Senior Music Master Zhi went to Qi; Conductor for the Second Course Gan went to Chu; Conductor for Third Course Liao went to Cai; Conductor for the Fourth Course Que went to Qin; the large drum player Fangshu went to live on the banks of the Yellow River; the hand-drum player Wu went to live on the banks of the Han River; and Junior Music Master Yang and stone-chime player Xiang went to live on the coast.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Grand Music Master Zhi went to Qi; Gan, musician of the second meal, went to Chu; Liao, musician of the third meal, went to Cai; Que, musician of the fourth meal, went to Qin. The drummer Fang Shu went to the Yellow River region. The hand-drum player Wu went to the Han River region. The Lesser Music Master Yang and Xiang, who played the chiming stones, went to the coast.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Those men who went into seclusion include Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Liuxia Hui, and Shao Lian.
The Master said, “Unwilling to lower their aspirations or bring disgrace upon their persons—such were Bo Yi and Shu Qi.”
Of Liuxia Hui and Shao Lian he said, “Although they lowered their aspirations and brought disgrace upon their persons, at least their speech was in accord with their status and their actions were in accord with their thoughts.”
Of Yu Zhong and Yi Yi he said, “Living in seclusion and freely speaking their minds, their persons remained pure and their resignations from office were well-considered.”
He concluded, “I, however, am different from all of them in that I have no preconceived notions of what is permissible and what is not.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Those who withdrew from the world: Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Liuxia Hui, Shao Lian.
he Master said, They never lowered their aims, never let themselves be disgraced—that would be Bo Yi and Shu Qi, would it not?
He said, Liuxia Hui and Shao Lian lowered their aims and suffered disgrace. But they spoke in accordance with reason, acted in accordance with careful thought—that much can be said of them.
And he said, Yu Zhong and Yi Yi lived in seclusion, gave up speaking, kept themselves free of stain, and in their withdrawal accorded with expediency. I myself differ from these men. I have no hard and fast dos and don’ts.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zilu was traveling with Confucius, but had fallen behind. He encountered an old man carrying a wicker basket suspended from his staff. Zilu asked, “Have you seen my Master?”
The old man answered,
“ ‘Won’t soil his dainty hands
Can’t tell millet from corn.’
Who, then, might your master be?”
He then planted his staff in the ground and began weeding.
[Not knowing how to reply], Zilu simply remained standing with his hands clasped as a sign of respect.
The old man subsequently invited Zilu back to his house to stay the night. After killing a chicken and preparing some millet for Zilu to eat, he presented his two sons to him. The next day, Zilu caught up to Confucius and told him what had happened.
“He must be a scholar recluse,” the Master said. He sent Zilu back to the old farmer’s house to meet with him again, but by the time Zilu got there the man had already disappeared. Zilu then remarked, “To avoid public service is to be without a sense of what is right. Proper relations between elders and juniors cannot be discarded—how, then, can one discard the rightness that obtains between ruler and minister? To do so is to wish to keep one’s hands from getting dirty at the expense of throwing the great social order into chaos. The gentleman takes office in order to do what is right, even though he already knows that the Way will not be realized.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu was accompanying the Master but had fallen behind when he came upon an old man carrying a pole with a basket dangling from it. Zilu said, Have you seen my Master?
The old man said, Don’t know how to move your four limbs, can’t tell the five grains apart?—who is your “Master”? Then he stuck the pole in the ground and went to weeding. Zilu folded his hands in a gesture of respect and stood waiting.
The old man put Zilu up for the night, killed a chicken and cooked millet for a meal, and introduced him to his two sons.
The following day, Zilu caught up with Confucius and reported what had happened. The Master said, He’s a recluse! and sent Zilu to look for the man again, but when he got to the place, the man was gone.
Zilu said, If you fail to serve the ruler, you lack rightness. You understand that the etiquette between elder and younger cannot be set aside. How, then, can the right relations between ruler and subject be set aside? You want to keep yourselves unsullied, but you bring confusion to a much greater relationship. The gentleman, in serving the ruler, is carrying out his rightful duty. That the Way does not prevail today—we know that already!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Confucius passed Chang Ju and Jie Ni, who were yoked together pulling a plow through a field. He sent Zilu to ask them where the ford was to be found.
Chang Ju inquired, “That fellow holding the reins there—who is he?”
Zilu answered, “That is Confucius.”
“Do you mean Confucius of Lu?”
“The same.”
“Then he should know where the ford is.”
