Zhong Shuo (中說) · Volume 5

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.]