reading books and exhausting principle as the first task; but if one does not learn through affairs, then outside the bamboo slips one does not know how to apply effort in responding to affairs and dealing with things, and one's learning would have many gaps (the base text has a corrupt reading here). The two sayings each have their place.]

先生見一學者忙迫問其故曰欲了幾處人事曰某非不欲周旋人事者曷常似賢急迫【事雖多為之必有序事雖急應之必有節未聞可以急遽苟且而處之者】

The Master saw a scholar in a rush and asked why. He said: I want to settle matters with several people. The Master said: "It is not that I do not want to attend to social matters, but when have I been as hurried as you?" [However many the affairs, there must be an order in doing them; however urgent the affairs, there must be moderation in responding. I have never heard that one can handle them with haste and carelessness.]

安定之門人往往知稽古愛民矣則於為政也何有【胡安定教學者以通經術治時務明體適用故其門人皆知以稽古愛民為事稽古則為政之法愛民則為政之本】門人有曰吾與人居視其有過而不告則於心有所不安告之而人不受則奈何明道曰與之處而不告其過非忠也要使誠意之交通在於未言之前則言出而人信矣【誠意素孚則信在言前】又曰責善之道要使誠有餘而言不足則於人有益而在我者無自辱矣【誠意多於言語則在彼有感悟之益在我無煩瀆之辱】

"The disciples of Anding all came to know how to study antiquity and love the people, so what difficulty would there be in their governing?" [Hu Anding taught students to master the classics and handle practical affairs, clarifying the substance and applying it in use, so his disciples all took studying antiquity and loving the people as their business. Studying antiquity is the method of government, and loving the people is its root.] A disciple said: "When I live with others and see their faults and do not tell them, my heart is uneasy; if I tell them and they do not accept it, what should I do?" Mingdao said: "To live with someone and not tell him of his faults is not loyalty. You should make the communication of sincere intention reach him before you speak, and then when you speak he will believe." [If sincerity has long been trusted, the trust comes before the words.] He also said: "In the way of urging others to the good, let sincerity be more than enough and words be less than enough; then it benefits others and you yourself are not humiliated." [If sincere intention exceeds words, the other gains the benefit of being moved and awakened, and you are spared the disgrace of being tiresome and importunate.]

職事不可以巧免【職所當為而巧圗規避是自私用智之人也】

"One must not use cleverness to escape one's official duties." [To cleverly scheme to avoid what is one's duty is the act of a selfish person who relies on calculation.]

居是邦不非其大夫此理最好【朱子曰下訕上則無忠敬之心】

"Living in a state and not criticizing its high officials: this principle is very good." [Zhu Xi says: When inferiors slander their superiors, they have no loyalty and respect in their hearts.]

克勤小物最難【不忽於小謹之至也】

"To be diligent in small things is the hardest." [Not neglecting small things is the utmost of care.]

欲當大任須是篤實【篤實則力量深厚而謀慮審固斯可以任大事】

"To bear a great responsibility one must be steady and genuine." [With steadiness and genuineness, one's strength is deep and substantial and one's plans are careful and firm, and only then can one take on great affairs.]

凡為人言者理勝則事明氣忿則招怫【理勝而氣平則人易曉而聴亦順或者理雖明而挾忿氣以勝之則反致扞格矣】

"In speaking to others, if principle prevails the matter is clear, and if qi is angry it invites rebellion." [If principle prevails and qi is calm, people understand easily and listen compliantly. But if the principle is clear and one tries to win with angry qi, it instead brings about resistance.]

居今之時不安今之法令非義也若論為治不為則己如復為之須於今之法度內處得其當方為合義若須更改而後為則何義之有【中庸曰非天子不議禮不制度不考文居下位而守上之法令義也由今之法而處得其宜斯為善矣若率意改作則已失為下之義】

"Living in the present age, to be uneasy with the laws and orders of the present is not righteous. If one speaks of governing, then either do not do it, or if one does it, one must handle matters properly within the present system, and only then is it in accord with righteousness. If one must first change things and only then act, what righteousness is there in that?" [The Doctrine of the Mean says: Only the Son of Heaven discusses ritual, establishes institutions and examines writing. To hold a lower position and keep the laws and orders of one's superiors is righteousness. To handle things appropriately by the present laws is good. If one arbitrarily alters and remakes, one has already lost the righteousness of a subordinate.]

今之監司多不與州縣一體監司専欲伺察州縣州縣専欲掩蔽不若推誠心與之共治有所不逮可教者教之可督者督之至於不聴擇其甚者去一二使足以警眾可也

"The circuit inspectors of today are mostly not of one body with the prefectures and counties. The inspectors wish only to spy on the prefectures and counties, and the prefectures and counties wish only to conceal things. It would be better to extend sincerity and govern together with them: where they fall short, teach those who can be taught and supervise those who can be supervised; and for those who will not listen, choose the worst one or two and remove them, enough to warn the rest, and that will do."

伊川先生曰人惡多事吾甚憫之世事雖多盡是人事人事不教人做更責誰做【人事雖多皆人所當為者苟有厭事之意則應之必不盡其理矣】

Master Yichuan said: "People dislike having many things to do, and I pity them greatly. Though the affairs of the world are many, they are all human affairs. If one does not have people do human affairs, whom else is one to hold responsible?" [Though human affairs are many, they are all things that people should do. If one has an attitude of disliking affairs, one will certainly not respond to them with full principle.]

感慨殺身者易從容就義者難【一時感慨至於殺身而不顧此匹夫匹婦猶或能之若夫從容就義死得其所自非義精仁熟者莫之能也中庸曰白刃可蹈中庸不可能是也○張南軒曰君子不避難亦不入於難惟當夫理而已於所不當避而避固私也於所不當預而預乃勇於就難是亦私而已如曾子子思之避寇或不避三仁之或死或不死皆從容乎義之所當然而已】

"To give one's life out of stirred emotion is easy; to go calmly to righteousness is hard." [To be moved by feeling for a moment and give up one's life without a second thought is something even ordinary men and women can sometimes do. But to go calmly to righteousness and die in the right place cannot be done except by one whose righteousness is refined and humaneness ripe. The Doctrine of the Mean says: Naked blades can be trampled, but the mean cannot be attained; this is what it means. Zhang Nanxuan said: The noble man does not avoid hardship, but neither does he enter into it; he simply meets what principle requires. To avoid what should not be avoided is certainly selfish; to intervene where one should not is to be bold in seeking hardship, and that too is only selfish. Take Master Zeng and Zisi, who either avoided bandits or did not, or the three humane men, some of whom died and some did not; all were simply calm in what righteousness required.]

人或勸先生以加禮近貴先生曰何不見責以盡禮而責之以加禮禮盡則已豈有加也【此與孟子不與右師言同意】或問簿佐令者也簿所欲為令或不從奈何曰當以誠意動之今令與簿不和只是爭私意令是邑之長若能以事父兄之道事之過則歸己善則惟恐不歸於令積此誠意豈有不動得人【過則歸之己善則歸之令非曰姑為此以恱人葢事長之道當如是也】

Someone urged the Master to show extra ceremony toward a noble person of high rank. The Master said: "Why not blame me for failing to be fully courteous, instead of blaming me for failing to add courtesy? When courtesy is complete it is enough; how could one add to it?" [This is the same meaning as Mencius not speaking with the Right Minister.] Someone asked: The registrar assists the magistrate; if the registrar wants to do something and the magistrate does not go along, what should he do? He said: "He should move him with sincerity. Now when the magistrate and registrar are at odds, they are only contending for private ends. The magistrate is the head of the county; if the registrar could serve him as he would serve his father or elder brother, taking the blame himself for faults and fearing only that credit for good deeds might not go to the magistrate, then by accumulating such sincerity, how could he fail to move people?" [To attribute faults to oneself and good deeds to the magistrate does not mean doing this provisionally to please others; it is simply how one should serve a superior.]

