《弘道錄》Vol. 11

Shun exhausted the Way (Dao) of serving his parents, and so Gusou (Shun's father) at last grew pleased, and the people of the realm were transformed by it. When Gusou was pleased, the relationship between fathers and sons throughout the realm had a standard to follow.

The Hongdao Lu (Record of Broadening the Way) comments: As for the phrase "had a standard to follow," the Xiaojing (Classic of Filial Piety) says, "When one person rejoices, the hundred clans all benefit from it." Between father and son, affection often overshadows righteousness. People know only how to love one another and do not know that reverence must also be present. Only here do people come to understand that reverence should be the principle, and the proper boundaries between father and son become clear. In the customs of the Qin region, some people spoil their children and covet profit. Such conduct differs little from that of beasts, and it is truly the root of the great disorders of later ages.

The Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) records that in the reign of Yao, floodwaters surged across the land. The Four Peaks recommended Gun to control the flood, but he did not succeed, and so he was executed. After Shun ascended the throne, he promoted Yu and had him continue his father's work of controlling the waters.

The Hongdao Lu comments: In the flourishing age of Tang Yao and Yu Shun, the transfer of the throne was not only carried out with complete impartiality, but the merits and faults of individuals were neither concealed nor favored. Gun was a guilty man, and it was already rare for the descendants of a guilty man to serve at court, let alone to take up the heavy charge of flood control in his father's place. Yu was a filial son who grieved over his father's fate, and he could hardly bear even to accept his office, let alone to inherit his father's work. Shun's execution of Gun, and Gun's punishment, both arose from the public justice of the realm. The one who inflicted the punishment was not resented, and the one who received it did not hold a grudge. Later, when Shun promoted Yu to continue his father's task, this too accorded with the feelings of the people. The one who recommended Yu felt no suspicion, and the one who succeeded felt no sense of having been wronged. Had even a trace of private interest been mixed in, the bonds between ruler and minister and between father and son would both have been obstructed, and how could such a case be called righteous?

Yu took as his wife a woman of the Tushan clan (a clan of the Tushan region), and she bore him a son, Qi. When Qi was born, Yu was working on the flood control on the consecutive days Xin, Ren, Gui, and Jia. He heard his infant son crying, yet he did not treat the child as a private matter to be worried over, but kept his mind on planning the works of flood control.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Gun was deposed because he defied orders and brought ruin upon his clan, while Yu rose to prominence because he acted swiftly and labored diligently. Since indulgence in wine leads a man to ruin, could the bonds of human kinship and affection be cast aside? Time is precious, but could Yu therefore grudge the days Xin and Ren? He forgot private feelings for the sake of public duty, and forgot his household for the sake of the state. Having reached such a degree, nothing more could be added.

The Liji (Book of Rites), in the chapter "Tan Gong," says: In serving one's parents, there are matters that should be borne with patience and tolerance, yet one must not openly offend them. One should obey and nourish them at their side, without being bound to fixed forms. One should diligently attend to them until their death, and after they die, one should observe mourning for three years.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Why must one bear with patience and tolerance in serving one's parents? Because the Way between father and son arises from natural disposition. The Yijing (Book of Changes) says: "To set right the faults left by the father, a son such as this means the father is without blame." Even if parents have faults...

It is the proper duty of a child to correct a parent's faults and to stay close to them. Shun's father was originally foolish and stubborn, yet Shun was able to guide him from close at hand, turning his obstinacy into affection. Why, then, must one defy one's father? Yu's father was originally violent, yet Yu was able to guide him from close at hand, letting his own achievements cover his father's faults. Why, then, must one confront him face to face? If one merely schemes to conceal a parent's wrongdoing, and this even leads to the ruin of the state and the family, then it is not the principle of attentively serving and skillfully guiding one's parents at their side.

The Wenwang Shizi (The Heir Apparent of King Wen) records that King Cheng was young and not yet able to attend court in person to handle state affairs. When the Duke of Zhou assisted King Cheng in ascending the throne and governing the realm, he had Boqin treat King Cheng according to the rules for an heir apparent, hoping that this would help King Cheng understand the principles governing relations between father and son, ruler and minister, and elder and younger.

The Hongdao Lu (Record of Expanding the Dao) comments: In my view, having Boqin treat King Cheng according to the rules for an heir apparent was an exceptionally clever measure, unmatched since ancient times. Even though the heir has been established and is still young, he is nonetheless regarded as a ruler. The tutors, guardians, and mentors (the officials who instruct and admonish the heir), though honored in rank, are still ministers. Can a minister punish his ruler? If one merely performs solemn bows and courtesies without any restraint that truly inspires awe, what good is it?

Boqin was also heir apparent in the state of Lu, and his tutors, guardians, and mentors had the authority to discipline him directly. Therefore King Cheng could not whip Boqin, and Boqin's punishment raised no suspicion. Not only did Boqin have no reason to fear being disciplined, but King Cheng also had no grounds to blame him. Although it was Boqin who was whipped, the sight of this punishment placed before King Cheng could hardly fail to make him suddenly awaken and resolve to examine himself and reform.

If I do not correct my faults, others will keep punishing me. The faults are finite, but the punishments may have no end. Therefore one should make the faults fewer and fewer, until one no longer errs. In time, the one who punishes need no longer raise a hand, and the one who erred has already reformed. People only know that King Cheng ultimately became a wise ruler, but they do not know how he progressed step by step into deep self-correction. Is this not exceedingly clever? Thus Confucius said that the Duke of Zhou's conduct was appropriate, a profound commendation of the Duke of Zhou.

