The Master said, “Zang Wuzhong took the walled city of Fang in order to demand from the Duke of Lu that his half-brother Wei be made his successor. Although he said that he was not trying to force his lord’s hand, I do not believe it.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Zang Wuzhong holed up in Fang and asked the ruler of Lu to appoint [his brother] Wei as heir to succeed him. Although they say he did not press the ruler to do so, I do not believe that.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master asked Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wenzi, saying, “Is it really true that your master did not speak, did not laugh, and did not take?”
Gongming Jia answered, “Whoever told you that was exaggerating. My master only spoke when the time was right, and so people never grew impatient listening to him. He only laughed when he was genuinely full of joy, and so people never tired of hearing him laugh. He only took what was rightfully his, and so people never resented his taking of things.”
The Master said, “Was he really that good? Could he really have been that good?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master questioned Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wenzi, saying, Is it true that your master never spoke, never laughed, and never accepted things?
Gongming Jia replied, Whoever told you that was exaggerating. My master spoke only when it was time to do so—thus others did not object to his speaking. He laughed only when he was happy—so others did not object to his laughter. He accepted things only when it was right to do so—thus others did not object to his accepting.
The Master said, Is that so? Could that really be so?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Take a person as wise as Zang Wuzhong, as free of desire as Gongchuo, as courageous as Zhuangzi of Bian, and as accomplished in the arts as Ran Qiu, and then acculturate them by means of ritual and music—such a man might be called a complete person.”
He continued: “But must a complete person today be exactly like this? When seeing a chance for profit he thinks of what is right; when confronting danger he is ready to take his life into his own hands; when enduring an extended period of hardship, he does not forget what he had professed in more fortunate times—such a man might also be called a complete person.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu asked about the complete person. The Master said, Zang Wuzhong’s understanding, Meng Gongchuo’s freedom from desire, the valor of Zhuangzi of Pian, the arts of Ran Qiu—embellish them through rites and music, and you have what may be termed the complete person.
And he said, But the complete person of our times need not necessarily be like this. If when he spies gain, he remembers what is right; when he spies danger, is ready to risk his life; when faced with old promises, does not forget his past words; then he can be termed a complete person.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Meng Gongchuo would make an excellent household manager for the Zhao or Wei, but could not be employed as a minister in Teng or Xue.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Meng Gongchuo would have been excellent as chief retainer to the powerful Zhao or Wei family. But he could not have served as a high official even in the little states of Deng and Xue.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Someone asked about Zichan. The Master said, “He was a benevolent man.”
They asked about Zixi. The Master replied, “Ah, that man! That man!”
They asked about Guan Zhong.
The Master replied, “Now there was a man. He confiscated the three hundred household city of Ping from the head of the Bo Clan, reducing him to abject poverty, and yet to the end of his days not a single resentful word was uttered against him.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Someone asked about Zichan. The Master said, A generous man.
The person asked about Zixi. The Master said, That man! That man!
The person asked about Guan Zhong. The Master said, He was the one who stripped the leader of the Bo family of Pian, a village of three hundred households, so that he had to eat meager fare, though until his death he never spoke a resentful word.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “In preparing diplomatic orders, Zichan of East Village would have Bi Chen go into the country and draft it, Shi Shu critique and discuss it, the foreign minister Ziyu edit and ornament it, and then finally Zichan himself would mark it with his own unique style.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, When government proclamations were being drawn up, Pi Chen made the first draft; Shi Shu examined it; Ziyu, the official in charge of envoys, polished it; and Zichan of Dongli added the finishing touches.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “If you really care for them, can you then fail to put them to work? If you are really dutiful to him, can you then fail to instruct him?
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, If you love people, can you fail to reward them? If you are loyal to them, can you fail to admonish them?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
