Wan Zhang II

Wan Zhang II

1

Mencius said, "Bo Yi would not look at any sight that was not good, nor listen to any sound that was not good. He would not serve any ruler who was not the right ruler, nor employ any people who were not the right people. When there was order, he would advance; when there was chaos, he would retreat. He could not bear to live where oppressive government prevailed or where oppressive people dwelt. He thought that to stay among ordinary folk would be like wearing court robes and court caps and sitting in mud or ashes. In the time of Zhou of Shang, he lived by the northern shore of the sea, waiting for the world to be purified. Therefore, when men of stubborn character heard of Bo Yi's way, they became pure; when men of weak character heard of it, they found the will to stand firm."

"Yi Yin said, 'What ruler should I not serve? What people should I not employ?' When there was order, he advanced; when there was chaos, he also advanced. He said, 'Heaven gave birth to these people so that those who know first may awaken those who know later, and those who are awakened first may awaken those who are awakened later. I am one of Heaven's people who has been awakened first; I will use this Way to awaken these people.' He thought that if anywhere in the world there was a common man or common woman who did not receive the blessings of Yao and Shun, it was as if he himself had pushed them into a ditch. Such was his readiness to take the weight of the world upon himself."

"Hui of Liu Xia was not ashamed to serve a corrupt ruler, nor did he refuse a small office. When advanced, he did not conceal his talents but always acted according to principle. When passed over, he bore no grudge; when in hardship, he felt no resentment. When staying among ordinary folk, he was content and could not bear to leave. 'You are you, and I am I. Even if you were to stand naked beside me, how could you defile me?' Therefore, when men of narrow character heard of Hui of Liu Xia's way, they became broad-minded; when men of shallow character heard of it, they became deep."

"When Confucius left Qi, he departed immediately, straining the grain from his cooking. When he left Lu, he said, 'This is how slowly I leave.' That was the way to leave one's ancestral state. When it was right to leave quickly, he left quickly; when it was right to stay long, he stayed long; when it was right to remain in retirement, he remained in retirement; when it was right to take office, he took office. That was Confucius."

Mencius said, "Bo Yi was the pure one among the sages; Yi Yin was the one who took responsibility among the sages; Hui of Liu Xia was the harmonious one among the sages; Confucius was the timely one among the sages. Confucius is called the one who gathered greatness into one. The one who gathered greatness into one is like the ringing of metal followed by the resonance of jade. The ringing of metal is the beginning of order; the resonance of jade is the completion of order. The beginning of order is the work of wisdom; the completion of order is the work of sagehood. Wisdom is like skill; sagehood is like strength. In shooting at a target a hundred paces away: reaching it is a matter of your strength; hitting it is not a matter of your strength."

2

Bei Gong She asked, "What was the system of ranks and emoluments in the Zhou house?"

Mencius said, "The full details cannot be heard, because the feudal lords found them harmful to themselves and destroyed the records. However, I have heard the outline. The Son of Heaven occupied one rank; the duke occupied one rank; the marquis occupied one rank; the earl occupied one rank; the viscount and the baron shared one rank—in all, five ranks. The ruler occupied one rank; the minister occupied one rank; the grand master occupied one rank; the senior shi occupied one rank; the middle shi occupied one rank; the junior shi occupied one rank—in all, six ranks. The domain of the Son of Heaven was a thousand li square; the duke and marquis each had a hundred li square; the earl had seventy li square; the viscount and baron had fifty li square—in all, four grades. Those who could not provide fifty li square did not have direct access to the Son of Heaven but were attached to a feudal lord and called 'attached territories.' The ministers of the Son of Heaven received territory comparable to that of a marquis; the grand masters received territory comparable to that of an earl; the senior shi received territory comparable to that of a viscount or baron. In a large state of a hundred li square, the ruler's emolument was ten times that of a minister; a minister's emolument was four times that of a grand master; a grand master's emolument was twice that of a senior shi; a senior shi's emolument was twice that of a middle shi; a middle shi's emolument was twice that of a junior shi; the junior shi had the same emolument as commoners in office, an emolument sufficient to replace their farming. In a medium state of seventy li square, the ruler's emolument was ten times that of a minister; a minister's emolument was three times that of a grand master; a grand master's emolument was twice that of a senior shi; a senior shi's emolument was twice that of a middle shi; a middle shi's emolument was twice that of a junior shi; the junior shi had the same emolument as commoners in office, an emolument sufficient to replace their farming. In a small state of fifty li square, the ruler's emolument was ten times that of a minister; a minister's emolument was two times that of a grand master; a grand master's emolument was twice that of a senior shi; a senior shi's emolument was twice that of a middle shi; a middle shi's emolument was twice that of a junior shi; the junior shi had the same emolument as commoners in office, an emolument sufficient to replace their farming. As for what farmers obtained, one man received a hundred mu. From a hundred mu, a superior farmer could feed nine people; the next grade, eight; the middle grade, seven; the next below, six; the lowest grade, five. The emoluments of commoners in office were graded accordingly."

3

Wan Zhang asked, "May I ask about friendship?"