The Three Kings (the wise rulers of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties) educated their heirs necessarily through ritual (li) and music (le). Music was used to cultivate the inner heart, and ritual was used to rectify outward conduct. Ritual and music complemented one another, arising from within and manifesting in outward bearing. Therefore the character so cultivated was joyful, and it made people reverent, gentle, and refined.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Before the Three Dynasties, ritual and music were genuinely carried out in action. After the Three Dynasties, they often became mere surface form. The heir apparent is the root of the realm, and ritual and music are the root of the heir apparent. If the heir is respectful and gentle in demeanor, then when he becomes ruler he will not be lax or harsh. When the ruler is neither lax nor harsh, the court will not fall into conflict, and when the court is stable, the realm will not scatter and decline.

The crown prince (Shizi, also called Taizi) should be trained and prepared from an early age, so that he gradually and almost unconsciously comes to dwell securely in the habits of a well-ordered age.

The offices of Grand Tutor (Taifu) and Junior Tutor (Shaofu) are established to educate the crown prince, so that he understands the principles governing the relations between father and son and between ruler and minister. The Grand Tutor must explain these principles earnestly and demonstrate them for the prince to see. The Junior Tutor assists the prince, enables him to observe the Grand Tutor's conduct, and offers detailed explanation and guidance. With the Grand Tutor in front and the Junior Tutor behind, the prince is watched over by his guardians when he is within the palace and instructed by his teachers when he goes out. Only through such transforming guidance can virtue be cultivated.

The term shi (teacher) refers to one who teaches the crown prince to handle concrete affairs and, through them, to understand virtue. The term bao (guardian) refers to one who carefully attends to the prince's words and deeds and helps him keep to the right path. The Book of Rites (Liji) states that Yu, Xia, Shang, and Zhou all established officials of teaching, guardianship, and assistance, and that when difficulties arose, they also appointed the Four Assistants and the Three Dukes. The offices need not all be filled. It is enough to select suitable persons who are capable of discharging their duties.

The Hongdao Lu comments: the establishment of the offices of shi, bao, and fu was originally so important. Later generations, however, treated them as sinecures held concurrently. Some kept only the elaborate ceremonies, some retained only the titles, some appointed unsuitable people, and some assigned officials to duties that did not match their posts. All of this violated the intent of the Duke of Zhou. Under such conditions, how could one expect the methods of educating the heir to take effect?

For the heir, the ruler is both an intimate father and a noble sovereign. The heir first receives the affection due between father and son, then the distinction of high and low due between ruler and minister, and only afterward inherits the realm. Therefore, the education of the heir cannot be undertaken without caution.

At school, the heir takes his place in order with the others according to age and performs the rites alongside them, so that one practice accomplishes three kinds of instruction. When the people of the state see the heir bowing in turn with themselves, they will ask: "He is to become our ruler, so why does he yield to us and observe the order of precedence?" The answer is: "His father is still living, so the rites naturally must be this way." In this way, the people come to understand the way between father and son.

They will ask further: "He is to be our ruler, so why does he still yield to us?" The answer is: "The ruler is still living, so the rites naturally must be this way." In this way, the people come to understand the righteousness between ruler and minister.

They will also ask: "He is to be our ruler, so why does he still yield to us?" The answer is: "It is to honor one's elders." In this way, the people come to understand the proper rites between elders and juniors.

While the father is living, the heir should fully perform the duties of a son; while the ruler is living, he should fully perform the duties of a minister. Observing the rites of son and minister is meant to honor the ruler and cherish one's kin. At school, the heir learns how to be a son, a minister, and a junior to elders. When the ways of father and son, ruler and minister, and elder and junior are all established, the state can be well governed.

An ancient saying goes: "The Music Master oversees the studies, and the father-teacher is responsible for bringing virtue to completion." As long as one worthy and virtuous person guides the heir, the myriad states of the realm can be well governed. This is precisely what is meant by the education of the heir.

The Hongdao Lu says: Among the ritual codes of the Zhou, I know of none as thorough and precise as the rules concerning the heir apparent, the eldest legitimate son destined to inherit the throne. Reading them is inspiring. The heir apparent grows up in the deep palace, his rank above that of ten thousand people. Who would dare to place himself beside him? And who could stand beside him at all?

Yet every human life has its origins, every lineage its succession, and every person his ancestors. The heir apparent, like anyone else, has a father, a ruler, and elders. Though he is the same as ordinary people in this respect, who can make him understand these shared bonds?

Ordinary people often know only that they have a father, without understanding what a father ought to be. However exalted a father may be, this principle does not change. They know they have a ruler, but not what a ruler ought to be; however high the ruler's station, this principle does not change either. They know they have elders, but not what elders ought to be; however lofty their standing, this principle likewise does not change. If one can clarify these principles one by one through the everyday details of living together and of observing ritual deference, then the affairs of the world will appear as clearly as things in the palm of one's hand. Thus it is said, "When the one is an excellent heir, the myriad states are upright." That is, if a ruler has a worthy successor, the states of the realm will be stable and well ordered. When good virtue is carried to its utmost, there is no place it cannot reach and influence.

The Shuoyuan records that Boqin and Kang Shufeng went to court to pay respects to King Cheng. When they met the Duke of Zhou, he answered their questions three times in succession, each time very briefly. Kang Shu was surprised and said to Boqin, "There is a worthy man named Master Shang. Let us go and see him."

Kang Shu and Boqin met Master Shang and asked him for instruction. Master Shang said, "On the southern slope of the Southern Mountain there is a tree called the qiao tree. Why not go and look at it?" The two went and saw that the qiao tree was tall and luxuriant, its fruit abundant, its branches growing upward. They returned and reported this to Master Shang, who said, "The qiao tree symbolizes the way of the father." He then continued, "On the northern slope of the Southern Mountain there is a tree called the zi tree. Why not go and look at it?" The two went and saw that the zi tree was dense with leaves, its fruit abundant, its branches drooping downward. They returned and reported this, and Master Shang said, "The zi tree symbolizes the way of the children."