問人於議論多欲直己無含容之氣是氣不平否曰固是氣不平亦是量狹【量狹故常欲己勝而無含容之氣】人量隨識長亦有人識高而量不長者是識實未至也【見識陋則人己得失之間皆為之動是即量之狹也故識之長則量亦長】大凡別事人都強得惟識量不可強【惟識與量則隨人天資學力所至而不可強也】今人有斗筲之量有釜斛之量有鐘鼎之量【十升為斗筲竹器容鬥二升釡容六鬥四升十鬥為斛十斛為鍾】有江河之量江河之量亦大矣然有涯有涯亦有時而滿惟天地之量則無滿故聖人者天地之量也聖人之量道也常人之有量者天資也【聖人之心純乎道道本無外故其量亦無涯天資者氣稟也氣稟則有涯常人而能學以通乎道極其至則亦聖人之無涯也】天資有量須有限大抵六尺之軀力量只如此雖欲不滿不可得也如鄧艾位三公年七十處得甚好及因下蜀有功便動了謝安聞謝破苻堅對客圍棋報至不喜及歸折屐齒強終不得也【事見魏晉史】更如人大醉後益恭謹者只益恭謹便是動了雖與放肆者不同其為酒所動一也又如貴公子位益高益卑謙只卑謙便是動了雖與驕傲者不同其為位所動一也【居之如常而不為異者量足以勝之也一有意於其間雖驕肆謙恭之不同要皆為彼所動也】然惟知道者量自然宏大不勉強而成今人有所見卑下者無他亦是識量不足也【知道者雖窮居陋巷而不加損雖祿之以天下而不加益舉世譽之而不加勸舉世非之而不加慍何者道固不為之而有増損也】人才有意於為公便是私心【公者天理之自然有意為之則計較安排即是私意】昔有人典選其子弟系磨勘皆不為理此乃是私意【選舉朝廷之選舉也進退之權實非己之所得而有子弟該磨勘而不為理葢避私嫌而不知如此是以選舉為己之私恩乃是私意也於此可以識大公之道矣】人多言古時用直不避嫌得後世用此不得自是無人豈是無時【本注云因言少師典舉明道薦才事○苟能以至公之心行至公之道何嫌之避何時而不可行】

Someone asked: "In debate people mostly want to vindicate themselves and lack a tolerant spirit; is this because their temperament is not even?" The Master said: "Of course the temperament is uneven, but also their capacity is narrow. [Because capacity is narrow, one always wants to win and lacks a tolerant spirit.] A person's capacity grows with his insight. There are also people whose insight is high but whose capacity does not grow; that is because their insight has not truly arrived. [With shallow insight, one is moved by every gain and loss between oneself and others, and that is narrowness of capacity. So when insight grows, capacity grows too.] In most other matters people can force themselves, but insight and capacity cannot be forced. [Insight and capacity depend on each person's natural endowment and the reach of his study, and cannot be forced.] People today have the capacity of a dou measure, or a shao measure, or a fu or hu measure, or a zhong or ding measure, [Ten sheng make a dou. A shao is a bamboo vessel holding one dou and two sheng. A fu holds six dou and four sheng. Ten dou make a hu, and ten hu make a zhong.] or the capacity of the great rivers. The capacity of the rivers is large, but it has a shore, and what has a shore will at times be full. Only the capacity of Heaven and Earth is never full. Therefore the sage has the capacity of Heaven and Earth. The sage's capacity is the Way; ordinary people who have capacity have it from natural endowment. [The sage's mind is purely the Way, and the Way by nature has nothing outside it, so his capacity too is without shore. Natural endowment is the allotment of qi, and the allotment of qi has limits. If an ordinary person can learn and so penetrate to the Way and reach its utmost, he too will have the sage's boundlessness.] A capacity that comes from natural endowment must have limits. After all, with a body six chi tall the strength is only so much, and one cannot avoid being filled. Take Deng Ai: he held the rank of Three Dukes at seventy and conducted himself very well, but once he had won merit by taking Shu he was shaken. When Xie An heard that Xie Xuan (the received text lost a rare character here) had defeated Fu Jian, he was playing weiqi with a guest and showed no joy at the report; but on returning home he broke the teeth of his clogs, and in the end he could not force himself. [The stories are in the histories of Wei and Jin.] Or take a man who becomes more courteous after getting very drunk: that he becomes more courteous is already being moved. Though he differs from the one who behaves wildly, in being moved by wine they are the same. Or a young nobleman who grows more humble the higher his rank: that he becomes humble is already being moved; though he differs from the arrogant one, in being moved by rank they are the same. [To dwell in a position as usual and not treat it as special is to have capacity enough to overcome it. As soon as there is any intention in the matter, though arrogance and humility differ, both are moved by it.] But only one who knows the Way has capacity that is naturally vast, achieved without effort. People today whose views are petty are so for no other reason than that their insight and capacity are insufficient. [One who knows the Way loses nothing though he lives poor in a narrow lane, gains nothing though the whole world is granted him as his stipend, is not encouraged though the whole world praises him, and not angered though the whole world condemns him. Why? Because the Way does not wax or wane for such things.] As soon as one has the intention to act impartially, that is already selfishness. [Impartiality is the naturalness of heavenly principle; to do it deliberately is to calculate and arrange, and that is private intent.] Once a man in charge of appointments took no action on the review of his own sons and nephews, which is private intent. [Selection is the court's selection, and the power of promotion and demotion is truly not something he owns. When his sons and nephews were due for review he did nothing to help, avoiding the suspicion of favoritism, not knowing that this treats selection as his own private favor, which is private intent. From this one can recognize the Way of great impartiality.] People often say that the ancients could use relatives openly without avoiding suspicion, and later ages cannot. It is simply that there are no such people, not that there is no such time. [The original note says: this arose from a discussion of the Junior Preceptor's handling of recommendations and Mingdao's recommending of talent. If one can practice the Way of utmost impartiality with a mind of utmost impartiality, what suspicion need be avoided, and when could it not be done?]"

君實嘗問先生雲欲除一人給事中誰可為者先生曰初若泛論人材卻可今既如此頤雖有其人何可言君實曰出於公口入於光耳又何害先生終不言【泛論人材則無不可若擇人任職乃宰相之事非在下位者所可與矣此制義之方也】

Junshi once asked the Master: "I want to name someone to be Secretary of the Imperial Chancery; who could do it?" The Master said: "At first, if you had spoken in general terms about talent, that would have been fine; but now that you have put it this way, even if I had such a person, how could I name him?" Junshi said: "It leaves your mouth and enters only my ear; what harm is there?" The Master never spoke. [To discuss talent in general is not objectionable; but to select a man for an office is the business of the chief minister, in which someone in a lower position may not take part. This is the way of regulating what is proper.]