Mencius said, "Do not presume upon age, do not presume upon rank, do not presume upon family connections in being friends. To be friends is to be friends with their virtue; one must not presume upon anything else. Meng Xian Zi, a household of a hundred war chariots, had five friends: Yue Zheng Qiu and Mu Zhong. The other three I have forgotten. When Meng Xian Zi was friends with these five, he did not think of his own household. If these five had thought of Meng Xian Zi's household, he would not have befriended them. It is not only in households of a hundred war chariots that this is so; even the rulers of small states had such friends. Duke Hui of Bi said, 'I treated Zi Si as my teacher; I treated Yan Ban as my friend; Wang Shun and Chang Xi served me.' It is not only the rulers of small states that this is so; even the rulers of large states had such ones. Duke Ping of Jin, in his dealings with Hai Tang, would enter when told to enter, sit when told to sit, and eat when told to eat. Even with coarse food and vegetable soup, he was never not full, because he dared not fail to eat his fill. Yet it remained only at this. He did not share with him the position of Heaven, did not share with him the duties of Heaven, did not share with him the emoluments of Heaven. This is how a scholar honors the worthy, not how a king or duke honors the worthy. When Shun had an audience with the Emperor, the Emperor lodged his son-in-law in the second palace, and also feasted Shun, the two alternating as host and guest. Here was the Son of Heaven being friends with a common man. The lower honoring the upper is called honoring rank; the upper honoring the lower is called honoring the worthy. Honoring rank and honoring the worthy share the same principle."

4

Wan Zhang said, "May I ask what the mind should be in social dealings?"

Mencius said, "Respectfulness."

He said, "If one declines and declines, that is disrespectful, is it not?"

Mencius said, "When a person of rank gives a gift, and one says, 'Was what he took taken rightly or not rightly?' and only then accepts it, this is considered disrespectful. Therefore one does not decline."

He said, "May I ask if one may not decline with words but decline in one's mind, saying to oneself, 'This was taken from the people unrighteously,' and refuse to accept it for some other reason—would that not be permissible?"

Mencius said, "If his dealings with one are according to principle, and his offering is according to ritual, then Confucius would have accepted it."

Wan Zhang said, "Suppose there is a highwayman who waylays people outside the city gate. If his dealings with one are according to principle and his gift is according to ritual, may one accept it from a highwayman?"

"No," he said. "The Kang gao says: 'Those who kill people and seize their goods, who are reckless and fearless of death—among the people, none will not hate them.' Such persons may be put to death without prior instruction. What Yin received from Xia, and Zhou received from Yin, involved no refusal of such punishment. That this practice has become even more severe today—how could one accept such a practice?"

"Now the feudal lords of today take from the people as if they were plunderers. Yet it is said, 'If one handles the rites of hospitality properly, the gentleman will accept it.' May I ask what this means?"

"Do you suppose that if a true king were to arise, he would execute all the present feudal lords? Or would he first instruct them and only execute them if they refused to reform? To call one who takes what does not belong to him a robber is an extension of the concept of righteousness to its utmost limit. When Confucius served in Lu, the people of Lu competed in hunting, and Confucius also competed in hunting. If even competing in hunting was acceptable, how much more so accepting a gift?"

"Then was Confucius's service not for the sake of practicing the Way?"

"It was for the sake of practicing the Way."

"If it was for the sake of practicing the Way, why did he compete in hunting?"

"Confucius first established proper records and standardized the sacrificial vessels, and did not use food from the four directions to supply the standardized offerings."

"Then why did he not leave?"

"He first tested the situation. If the test showed that the Way could be put into practice, and it was still not practiced, then then would he leave. That is why he never remained in any place for a full three years. Confucius had service where the Way could be practiced, service where the courtesies were acceptable, and service where the ruler provided sustenance. With Jihuanzi, it was service where the Way could be practiced; with Duke Ling of Wei, it was service where the courtesies were acceptable; with Duke Xiao of Wei, it was service where the ruler provided sustenance."

Mencius said: "To serve is not because of poverty, yet sometimes it is because of poverty. To take a wife is not to care for one's parents, yet sometimes it is to care for one's parents. One who serves because of poverty should decline high positions and accept low ones, decline wealth and accept poverty. If one declines high positions and accepts low ones, declines wealth and accepts poverty, what would be appropriate? To be a gatekeeper or a night watchman. Confucius once served as a granary keeper and said, 'The accounts are all correct, that is all.' He once served as an overseer of cattle and sheep and said, 'The cattle and sheep are thriving and growing, that is all.' To speak of high matters while in a low position is a fault. To stand in a ruler's court and fail to practice the Way is a shame."

Wan Zhang said: "Why does a scholar not lodge with a feudal lord?"

Mencius said: "He does not dare to. When a feudal lord loses his state and then lodges with another feudal lord, that is in accordance with ritual propriety. For a scholar to lodge with a feudal lord is not in accordance with ritual propriety."

Wan Zhang said: "If a ruler sends him grain, does he accept it?"

"He accepts it."

"What is the principle in accepting it?"

"The ruler regards the common people as his subjects and provides for them accordingly."

"If he accepts provision but does not accept gifts, why is that?"