The next day, the two went again to see the Duke of Zhou. When they entered, they hurried forward, and upon ascending the hall they knelt to bow. The Duke of Zhou stroked their heads, comforted them, and kept them to dine, saying, "Did you meet a gentleman?" They replied, "We met Master Shang." The Duke said, "Master Shang is truly a gentleman!"

The Hongdao Lu further says: Boqin's being beaten this time was not only meant to instruct King Cheng but also to instruct Kang Shu. In a household with a strict head, the head's guiding principle is reverence, while the ruler's is righteousness. Once reverence and righteousness are established, the principle by which kin love and cherish one another will not be lost.

The Yijing says, "When family members are stern and severe, remorse and danger give way to good fortune." That is, strict discipline in the household may cause fear for a time, yet in the end it brings good fortune. The so-called "exchanging children to teach" (having another man's father teach one's child, while one's own child is entrusted to another father) was precisely meant to keep the bonds of father and son from being harmed. Master Shang was truly a gentleman: he did not injure family affection, nor did he lose sight of righteousness, and his teaching was able to endure for ten generations. Is this not clear proof of the line "Dignity held firmly brings good fortune in the end," that is, a household governed with rigor ends in auspiciousness?

Alas, the scolding words customary in the state of Qin, the Han statutes that harmed the bonds of kinship and filial affection, and the wives and children who laughed without restraint and lost the measure needed to keep the household in order: when calamities befell the family one after another, what is there to wonder at?

The Guoyu records that King Gong of Zhou was touring along the Jing River, with Lord Mi Kang in attendance. Three women came to seek refuge with Lord Mi Kang. His mother said, "You must present them to the King of Zhou. Three wild beasts make a herd, and three people make a crowd; three women are also something fine. When the multitude offers you something fine, how will you be able to bear it?"

Lord Mi Kang did not present the women to the king. A year later, the King of Zhou destroyed the state of Mi.

The Hongdao Lu comments: How deeply Lord Mi Kang's mother loved her child, yet she did not understand the principle of serving the ruler. The sovereign on the hall and the child at the knee are different in closeness, but if one says that the heart should not hold two standards, this is much the same. If, as some say, this was planning for the son, then it was thorough; but if it was planning for the ruler, I do not understand it. Harming the state is a great evil, and going against righteousness is a great fault. If something accords with righteousness, then even beautiful women as numerous as clouds do not constitute corruption. If it does not accord with righteousness, then a single Bao Si was enough to bring down the Zhou house, so how could the matter rest on three women? When the mother regarded the three women as fine things and offered them to the King of Zhou, did the king obtain something fine, or did the state of Mi bring calamity upon itself?

The Zuo Zhuan records that in the second year of Duke Huan of Lu, Lu seized the Gao ding cauldron from Song and placed it in the Taimiao, the ancestral temple. Zang Aibo remonstrated: "A ruler should make his virtue (De) manifest and eliminate evil, and use this to govern his officials. Even so, he still fears that something may be overlooked, so he displays his virtue to later generations. Therefore the Qing Temple is roofed with thatch, the great carriage is floored with coarse mats, the great broth for sacrifice is not seasoned to be fine, and the sacrificial grain is not finely milled. All of these make frugality manifest. The ceremonial robes and cap, the ornamented jade tablet, the sashes, garments, and shoes make the rules of ritual manifest. The ornaments of the ceremonial garments and carriage fittings make the number of ranks manifest. The patterns of fire, dragon, axe, and the paired-blue designs make the splendor of the robes manifest. The five-colored embroidery, each in its proper correspondence, makes the distinctions among things manifest. The bells and the tinkling ornaments on the carriage make sound manifest. The sun, moon, and stars painted on the banners make brightness manifest.

"Virtue should be frugal, ritual should have measure, and rising, descending, advancing, and withdrawing should have fixed numbers. Using the patterns on vessels to mark the system, and using sound and insignia to display the ritual, is how one faces the hundred officials so that they become wary and reverent and do not dare lightly to break the law. Now the ruler has discarded virtue and set up evil, and he places a cauldron obtained by bribery in the ancestral temple, openly displaying it to the officials. If the officials imitate this, how can you punish them? When a state decays, it is because officials are crooked; when officials lose their virtue, it is because favoritism and bribery are openly practiced. To place the Gao cauldron in the ancestral temple: what could better display bribery than this?"

Duke Huan did not heed him. When the Zhou court historian heard of this, he said, "Zang Sunda (that is, Zang Aibo) probably will have descendants in Lu! Though the ruler has departed from the proper Way, he still does not forget to remonstrate with virtue and righteousness."

The Hongdao Lu records that Zang Aibo (a minister of Lu) was able to have descendants, probably because Zang Xiboi had once remonstrated with the ruler of Lu.

Duke Huan of Lu went to watch a fishing expedition, an extravagance of pleasure-seeking. Lu's ministers who presented goods to Zhang Hua and encouraged the disorder were guilty only of minor faults. By comparison, Yu Fu, a minister of Lu, regarded Hua Du, a minister of Song, in much the same way as Hua Du himself. Once the turmoil had already taken shape in Song, how could Lu's rebels be punished? Duke Huan used correct words to place the blame on Hua Du, yet he failed to see that he himself was the foremost cause of the calamity. The later disaster in the carriage was merely the bad fruit of his own actions returning to him. After this, Zi Ya, Qingfu, Zhongsui, and Yiru rose one after another to cause disorder, never knowing when to stop. Was this not because the ruler set an example of greed?