先生雲韓持國服義最不可得一日頤與持國範夷叟泛舟於潁昌西湖須臾客將去有一官員上書謁見大資頤將為有甚急切公事乃是求知己頤雲大資居位卻不求人乃使人倒來求己是甚道理【韓維字持國範純禮字夷叟在上位者當勤於求賢豈當待人反求知求知者失己使之求知者失士】夷叟雲只為正叔太執求薦章常事也頤雲不然只為曾有不求者不與來求者與之遂致人如此持國便服

The Master said: "Han Chiguo was the hardest man to win over to rightness. One day I went boating with Chiguo and Fan Yisou on West Lake at Yingchang. Soon the guests were about to leave, when an official presented a letter asking to see the Grand Academician. I thought it must be urgent public business, but it was a request to be recognized. I said: you hold high office and do not seek out people, yet you make people come the other way to seek you; what principle is that? [Han Wei was styled Chiguo and Fan Chunli was styled Yisou. Those in high position should be diligent in seeking worthy men; how can they wait for people to seek recognition instead? Those who seek recognition lose themselves, and making them seek it loses the state its scholars.] Yisou said: it is only because Zhengshu is too rigid; seeking a recommendation is common. I said: no, it is only because of the practice that those who did not seek were not given and those who came seeking were, and it has led people to this. Chiguo then submitted."

先生因言今日供職只第一件便做他底不得吏人押申轉運司狀頤不曾籤國子監自系臺省臺省系朝廷官外司有事合行申狀豈有臺省倒申外司之理只為從前人只計較利害不計較事體直得恁地【春秋書法王人雖微序於諸侯之上尊王也】須看聖人慾正名處見得道名不正時便至禮樂不興是自然住不得【說見論語○名分不正則施之於事者顛倒而無序乖戾而不和禮樂何以興此自然必至之勢】

The Master went on to say: "In my present post, I could not do even the first thing. A clerk sent up a memorandum to the Transport Commission for my signature, and I did not sign. The Directorate of Education belongs to the central offices, and the central offices are court officials. If an outside office has business that needs a memorial, how could a central office submit a memorial to an outside office? It has come to this only because people before have weighed advantage and harm and not the proper order of things. [In the Spring and Autumn Annals's way of writing, a king's envoy, however lowly, is placed above the feudal lords, in honor of the king.] One must look at where the sage wished to rectify names, and see that when names are not rectified, rites and music do not flourish, which naturally cannot be stopped. [The discussion is in the Analects. If names and ranks are not rectified, then what is applied to affairs is upside down and disordered, perverse and discordant; how could rites and music flourish? This is a situation that follows naturally and necessarily.]"

學者不可不通世務天下事譬如一家非我為則彼為非甲為則乙為【君子存心正大如此其所以講明世道者葢亦非分外之事也】

"Students must not fail to understand worldly affairs. The affairs of the world are like those of one household: if I do not do it, then he does it; if A does not, then B does. [The gentleman keeps his mind right and great in this way. When he studies and clarifies the ways of the world, it is not a matter outside his own duty.]"

人無逺慮必有近憂思慮當在事外【外書下同○蘓氏曰慮不在千里之外則患在几席之下此以地之逺近言也一說先事而圗之則事至而無患此以時之逺近言也然其理則一也】

"If a person has no far-sighted planning, he will surely have trouble close at hand. Plan beyond the matter itself. [From here on all from the Outer Writings. Mr. Su said: if one's planning does not reach a thousand li away, trouble will be right under one's mat. This speaks in terms of distance in space. Another view: if one plans before things happen, then when they arrive there is no trouble. This speaks in terms of distance in time. But the principle is one.]"

聖人之責人也常緩便見只欲事正無顯人過惡之意伊川先生雲今之守令惟制民之產一事不得為其他在法度中甚有可為者患人不為耳【制民之產謂井田貢助之法】明道先生作縣凡坐處皆書視民如傷四字嘗曰顥常愧此四字

"The sage in blaming others is always lenient; this shows he only wants things to be right and has no wish to expose people's faults and evils." Master Yichuan said: "Of the magistrates and prefects today, the only thing they cannot do is regulate the people's livelihood; in other matters there is much they could do within the law, and the trouble is that people do not do it. [Regulating the people's livelihood refers to the well-field system and its tribute and assistance methods.]" When Master Mingdao served as county magistrate, he wrote the four characters 'regard the people as if they were wounded' wherever he sat, and said: "I am always ashamed before these four characters."

伊川先生每見人論前輩之短則曰汝輩且取他長處【人之短本為薄徳況前輩乎】

Whenever Master Yichuan heard people discuss the faults of earlier worthies, he would say: "You should take their strengths. [To publicize another's faults is already lack of virtue, how much more when it concerns earlier worthies? (the received text lost a rare character here)]"

劉安禮雲王荊公執政議法改令言者攻之甚力明道先生嘗被防赴中堂議事荊公方怒言者厲色待之先生徐曰天下之事非一傢俬議願公平氣以聴荊公為之媿屈【附録下同○劉立之字安禮程子門人也熙寧初王荊公安石參知政事創制新法中外皆言其不便荊公獨憤然不顧明道先生權監察御史裡行被防赴中堂議事從容一言之間荊公乃為之媿屈葢有以破其私己之見而消其忿厲之氣也】

Liu Anli said: when Wang Jinggong was in power and discussing changes in laws and orders, critics attacked him vigorously. Master Mingdao was once commanded (the received text has a corrupted character here) to go to the central hall to discuss affairs. Jinggong was just then angry at the critics and received him with a stern face. The Master said slowly: "The affairs of the world are not for one family's private discussion; I hope you will calm your temper and listen." Jinggong was shamed and yielded. [From here on all from the Appendix. Liu Lizhi, styled Anli, was a disciple of Master Cheng. In the early Xining years, Wang Anshi, Jinggong, as Participant in Governing Affairs created the New Laws, and everyone inside and outside the court said they were inconvenient, but Jinggong alone was indignant and paid no heed. Master Mingdao, acting as Investigating Censor, was commanded (the received text has a corrupted character here) to go to the central hall to discuss affairs. In a single calm remark, Jinggong was shamed and yielded, for he broke through Wang's self-centered view and dispelled his angry fierceness.]

劉安禮問臨民明道曰使民各得輸其情【民情皆得以上聞則自無不得其所之患然非平易聰達者能之乎】問御吏曰正己以格物【居上既正則下有所感而正矣非徒事乎刑罰之嚴也】

Liu Anli asked about dealing with the people. Mingdao said: "Let the people each be able to express their feelings. [If the people's feelings can all reach the ruler, there will naturally be no worry that anyone fails to find his place. But can anyone but a person who is gentle and clear-sighted do this?]" He asked about managing officials. He said: "Rectify yourself so as to rectify things. [When those above are upright, those below are moved and become upright; it is not merely a matter of severe punishments.]"