"He does not dare to."

"May I ask why he does not dare to?"

"Gatekeepers and night watchmen all have regular duties by which they are fed by their superiors. To receive gifts without having regular duties is considered disrespectful."

"If the ruler sends provisions and he accepts them, I do not know whether this can be continued regularly?"

"Duke Mu frequently inquired after Zisi and frequently sent him cooked meat. Zisi was displeased. Finally, he dismissed the messenger outside the main gate, bowed with his face to the north, and declined the gift, saying: 'From now on I know that the ruler keeps me like a dog or a horse.' From then on, the messenger was no longer sent. If one delights in the worthy but cannot promote them, and also cannot properly support them, can this be called delighting in the worthy?"

"May I ask how a ruler who wishes to support a gentleman should do so in order to be said to support him properly?"

"He sends it with a royal command, and the gentleman bows twice with his head to the ground and accepts it. After that, the granary keeper continues to supply grain, and the cook continues to supply meat, without using a royal command. Zisi thought that being made to bow repeatedly because of cooked meat was not the way to support a gentleman. Yao treated Shun by sending nine of his sons to serve him, giving him two daughters in marriage, and providing officials, cattle, granaries, and provisions to support Shun while he was in the fields, and later raised him to the highest position. Therefore it is said that this is how kings and dukes honor the worthy."

Wan Zhang said: "May I ask what is the principle behind not going to see the feudal lords?"

Mencius said: "In the city, they are called market-quarter officials; in the countryside, they are called grass-and-plain officials. Both are called commoners. A commoner does not present the pledge of service to become a minister and does not dare to appear before a feudal lord. This is in accordance with ritual propriety."

Wan Zhang said: "When a commoner is summoned for labor service, he goes. But when a ruler wishes to see him and summons him, he does not go. Why is that?"

"Going to labor service is proper; going to be seen is improper. Moreover, why does the ruler wish to see him?"

"Because he has much knowledge, because he is worthy."

"If it is because he has much knowledge, even the Son of Heaven does not summon a teacher—how much less would a feudal lord? If it is because he is worthy, I have never heard of one who wishes to see a worthy person summoning him. Duke Mu frequently went to see Zisi and said: 'In ancient times, a state of a thousand chariots befriended scholars—how was that?' Zisi was displeased and said: 'The ancients had a saying: "Serve them, you say." How can you say "Befriend them"?' Was Zisi's displeasure not because he thought: 'In terms of position, you are the ruler and I am the minister—how dare I befriend the ruler? In terms of virtue, you should be serving me—how can you befriend me?' A ruler of a thousand chariots sought to befriend a scholar and could not achieve it—how much less could he summon him? Duke Jing of Yi went hunting and summoned the gamekeeper with a pennant. The gamekeeper did not come, and the duke was about to execute him. 'A man of purpose does not forget that he may end up in a ditch; a brave man does not forget that he may lose his head.' What did Confucius approve of here? He approved that one does not go when summoned with an improper token."

"May I ask how the gamekeeper should be summoned?"

"With a leather cap. A commoner is summoned with a banner of plain cloth; a scholar with a flag; a grandee with a pennant. If one summons a gamekeeper with the token for a grandee, the gamekeeper would die rather than go. If one summons a commoner with the token for a scholar, would the commoner dare to go? How much less would a worthy person go when summoned with the token of an unworthy person? To wish to see a worthy person but not do so by the proper way is like wishing him to enter while closing the gate. Righteousness is the road; ritual propriety is the gate. Only the gentleman can walk this road and pass through this gate. The Odes say: 'The road of Zhou is smooth as a whetstone, straight as an arrow. It is what the gentleman walks upon, and what the common people look to.'"

Wan Zhang said: "When Confucius received the ruler's summons, he went without waiting for the horses to be harnessed. Was Confucius then wrong?"

"Confucius at that time held an office and had official duties, and he was summoned in his official capacity."

Mengzi said to Wan Zhang, "A good man of a village befriends the good men of that village; a good man of a state befriends the good men of that state; a good man of the world befriends the good men of the world. And when he considers befriending the good men of the world to be insufficient, he goes on to discuss the people of antiquity. He recites their poetry, reads their books—but can he do so without knowing what kind of men they were? For this reason, he examines the age in which they lived. This is to befriend them across the ages."

9

King Xuan of Qi asked about the chief ministers. Mengzi said, "What kind of chief minister is Your Majesty asking about?"

The King said, "Are chief ministers different from one another?"

Mengzi said, "They are different. There are chief ministers of the royal lineage and chief ministers of other surnames."

The King said, "I would ask about a chief minister of the royal lineage."

Mengzi said, "If the ruler commits a great fault, he remonstrates with him. If, after repeated remonstrance, the ruler does not listen, he deposes him."

The King's expression changed abruptly.

Mengzi said, "Do not take offense, Your Majesty. You asked your minister, and I dare not answer except with rectitude."

When the King's composure was restored, he then asked about a chief minister of another surname.

Mengzi said, "If the ruler commits a fault, he remonstrates with him. If, after repeated remonstrance, the ruler does not listen, he leaves."