Duke Ai said to Master You, “The harvest was poor and I cannot satisfy my needs. What should I do?”
Master You said, “Why do you not try taxing the people one part in ten?”
“I am currently taxing them two parts in ten, and even so I cannot satisfy my needs. How could reducing the tax to one part in ten help?”
Master You answered, “If the common people’s needs are satisfied, how could their lord be lacking? If the common people needs are not satisfied, how can their lord be content?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Duke Ai questioned You Ruo, saying, The crop is bad this year, and I don’t have enough for government needs. What should I do?
You Ruo replied, Why not halve the rate of taxation?
The duke said, Even when I take two-tenths of the crop in taxes, I don’t have enough. How could I get by with half?
You Ruo replied, If the people have enough, what ruler will be left without enough? But if the people don’t have enough, how can the ruler hope to have enough?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Ji Zicheng said, “Being a gentleman is simply a matter of having the right native substance, and nothing else. Why must one engage in cultural refinement?”
Zigong replied, “It is regrettable, Sir, that you should speak of the gentleman in this way—as they say, ‘a team of horses cannot overtake your tongue.’
“A gentleman’s cultural refinement resembles his native substance, and his native substance resembles his cultural refinement. The skin of a tiger or leopard, shorn of its fur, is no different from the skin of a dog or sheep.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Ji Zicheng said, The gentleman should have solid qualities and that’s enough. What need is there for refinement?
Zigong said, Regrettable indeed—what you have said, sir, about the gentleman! Refinement is equal in worth to solid qualities, and solid qualities to refinement. Strip the hide of a tiger or a panther of its [patterned fur], and it is no different from that of a dog or a goat.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Simply make sure there is sufficient food, sufficient armaments, and that you have the confidence of the common people.”
Zigong said, “If sacrificing one of these three things became unavoidable, which would you sacrifice first?”
The Master replied, “I would sacrifice the armaments.”
Zigong said, “If sacrificing one of the two remaining things became unavoidable, which would you sacrifice next?”
The Master replied, “I would sacrifice the food. Death has always been with us, but a state cannot stand once it has lost the confidence of the people.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong asked about government. The Master said, You need enough food, enough weaponry, and the trust of the common people.
Zigong said, If you had to do without one of these, which of the three would you do without first?
Do without weapons.
And if you had to do without one of the other two, which would it be?
The Master said, Do without food. From times past, everyone has to die. But without the trust of the common people, you get nowhere.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master replied, “He who does not base his actions upon slanders that try to seep into one’s mind, or accusations that accumulate like dirt on one’s skin, may be called ‘perceptive.’ Indeed, such a person could even be called ‘far-sighted.’ ”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zizhang asked about clear-sightedness. The Master said, Someone who is unmoved by insidious slander or hurtful and persistent accusations—he may be called clear-sighted. Someone who is unmoved by insidious slander or hurtful and persistent accusations may be called a person of far-reaching perception.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Anxiously, Sima Niu remarked, “Everyone has brothers, I alone have none.”
Zixia replied, “I have heard it said, ‘Life and death are governed by fate, wealth and honor are determined by Heaven.’ A gentleman is respectful and free of errors. He is reverent and ritually proper in his dealings with others. In this way, everyone within the Four Seas is his brother. How could a gentleman be concerned about not having brothers?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Sima Niu, troubled, said, All men have elder and younger brothers, but I alone have none.
Zixia said, The way I’ve heard it, life and death are a matter of fate; wealth and eminence rest with Heaven. If a gentleman is respectful and free of error, if he is considerate of others and treats them according to ritual, then all within the four seas are his elder and younger brothers. Why should a gentleman be troubled that he has no elder or younger brothers?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “ ‘When in public, comport yourself as if you were receiving an important guest, and in your management of the common people, behave as if you were overseeing a great sacrifice.’ Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not desire. In this way, you will encounter no resentment in your public or private life.”
Zhonggong replied, “Although I am not quick to understand, I ask permission to devote myself to this teaching.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zhonggong asked about humaneness. The Master said, When you go out the door, behave as though you were going to meet an important guest. When you employ the common people, do so as though you were conducting an important sacrifice. What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to others. In the domain, let there be no grievances against you; in the family, let there be no grievances against you.
Zhonggong said, Lacking in cleverness though I am, I would like, if I may, to honor these words.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Restraining yourself and returning to the rites constitutes Goodness. If for one day you managed to restrain yourself and return to the rites, in this way you could lead the entire world back to Goodness. The key to achieving Goodness lies within yourself—how could it come from others?”
Yan Hui asked, “May I inquire as to the specifics?”
The Master said, “Do not look unless it is in accordance with ritual; do not listen unless it is in accordance with ritual; do not speak unless it is in accordance with ritual; do not move unless it is in accordance with ritual.”
Yan Hui replied, “Although I am not quick to understand, I ask permission to devote myself to this teaching.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Yan Yuan asked about humaneness. The Master said, To master the self and return to ritual is to be humane. For one day master the self and return to ritual, and the whole world will become humane. Being humane proceeds from you yourself. How could it proceed from others?
