Book VIII of XX · Legge: T'ai-po
泰伯 T'ai-po
Tài Bó
The supreme virtue of the ancients who yielded the throne, the heavy burden the scholar carries, and praise of the sage-kings Yao, Shun, and Yu.
21 sayings
The Master said, ‘T’ai-po may be said to have reached the highest point of virtuous德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.) action. Thrice he declined the kingdom, and the people in ignorance of his motives could not express their approbation of his conduct.’
1The Master said, ‘Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety禮lǐRitual ProprietyRitual, ceremony, and the forms of proper conduct — from the rites of court and mourning to everyday courtesy. The outward patterns that, practised sincerely, shape the inner person., becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness.
2‘When those who are in high stations perform well all their duties to their relations, the people are aroused to virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.). When old friends are not neglected by them, the people are preserved from meanness.’
The philosopher Tsang being ill, he called to him the disciples of his school, and said, ‘Uncover my feet, uncover my hands. It is said in the Book of Poetry, “We should be apprehensive and cautious, as if on the brink of a deep gulf, as if treading on thin ice,” and so have I been. Now and hereafter, I know my escape from all injury to my person, O ye, my little children.’
1The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was.
2Tsang said to him, ‘When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.
3‘There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important:— that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity信xìnGood FaithTrustworthiness and sincerity — keeping one’s word, being reliable in one’s dealings. Without it, Confucius says, a man simply cannot get on.; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety. As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them.’
The philosopher Tsang said, ‘Gifted with ability, and yet putting questions to those who were not so; possessed of much, and yet putting questions to those possessed of little; having, as though he had not; full, and yet counting himself as empty; offended against, and yet entering into no altercation; formerly I had a friend who pursued this style of conduct.’
The philosopher Tsang said, ‘Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles:— is such a man a superior man君子jūnzǐThe Superior ManThe ‘gentleman’ or exemplary person — one who pursues virtue, righteousness, and learning for their own sake. Confucius’s ideal, set throughout against the ‘mean man’.? He is a superior man indeed.’
1The philosopher Tsang said, ‘The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long.
2‘Perfect virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.) is the burden which he considers it is his to sustain;— is it not heavy? Only with death does his course stop;— is it not long?
1The Master said, ‘It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused.
2‘It is by the Rules of Propriety that the character is established.
3‘It is from Music that the finish is received.’
The Master said, ‘The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.’
The Master said, ‘The man who is fond of daring and is dissatisfied with poverty, will proceed to insubordination. So will the man who is not virtuous德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.), when you carry your dislike of him to an extreme.’
The Master said, ‘Though a man have abilities as admirable as those of the Duke of Chau, yet if he be proud and niggardly, those other things are really not worth being looked at.’
The Master said, ‘It is not easy to find a man who has learned for three years without coming to be good.’
1The Master said, ‘With sincere信xìnGood FaithTrustworthiness and sincerity — keeping one’s word, being reliable in one’s dealings. Without it, Confucius says, a man simply cannot get on. faith he unites the love of learning學xuéLearningStudy and self-cultivation — not the mere hoarding of facts but the lifelong, joyful effort to become better. The Analects opens with it, and returns to it constantly.; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence of his course.
2‘Such an one will not enter a tottering State, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles道dàoThe WayThe Way — the right path for a person, a ruler, or an age. At once the moral order of things and the practice that accords with it. of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed.
3‘When a country is well-governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill- governed, riches and honour are things to be ashamed of.’
The Master said, ‘He who is not in any particular office, has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties.’
The Master said, ‘When the music master Chih first entered on his office, the finish of the Kwan Tsu was magnificent;— how it filled the ears!’
The Master said, ‘Ardent and yet not upright; stupid and yet not attentive; simple and yet not sincere信xìnGood FaithTrustworthiness and sincerity — keeping one’s word, being reliable in one’s dealings. Without it, Confucius says, a man simply cannot get on.:— such persons I do not understand.’
The Master said, ‘Learn as if you could not reach your object, and were always fearing also lest you should lose it.’
The Master said, ‘How majestic was the manner in which Shun and Yu held possession of the empire, as if it were nothing to them!’
1The Master said, ‘Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven天tiānHeavenHeaven — the highest power and the source of moral order, neither quite a personal god nor mere nature. It ordains one’s lot, and its decrees set the bounds of a life. that is grand, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.)! The people could find no name for it.
2‘How majestic was he in the works which he accomplished! How glorious in the elegant regulations which he instituted!’
1Shun had five ministers, and the empire was well-governed.
2King Wu said, ‘I have ten able ministers.’
3Confucius said, ‘Is not the saying that talents are difficult to find, true? Only when the dynasties of T’ang and Yu met, were they more abundant than in this of Chau, yet there was a woman among them. The able ministers were no more than nine men.
4‘King Wan possessed two of the three parts of the empire, and with those he served the dynasty of Yin. The virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.) of the house of Chau may be said to have reached the highest point indeed.’
The Master said, ‘I can find no flaw in the character of Yu. He used himself coarse food and drink, but displayed the utmost filial piety孝xiàoFilial PietyDevotion to one’s parents and ancestors — reverent care in life, proper mourning in death. For Confucius, the root from which all other virtue grows. towards the spirits. His ordinary garments were poor, but he displayed the utmost elegance in his sacrificial cap and apron. He lived in a low mean house, but expended all his strength on the ditches and water-channels. I can find nothing like a flaw in Yu.’