橫渠先生曰凡人為上則易為下則難然不能為下亦未能使下不盡其情偽也大抵使人常在其前已嘗為之則能使人【文集○樂於使人而憚於事人此人常情也然知事人之道然後知使人之道已未嘗事人則使人之際必不能盡其情】

Master Hengqu said: "For people, being above is easy and being below is hard. But if one cannot be below, one also cannot keep those below from giving full play to their feelings, true or false. In general, to direct people, one must have done oneself beforehand what one directs, and then one can direct others. [From the Collected Writings. To enjoy directing people and dread serving them is ordinary human feeling. But only when one knows the way of serving others does one know the way of directing others. One who has never served others cannot fully understand their feelings when directing them.]"

坎維心亨故行有尚外雖積險苟處之心亨不疑則雖難必濟而往有功也【坎為重險故曰積險二五以剛居中故外雖有積險其中心自亨通而無所疑懼也心亨而無疑則可以出險矣】今水臨萬仞之山要下即下無復凝滯之在前惟知有義理而已則復何迴避所以心通【易說下同此以坎象而言人於義理苟能信之篤行之決如水之就下則沛然而莫御何往而不心亨哉】

"Kan: 'only the mind is penetrating, therefore action has worth.' Though there is accumulated danger without, if one meets it with a mind that is penetrating and free of doubt, then however hard it is, one will surely cross and meet with success in going forward. [Kan is double danger, hence called accumulated danger. The second and fifth lines are firm and in the center, so though there is accumulated danger outside, the mind within is naturally open and free of fear or doubt. With a mind that is open and without doubt, one can get out of danger.] Now when water meets a mountain ten thousand fathoms high, it goes down wherever it wants, with no further hindrance ahead. Knowing only principle, what then is there to evade? Hence the mind is open. [From here on all from the Discourse on the Changes. This speaks by the image of Kan: if a person can believe in principle firmly and act on it resolutely, like water going down, he will be irresistible, and where will he go that his mind is not open?]"

人所以不能行己者於其所難者則惰其異俗者雖易而羞縮惟心則不顧人之非笑所趨義理耳視天下莫能移其道【志不立氣不充故有怠惰與羞縮惟心則立志逺大義理勝則氣充】然為之人亦未必怪正以在己者義理不勝惰與羞縮之病消則有長不消則病常在意思齷齪無由作事【滕文公行三年之喪始也父兄百官皆不欲文公以義理所當為發哀慼之誠心人亦莫不恱服所患在我義理不勝則不能自強故有惰與羞縮之患】在古氣節之士冒死以有為於義未必中然非有志槩者莫能況吾於義理已明何為不為【志氣感慨雖未必中於義而死且不顧況吾義理既明尚何怠惰羞縮之為舉重明輕所以激昂兼懦之士】姤初六羸豕孚蹢躅豕方羸時力未能動然至誠在於蹢躅得伸則伸矣【羸弱也蹢躅跳躍也豕性隂躁雖當羸弱之時其誠心未嘗不在於動也得肆則肆矣猶小人雖困志在求逞君子所當察也】如李徳裕處置閹宦徒知其帖息威伏而忽於志不忘逞照察少不至則失其幾也【唐武宗時徳裕為相君臣契合莫能間之宦寺之徒帖息畏伏誠若無能為者而不知其志在求逞也繼嗣重事卒定於宦者之手而徳裕逐矣葢幾微之間所當深察】

"The reason people cannot act as they should: in what is difficult they are lazy, and in what is unusual among custom, though easy, they shrink in shame. Only when the mind is broad (the received text lost a rare character here) does one disregard the mockery of others and head only for principle, seeing that no one in the world can move his Way. [When will is not established and qi is not full, there is laziness and shrinking in shame. Only a broad mind sets a far-reaching will, and when principle prevails, qi is full.] Yet people who do it may not even find it strange. The real problem is that in oneself principle has not prevailed; if the faults of laziness and shrinking shame are removed, one grows, and if not, the fault remains, one is petty-minded, and there is no way to get anything done. [When Duke Wen of Teng carried out the three-year mourning, at first his elders and officials all opposed it. Duke Wen, because it was what principle required, expressed a sincere grief, and no one failed to be pleased and convinced. The worry is that in me principle does not prevail, so I cannot strengthen myself, hence the faults of laziness and shame.] In antiquity, men of principle and spirit risked death to accomplish something; their actions were not necessarily right in meaning, but without resolve and bearing no one could have done it. How much more should I, whose understanding of principle is already clear, not act? [Resolve and spirit, though not necessarily right in meaning, make a man disregard even death; how much more should I, with principle already clear, be lazy and shrinking? Raising the heavy to illustrate the light is a way of stirring weak and timid scholars.] In Gou, the first yin line: 'A lean pig is sure to leap about.' When the pig is lean, it has no strength to move, but its sincere intent lies in leaping, and when it can stretch, it stretches. [Lean means weak; leaping means jumping about. The pig by nature is yin and restless, so even in a time of weakness its sincere intent is to move, and given the chance it runs wild. It is like a petty man who, though in difficulty, intends to get his way, which the gentleman should watch for.] Like Li Deyu's handling of the eunuchs: he only knew that they were submissive and cowed, and overlooked that their will never forgot to run wild. A slight lack of careful observation and one loses the critical moment. [In the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Tang, Deyu was chancellor and ruler and minister were in accord so that none could drive a wedge between them; the eunuchs were submissive and fearful, seemingly able to do nothing, but he did not know their will was to run wild. In the end the weighty matter of the succession was decided by the eunuchs and Deyu was driven out. In the slightest signs one must observe deeply.]"

人教小童亦可取益絆已不出入一益也【取益謂有益於己絆牽繫也】授人數數已亦了此文義二益也【數數猶頻數也了曉徹也】對之必正衣冠尊瞻視三益也常以因己而壊人之才為憂則不敢墮四益也【語録○此段當在十一卷之末】

"A person who teaches small children also gains: being tied down so that one does not go in and out, that is the first gain; [To gain means to benefit oneself. 'Tied' means bound.] teaching again and again, one comes to understand the text oneself, the second gain; [Again and again means frequently. To understand means to see through.] facing the child one must straighten one's clothes and cap and carry oneself with dignity, the third gain; and always fearing that one may ruin the child's talent through one's own fault, one dares not be lazy, the fourth gain. [From the Recorded Sayings. This passage should properly be at the end of Volume Eleven.]"

此卷論教人之道葢君子進則推斯道以覺天下退則明斯道以淑其徒所謂得英才而教育之即新民之事也

This volume discusses the way of teaching people. When the gentleman advances, he extends this Way to awaken the world; when he withdraws, he makes this Way clear to improve his students. What is called 'getting gifted people and educating them' is the work of renewing the people.

