Zixia said, “The gentleman has three aspects: when you gaze upon him from afar, he appears grave and imposing; once you approach him, he appears mild and welcoming; and when you listen to his words, he appears strict and serious.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zixia said, The gentleman has three changes of appearance. Seen from a distance, he is austere. Approach more closely, and he is mild. Listen to his words, and he is sharp-spoken.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
When he saw someone fasting or mourning, he invariably assumed a changed expression, even if they were an intimate acquaintance. When he saw someone wearing a ritual cap or a blind person, he would invariably display a respectful countenance, even if they were of low birth.
When riding past someone dressed in funeral garb, he would bow down and grasp the crossbar of his carriage. He would do so even if the mourner was a lowly peddler.
When presented food with full ritual propriety, he would invariably assume a solemn expression and rise from his seat.
He would also assume a solemn expression upon hearing a sudden clap of thunder or observing a fierce wind.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
If the Master saw someone in deep mourning, even though it was a person he was familiar with, he always changed his attitude. If he saw someone in a ceremonial cap or a blind person, even someone he knew well, he invariably assumed an appropriate bearing.
If he saw a person in mourning, he bowed from the crossbar of his carriage, and he would likewise bow from his carriage to a person carrying population registers.
Confronted with a sumptuous feast, he invariably changed his expression and rose to his feet. At a sudden clap of thunder or a blast of wind, he would invariably change his posture.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