Alas, the descendants of the Zang clan can be said to have not failed Lu. Later, among the sons and grandsons of the Zang family, some stood forth in moments of crisis and yielded their position to Yi; some were expelled through the East Gate; and others were called sages. Were the remarks of the Neishi empty words? From this we know that to value virtue and to establish teachings that admonish, even if they are not adopted for a time, must never be abandoned.

Zhou Wu (a son of the ruler of Wei who later murdered his lord and seized the throne) had not yet won the submission of the people, and so he sent Shi Hou (a confederate of Zhou Wu) to ask Shi Que (a minister of Wei) how he could make the ruler's position secure. Shi Que said, "Go and pay court to the King of Zhou." Shi Hou asked, "How can we obtain an audience with the King of Zhou?" Shi Que replied, "Duke Huan of Chen is currently favored by the King of Zhou, and Chen is on friendly terms with Wei. If you go to Chen and ask Chen to present you, you should be able to gain an audience."

Shi Hou then followed Zhou Wu to Chen. Shi Que reported to Chen, "Wei is a small state, and I am old and confused and can do nothing more. These two men did indeed murder our ruler. Please deal with them where they are." The people of Chen then arrested Zhou Wu and Shi Hou and asked Wei to send people to deal with them. In the ninth month, Wei sent Minister of the Right Chou to Pu and had Zhou Wu killed; Shi Que, meanwhile, sent his household retainer Yangjian to Chen, where Shi Hou was killed. The gentleman commented, "Shi Que was a loyal and upright minister. He hated Zhou Wu, yet he also implicated his own son, Shi Hou. This is what is meant by 'destroying private kinship for the sake of upholding righteousness.'"

The Hongdao Lu further comments: Shi Que, one might say, was nearly capable of handling a time of disorder. Partiality and indulgence both ultimately bring about the danger of losing one's life. Since Duke Zhuang of Wei had already shown partiality, Shi Que perhaps also indulged his son; and if a true king had later arisen, how could he have managed matters well? Then, what use were his earlier upright remonstrances? After Duke Huan of Wei ascended the throne, Shi Que was already old; after Shi Hou died, Shi Que also remained unharmed. Shi Que can almost be counted among those skilled at coping with disorder.

Suppose Huo Guang (a powerful minister of the Han) had understood this point: had he clearly exposed to the emperor that Huo Xian (Huo Guang's wife) had indeed taken part in the murder of Empress Xu, then dealt with Chunyu Yan (the female physician who had participated in the plot against Empress Xu) according to law, and prevented the Huo daughter from entering the palace as a bride, then the Huo clan might not have been destroyed, and in the end its members would not have been implicated in one another and perished together. Was this not because they failed to learn from history? Therefore it is said that if a minister does not understand the great meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals, he will certainly fall into the crime of usurping the throne and murdering the ruler, and it is precisely this kind of situation that is being described.

Duke Xian of Jin intended to kill his heir, Crown Prince Shensheng. Prince Chong'er said to him, "Why do you not tell our father what is in your heart?" The crown prince replied, "That will not do. Father favors Lady Li Ji, and if I speak, I will only wound his heart."

Chong'er asked, "Then why do you not simply flee?" The crown prince answered, "That will not do either. Father would believe I meant to murder the ruler. Is there any state under heaven that does not acknowledge its father?"

The crown prince sent a messenger to bid farewell to Hu Tu, a vassal of Shensheng, saying, "Shensheng is guilty. He did not heed the words of the elder uncle, and so he has come to this point of death. I do not dare to begrudge my own life. But the ruler is old, the heir is young, and the state is beset by troubles. If the elder uncle does not come forward to plan for and assist the ruler, and if he does come forward to assist the ruler, then Shensheng will have died having received grace." He bowed twice, touched his head to the ground, and then took his own life. For this reason, later generations called him "the Respectful Heir."

The Hongdao Lu comments: Duke Xian was not kind to his sons, and the world may condemn him for this. But he was unfilial to his own parents, and no one in the world could punish him for that. Father and son succeed one another, and only in this way do generations continue. Therefore, when Heaven bestows its mandate, it must first arrange a proper spouse and set the succession in its right order. This is what is meant by family ethics. How could the relations within the inner chambers be profaned?

The Respectful Heir was truly unfortunate. For a father to take his son's wife as a lover is the conduct of beasts. That Heaven allowed this filth to accumulate was only to give people the chance to expose it and punish it. How much more so when humans are the most spiritual of all beings, and Shensheng was among the most worthy and outstanding of them! It is true that few states under heaven fail to acknowledge their fathers, but could there be a person who fails to acknowledge his mother? Shensheng's being deluded by Li Ji might be explained. But that his father had relations with Lady Qi Jiang, Shensheng's mother, is something that cannot be spoken of. Shensheng had probably already considered all of this. He reasoned that Heaven punishes the unfilial in order to warn those who do not keep to their proper place, and so how could he himself begrudge his life? With nowhere to flee, he could only wait for death. He called what he did an act of reverence, and he stated his true intentions. What he had in view, most likely, was the stability of the state after his death.

Duke Xian sent the eunuch Pi to attack Chong'er. Chong'er said, "I will not argue with the command of my lord and father." When Pi caught up with him, Chong'er said again, "Whoever wishes to fight with me is my enemy." He climbed over a wall to escape, and Pi cut off his sleeve. Chong'er then fled to the state of Di.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Chong'er may truly have been one who could share hardship. Faced with the command of his lord and father, he declined to argue. Only the one who wished to fight him was his enemy. When Crown Prince Liu Ju of Wei faced danger, the stationmaster Shi De instructed him to falsely claim an imperial token, arrest and imprison Jiang Chong and the others. Was this not treating an enemy as an enemy? The principle for a son is to endure a light beating and to flee from a heavy one. Only in this way does he keep to the proper duty of a child. Even if he climbed over a wall and fled to Di, what harm would there be? He was simply avoiding calamity.

