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PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES
PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES
j , as in French. ng , commencing a word, like the same letters terminating one. ai or ei , as in aisle or eider . au , as in German, or like ow in cow . é , as in fête . i (not followed by a consonant), as ee in see . u (followed by a consonant), as in bull . iu , as ew in new . úi , as ooi in cooing . h at the end of a name makes the preceding vowel short. ‘ in the middle of a word denotes an aspirate (h), as K‘ung = Khung . ‘ in the middle of a word denotes an aspirate (h), as K‘ung = Khung .
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
The strangest figure that meets us in the annals of Oriental thought is that of Confucius. To the popular mind he is the founder of a religion, and yet he has nothing in common with the great religious teachers of the East. We think of Siddartha, the founder of Buddhism, as the very impersonation of romantic asceticism, enthusiastic self-sacrifice, and faith in the things that are invisible. Zoroaster is the friend of God, talking face to face with the Almighty, and drinking wisdom and knowledge
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BOOK I
BOOK I
"To learn," said the Master, "and then to practise opportunely what one has learnt—does not this bring with it a sense of satisfaction? "To have associates in study coming to one from distant parts—does not this also mean pleasure in store? "And are not those who, while not comprehending all that is said, still remain not unpleased to hear, men of the superior order?" A saying of the Scholar Yu:— "It is rarely the case that those who act the part of true men in regard to their duty to parents an
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BOOK II
BOOK II
Sayings of the Master:— "Let a ruler base his government upon virtuous principles, and he will be like the pole-star, which remains steadfast in its place, while all the host of stars turn towards it. "The 'Book of Odes' contains three hundred pieces, but one expression in it may be taken as covering the purport of all, viz., Unswerving mindfulness. "To govern simply by statute, and to reduce all to order by means of pains and penalties, is to render the people evasive, and devoid of any sense o
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BOOK III
BOOK III
Alluding to the head of the Ki family, [4] and the eight lines of posturers [5] before their ancestral hall, Confucius remarked, "If the Ki can allow himself to go to this extent, to what extent will he not allow himself to go?" The Three Families [6] were in the habit, during the Removal of the sacred vessels after sacrifice, of using the hymn commencing "How," exclaimed the Master, "can such words be appropriated in the ancestral hall of the Three Families?" "Where a man," said he again, "has
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BOOK IV
BOOK IV
Sayings of the Master:— "It is social good feeling that gives charm to a neighborhood. And where is the wisdom of those who choose an abode where it does not abide? "Those who are without it cannot abide long, either in straitened or in happy circumstances. Those who possess it find contentment in it. Those who are wise go after it as men go after gain. "Only they in whom it exists can have right likings and dislikings for others. "Where the will is set upon it, there will be no room for malprac
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BOOK V
BOOK V
The Master pronounced Kung-ye Ch‘ang, a disciple, to be a marriageable person; for although lying bound in criminal fetters he had committed no crime. And he gave him his own daughter to wife. Of Nan Yung, a disciple, he observed, that in a State where the government was well conducted he would not be passed over in its appointments, and in one where the government was ill conducted he would evade punishment and disgrace. And he caused his elder brother's daughter to be given in marriage to him.
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BOOK VI
BOOK VI
Of Yen Yung, a disciple, the Master said, "Yung might indeed do for a prince!" On being asked by this Yen Yung his opinion of a certain individual, the Master replied, "He is passable. Impetuous, though." "But," argued the disciple, "if a man habituate himself to a reverent regard for duty—even while in his way of doing things he is impetuous—in the oversight of the people committed to his charge, is he not passable? If, on the other hand, he habituate himself to impetuosity of mind, and show it
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BOOK VII
BOOK VII
Said the Master:— "I, as a transmitter [16] and not an originator, and as one who believes in and loves the ancients, venture to compare myself with our old P‘ang. "What find you indeed in me?—a quiet brooder and memorizer; a student never satiated with learning; an unwearied monitor of others! "The things which weigh heavily upon my mind are these—failure to improve in the virtues, failure in discussion of what is learnt, inability to walk according to knowledge received as to what is right and
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BOOK VIII
BOOK VIII