濂溪先生曰剛善為義為直為斷為嚴毅為幹固惡為猛為隘為強梁柔善為慈為順為防惡為懦弱為無防為邪佞【朱子曰氣稟剛柔固隂陽之大分而其中又各有善惡之分焉惡者固為非正而善者亦未必皆得乎中也】惟中也者和也中節也天下之達道也聖人之事也【朱子曰此以得性之正而言也然其以和為中與中庸不合葢就已發無過不及者而言之如書所謂允執厥中者也】故聖人立教俾人自易其惡自至其中而止矣【通書○朱子曰易其惡則剛柔皆善有嚴毅慈順之徳而無強梁懦弱之病矣至其中則其或為嚴毅或為慈順也又皆中節而無太過不及之偏矣】

Master Lianxi said: "The good of firmness is righteousness, uprightness, decisiveness, severity and resolve, and steadfastness; its evil is fierceness, narrowness, and violence. The good of softness is kindness, compliance, and humility (the received text has a corrupted character here); its evil is timidity, indecision (the received text has a corrupted character here), and crooked flattery. [Zhu Xi said: firmness and softness in one's allotment of qi are indeed the great division of yin and yang, and within each there is also a division into good and evil. The evil is certainly not right, but the good is also not necessarily at the mean.] Only the mean is harmony, is hitting the proper measure, is the universal Way of the world, and is the business of the sage. [Zhu Xi said: this speaks from the standpoint of having obtained the right nature. But its treating harmony as the mean does not agree with the Doctrine of the Mean; it speaks of what has been expressed without excess or deficiency, as in the Documents' 'sincerely hold fast to the mean'.] Hence the sages established teaching so that people might of themselves change their evil and reach the mean and stop there. [From the Penetrating the Book of Changes. Zhu Xi said: when evil is changed, firmness and softness are both good, there is the virtue of severity and resolve, kindness and compliance, and none of the faults of violence and timidity. When one reaches the mean, then whether one is severe and resolute or kind and compliant, all is in measure with no one-sidedness of excess or deficiency.]"

伊川先生曰古人生子能食能言而教之【古者子生能食則教之以右手能言則教之唯諾】大學之法以豫為先人之幼也知思未有所主便當以格言至論日陳於前雖未曉知且當薰聒使盈耳充腹久自安習若固有之雖以他言惑之不能入也【學記曰禁於未發之謂豫此所謂少成若天性習慣如自然者也】若為之不豫及乎稍長私意偏好生於內眾口辯言鑠於外慾其純完不可得也【文集教之不早及其稍長內為物慾所防溺外為流俗所銷靡欲其心徳之無偏駁難矣】

Master Yichuan said: "When the ancients had a son, they taught him as soon as he could eat and speak. [In antiquity, when a child could eat he was taught to use the right hand, and when he could speak he was taught to answer 'yes' and 'no'.] The method of the Great Learning puts prevention first. In a person's childhood, when knowledge and thought have no fixed center yet, one should set before him each day maxims and sound teachings. Even if he does not yet understand, let them be drummed in so that his ears and belly are full, and in time he will be at ease with them as though innate; even if other words try to confuse him, they cannot enter. [The Record of Learning says: to forbid before it arises is called prevention. This is what is meant by 'what is formed in youth is as if it were nature, and habit is like the natural.'] If this is not done in advance, then as he grows a little older, private intent and one-sided preference arise within and the eloquent talk of the crowd melts him from without, and one cannot hope to keep him pure and whole. [From the Collected Writings. If teaching is not early, then as he grows a little older he is sunk within in material desires (the received text has a corrupted character here) and eroded without by vulgar custom, and one can hardly hope his mind and virtue will be free of one-sidedness and mixture.]"

觀之上九曰觀其生君子無咎象曰觀其生志未平也伊川易傳曰君子雖不在位然以人觀其徳用為儀法故當自慎省觀其所生常不失於君子則人不失所望而化之矣【上為無位之地故曰不在位然當觀之時高而在上固眾人所觀瞻而用為法則者要當謹畏反觀內省己之所為常不違乎君子之道而後人心慰滿得所矜式也】不可以不在於位故安然放意無所事也【易傳○釋志未平也言高尚之士亦不可以輕意肆志也】聖人之道如天然與眾人之識甚殊邈也門人弟子既親炙而後益知其高逺既若不可及則趨望之心怠矣故聖人之教常俯而就之【聖人教人循循善誘常俯而就之葢亦因其資以設教不使之徒見高逺而自沮也】事上臨喪不敢不勉君子之常行不困於酒尤其近也而以己處之者不獨使夫資之下者勉思企及而才之髙者亦不敢易乎近矣【經說說見論語○道固不外日用常行之間在聖人無事乎思勉耳夫子設教固常人之所可勉而賢者之所不可忽也】

The top yang line of Guan says: "Observing his own life, the gentleman is without blame." The Image commentary says: "Observing his own life: his will is not yet at rest." Yichuan's Commentary on the Changes says: "Though the gentleman is not in office, other people observe his virtue and use it as a model, so he should be careful and reflective, observe what he produces, and always not fall short of being a gentleman, and then people will not lose their hopes and will be transformed. [The top is a place without office, hence 'not in office'. But in the time of Guan, being high and above, he is naturally what the multitude look to and take as a standard; he must be careful and reverent and examine himself within, so that what he does never departs from the gentleman's Way, and only then are people's minds satisfied and they have a model.] One may not, because one is not in office, be at ease and unrestrained with nothing to do. [From the Commentary on the Changes. The explanation of 'his will is not at rest' means that even a lofty scholar must not be careless or indulge his will.] The Way of the sages is like Heaven, far removed from the understanding of the multitude. The disciples, having been personally taught, came to know how high and distant it was; since it seemed unattainable, the urge to strive for it slackened. Therefore the sage's teaching always stoops to meet them. [The sage teaches people step by step, always stooping to meet them, adapting his teaching to their endowments so that they will not merely see its height and distance and become discouraged.] That in serving superiors and facing mourning one dares not be lax is the gentleman's ordinary conduct, and 'not being troubled by wine' is even closer to home. By taking such things as his own practice, he not only makes those of lesser endowment think to strive to reach him but also makes the highly gifted not dare to take the near lightly. [From the Discourse on the Classics. The discussion is in the Analects. The Way is not outside the ordinary conduct of daily life, and for the sage it takes no effort of thought. The Master's teaching is surely what ordinary people can strive for and what worthy people must not neglect.]"

明道先生曰憂子弟之輕俊者只教以經學唸書不得令作文字【志輕才俊者憚於檢束而樂於馳逞使之習經唸書則心平氣定使作文字則得以用其才而長其輕俊矣】子弟凡百玩好皆奪志至於書札於儒者事最近然一向好著亦自喪志如王虞顔栁輩誠為好人則有之曾見有善書者知道否平生精力一用於此非惟徒廢時日於道便有妨處足知喪志也【遺書下同王右軍羲之虞永興世南顔魯公真卿栁河東公權皆工書札亦各有風節表見當世然終不足以知道葢専工一藝豈特徒廢時日妨於學問而志局於此已失其操存之本矣】

Master Mingdao said: "Worried about frivolous and clever sons and younger brothers, I only teach them the classics and reading, and do not allow them to write essays. [Those of light mind and quick talent dislike restraint and enjoy racing about. Having them study the classics and read quiets the mind and steadies the qi; having them write essays lets them use their talent and increases their frivolity.] All kinds of pastimes steal the will from sons and younger brothers. Even calligraphy, which is closest to Confucian pursuits, if one is always fond of it, also saps the will. Men like Wang, Yu, Yan, and Liu may well have been good men, but have you ever seen a good calligrapher who knew the Way? To spend one's whole energy on this not only wastes time but also hinders the Way, which shows how it saps the will. [From here on all from the Surviving Writings. Wang Youjun, Xizhi, Yu Yongxing, Shinan, Yan Lugong, Zhenqing, and Liu Hedong, Gongquan, were all skilled in calligraphy, and each also showed integrity in his time, but in the end none of them was enough to know the Way. To devote oneself to one art wastes time and hinders learning, and when one's will is confined to it, one has already lost the root of holding fast.]"