When Duke Xiang of Jin died, his consort Lady Mu Ying, the mother of the heir Yigao, held the child in her arms and wept at court: "What crime did the late ruler commit? And what crime has his heir committed? To set aside the legitimate heir and seek a ruler elsewhere, where is the prince to be placed?" After the court dispersed, she carried the boy to the household of the Zhao lineage and bowed her head before Zhao Xuanzi (Zhao Dun), saying, "The late ruler entrusted this child to you and told you, 'If the child is capable, I shall depend on your help; if he is not, I will hold only you responsible.' Though the late ruler has now passed away, these words still ring in the ear. How can you abandon the child?" Zhao Xuanzi and the great officers feared for Lady Mu Ying and dreaded being coerced by her. They therefore turned against Xian Mie and set the heir on the throne, and this was Duke Ling of Jin.

The Hongdao lu comments: Zhao Dun was later murdered by Duke Ling, and the root of that calamity likely did not appear on the day the duke suddenly remonstrated with him, but was already planted when he heard Lady Mu Ying bow her head and plead. When a ruler bows before his minister, the minister's own position has already become deeply precarious. Why did Zhao Dun not reflect on how he ought to examine himself? His refusal to reduce the power of the Zhao family's private house, and his refusal to return political authority to the ducal house of Jin, show that he did not understand the principle of advancing, withdrawing, surviving, and perishing. For this reason, he was left with regret after his actions.

Someone said, "Duke Ling of Jin was without the Way. If Zhao Xuanzi had stepped down, would he not have come close to losing his life?" Marquis Wu of Zhuge (Zhuge Liang) once said, "A minister should exhaust his strength and cease only at death. Whether an affair succeeds, and whether it proceeds smoothly, is not something a minister can foresee through cleverness alone." If one does not understand this principle and instead engages in endless debate, then the cases of Chu Mi, who dashed his head against a locust tree and died, of Ti Mi Ming, who died at the great mulberry tree, and of Ling Zhe, who turned against his lord, may appear to reflect either reluctance or a sense of having fallen short. But how could their faults be excused?

An official of the Zhou court, the Scribe Shufu, came to the state of Lu. Gongsun Ao heard that he was skilled at reading physiognomy, so he brought his two sons to see him. Shufu said, "The child Gu will cause you losses, and the child Nan will allow your family line to continue." Gu had a full jaw, and he would surely have descendants in Lu. Gu begot Mie, Mie begot Su, Su begot Jie, and Jie begot Ju. Ju was Xi Zi.

As he was dying, Xi Zi summoned his officers and said, "Confucius is a descendant of a sage. Zhuang Sunhe once said that when a sage of luminous virtue has not met his own age, his descendants will surely include a person of great understanding. That person may be Confucius. If I am able to die peacefully in my bed, I must entrust Shuo and Heji to the Master Kong, so that they may serve him, study ritual, and thereby establish their standing." Accordingly, Mengyi Zi and Nangong Jingshu became disciples of Zhongni and followed him as they would a teacher. Zhongni said, "Only one who can make up for his faults is a gentleman."

The Hongdao lu comments: Xi Zi descended from the line of the lord Qingfu. The text says that he could "make up for his faults," in order to make clear the meaning of transforming others through teaching. A person of benevolence always has descendants who carry forward his Way. The passage that follows is incomplete here.

Being free from blame (wujiu) means setting right accumulated abuses and correcting past failings. The Duke of Zhou admonished Cai Zhong, saying, "You must strive to cover over the faults of your predecessors." Is this not exactly the meaning? Taken together, these words show that the sages were willing to make the good deeds of the world known to all.

Ji Wenzi, a grandee of the state of Lu in the Spring and Autumn period, assisted the Lu court. He never let his concubines wear silk or let his horses eat grain. Zhongsun Tuo advised him, saying, "You serve as chief minister of Lu and have assisted two rulers. If your concubines do not wear silk and your horses do not eat grain, will others not think you stingy and unwilling to let the state appear dignified?"

Ji Wenzi replied, "I too wish for the state to appear dignified. But I see that among the people, many fathers, elder brothers, and their families eat coarse food and wear tattered clothing, so I dare not let my concubines and horses live in luxury. I have heard that making the state glorious through virtue (De) is what it means to make the state dignified. I have never heard of making the state dignified through concubines and horses."

Ji Wenzi reported these words to Meng Xianzi, and Meng Xianzi had Zhongsun Tuo imprisoned for seven days. Afterward, the clothing of Zifu Tuo's concubines did not exceed seven liang of cloth, and the fodder for his horses no longer contained more than stalks of lang and you (weeds used as fodder). When Ji Wenzi heard of this, he said, "One who commits a fault and is able to correct it is an outstanding person among the common people." He then appointed Zifu Tuo as a senior minister. Zifu Tuo, courtesy name Mie, was the son of Meng Xianzi.

The Hongdao Lu records that when Duke Liu Kang was sent as an envoy to Lu and presented gifts to the Lu ministers, he observed that Ji Wenzi and Meng Xianzi were both frugal. He told the King of Zhou, "The Ji and Meng families will surely remain in Lu for a long time. They are ministers who are reverent, cautious, humble, and thrifty. Reverent in receiving commands, they do not disobey them; cautious in holding to their duties, they do not slacken; humble in carrying out affairs, they avoid calamity; thrifty and living with sufficiency, they stay far from worry. Harmonious with those above and below them, free of resentment, what task could they fail to accomplish? This is why they earn good reputations and why their houses endure." These words align exactly with what is described here.