Speaking of T‘ai-pih the Master said that he might be pronounced a man of the highest moral excellence; for he allowed the empire to pass by him onwards to a third heir; while the people, in their ignorance of his motives, were unable to admire him for so doing. "Without the Proprieties," said the Master, "we have these results: for deferential demeanor, a worried one; for calm attentiveness, awkward bashfulness; for manly conduct, disorderliness; for straightforwardness, perversity. "When men o
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BOOK IX
BOOK IX
Topics on which the Master rarely spoke were—Advantage, and Destiny, and Duty of man to man. A man of the village of Tah-hiang exclaimed of him, "A great man is Confucius!—a man of extensive learning, and yet in nothing has he quite made himself a name!" The Master heard of this, and mentioning it to his disciples he said, "What then shall I take in hand? Shall I become a carriage driver, or an archer? Let me be a driver!" "The sacrificial cap," he once said, "should, according to the Rules, be
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BOOK X
BOOK X
In his own village, Confucius presented a somewhat plain and simple appearance, and looked unlike a man who possessed ability of speech. But in the ancestral temple, and at Court, he spoke with the fluency and accuracy of a debater, but ever guardedly. At Court, conversing with the lower order of great officials, he spoke somewhat firmly and directly; with those of the higher order his tone was somewhat more affable. When the prince was present he was constrainedly reverent in his movements, and
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BOOK XI
BOOK XI
"The first to make progress in the Proprieties and in Music," said the Master, "are plain countrymen; after them, the men of higher standing. If I had to employ any of them, I should stand by the former." "Of those," said he, "who were about me when I was in the Ch‘in and Ts‘ai States, not one now is left to approach my door." "As for Hwúi," [26] said the Master, "he is not one to help me on: there is nothing I say but he is not well satisfied with." "What a dutiful son was Min Tsz-k‘ien!" he ex
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BOOK XII
BOOK XII
Yen yuen was asking about man's proper regard for his fellow-man. The Master said to him, "Self-control, and a habit of falling back upon propriety, virtually effect it. Let these conditions be fulfilled for one day, and every one round will betake himself to the duty. Is it to begin in one's self, or think you, indeed! it is to begin in others?" "I wanted you to be good enough," said Yen Yuen, "to give me a brief synopsis of it." Then said the Master, "Without Propriety use not your eyes; witho
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BOOK XIII
BOOK XIII
Tsz-lu was asking about government. "Lead the way in it," said the Master, "and work hard at it." Requested to say more, he added, "And do not tire of it." Chung-kung, on being made first minister to the Chief of the Ki family, consulted the Master about government, and to him he said, "Let the heads of offices be heads. Excuse small faults. Promote men of sagacity and talent." "But," he asked, "how am I to know the sagacious and talented, before promoting them?" "Promote those whom you do know,
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BOOK XIV
BOOK XIV
Yuen Sz asked what might be considered to bring shame on one. "Pay," said the Master; "pay—ever looking to that, whether the country be well or badly governed." "When imperiousness, boastfulness, resentments, and covetousness cease to prevail among the people, may it be considered that mutual good-will has been effected?" To this question the Master replied, "A hard thing overcome, it may be considered. But as to the mutual good-will—I cannot tell." "Learned officials," said he, "who hanker afte
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BOOK XV
BOOK XV
Duke Ling of Wei was consulting Confucius about army arrangements. His answer was, "Had you asked me about such things as temple requisites, I have learnt that business, but I have not yet studied military matters." And he followed up this reply by leaving on the following day. After this, during his residence in the State of Ch‘in, his followers, owing to a stoppage of food supply, became so weak and ill that not one of them could stand. Tsz-lu, with indignation pictured on his countenance, exc
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BOOK XVI
BOOK XVI
The Chief of the Ki family was about to make an onslaught upon the Chuen-yu domain. Yen Yu and Tsz-lu in an interview with Confucius told him, "The Ki is about to have an affair with Chuen-yu." "Yen," said Confucius, "does not the fault lie with you? The Chief of Chuen-yu in times past was appointed lord of the East Mung (mountain); besides, he dwells within the confines of your own State, and is an official of the State-worship; how can you think of making an onslaught upon him?" "It is the wis
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BOOK XVII
BOOK XVII
Yang Ho was desirous of having an interview with Confucius, but on the latter's failing to go and see him, he sent a present of a pig to his house. Confucius went to return his acknowledgments for it at a time when he was not at home. They met, however, on the way. He said to Confucius, "Come, I want a word with you. Can that man be said to have good-will towards his fellow-men who hugs and hides his own precious gifts and allows his country to go on in blind error?" "He cannot," was the reply.