胡安定在湖州置治道齋學者有欲明治道者講之於中如治民治兵水利算數之類嘗言劉彛善治水利後累為政皆興水利有功【治民如政教施設之方治兵如戰陣部伍之法水利如江河渠堰之利算數如律厯九章之】

When Hu Anding established a Hall for the Study of Governance at Huzhou, students who wished to understand the Way of governing studied it there, such as governing people, governing troops, water conservancy, and mathematics. He once said that Liu Yi was good at water conservancy, and in his later successive terms in government he promoted water works with achievement. [Governing people is such as the methods of establishing government and teaching; governing troops is such as the arts of battle formations and ranks; water conservancy is such as the benefits of rivers, canals, and weirs; mathematics is such as the techniques of the pitch pipes, the calendar, and the Nine Chapters (the received text lost a rare character here).]

凡立言欲涵蓄意思不使知徳者厭無徳者惑【知徳者玩其意而不厭無徳者守其說而不惑○朱子曰近看尹先生論語說句句有意味不可以為常談而忽之也】教人未見意趣必不樂學欲且教之歌舞如古詩三百篇皆古人作之如闗雎之類正家之始故用之鄉人用之邦國日使人聞之此等詩其言簡奧今人未易曉欲別作詩略言教童子灑掃應對事長之節令朝夕歌之似當有助

"In setting down words, one should keep the meaning contained, so that those who know virtue do not tire of it and those without virtue are not misled. [Those who know virtue savor its meaning without tiring; those without virtue hold to its words and are not misled. Zhu Xi said: I recently read Master Yin's explanations of the Analects, and every sentence has flavor; they must not be neglected as commonplace.] If people are taught without seeing the interest in it, they will surely not enjoy learning. I think one should first teach them song and dance. The three hundred Odes of antiquity were all made by the ancients; works like Guanju are the beginning of ordering the household, so they were used among village people and in the states and heard every day. The language of such poems is terse and profound and not easy for people today to understand. I think one should make other poems, briefly describing for children the proprieties of sweeping and answering and serving elders, and have them sing them morning and evening, which would seem to be helpful."

子厚以禮教學者最善使學者先有所據守【禮以恭敬辭遜為本而有節文度數之詳學者從事乎此則日用言動之間皆有依據持守之地】

"Zihou was best at teaching students through ritual, so that they first had something to hold to. [Ritual takes reverence, respect, and deference as its root, and has detailed forms and measures. When students work at this, every word and movement in daily life has a basis to hold to.]"

語學者以所見未到之理不惟所聞不深徹反將理低看了【學者所見未到而驟以語之則彼不惟無深造自得之功而亦且輕視之矣】

"To tell students about principles they have not yet reached by their own insight not only keeps what they hear from sinking in but makes them take the principle lightly. [If a student has not yet reached it by his own sight and is suddenly told, he not only lacks the benefit of deep attainment through his own effort but also holds it cheap.]"

舞射便見人誠古之教人莫非使之成已【舞者所以導其和射者所以正其志要必以誠心為之誠者所以成己也】自灑掃應對上便可到聖人事【灑掃應對即是教之以誠誠之至即是聖人事】

"Dance and archery reveal a person's sincerity. In antiquity all teaching of people was meant to help them complete themselves. [Dance leads one's harmony and archery rectifies one's will; both must be done with a sincere mind. Sincerity is how one completes oneself.] From sweeping and answering one can reach the affairs of a sage. [Sweeping and answering are teaching sincerity, and the utmost of sincerity is the affair of a sage.]"

自幼子常視母誑以上便是教人以聖人事【說見曲禮視同示誑欺妄也小未有知常示以正事此聖人無妄之道】

"From 'never deceive a young child, always show him what is right' on up, this is teaching people the sage's affairs. [The discussion is in the Record of Rites, 'Summary of Rules'. 'Show' is like 'display', and 'deceive' means to cheat or lie. A small child knows nothing yet, so always showing him what is right is the Way of the sage in being without falsehood.]"

先傳後倦君子教人有序先傳以小者近者而後教以大者逺者非是先傳以近小而後不教以逺大也【子游譏子夏之門人於灑掃應對進退末事則可矣於道之本原則無如之何子夏聞而非之曰君子之道孰先傳焉孰後倦焉葢君子教人先後有序不容躐等而驟進非謂傳以近小者於先而不教以逺大者於後也○朱子曰灑掃應對精義入神事有大小禮無大小事有大小故其教有序而不可躐理無大小故隨其所處而皆不可不盡愚謂子夏正謂教人小大有別前段程子之說卻就灑掃應對上發明理無大小自是一義】伊川先生曰說書必非古意轉使人薄學者須是潛心積慮優遊涵養使之自得今一日說盡只是教得薄至如漢時說下帷講誦猶未必說書【理貴玩索至於口耳之傳末矣下帷講誦如董仲舒之徒說見漢史】

"Teach the near first and tire of it later: the gentleman teaches people in order, first transmitting the small and near, and afterward teaching the great and distant. It is not that he transmits the near and small first and afterward does not teach the far and great. [Ziyou mocked Zixia's disciples: in the minor matters of sweeping, answering, advancing, and withdrawing they are fine, but in the root and source of the Way, what can they do? Zixia heard this and objected: of the gentleman's Way, which part is to be transmitted first, and which part left aside as tiresome later? The gentleman teaches in an order of before and after, not allowing people to skip ranks and leap ahead; it does not mean he transmits the near and small first and later does not teach the far and great. Zhu Xi said: sweeping and answering, and refining meaning until entering the spirit, differ in the size of the matter but not in the size of the principle. Because matters differ in size, the teaching has an order that cannot be skipped; because principle does not differ in size, wherever one stands it must be fully carried out. Ye Cai comments: Zixia was indeed saying that in teaching people the small and great are distinguished; the earlier passage of Master Cheng, speaking of sweeping and answering, brings out that principle has no large or small, which is a different point.] Master Yichuan said: "Lecturing on books is surely not the ancient way, and it only makes people shallow. Students must concentrate their minds, accumulate thought, linger and cultivate, and let it come by themselves. If one says it all in one day, one only teaches shallowly. Even the Han practice of 'lowering the curtain and lecturing' was not necessarily lecturing on books. [Principle is valued for being pondered; passing it on from mouth to ear is the lowest. 'Lowering the curtain and lecturing' refers to men like Dong Zhongshu, as in the Han histories.]"

