The Sayings Of Confucius Part 2

This, too, is to govern. Must one be in office to govern?

[Footnote 20: The Book of History.]

22. The Master said, A man without truth, I know not what good he is!

A cart without a crosspole, a carriage without a yoke, how can they be moved?

23. Tzu-chang[21] asked whether we can know what is to be ten generations hence.

[Footnote 21: A disciple.]

The Master said, The Yin[22] took over the manners of the Hsia; the harm and the good that they did them can be known. The Chou took over the manners of the Yin; the harm and the good that they did them can be known. And we may know what shall be, even an hundred generations hence, whoever follows Chou.

[Footnote 22: Up to the time of Confucius, China had been ruled by three lines of kings. First the T'ang, next the Yin or Shang, then the Chou.]

24. The Master said, To wors.h.i.+p the ghosts of men not akin to us is fawning. To see the right and not do it is want of courage.

BOOK III

1. Of the Chi having eight rows of dancers[23] in his courtyard, Confucius said, If this is to be borne, what is not to be borne?

[Footnote 23: An Imperial prerogative.]

2. When the sacrifice was ended, the Three Clans had the Yung hymn sung.

The Master said,

Princes and dukes a.s.sist.

Solemn is the Son of heaven;

what meaning has this in the courtyard of the Three Clans?

3. The Master said, A man without love, what is courtesy to him? A man without love, what is music to him?

4. Lin Fang asked what good form is at root.

The Master said, A big question! At high-tides, thrift is better than waste; at burials, grief is worth more than nicety.

5. The Master said, Every wild tribe has its lord, whereas the lands of Hsia[24] have none!

[Footnote 24: China.]

6. The Chi sacrificed to Mount T'ai.[25]

[Footnote 25: A prerogative of the Duke of Lu.]

The Master said to Jan Yu,[26] Canst thou not stop this?

[Footnote 26: A disciple in the service of the Chi.]

He answered, I cannot.

Alas! said the Master; dost thou think Mount T'ai less wise than Lin Fang?

7. The Master said, A gentleman never strives with others. Or must he, perhaps, in shooting? But then, as he bows and makes way in going up or steps down to drink,[27] his strife is that of a gentleman.

[Footnote 27: The loser had to drink a cup of wine.]

8. Tzu-hsia asked, What is the meaning of:

Her cunning smiles, Her dimples light, Her lovely eyes, So clear and bright, All unadorned, The background white.

Colouring, said the Master, is second to the plain ground.

Then good form is second, said Tzu-hsia.

Shang,[28] said the Master, thou hast hit my meaning! Now I can talk of poetry to thee.

[Footnote 28: Tzu-hsia.]

9. The Master said, I can speak of the manners of Hsia; but as proof of them Chi[29] is not enough. I can speak of the manners of Yin; but as proof of them Sung is not enough. This is due to their dearth of books and great men. If there were enough of these, I could use them as proofs.

[Footnote 29: Chi was the homeland of the House of Hsia, Sung that of the House of Yin.]

10. The Master said, After the drink offering at the Great Sacrifice, I have no wish to see more.

11. One asked the meaning of the Great Sacrifice.

The Master said, I do not know. He that knew the meaning would overlook all below heaven as I do this--and he pointed to his palm.

12. He wors.h.i.+pped as if those whom he wors.h.i.+pped were before him; he wors.h.i.+pped the spirits as if they were before him.

The Master said: For me, to take no part in the sacrifice is the same as not sacrificing.

13. w.a.n.g-sun Chia[30] said, What is the meaning of, It is better to court the hearth-G.o.d than the G.o.d of the home?

[Footnote 30: w.a.n.g-sun Chia was minister of Wei, and had more influence than his master. The hearth-G.o.d ranks below the G.o.d of the home (the Roman _lares_), but since he sees all that goes on in the house, and ascends to heaven at the end of the year to report what has happened, it is well to be on good terms with him.]

Not so, said the Master. A sin against Heaven leaves no room for prayer.

14. The Master said, Chou[31] looks back on two lines of kings. How rich, how rich it is in art! I follow Chou.

[Footnote 31: The royal house of Chou, which was then ruling China.]

15. On going into the Great Temple the Master asked about everything.