The Analects Chapter 11
The Master said, "The men of former times in the matters of ceremoniesand music were rustics1, it is said, while the men of these lattertimes, in ceremonies and music, are accomplished2 gentlemen.
"If I have occasion to use those things, I follow the men of formertimes."The Master said, "Of those who were with me in Ch'an and Ts'ai, thereare none to be found to enter my door."Distinguished3 for their virtuous4 principles and practice, there wereYen Yuan, Min Tsze-ch'ien, Zan Po-niu, and Chung-kung; for their abilityin speech, Tsai Wo and Tsze-kung; for their administrative6 talents,Zan Yu and Chi Lu; for their literary acquirements, Tsze-yu and Tsze-hsia.
The Master said, "Hui gives me no assistance. There is nothing thatI say in which he does not delight."The Master said, "Filial indeed is Min Tsze-ch'ien! Other people saynothing of him different from the report of his parents and brothers."Nan Yung was frequently repeating the lines about a white scepterstone. Confucius gave him the daughter of his elder brother to wife.
Chi K'ang asked which of the disciples7 loved to learn. Confucius repliedto him, "There was Yen5 Hui; he loved to learn. Unfortunately his appointedtime was short, and he died. Now there is no one who loves to learn,as he did."When Yen Yuan died, Yen Lu begged the carriage of the Master to selland get an outer shell for his son's coffin9.
The Master said, "Every one calls his son his son, whether he hastalents or has not talents. There was Li; when he died, he had a coffinbut no outer shell. I would not walk on foot to get a shell for him,because, having followed in the rear of the great officers, it wasnot proper that I should walk on foot."When Yen Yuan died, the Master said, "Alas10! Heaven is destroying me!
Heaven is destroying me!"When Yen Yuan died, the Master bewailed him exceedingly, and the discipleswho were with him said, "Master, your grief is excessive!""Is it excessive?" said he. "If I am not to mourn bitterly for thisman, for whom should I mourn?"When Yen Yuan died, the disciples wished to give him a great funeral,and the Master said, "You may not do so."The disciples did bury him in great style.
The Master said, "Hui behaved towards me as his father. I have notbeen able to treat him as my son. The fault is not mine; it belongsto you, O disciples."Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said,"While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?"Chi Lu added, "I venture to ask about death?" He was answered, "Whileyou do not know life, how can you know about death?"The disciple8 Min was standing11 by his side, looking bland12 and precise;Tsze-lu, looking bold and soldierly; Zan Yu and Tsze-kung, with afree and straightforward13 manner. The Master was pleased.
He said, "Yu, there!-he will not die a natural death."Some parties in Lu were going to take down and rebuild the Long Treasury14.
Min Tsze-ch'ien said, "Suppose it were to be repaired after its oldstyle;-why must it be altered and made anew?"The Master said, "This man seldom speaks; when he does, he is sureto hit the point."The Master said, "What has the lute15 of Yu to do in my door?"The other disciples began not to respect Tszelu. The Master said,"Yu has ascended16 to the hall, though he has not yet passed into theinner apartments."Tsze-kung asked which of the two, Shih or Shang, was the superior.
The Master said, "Shih goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does notcome up to it.""Then," said Tsze-kung, "the superiority is with Shih, I suppose."The Master said, "To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short."The head of the Chi family was richer than the duke of Chau had been,and yet Ch'iu collected his imposts for him, and increased his wealth.
The Master said, "He is no disciple of mine. My little children, beatthe drum and assail17 him."Ch'ai is simple. Shan is dull. Shih is specious18. Yu is coarse.
The Master said, "There is Hui! He has nearly attained19 to perfectvirtue. He is often in want.
"Ts'ze does not acquiesce20 in the appointments of Heaven, and his goodsare increased by him. Yet his judgments21 are often correct."Tsze-chang asked what were the characteristics of the good man. TheMaster said, "He does not tread in the footsteps of others, but moreover,he does not enter the chamber22 of the sage23."The Master said, "If, because a man's discourse24appears solid andsincere, we allow him to be a good man, is he really a superior man?
or is his gravity only in appearance?"Tsze-lu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice whathe heard. The Master said, "There are your father and elder brothersto be consulted;-why should you act on that principle of immediatelycarrying into practice what you hear?" Zan Yu asked the same, whetherhe should immediately carry into practice what he heard, and the Masteranswered, "Immediately carry into practice what you hear." Kung-hsiHwa said, "Yu asked whether he should carry immediately into practicewhat he heard, and you said, 'There are your father and elder brothersto be consulted.' Ch'iu asked whether he should immediately carryinto practice what he heard, and you said, 'Carry it immediately intopractice.' I, Ch'ih, am perplexed25, and venture to ask you for an explanation."The Master said, "Ch'iu is retiring and slow; therefore I urged himforward. Yu has more than his own share of energy; therefore I kepthim back."The Master was put in fear in K'wang and Yen Yuan fell behind. TheMaster, on his rejoining him, said, "I thought you had died." Huireplied, "While you were alive, how should I presume to die?"Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Chung Yu and Zan Ch'iu could be calledgreat ministers.