Book 11: The Advanced First

Book 11: The Advanced First

Commentary

11.1

The Master said: "Those who were early in their mastery of ritual and music were of rustic origins; those who were later in their mastery of ritual and music were of gentlemanly stock. If I were to put them into practice, I would follow those who were early."

11.2

The Master said: "Those who were with me in Chen and Cai never made it to the gate [of my teaching]." In moral conduct: Yan Yuan, Min Ziqian, Ran Boniu, Zhonggong. In speech: Zai Wo, Zigong. In governance: Ran You, Zilu. In literature: Ziyou, Zixia.

11.3

The Master said: "Hui is no help to me! He is delighted with everything I say."

11.4

The Master said: "How filial was Min Ziqian! No one can find fault with what his parents and brothers say of him."

11.5

Nanrong repeated the ode of the White Scepter over and over. Confucius gave him his elder brother's daughter in marriage.

11.6

Ji Kangzi asked: "Which of your disciples loves learning?" The Master replied: "There was Yan Hui who loved learning. Unfortunately, his allotted span was short and he died. Now there is none."

11.7

When Yan Yuan died, Yan Lu asked the Master for his carriage to make an outer coffin. The Master said: "Talented or not, each man speaks of his own son. When Li died, he had a coffin but no outer coffin. I did not go on foot to provide him an outer coffin, for since I follow in the retinue of the great officers, it is not permissible for me to go on foot."

11.8

When Yan Yuan died, the Master said: "Alas! Heaven is destroying me! Heaven is destroying me!"

11.9

When Yan Yuan died, the Master wept with exceeding grief. Those attending him said, "Master, you are weeping with exceeding grief!" He said: "Am I weeping with exceeding grief? If not for this man, for whom should I weep with exceeding grief?"

11.10

When Yan Yuan died, the disciples wished to give him an elaborate burial. The Master said, "It cannot be done." The disciples gave him an elaborate burial. The Master said: "Hui treated me as a father, but I have not been able to treat him as a son. This is not my doing—it is those few fellows [who did it]."

11.11

Zilu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said: "If you are not yet able to serve men, how can you serve the spirits?" Zilu then said: "May I presume to ask about death?" The Master said: "If you do not yet understand life, how can you understand death?"

11.12

When Min Ziqian stood by the Master's side, he had an air of gracious propriety; Zilu, an air of bold firmness; Ran You and Zigong, an air of easy confidence. The Master was pleased. He said, "As for You, he will not die a natural death."

11.13

The men of Lu were rebuilding the Long Treasury. Min Ziqian said: "Why not simply keep the old structure as it is? Why must they build it anew?" The Master said: "That man does not speak lightly, but when he speaks, he hits the mark."

11.14

The Master said: "Why should You play the se at my gate?" The disciples then ceased to respect Zilu. The Master said: "You has ascended the hall, but he has not yet entered the inner chamber."

11.15

Zigong asked: "Which is the worthier, Shi or Shang?" The Master said: "Shi goes too far; Shang does not go far enough." Zigong said: "Then Shi is the better of the two?" The Master said: "Going too far is just as bad as not going far enough."

11.16

The Ji family was wealthier than the Duke of Zhou, and yet Ran Qiu helped them to amass still greater riches through exactions. The Master said: "He is no disciple of mine! You young fellows, you may beat the drum and attack him—that would be acceptable."

11.17

Chai was simple-minded; Can was dull; Shi was one-sided; You was blunt.

11.18

The Master said: "Hui—he comes close to it, yet he is often in want. Shang does not accept his fate, yet he engages in trade and speculation; his guesses often prove correct."

11.19

Zizhang asked about the way of the good man. The Master said: "He does not follow in the footsteps [of others], and he does not enter the inner chamber."

11.20

The Master said: "If we approve of those who are earnest in speech, are they then gentlemen? Or do they merely put on a grave countenance?"

11.21

Zilu asked: "Should I immediately put into practice what I hear?" The Master said: "You have father and elder brothers still alive—how can you immediately put into practice what you hear?" Ran You asked: "Should I immediately put into practice what I hear?" The Master said: "Immediately put into practice what you hear." Gongxi Hua said: "When You asked, 'Should I immediately put into practice what I hear?' you said, 'You have father and elder brothers still alive.' When Qiu asked, 'Should I immediately put into practice what I hear?' you said, 'Immediately put into practice what you hear.' I am confused—may I presume to ask about this?" The Master said: "Qiu is timid, therefore I urged him forward. You has the drive of two men, therefore I held him back."

11.22

When the Master was in danger at Kuang, Yan Yuan fell behind. The Master said: "I thought you had died." Yan Yuan said: "While you were alive, how dare Hui die?"

11.23

Ji Ziran asked: "Can Zhong You and Ran Qiu be called great ministers?" The Master said: "I thought you were going to ask about something extraordinary—is this all you meant by You and Qiu? What is called a great minister is one who serves his prince according to the Way and who, if he cannot, stops. Now as for You and Qiu, they may be called mere ministers." Ji Ziran said: "Then they would follow their prince in everything?" The Master said: "In the matter of killing a father or a prince, they would not follow."

11.24

Zilu made Zigao the steward of Bi. The Master said: "You are injuring another man's son." Zilu said: "There are the people and there are the altars of grain. Why must one read books before one can be considered to have learned?" The Master said: "This is why I hate glib talkers."

11.25

Zilu, Zeng Xi, Ran You, and Gongxi Hua were sitting in attendance. The Master said: "I am only a little older than you. Do not let that stop you. You are always saying, 'We are not appreciated.' Now suppose someone did appreciate you—what would you do?"

Zilu answered without hesitation: "A state of a thousand chariots, hemmed in between great states, harassed by invading armies and afflicted by famine—if I were given charge of it, within three years I could make its people brave and teach them the principles of right conduct." The Master smiled at him.

"And you, Qiu—what would you do?" He replied: "A territory of sixty or seventy li square, or even fifty or sixty—if I were given charge of it, within three years I could make its people prosperous. As for ritual and music, that would have to await a gentleman."

"And you, Chi—what would you do?" He replied: "I do not say that I could do it, but I would like to learn. In the services at the ancestral temple, or in diplomatic gatherings, wearing a dark ceremonial cap and robe, I would like to serve as a minor assistant."

"What about you, Dian?" Dian was playing the zither; he struck a final note, set the zither aside, and rose. "The three of us have spoken," he said, "but I am not sure that my aspiration is the same as theirs." The Master said, "What harm is there? Each of us is simply speaking his mind."

"In late spring, when the spring clothes have already been made, I would like to go with five or six young men and six or seven boys to bathe in the Yi River, enjoy the breeze at the Rain Dance Altar, and return home singing."

The Master sighed deeply and said, "I am with Dian."

The three disciples left, but Zeng Xi remained behind. He said, "What do you think of what the three of them said?"

The Master said, "Each simply spoke his mind—that is all."

"Then why did you smile at You?"

"To govern a state requires modesty, yet You spoke without deference. That is why I smiled."

"But was not Qiu speaking of governing a state?"

"Who would say that a territory of sixty or seventy *li*, or even fifty or sixty *li*, is not a state?"

"But was not Chi speaking of governing a state?"

"Ancestral temples and diplomatic meetings—if not the affairs of a feudal lord, then what? If Chi could only play a minor role, then who could play the major one?"