Yan Yuan said, May I ask how to go about this?
The Master said, If it is contrary to ritual, don’t look at it. If it is contrary to ritual, don’t listen to it. If it is contrary to ritual, don’t utter it. If it is contrary to ritual, don’t do it.
Yan Yuan said, Lacking in cleverness though I am, I would like, if I may, to honor these words.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zilu, Zengxi, Ran Qiu, and Zihua were seated in attendance. The Master said to them, “Because I am older than any of you, no one is willing to employ me. Yet you, too, often complain, ‘No one appreciates me.’ Well, if someone were to appreciate you, what would you do?”
Zilu spoke up immediately. “If I were given charge of a state of a thousand chariots—even one hemmed in between powerful states, suffering from armed invasions and afflicted by famine—before three years were up I could infuse its people with courage and a sense of what is right.”
The Master smiled at him.
He then turned to Ran Qiu. “You, Ran Qiu!” he said, “What would you do?”
Ran Qiu answered, “If I were given charge of a state sixty or seventy—or even fifty or sixty—square li in area, before three years were up I could see that the people would have all that they needed. As for instructing its people in ritual practice and music, this is a task that would have to await the arrival of a gentleman.”
The Master then turned to Zihua. “You, Zihua! What would you do?”
Zihua answered, “I am not saying that I would actually be able to do it, but my wish, at least, would be to learn it. I would like to serve as a minor functionary—properly clad in ceremonial cap and gown—in ceremonies at the ancestral temple, or at diplomatic gatherings.”
The Master then turned to Zengxi. “You, Zengxi! What would you do?”
Zengxi stopped strumming his zither, and as the last notes faded away he set the instrument aside and rose to his feet. “I would choose to do something quite different from any of the other three.”
“What harm is there in that?” the Master said. “We are all just talking about our aspirations.”
Zengxi then said, “In the third month of Spring, once the Spring garments have been completed, I should like to assemble a company of five or six young men and six or seven boys to go bathe in the Yi River and enjoy the breeze upon the Rain Dance Altar, and then return singing to the Master’s house.”
The Master sighed deeply, saying, “I am with Zengxi!”
The other three disciples left, but Master Zeng stayed behind. He asked, “What did you think of what the other disciples said?”
“Each of them was simply talking about their aspirations.”
“Then why, Master, did you smile at Zilu?”
“One governs a state by means of ritual. His words failed to express the proper sense of deference, and that is why I smiled at him.”
“Was Ran Qiu, then, not concerned with statecraft?”
“Since when did something sixty or seventy—even fifty or sixty—square li in area not constitute a state?”
“Was Zihua, then, not concerned with statecraft?”
“If ancestral temples and diplomatic gatherings are not the business of the feudal lords, what then are they? If Zihua’s aspiration is a minor one, then what would be considered a major one?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu, Zeng Xi, Ran You, and Gongxi Hua were seated with the Master. He said, I’m a few days older than you, but forget that for the moment. You are always complaining that no one understands you. If someone truly understood you, how would you proceed?
Zilu quickly spoke up in answer: Suppose there is a state of a thousand chariots, hemmed in by larger states. In addition, it’s at war and thus there’s a famine. If I were in charge, in three years’ time I could teach the people courage and make them understand how to go about things.
The Master laughed at this and then asked Ran You how he would proceed.
He replied, An area sixty or seventy square li, or just fifty or sixty li—if I were in charge, in three years’ time I could make sure that the people had enough of what they needed. As for rites and music, I’d have to wait for the help of a gentleman.
And Chi (Gongxi Zihua), how about you?
I’m not saying that I could do it, he replied, but I’d like to study the procedure. In the ancestral temple, or when there is a diplomatic meeting or gathering of the rulers, I’d like to put on a ceremonial robe and cap and assist in a small way.
What about you, Dian (Zeng Xi)?
Dian ceased strumming on the large zither and, as the last notes died away, set the instrument aside and stood up. My tastes are different from those of these three men, he replied.
What harm in that? said the Master. Each person has simply to speak of his desires.
In the late spring, said Zeng Xi, when work on the spring clothes is finished, I’d like to go with five or six older fellows who have been capped and six or seven young boys to bathe in the Yi River, take the air among the altars where they pray for rain, and come home singing.
The Master gave a deep sigh and exclaimed, I’m with Dian!
When the others had left, Zeng Xi lagged behind. Master, he said, what did you think of what those three said?
The Master said, Each was just speaking of his desires, that’s all.
Why did you laugh at Zilu’s words?
The Master said, A state is governed through ritual, and his words lacked modesty. That’s why I laughed. And as for what Ran You said, he too was talking about governing a domain, wasn’t he? How can an area of sixty or seventy square li, or just fifty or sixty li, be seen as anything but a domain? And Gongxi Hua—he, too, was talking about governing a domain, wasn’t he? Ceremonies in an ancestral temple or diplomatic meetings—these are carried out by feudal rulers, are they not? If Gongxi Hua is merely to “assist in a small way,” I don’t know who that leaves to do the big assisting.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