Zilu then asked Jie Ni.
Jie Ni also replied with a question: “Who are you?”
“I am Zilu.”
“The disciple of Confucius of Lu?”
“Yes.”
“The whole world is as if engulfed in a great flood, and who can change it? Given this, instead of following a scholar who merely avoids the bad people [of this age], wouldn’t it be better for you to follow scholars like us, who avoid the age itself?” He then proceeded to cover up his seeds with dirt and did not pause again.
Zilu returned and reported this conversation to Confucius. The Master was lost in thought for a moment, and then remarked, “A person cannot flock together with the birds and the beasts. If I do not associate with the followers of men, then with whom would I associate? If the Way were realized in the world, then I would not need to change anything.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Changju and Jieni had teamed up to do the plowing when Confucius passed by. He sent Zilu to ask them where the ford was.
Changju said, Who is that driving the carriage?
That’s Kong Qiu, said Zilu.
Kong Qiu of Lu?
Yes, Zilu replied.
Then he must know where the ford is.
Zilu put the same question to Jieni. Jieni said, Who are you?
I’m Zhongyou (Zilu).
Are you a follower of this Kong Qiu of Lu?
I am, Zilu replied.
Turmoil, turmoil, said Jieni—the whole world’s that way, and who’s going to change it? Rather than following someone who shuns this person or that, wouldn’t it be better to follow one who shuns the world itself? Then he went back to breaking up the clods, never stopping.
Zilu returned and reported this to Confucius, who sighed and said, One cannot simply live with the birds and beasts. If I am not to join with my fellow men, who am I to join with? If the Way prevailed in the world, I would not try to change things.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Jieyu, the Madman of Chu, passed by Confucius singing a song:
“Oh phoenix! Oh phoenix!
Why has your Virtue so declined?
What is past is beyond remonstration,
But the future can still be pursued.
Give it up! Give it up!
Those who participate in government these days court nothing but danger.”
Confucius descended from his carriage and wished to speak with him, but Jieyu scurried away and avoided him. Therefore Confucius did not get to speak with him.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Jie Yu, the madman of Chu, passed by Confucius, singing these words:
Phoenix, phoenix,
how your virtue has ebbed away!
What’s past has gone beyond mending
but what’s to come is still within reach.
Leave off! Leave off!
Danger waits those who work at governing today!
Confucius got down from his carriage, hoping to speak with him, but the madman ran away and hid, and he was never able to speak to him.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The people of Qi sent a gift of female entertainers. Ji Huanzi accepted them [on behalf of the Duke of Lu], and court was not held for several days. Confucius thereupon left the state of Lu.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The men of Qi presented Lu with a troupe of women musicians. Ji Huanzi accepted them and for three days failed to appear at court. Confucius left the state.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
With regard to how he should treat Confucius, Duke Jing of Qi said, “I cannot treat him as I would the head of the Ji Family; I shall treat him at a level somewhere between that of the head of the Ji Family and the head of the Meng Family.” On a later occasion, he remarked, “I am too old, I will not be able to employ him.” Confucius then left the state of Qi.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Duke Jing of Qi, speaking of the treatment that he was prepared to offer Confucius, said, I cannot give him the treatment accorded the senior branch of the Ji family. It would have to be the treatment accorded someone in between the senior and the junior branches. [To Confucius] he said, I’m old—I cannot make proper use of you.
Confucius left the state of Qi.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
When Liuxia Hui was serving as Captain of the Guard, he was dismissed three times. People said to him, “Sir, is this not grounds for simply leaving?”
He replied, “If I serve others by means of the upright Way, where can I go and not end up being dismissed three times? If, instead, I were to serve others in a crooked, accommodating manner, what need would I have to leave my home state?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
When Liuxia Hui served as chief judge he was three times dismissed. Someone said, Wouldn’t you do better going elsewhere?
Liuxia Hui said, If I apply the Way correctly in serving others, where can I go and not be dismissed three times? And if I applied the Way in a crooked fashion in serving others, what need would I have to leave the country of my father and mother?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “If, having reached the age of forty, you still find yourself despised by others, you will remain despised until the end of your days.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Forty and hated by others—and he’ll be so the rest of his life.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master of Wei left his side, the Master of Ji became his slave, and Bi Gan remonstrating with him and was therefore put to death. Confucius said, “In them, the Shang had three Good men.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Weizi left the state; Jizi became a slave; Bi Gan reprimanded him and was killed. Confucius said, The Yin had three who were humane.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