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BOOK XVIII
BOOK XVIII
"In the reign of the last king of the Yin dynasty," Confucius said, "there were three men of philanthropic spirit:—the viscount of Wei, who withdrew from him; the viscount of Ki, who became his bondsman; and Pi-kan, who reproved him and suffered death." Hwúi of Liu-hiá, who filled the office of Chief Criminal Judge, was thrice dismissed. A person remarked to him, "Can you not yet bear to withdraw?" He replied, "If I act in a straightforward way in serving men, whither in these days should I go,
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BOOK XIX
BOOK XIX
"The learned official," said Tsz-chang, "who when he sees danger ahead will risk his very life, who when he sees a chance of success is mindful of what is just and proper, who in his religious acts is mindful of the duty of reverence, and when in mourning thinks of his loss, is indeed a fit and proper person for his place." Again he said, "If a person hold to virtue but never advance in it, and if he have faith in right principles and do not build himself up in them, how can he be regarded eithe
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BOOK XX
BOOK XX
The Emperor Yau said to Shun, "Ah, upon you, upon your person, lies the Heaven-appointed order of succession! Faithfully hold to it, without any deflection; for if within the four seas necessity and want befall the people, your own revenue will forever come to an end." Shun also used the same language in handing down the appointment to Yu. The Emperor T‘ang in his prayer, said, "I, the child Li, presume to avail me of an ox of dusky hue, and presume to manifestly announce to Thee, O God, the mos
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[Translated into English by James Legge]
[Translated into English by James Legge]
[Pg 112] [Pg 113]...
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
A hundred years after the time of Confucius the Chinese nation seemed to have fallen back into their original condition of lawlessness and oppression. The King's power and authority was laughed to scorn, the people were pillaged by the feudal nobility, and famine reigned in many districts. The foundations of truth and social order seemed to be overthrown. There were teachers of immorality abroad, who published the old Epicurean doctrine, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." This teachin
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BOOK I
BOOK I
Mencius went to see King Hwuy of Lëang. [35] The king said, "Venerable Sir, since you have not counted it far to come here a distance of a thousand li, may I presume that you are likewise provided with counsels to profit my kingdom?" Mencius replied, "Why must your Majesty use that word 'profit'? What I am likewise provided with are counsels to benevolence and righteousness; and these are my only topics. "If your Majesty say, 'What is to be done to profit my kingdom?' the great officers will say
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BOOK V
BOOK V
Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "When Shun went into the fields, he cried out and wept towards the pitying heavens. Why did he cry out and weep?" Mencius replied, "He was dissatisfied and full of earnest desire." Wan Chang said, "When his parents love him, a son rejoices and forgets them not; and when they hate him, though they punish him, he does not allow himself to be dissatisfied. Was Shun then dissatisfied with his parents?" Mencius said, "Ch‘ang Seih asked Kung-ming Kaou, saying, 'As to S
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[Metrical translation by James Legge]
[Metrical translation by James Legge]
[Pg 142] [Pg 143]...
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
The wisdom of Confucius as a social reformer, as a teacher and guide of the Chinese people, is shown in many ways. He not only gave them a code of personal deportment, providing them with rules for the etiquette and ceremony of life, but he instilled into them that profound spirit of domestic piety which is one of the strongest features in the Chinese character. He took measures to secure also the intellectual cultivation of his followers, and his Five Canons contain all the most ancient works o
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PART I.—LESSONS FROM THE STATES BOOK I
PART I.—LESSONS FROM THE STATES BOOK I
[ Note. —The "lin" is the female of "K‘e"—a fabulous animal—the symbol of all goodness and benevolence; having the body of a deer, the tail of an ox, the hoofs of a horse, one horn, the scales of a fish, etc. Its feet do not tread on any living thing—not even on live grass; it does not butt with its forehead; and the end of its horn is covered with flesh—to show that, while able for war, it wills to have peace. The "lin" was supposed to appear inaugurating a golden age, but the poe
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BOOK III
BOOK III
[ Note. —Yellow is one of the five "correct" colors of the Chinese, while green is one of the "intermediate" colors that are less esteemed. Here we have the yellow used merely as a lining to the green, or employed in the lower, or less honorable, part of the dress;—an inversion of propriety, and intimating how a favorite had usurped the place of the rightful wife and thrust her down.] ...
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BOOK XI
BOOK XI
[ Note. —The incident related in this poem occurred in the year B.C. 620, when the duke of Muh died after playing an important part in the affairs of Northwest China. Muh required the three officers here celebrated, to be buried with him, and according to the "Historical Records" this barbarous practice began with duke Ching, Muh's predecessor. In all, 170 individuals were buried with Muh. The death of the last distinguished man of the Ts‘in dynasty, the Emperor I, was subsequently celeb
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PART II.—MINOR ODES OF THE KINGDOM BOOK I
PART II.—MINOR ODES OF THE KINGDOM BOOK I
[ Note. — Both Maou and Choo agree that this ode was composed in honor of the officer who narrates the story in it, although they say it was not written by the officer himself, but was put into his mouth, as it were, to express the sympathy of his entertainer with him, and the appreciation of his devotion to duty.] ...
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BOOK VIII
BOOK VIII
[ Note. — Yin and Keih were clan names of great families, the ladies of which would be leaders of fashion in the capital.] ...
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