Gong Fu Wenbo returned home from court and saw his mother spinning. He said, "With our family's means, must Mother still spin with her own hands?" His mother sighed and said, "Lu must be on the verge of ruin! Here is a young man holding office, and he has never heard these principles? Sit down, and I will tell you. When the common people labor, they think; when they think, good thoughts arise. When they are at ease, they indulge; when they indulge, they forget goodness; when they forget goodness, evil thoughts arise. Where the land is rich, people tend to become unaccomplished because they live in indulgence; where the land is poor, people all long for righteousness because they live in hardship.

"Therefore, the queen weaves the ties of the black ceremonial cap herself; the wives of dukes and marquises weave the cap strings and ornaments; the wives of the grand officers make the broad sashes; noblewomen who have received fiefs make the robes for sacrifices; and the wives of the lieshi (lower gentlemen) even make court robes. Those below the zhongshi (ordinary scholars) all wear the ceremonial robes used in sacrifice, distribute tasks at the she (earth-altar) sacrifice, and present the fruits of their labor at the winter sacrifice. Men and women must all exert themselves in their work, and whoever fails is punished. This is the system of the ancients."

I hoped only that he would heed my teaching in time, and I often told him, "Above all, do not neglect the estate your ancestors left you." Yet now you say, "Why not simply accept the office the ruler has given you and settle into it?" I fear that Mu Bo will, because of this, cut off his line of descent.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Xiu of Yi gave up weaving, and Lady Jing worked with her own hands. What is the difference? The answer is that there is none. Men and women have their separate spheres, inner and outer, but the lesson of how states rise and fall lies in excess and greed. An official should treasure incorruptibility; a man who keeps a household should treasure restraint in desire. Had Xiu of Yi served as chief minister, he should not have been open to suspicion of seeking gain. Had Lady Jing served as a mother, she should not have harbored a craving for ease.

Wen Bo lacked the integrity to serve the public abroad, and at home he was faulted for excessive desire. His ruin was not far off. His mother's words were not only worth hearing but worth heeding. She was an outstanding model within her family, and the posthumous title she received, "Jing" (the honorific given to a person after death), was indeed well deserved.

Fan Wuzi (Fan Xie's father, a great officer of the State of Jin in the Spring and Autumn period) was about to retire. He summoned his son Xie and said, "Xie, I have heard that people whose joy and anger are alike are few, while those whose joy and anger differ are many. When a gentleman's joy and anger are stirred by private interest and he does not restrain himself, the situation will certainly grow more chaotic. Viscount Xi (Xi Ke) probably wants to vent his spirit over the affair with Qi for a moment. If it is not so, I fear he will make matters worse. I am about to retire, so let Viscount Xi pursue his plans; perhaps the affair may yet take a turn for the better. You serve alongside several great officers; you need only be cautious and respectful." Thereupon Fan Wuzi requested retirement, and Viscount Xian (Xi Ke) took charge of state affairs.

When Fan Wenzi (Fan Xie) returned from court, it was already late when he came home. Fan Wuzi asked, "Why are you back so late?" Fan Wenzi replied, "At court, an envoy from Qin set out a matter, and none of the great officers answered him. I know the answers to three of the questions." Fan Wuzi grew angry and said, "The great officers are not unable to answer; they are yielding the opportunity to their elders. You are a young man, yet you three times outshone all the great officers at court. Once I am gone from Jin, I fear the state will soon fall." With that, he struck his son with his staff.

Later, Viscount Xi led an army against the forces of Qi and returned victorious. Fan Wenzi was the last to enter the city. Fan Wuzi asked, "Are you saying you do not want me to rely on you?" Fan Wenzi replied, "When an army has achieved merit, the people rejoice and come out to greet it. Had I entered first, I would certainly have drawn everyone's gaze. That would have amounted to taking the commander's fame for myself, so I did not dare enter first." Fan Wuzi said, "Now I know I may be free of worry." Later, Fan Wenzi took charge of state affairs, won a good reputation, and the State of Jin benefited as a result.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Reading Fan Wuzi's admonition to Fan Xie, I came to understand why the great clans rise and fall for reasons of their own. The Hu, Zhao, Ji, Xi, Luan, and Fan were all great clans of Jin. A large clan easily breeds complacency; complacency breeds arrogance, and arrogance invites resentment. This is precisely the kind of power that inspires fear yet cannot be relied upon. How much more so if joy and anger are allowed to rule unchecked? Therefore...

The calamity of regicide by Chuan, a minister of Jin, did not arise at the Battle of Taolin but at the Battle of Hequ. The downfall of the Xi clan, a Jin noble house, was not caused by the schemes of Xu Tong but because they humiliated the lady. Sui Wuzi, that is Shi Hui of Jin, saw this with great clarity.

Had the man serving the Dun clan not indulged reckless and willful plans, and had he restrained the clan head's arrogance and favored position, the misfortunes that later befell the Dun clan might not have come about. Had the man serving as the Xi clan's counselor not fostered their resentment and greed, and had he curbed their pride in their own prowess, the crimes and disasters of the Three Xi, namely Xi Qi, Xi Chou, and Xi Zhi, might not have occurred. Sui Wuzi truly had wisdom! He admonished his son that he must be reverent and yielding. Reverence is the accumulation of virtue; yielding is the elevation of ritual propriety. One who is reverent will not indulge, and one who is yielding will not boast.

Later, after the Battle of Yanling, the Xi clan responded with composure and propriety, and Gai (Shi Gai, son of Shi Hui) and Ying (Shi Ying, son of Shi Gai) were able to inherit the family estate and preserve a good name. How did they fare, compared with the Hu, Zhao, Luan, and Xi clans?

