Gao Zi II

Gao Zi II

1

A man of Ren asked Wuluzi, "Which is more important, ritual propriety or food?"

He replied, "Ritual propriety is more important."

"Which is more important, sexual desire or ritual propriety?"

He replied, "Ritual propriety is more important."

The man said, "If one insists on ritual propriety when eating, one will starve to death; if one does not insist on ritual propriety, one will get food. Must one then insist on ritual propriety? If one goes in person to meet his bride according to the rites, he will not get a wife; if he does not go in person, he will get a wife. Must one then go in person to meet his bride?"

Wuluzi could not answer. The next day he went to Zou and told Mencius about it.

Mencius said, "What difficulty is there in answering this? If you do not measure the base but only compare the tips, a piece of wood an inch square can be made to stand higher than a towering tower. When we say metal is heavier than feathers, do we mean a single hook of metal compared with a cartload of feathers? Take the weightier cases of food and compare them with the lighter aspects of ritual propriety—then it is not just that food is heavier. Take the weightier cases of sexual desire and compare them with the lighter aspects of ritual propriety—then it is not just that sexual desire is weightier. Go and answer him thus: 'If you twist your elder brother's arm and seize his food, you will get food; if you do not twist it, you will not get food—will you twist it? If you climb over the wall of the eastern house and carry off their young daughter, you will get a wife; if you do not, you will not get a wife—will you carry her off?'"

2

Cao Jiao asked, "It is said that anyone can become a Yao or a Shun. Is this so?"

Mencius replied, "It is."

Jiao said, "I have heard that King Wen was ten feet tall, and Tang was nine feet tall. I, Jiao, am nine feet four inches tall and can do nothing but eat grain. What should I do?"

Mencius said, "What has this to do with it? You simply have to do it. Suppose there is a man who cannot lift a fledgling chicken—he would be considered a man of no strength. But if he says he can lift three thousand catties, he is a man of strength. Then, to be able to lift the weight that Wu Huo can lift is simply a matter of becoming a Wu Huo. Is a man troubled by inability? It is a matter of not doing it. To walk slowly behind an elder is called fraternal respect; to walk quickly and get ahead of an elder is called a lack of fraternal respect. But is walking slowly something a man cannot do? It is simply something he does not do. The Way of Yao and Shun is nothing but filial piety and fraternal respect. If you wear the clothes of Yao, recite the words of Yao, and do the deeds of Yao, then you are a Yao. If you wear the clothes of Jie, recite the words of Jie, and do the deeds of Jie, then you are a Jie."

Jiao said, "I may be able to have an audience with the ruler of Zou and borrow lodging there. I wish to remain and receive instruction at your gate."

Mencius said, "The Way is like a great road. Is it hard to know? The trouble with people is that they do not seek it. Go home and seek it, and you will find teachers enough."

3

Gong Sun Chou asked, "Gaozi said that the 'Xiao Pan' is the poem of a petty man."

Mencius said, "Why does he say so?"

"Because it expresses resentment."

Mencius said, "How rigid old Gao's interpretation of the Odes is! Suppose there is a man and a man from Yue bends his bow and shoots at him—he will talk about it with a smile and in a casual manner. There is no reason for this except that he is distant from the man from Yue. But if his elder brother bends his bow and shoots at him, he will talk about it with tears streaming down his face. There is no reason for this except that he is close to him. The resentment in the 'Xiao Pan' arises from caring for one's kin. To care for one's kin is benevolence. How rigid old Gao's interpretation of the Odes is!"

Chou asked, "Then why does the 'Kai Feng' express no resentment?"

Mencius said, "In the 'Kai Feng,' the fault of the parents is small; in the 'Xiao Pan,' the fault of the parents is great. When the fault of the parents is great and one does not resent it, this is to become more distant from them. When the fault of the parents is small and one resents it, this is an overreaction. To become more distant is unfilial; to overreact is also unfilial. Confucius said, 'Shun reached the utmost in filial piety—at the age of fifty he still longed for his parents.'"

4

Song Keng was going to Chu. Mencius met him at Shiqiu and said, "Where are you going, sir?"

He said, "I have heard that Qin and Chu are at war. I shall go to see the king of Chu and persuade him to stop the fighting. If the king of Chu is not pleased, I shall go to see the king of Qin and persuade him to stop the fighting. Between the two kings, I shall surely meet with success."

Mencius said, "I, Qie, would not venture to ask for the details, but I would like to hear your general idea. How will you persuade them?"

He said, "I shall speak to them about the disadvantages of war."

