Zizhang said, “To submit to fate when confronted with danger, to think of rightness when presented with an opportunity for gain, to focus on respectfulness when offering sacrifices, and to concentrate upon your grief when in mourning—these are the qualities that make a scholar-official acceptable.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zizhang said, When a man of station spies danger, he is prepared to give his life. When he spies gain, he thinks of what is right. At a sacrifice, he thinks of respectfulness; at a funeral, he thinks of grief. If he does this much, he will get by.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Zhou had eight [worthy] scholar-officials: the Eldest-Sons Da and Kuo, the Second-Sons Tu and Hu, the Third-Sons Ye and Xia, and the Youngest-Sons Sui and Gua.
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Zhou had eight men of station: elder brother Da and elder brother Kuo; middle brother Tu and middle brother Hu; younger brother Ye and younger brother Xia; youngest brother Sui and youngest brother Kuo.
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.
The Master said, “Any craftsman who wishes to do his job well must first sharpen his tools. In the same way, when living in a given state, one must serve those ministers who are worthy and befriend those scholar-officials who are Good.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong asked how to practice humaneness. The Master said, A craftsman who wants to do his job well must first sharpen his tools. Whatever country you are in, be of service to the high officials who are worthy and become friends with the men of station who are humane.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zilu asked, “What does a person have to be like to be considered a true scholar-official?”
The Master replied, “He must be earnest and critical, but also affable—earnest and critical with his friends, and affable with his brothers.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zilu asked, How should one conduct himself in order to be called a man of station?
The Master said, Earnest, exacting, but also harmonious—that would qualify you to be called a man of station. With friends, earnest, exacting. With elder and younger brothers, harmonious.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zigong asked, “What does a person have to be like before he could be called a true scholar-official?”
The Master said, “Conducting himself with a sense of shame, and not dishonoring his ruler’s mandate when sent abroad as a diplomat—such a person could be called a scholar-official.”
“May I ask what the next best type of person is like?”
“His lineage and clan consider him filial, and his fellow villagers consider him respectful to his elders.”
“And the next best?”
“In his speech, he insists on being trustworthy, and with regard to his actions, he insists that they bear fruit. What a narrow, rigid little man he is! And yet he might still be considered the next best.”
“How about those who today are involved in government?”
The Master exclaimed, “Oh! Those petty functionaries are not even worth considering.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong asked, How should one conduct himself in order to be called a man of station?
The Master said, Be mindful of anything shameful in your actions. When sent on a mission to other regions in the four directions, do nothing to disgrace your ruler’s commands. Then you can be called a man of station.
And may I ask about a person on the next level?
The Master said, Among the members of his clan, he is praised for his filial conduct. In his village or community, he is praised for his brotherliness.
And may I ask about the next level?
The Master said, Their words are certain to be trustworthy; their actions, certain to be decisive. But petty men just plodding along can reach this level.
And how would you rate those who handle government affairs these days?
The Master said, Ah—peck and bushel people! Not even worth sizing up!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Master Zeng said, “A scholar-official must be strong and resolute, for his burden is heavy and his way is long. He takes up Goodness as his own personal burden—is it not heavy? His way ends only with death—is it not long?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Master Zeng said, The man of station must be both broad-minded and resolute. His burden is heavy, and the road is long. Humaneness is the burden he is charged with—heavy, is it not? The road ends only with death—long, is it not?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