Wei Xianzian, the Viscount Wei, said to Cheng Yun, "Wei Wu and I are from the same district. Will people think I am partial to him?" Cheng Yun replied, "Wei Wu, when far from his lord, does not forget him; when near his colleagues, does not press them. When faced with profit, he considers righteousness; when in difficulty, he holds fast to purity. He keeps his integrity and never acts beyond ritual bounds. Even if he is from the same district as you, what would be wrong with that?"

Later, a man of Gengyang brought a lawsuit and bribed Wei Xianzi, offering a troupe of female musicians. Wei Xianzi was prepared to accept. Wei Wu said to Yan Mo and Nü Kuan, "Our lord has long been renowned among the feudal lords for refusing bribes. If he accepts the Gengyang man's gift, nothing could be more serious. You two must remonstrate with him." Both agreed.

After the court adjourned, they waited in the courtyard. When the meal was brought in, Wei Xianzi called them inside. As they set out the food, they sighed three times. Once inside, Wei Xianzi had them sit and said, "I have heard that eating can dispel worries. Why did you sigh three times while setting out the meal?"

They replied, "Someone gave us wine to drink, so we went without dinner last night. When the meal first arrived, we worried it would not be enough, so we sighed once. As we set it out, we reproached ourselves: could the general's meal really be insufficient? So we sighed a second time. Now that the food is laid out, we wish to use the heart of a petty man to understand the intentions of a gentleman, asking only to be satisfied." Wei Xianzi then declined the bribe.

The Hongdao lu comments: Between father and son, one should not demand only that the other do good, and Wei Wu may be called skilled at remonstrance. Of those who understand subordinates, none is better than the ruler, and of those who understand sons, none is better than the father, so Wei Xianzi may be called skilled at employing people. The two remonstrants used indirect and tactful words, so that the speaker had no misgivings and the listener found it easy to accept, and this may be called skilled at admonition. Then what doubt did Wei Xianzi have that he needed to question Cheng Yun again and again?

Master Cheng put it well: "Ordinary people avoid…" The original text breaks off here.

Those who are repugnant to others do so because their inner lives lack substance. If one's inner life is truly full, why would one accept bribes? Such people take greed as their rule of conduct and, like wild beasts, never have enough. As a result, they earn the reproach of "taking the cypress outer coffin," and they cannot be called loyal.

The Analects records that Chen Kang asked Boyu, "Have you also heard anything special that our Master taught you privately?" Boyu replied, "No. Once, when my father was standing alone, I was hurrying past the courtyard, and he asked me, 'Have you studied the Odes?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'If you do not study the Odes, you will not be able to speak well in company.' So I withdrew and studied the Odes. Another day, when he was again standing alone, I was hurrying past the courtyard, and he asked me, 'Have you studied ritual?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'If you do not study ritual, you will have no footing to stand on in the world.' So I withdrew and studied ritual. I have heard only these two things."

Chen Kang withdrew, pleased, and said, "I asked one question and learned three things: I heard about the Odes, I heard about ritual, and I also heard that the gentleman does not favor his own son."

The Hongdao Lu comments that Boyu's answer deserves praise in five respects, and that the point "the gentleman does not favor his own son" is not among them. When he says, "Once, when my father was standing alone," this shows that his father was at ease, composed, and free of any guilt. When he says he "hurried past," this shows that his own bearing was respectful and dignified. He did not behave carelessly because of his closeness to his father, nor did he rely on his father's affection to excuse improper conduct.

The Odes and ritual are principles that belong to everyone. When Boyu says "No," he shows that he knew he had not yet studied them and that he did not conceal this. He was neither idle nor arrogant. Confucius's words, "If you do not study the Odes, you cannot speak well," and "If you do not study ritual, you cannot establish yourself," are gentle and leave room for his son. He did not demand that Boyu master these things at once, nor did he injure the bond between father and son through harsh admonition. Afterward, Boyu withdrew and studied diligently, and in doing so he showed himself refined and courteous.

Chen Kang asked only whether there had been any special instruction, yet Boyu revealed many admirable qualities in his answer, and Chen Kang failed to grasp them. Chen Kang began by probing with private motives, and in the end he was pleased only because he believed he had gained a small advantage. For this reason, readers a thousand years later cannot help feeling regret on Boyu's behalf. Is this not Chen Kang's fault?

The Sishu Daquan (Great Compendium of the Four Books) holds that Boyu's natural aptitude was somewhat limited, which is why the sage taught him only these principles, and that had he been more gifted, he could have reached the level attained by Yan Hui and Zengzi. This view does not seem correct.

The Kongzi Jiayu records that when Zengzi was gravely ill, Yuezi Chunzi sat at his bedside, Zeng Yuan and Zeng Shen sat at the foot of the bed, and a boy sat in a corner holding a lamp. The boy said, "This mat is so fine and glossy. It must be a grand officer's mat, mustn't it?" Chunzi said, "Be quiet." Zengzi heard this and called out, as though startled awake, "A fine, glossy mat, a grand officer's mat?" He said, "Yes. Ji Sun gave it to me, and I never managed to replace it." Zeng Yuan rose to change the mat.

Zeng Yuan said, "Master, your illness is critical, and you cannot be moved. If by good fortune you survive until dawn, I will respectfully replace the mat for you." Zengzi said, "Your care for me falls short of that boy's care for others. A gentleman cares for others through virtue..." The original text breaks off here.

The petty person loves others but only ever yields to them. What more could I ask for? As long as I die holding fast to the right Way, that is enough." The men helped him up and changed the mat. He had barely lain back down, still not settled, when he died.