古者八嵗入小學十五入大學擇其才可教者聚之不肖者復之農畝葢士農不易業既入學則不治農然後士農判【古者自國之貴胄子弟及士庶人之子八嵗則皆入小學十五則入大學然後擇其才之可教者聚之於學其不可教者復歸之農畝】在學之養若士大夫之子則不慮無養雖庶人之子既入學則亦必有養古之士者自十五入學至四十方仕中間自有二十五年學又無利可趨則所志可知須去趨善便自此成徳後之人自童稚間已有汲汲趨利之意何由得向善故古人必使四十而仕然後志定只營衣食卻無害惟利祿之誘最害人【本注云人有養便方定志於學○先王設教養之周而行之久士有定志專於修己而緩於干祿故能一意趨善卒於成徳後世反是隻營衣食者求於力分之內未足以奪志故無害若誘於利祿則所學皆非為己而根本己撥矣故害最甚】

"In antiquity they entered the lesser school at eight and the greater school at fifteen; those whose talent could be taught were gathered, and the unworthy were sent back to the fields. For scholars and farmers did not change occupations: once one entered school he did not farm, and thus scholar and farmer were distinguished. [In antiquity, from the sons of the nobility in the capital to the sons of scholars and commoners, all entered the lesser school at eight and the greater school at fifteen; those whose talent could be taught were gathered in school, and those who could not were sent back to the fields.] As for support during study: the sons of officials had no worry about support; even the sons of commoners, once they entered school, were also supported. The ancient scholar entered school at fifteen and took office only at forty, so there were twenty-five years of study in between, and with no profit to chase one can know what their aims were: they were bound to turn to goodness, and from this virtue was formed. People of later ages from childhood are already eager to chase profit; how can they turn toward goodness? Therefore the ancients required scholars to take office at forty, and only then was the will settled. Merely working for clothing and food does no harm; only the lure of salary and profit does great harm. [The original note says: only when people are supported do they fix their will on learning. The former kings established teaching with thorough support and long practice, so scholars had a fixed will, devoted to cultivating themselves and slow to seek salary, and so could turn wholeheartedly toward goodness and in the end form virtue. Later ages are the reverse. Working only for clothing and food, seeking within the limit of one's strength, is not enough to rob one of will, so it does no harm; but if one is lured by salary and profit, then all one studies is no longer for oneself and the root is already pulled up, so that harm is greatest.]"

天下有多少才只為道不明於天下故不得有所成就且古者興於詩立於禮成於樂如今人怎生會得古人於詩如今人歌曲一般雖閭巷童稚皆習聞其說而曉其義故能興起於詩後世老師宿儒尚不能曉其義怎生責得學者是不得興於詩也【古人歌詩習熟其說而通達其義故吟諷之間足以感發其善心而懲創其逸志】古禮既廢人倫不明以至治家皆無法度是不得立於禮也【禮所以敘人倫而施之家國者皆有法度以為據依故能有立也】古人有歌詠以養其性情聲音以養其耳目舞蹈以養其血脈今皆無之是不得成於樂也【歌詠聲詩溫柔篤厚有以養其性情也五聲成文八音相比鴻殺防數節奏和平有以養其耳目也至於手之舞足之蹈執其羽籥干鏚之器習其屈伸俯仰綴兆舒疾之文是以容貌得莊行列得正進退得齊心志條暢而血氣和平是有以養其血脈也】古之成材也易今之成材也難

"How much talent there is in the world! It is only because the Way is not clear in the world that it cannot be brought to accomplishment. In antiquity one was 'stirred by the Odes, established by ritual, completed by music'; how can people today understand this? The ancients treated the Odes like people today treat songs: even village children had heard their words and understood their meaning, and so they could be stirred by the Odes. In later ages, even old teachers and veteran scholars cannot understand their meaning, so how can students be blamed? Thus one cannot be stirred by the Odes. [When the ancients sang the Odes, they were familiar with the explanations and understood the meaning, so in chanting them they could rouse the good heart and curb a wayward will.] The ancient rites have been abandoned and human relationships are unclear, so much so that even the ordering of households has no standards; thus one cannot be established by ritual. [Ritual orders human relationships and what is applied to family and state all has standards to rely on, so one can be established.] The ancients had singing and chanting to nourish their natures and feelings, sounds to nourish ears and eyes, and dance to nourish the blood and pulse; now none of these exist, so one cannot be completed by music. [Songs and chants of poems, gentle and sincere, nourished their natures and feelings. The five notes formed patterns, the eight kinds of instruments were set in comparison, and the measures and rhythms of loud and soft were balanced and peaceful, nourishing ears and eyes. As for the hands dancing and the feet stepping, holding feather, flute, shield, and axe, practicing the patterns of bending and stretching, bowing and lifting, the linked rows and the slow and quick, one's bearing was made dignified, one's ranks correct, and one's advance and retreat even, the mind and will were made free-flowing and the blood and qi harmonious, which is how the blood and pulse were nourished.] In antiquity it was easy to become a person of talent; now it is hard."

孔子教人不憤不啟不悱不發葢不待憤悱而發則知之不固待憤悱而後發則沛然矣學者須是深思之思而不得然後為他說便好【朱子曰憤者心求通而未得之意悱者口欲言而未能之貌啟謂開其意發謂達其辭愚謂不待憤悱而遽啟發之則未嘗深思其受之也必淺既無所得其聴之也若亡啟發於憤悱之餘則思深力窮而倐然有得必沛然而通達矣】初學者須是且為他說不然非獨他不曉亦止人好問之心也【此又誘進初學之道】橫渠先生曰恭敬撙節退讓以明禮仁之至也愛道之極也【曲禮曰君子恭敬撙節退讓以明禮鄭氏曰撙猶趨也謂趨就乎節約也恭敬者禮之本撙節退讓禮之文君子從事乎此則視聴言動之間天理流行人慾消盡而心徳全矣是仁之至也恭敬則無慢忽撙節則無驕溢退讓則無怨爭是皆所以盡仁愛之道者也】己不勉明則人無從倡道無從教無從成矣【正防○明謂明禮也人必以禮而倡率道必以禮而宏大教必以禮而成就】

"Confucius taught people: he did not enlighten one who was not eager, nor prompt one who was not struggling to express himself. If one prompts without waiting for eagerness and struggle, the knowledge is not firm; if one waits for eagerness and struggle and then prompts, the mind opens up like a flood. Students must think it over deeply, and only when they think and cannot get it should one explain for them. [Zhu Xi said: 'eager' is the mind seeking to understand but not yet getting it; 'struggling' is the look of the mouth wanting to speak but not yet able. To enlighten is to open up the meaning, to prompt is to bring out the wording. Ye Cai comments: if one hastily enlightens before the student is eager and struggling, he has not thought deeply, so his reception is shallow and he gains nothing and hears as if not hearing; if one enlightens after the eagerness and struggle, thought is deep and strength exhausted, and he suddenly gains something and then must open up and understand like a flood.] For beginners one must first explain for them, or else not only will they fail to understand but it will stop their desire to ask. [This is again the way of leading beginners forward.] Master Hengqu said: "To be respectful, restrained, and deferential so as to make ritual clear is the utmost of benevolence and the extreme of loving the Way. [The Record of Rites says: the gentleman is respectful, restrained, and deferential, so as to make ritual clear. Master Zheng says: 'restrained' is like 'moving toward', meaning moving toward moderation. Respect is the root of ritual, and restraint and deference are its forms. When the gentleman works at this, in seeing, hearing, speaking, and moving, heavenly principle flows and human desires are exhausted, so that the virtue of the mind is whole, which is the utmost of benevolence. Respect means no negligence, restraint means no arrogance or overflow, deference means no resentment or contention; all of these are ways to exhaust the Way of benevolence and love.] If one does not strive to make it clear oneself, then there is no way for others to be led, the Way to be broadened (the received text lost a rare character here), or teaching to be completed. [From the Correcting Youthful Ignorance (the received text has a corrupted character here). 'Clear' means to make ritual clear. People must be led by ritual, the Way must be broadened by ritual, and teaching must be completed by ritual.]"