Mencius said, "Your aim, sir, is great, but your slogan is not acceptable. If you speak to the kings of Qin and Chu about the disadvantages of war, and the kings of Qin and Chu are pleased by this and stop the armies, the soldiers of the armies will be pleased at the cessation and pleased by the disadvantages. But if ministers serve their rulers with an eye to advantage, sons serve their fathers with an eye to advantage, and younger brothers serve their elder brothers with an eye to advantage, then ruler and minister, father and son, elder and younger brother will abandon benevolence and righteousness and serve each other with an eye to advantage—yet there has never been a case where such a state did not perish. If, sir, you speak to the kings of Qin and Chu about benevolence and righteousness, and the kings of Qin and Chu are pleased by benevolence and righteousness and stop the armies, the soldiers of the armies will be pleased at the cessation and pleased by benevolence and righteousness. Then ministers will serve their rulers with benevolence and righteousness, sons will serve their fathers with benevolence and righteousness, and younger brothers will serve their elder brothers with benevolence and righteousness—ruler and minister, father and son, elder and younger brother will abandon advantage and serve each other with benevolence and righteousness—yet there has never been a case where such a state did not become king. Why must you speak of advantage?"

5

While Mencius was residing in Zou, Ji Ren was acting as the governor of Ren and sent Mencius a present as a gesture of friendship. Mencius accepted it but did not return the courtesy. When he was residing in Pinglu, Chu Zi was the prime minister and sent Mencius a present as a gesture of friendship. Mencius accepted it but did not return the courtesy. On another day, Mencius went from Zou to Ren and called on Ji Zi, but when he went from Pinglu to Qi, he did not call on Chu Zi. Wuluzi was pleased and said, "I have found the reason."

He asked, "When you went to Ren you called on Ji Zi, but when you went to Qi you did not call on Chu Zi. Was it because he was prime minister?"

Mencius said, "No. The Documents say, 'In presenting offerings, it is the ritual that matters. If the ritual is lacking even though the gifts are abundant, this is called no offering. This is because no sincere intention went into the offering.' It was because the offering was not complete."

Wuluzi was pleased. When someone asked him about it, Wuluzi said, "Ji Zi could not come to Zou, but Chu Zi could have come to Pinglu."

6

Chunyu Kun said, "He who puts fame and substance first works for others. He who puts fame and substance last works for himself. You, sir, hold a position among the three ministers of state. Before your fame and substance have been realized above and below, you leave. Is this indeed what a benevolent man would do?"

Mencius said, "He who, occupying a low position, would not serve a ruler unworthy with his talent—this was Bo Yi. He who served Tang five times and served Jie five times—this was Yi Yin. He who did not despise a wicked ruler and would not decline a minor office—this was Liu Xia Hui. These three men followed different paths, but their direction was one. What is this one thing? It is benevolence. A gentleman has only to be benevolent—why must they be the same?"

The other said, "In the time of Duke Mu of Lu, Gong Yi Zi was in charge of government, while Zi Liu and Zi Si served as ministers, yet the diminishment of Lu became only more severe. So it seems that the wise are of no benefit to the state!"

Meng Zi said, "When the state of Yu did not employ Bai Li Xi, it perished; when Duke Mu of Qin employed it, he became a hegemon. If one does not employ the wise, one perishes—how can mere diminishment be accepted?"

The other said, "In the past, when Wang Bao dwelt in Qi, the people west of the River became skilled at singing. When Mian Ju dwelt in Gao Tang, the western regions of Qi became skilled at singing. The wives of Hua Zhou and Qi Liang wept so skillfully for their husbands that they transformed the customs of the state. When something exists within, it must manifest without. I, Kun, have never seen a person who performs a task yet achieves no result. Therefore, there simply are no wise men—if there were, I, Kun, would certainly recognize them."

The other said, "When Kong Zi served as Minister of Crime in Lu, he was not employed. When he followed the ruler to the sacrifice, the roasted meat did not arrive, and he departed without removing the ceremonial cap. Those who did not understand thought he did it for the meat; those who understood thought it was because of the lack of ritual propriety. Kong Zi, however, wished to leave on account of a slight fault and did not wish to depart without cause. The conduct of a junzi is simply not understood by the common people."