The Hongdao Lu (Records of Expanding the Way) comments: To say that parents preserve the body and bear a child, and the child should preserve the body in dying, likely means preserving the root of life and conduct, which is the right Way. Does it suffice merely to let one's disciples see one's feet and hands at the end? From "Each day I examine myself three times" to lying sick in bed, from transmitting and studying learning to mastering it thoroughly, from students rising from their mats to Confucius holding a candle and waiting for his students: if even one matter is not done in accordance with the Way, one cannot be said to have preserved oneself and returned home without shame. Otherwise, would the nature Heaven bestows on people be less important than the body left by one's parents? Therefore Confucius had to wait until the old mat was changed before he knew he could be free of impropriety. If one merely has disciples lift the quilt to inspect the body, that is only a trivial detail.

The Xiaoxue (Elementary Learning) records: Mencius's mother first lived near a graveyard. As a child, Mencius often played at the affairs of the graveyard, leaping about in games of burying and building tombs. Mencius's mother said, "This is no place for a child to live." So she moved to the side of the market. Mencius then took up the games of merchants calling out their wares. His mother said, "This too is no place for a child to live." So she moved again, to the side of a school. Only then did Mencius take up games of setting out sacrificial vessels, performing ritual bows, and advancing and withdrawing in proper order. His mother said, "Here at last is a place truly fit for a child to live." So she settled there.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Confucius, as a child, played at setting out sacrificial vessels and practicing ritual, because he was born understanding these principles. Mencius, as a child, also set out sacrificial vessels and practiced yielding and advancing, but he understood ritual through learning. The difference between a great sage and a great worthy was indeed evident from childhood.

The Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government) records: The son of Suo Gao of Anling was serving as an official in the state of Qin, and Qin sent him to defend the city of Guan. Lord Xinling led an army to attack Guan. After a long siege failed to take it, he sent a message to the Lord of Anling: "Please have Suo Gao come to see me. I intend to appoint him Grand Officer of the Fifth Rank and make him Commandant of the Tallies."

The Lord of Anling conveyed Lord Xinling's order to Suo Gao. Suo Gao said, "You value me and wish me to attack Guan. But for a father to attack while his son defends would bring ridicule; to see you and surrender would be to betray one's ruler. For a father to teach his son to betray his ruler is not something you would wish either. I bow twice and decline." He had the messenger relay these words to Lord Xinling.

Lord Xinling was enraged and sent an envoy to the Lord of Anling, saying: "The land of Anling also belongs to the state of Wei. Now I am attacking Guan and cannot take it, and Qin will seize the opportunity to attack us, and the altars of Wei will surely be in danger. I hope you will bind Suo Gao and send him to me..."

If you do not hand over Suo Gao, Lord Xinling will lead a force of one hundred thousand men to the walls of Anling.

Lord Anling replied: "My late father, Lord Cheng, received King Xiang's command to guard this city. King Xiang personally handed him the decrees of the Grand Treasury: even if the state grants a general amnesty, those who surrender or lose their city shall not be pardoned. Now Suo Gao has resigned his high post in order to preserve the bond between father and son. Yet you insist that I deliver him alive, which would mean defying King Xiang's command and abandoning the decrees of the Grand Treasury. Even if I lose my life for refusing, I dare not do such a thing."

When Suo Gao heard this, he said: "Lord Xinling is fierce, unyielding, and self-assured. If I refuse him, I will surely bring calamity upon the state. I have already preserved myself and have not violated righteousness. How could I let my lord suffer the misfortune of Wei?" He then cut his own throat and died.

The Hongdao Lu comments: Was Lord Anling's refusal of Lord Xinling's demand not better than what Hou □ taught Lord Xinling? If a father obeys a ruler's command in order to secure high office for himself, even ordinary people would feel shame, all the more so when one teaches a minister to defy his ruler's command in order to win a reputation for fame. Yet Hou Sheng was willing to do exactly this. King Ying Zheng of Qin became a tyrant, Zhao Gao became a scourge, Hu Hai became a man who murdered his brother to seize the throne, Li Si became a base villain, Zhao Gao's accomplices became accomplices in framing others, and Lord Xinling became a man who resented his ruler. All of these disorders began with Ying Zheng opening the path to calamity. Had Lord Xinling in the end truly usurped the throne and rebelled, could Ying Zheng have listened to flattering words, could Zhao Gao have achieved great merit, could Hu Hai have treated the murder of his brother as a game, and could Li Si have stood idly by? From this we know that when a ruler does not rectify his own conduct, disorder develops to such extremes. Therefore the sages insisted that such crimes be severely punished and never pardoned. This was not excessive deliberation.

When the rebellion of Nao Chi broke out in Qi, King Min of Qi fled, and Wang Sun Jia followed him. Later, however, Wang Sun Jia could not find where the king had gone. His mother said: "When you left in the morning and returned at night, I would lean against the gate waiting for you. When you left in the evening and did not return until dawn, I would lean against the village gate waiting for you. Now you serve the ruler, and the ruler has fled, yet you do not know where he is. What are you going home for?" Wang Sun Jia then led men to kill Nao Chi. The surviving ministers of Qi next found King Min's son, Fa Zhang, enthroned him as king, and held the city of Ju to resist the army of Yan.

The Hongdao Lu comments: How could Wang Sun Jia's mother resemble Lord Mengchang? In ordinary times, Lord Mengchang monopolized the state's fame and favor and controlled its security and the rise and fall of its politics. How much less would he care when the state was ruined and the ruler had fled? That Wang Sun Jia later killed Nao Chi, enthroned King Xiang of Qi, and held Ju against Yan was all because his mother had made the principle of righteousness clear to him.

Someone wanted to avoid Wen, but Wen had already fled to the state of Wei, so even the attempt to avoid him came too late. Yu Gong said, "Then was Min behaving this way for this very reason? He could not see the sky above, the earth below, or other people within, yet he alone saw Wen. If Min truly acted this way for this reason, then his mother's words do seem to have given him the insight he needed."