學記曰進而不顧其安使人不由其誠教人不盡其材【其安其成其材皆謂受教者】人未安之又進之未喻之又告之徒使人生此節目不盡材不顧安不由誠皆是施之妄也【此言進而不顧其安徒使人生此節目葢三患實相因而然皆陵節躐等不當其可而施之也】教人至難必盡人之材乃不誤人觀可及處然後告之聖人之明直若庖丁之解牛皆知其隙刃投餘地無全牛矣【此言教人必盡其材聖人隨材施教各當其可如庖丁解牛洞見間隙無全牛矣事見莊子】人之才足以有為但以其不由於誠則不盡其材若曰勉率而為之則豈有由誠哉【橫渠禮記說下同此言使人不由其誠勉強為之而無誠意雖材所可為者亦不能盡之矣○朱子曰嘗見橫渠簡與人謂其子日來誦書不熟宜教他熟誦盡其誠與材】

"The Record of Learning says: 'Advancing without regard for the student's ease, making them not act from sincerity, teaching without exhausting their talent.' [His ease, his sincerity (the received text has a corrupted character here), his talent: all refer to the learner.] To push a person further when he is not yet at ease, to tell him more when he has not yet understood, only makes him develop this sort of formality. Not exhausting talent, not regarding ease, and not following sincerity are all errors in application. [This explains 'advancing without regard for ease merely makes people develop this sort of formality'. The three faults in fact come from one another, and all arise from skipping stages and ranks and applying teaching at the wrong time.] To teach people is most difficult; one must exhaust a person's talent so as not to mislead him. Observe what he can reach and then tell him. The sage's clear sight is like Cook Ding carving an ox: he knew every gap, put the blade where there was room, and saw no whole ox. [This says that in teaching one must exhaust the person's talent. The sage teaches according to talent, each fitting, like Cook Ding carving an ox, seeing through the gaps so that no whole ox remains. The story is in Zhuangzi.] A person's talent may suffice for achievement, but if he does not act from sincerity then his talent is not fully used. If he is merely urged to do it, how could it be from sincerity? [From here on all from Hengqu's Discourse on the Record of Rites. This explains 'making them not act from sincerity': doing it by force with no sincere intent, one cannot fully use even the talent one has. Zhu Xi said: I once saw a note Hengqu sent to someone saying that his son had not recited his books well each day and should be taught to recite them thoroughly, to exhaust his sincerity and talent.]"

古之小兒便能敬事長者與之提攜則兩手奉長者之手問之掩口而對【說見曲禮○捧手習扶持尊者掩口而對習其鄉尊者屏氣也】葢稍不敬事便不忠信故教小兒且先安詳恭敬【安詳則不躁率恭敬則不誕慢此忠信之本也】

"In antiquity small children could already respect and serve their elders: when led by the hand they held the elder's hand with both hands, and when asked something they covered the mouth in answering. [The discussion is in the Record of Rites, 'Summary of Rules'. Holding the hand with both hands is practice in supporting a senior, and covering the mouth to answer is practice in holding the breath toward a senior.] If one is the least disrespectful in serving, one is not loyal and trustworthy, so small children are first taught to be composed and respectful. [Composure means no rashness, and respect means no arrogance or negligence; these are the root of loyalty and trustworthiness.]"

孟子曰人不足與適也政不足與間也唯大人為能格君心之非非唯君心至於朋遊學者之際彼雖議論異同未欲深較惟整理其心使歸之正豈小補哉【橫渠孟子說】近思録卷十一

"Mencius said: 'Such people are not worth blaming, nor are their policies worth criticizing; only the great man can set right what is wrong in the ruler's heart.' Not only the ruler's heart, but also among friends and fellow students, though they may differ in discussion, one does not wish to dispute at length but only sets their mind in order and returns it to what is right; is that a small help? [From Hengqu's Discourse on the Mencius.]" Jinsilu, Volume Eleven.

警戒

Warnings and Cautions

此卷論戒謹之道修己治人常存警省之意不然則私慾易萌善日消而惡日積矣

This volume discusses the way of caution and vigilance. In cultivating oneself and governing others one must always keep a mind of alertness; otherwise private desire easily sprouts, and good declines by the day while evil accumulates.

濓溪先生曰仲由喜聞過令名無窮焉今人有過不喜人規如防疾而忌醫寧滅其身而無悟也噫【通書子路有改過遷善之實故令名無窮焉】

Master Lianxi said: "Zhong You delighted in hearing of his faults, and his good name is endless. People today who have faults do not like being admonished, like those who conceal an illness (the received text has a corrupted character here) and shun doctors, who would rather ruin themselves than awaken. Alas! [From the Penetrating the Book of Changes. Zilu had the substance of correcting faults and turning to goodness, so his good name is endless.]"

伊川先生曰徳善日積則福祿日臻徳逾於祿則雖盛而非滿自古隆盛未有不失道而喪敗者也【易傳下同○泰卦九三傳徳勝於祿則所享者雖厚而不為過祿過其徳則所享者雖薄且不能勝況於隆盛乎隆盛之敗喪必自無徳者致之也】

Master Yichuan said: "When virtue and goodness accumulate daily, blessings and salary come daily. When virtue exceeds salary, then even in great prosperity one is not overfull. Since antiquity, none who flourished greatly and lost the Way avoided ruin. [From here on all from the Commentary on the Changes. This is the commentary on the third yang line of Tai. When virtue surpasses salary, then though one enjoys much it is not excessive; when salary exceeds virtue, then even a meager enjoyment cannot be borne, let alone great prosperity. The ruin of the greatly prosperous must come from those without virtue.]"

人之於豫樂心說之故遲遲遂至於耽戀不能已也豫之六二以中正自守其介如石其去之速不俟終日故貞正而吉也【人處豫樂易至耽戀六二中正上又無應特立自守其節之堅介然如石無所轉移也其去之速不俟終日無所耽戀也】處豫不可安且久也久則溺矣如二可謂見幾而作者也蓋中正故其守堅而能辨之早去之速也【惟其自守之堅故能見幾而作】

"A person finds delight in ease and pleasure; his heart is glad, so he lingers, and ends up so absorbed that he cannot stop. The second yin line of Yu keeps to what is central and correct, firm as a rock, and leaves it quickly without waiting till day's end, so it is correct and auspicious. [A person in ease and pleasure easily becomes absorbed. The second yin line is central and correct with no response above; it stands apart and holds itself, its integrity firm as a rock and immovable, and it leaves so quickly it does not wait a day, with no absorption.] In a state of ease one must not be at rest for long, for if long one drowns. As for the second line, it may be called one who acts upon seeing the subtle sign. For being central and correct, its hold is firm, and so it discerns early and leaves quickly. [Because its self-possession is firm, it can see the subtle sign and act.]"

人君致危亡之道非一而以豫為多【豫卦六五傳衰世之君大率以逸豫致危亡可不深戒哉】

"The ways by which a ruler brings danger and ruin are not one, but ease and pleasure account for most. [The commentary on the fifth yin line of Yu. Rulers of declining ages mostly came to danger and ruin through ease and pleasure; how can one not be deeply warned?]"