Meng Zi said: "The Five Hegemons were the offenders against the Three Kings. The lords of today are the offenders against the Five Hegemons. The grand officers of today are the offenders against the lords of today. When the Son of Heaven visits the lords, it is called a tour of inspection. When the lords appear at the court of the Son of Heaven, it is called a report of duties. In spring, he inspects the plowing and supplements those who are lacking; in autumn, he inspects the harvest and assists those who are in need. When he enters a territory and finds the land cleared and the fields well-tended, the elderly nourished, the worthy honored, and men of distinction in office, there is reward—reward in the form of land. When he enters a territory and finds the land overgrown and neglected, the elderly abandoned, the worthy overlooked, and grasping men in office, there is punishment. For failing to appear once, the lord's rank is degraded. For failing to appear twice, his land is reduced. For failing to appear three times, the six armies are sent against him. Therefore, the Son of Heaven punishes but does not attack; the lords attack but do not punish. The Five Hegemons were those who rallied the lords to attack other lords. Therefore it is said: the Five Hegemons were the offenders against the Three Kings. Among the Five Hegemons, Duke Huan was the most prominent. At the assembly at Kui Qiu, the lords bound the sacrificial animals and recorded their pledges without smearing their mouths with blood. The first charge was: 'Punish the unfilial, do not displace the established heir, do not make a concubine into a wife.' The second was: 'Honor the worthy and nurture the talented, in order to display those with virtue.' The third was: 'Respect the old and cherish the young, and do not forget guests and travelers.' The fourth was: 'Let officers not hold office by hereditary right, let official duties not be performed concurrently, let the selection of officers be done properly, and let no grand officer be put to death arbitrarily.' The fifth was: 'Do not build embankments to divert water for selfish purposes, do not block the sale of grain, and do not grant fiefs without reporting them.' It was said: 'All of us who are in this alliance—after the covenant is made, let us return to good relations.' The lords of today have violated all five of these prohibitions. Therefore it is said: the lords of today are the offenders against the Five Hegemons. To prolong a ruler's wrongdoing is a lesser offense; to encourage a ruler's wrongdoing is a greater offense. The grand officers of today all encourage their rulers' wrongdoing. Therefore it is said: the grand officers of today are the offenders against the lords of today."

Lu wished to appoint Shen Zi as general. Meng Zi said: "To employ the people without first instructing them is called bringing harm to the people. One who brings harm to the people cannot be tolerated in the age of Yao and Shun. Even if you defeat Qi in a single battle and thereby gain Nan Yang, it would still be impermissible."

Shen Zi, flushed with displeasure, said: "This is something Hua Li does not understand."

Meng Zi said: "Let me explain clearly to you. The territory of the Son of Heaven is a thousand li square; if it is not a thousand li, it is insufficient to host the lords. The territory of a lord is a hundred li square; if it is not a hundred li, it is insufficient to preserve the records of the ancestral temple. When the Duke of Zhou was enfeoffed in Lu, it was a hundred li square; the land was not insufficient, but he limited it to a hundred li. When the Grand Duke was enfeoffed in Qi, it was also a hundred li square; the land was not insufficient, but he limited it to a hundred li. Now Lu has five territories of a hundred li each. Do you think that if a true king were to arise, would Lu be among those reduced or among those enlarged? Even to take from one and give to another without violence—a humane person would not do this, much less to seek it through killing! In serving a ruler, a junzi's duty is to guide the ruler toward the right way, keeping his mind fixed on humaneness alone."

Meng Zi said: "Those who serve rulers today all say: 'I can open up territory for my lord and fill his treasuries.' What are now called good ministers were in ancient times called enemies of the people. If a ruler does not follow the way and does not set his mind on humaneness, and you seek to enrich him—this is enriching a Jie. 'I can form alliances for my lord and ensure victory in battle.' What are now called good ministers were in ancient times called enemies of the people. If a ruler does not follow the way and does not set his mind on humaneness, and you seek to make him wage aggressive wars—this is aiding a Jie. To follow the ways of today without changing the customs of today—even if you gave such a man the whole world, he could not keep it for a single morning."

Bai Gui said: "I wish to set the tax rate at one part in twenty. What do you think?"

Meng Zi said: "Your way is the way of the Mo. In a state of ten thousand households, could a single potter suffice?"

He said: "No—there would not be enough vessels."

Meng Zi said: "The Mo do not grow the five grains; only millet grows among them. They have no city walls, palaces, ancestral temples, or sacrificial rites. They have no exchanges of gifts and feasts between lords, and no officers and departments of government. Therefore, a tax of one in twenty suffices for them. Now, to dwell among the central states yet discard human relations and do away with the offices of the junzi—how could that be acceptable? To have too few potters is not viable even for a state, much more so to have no junzi! Those who wish to make the taxes lighter than the way of Yao and Shun are simply greater and lesser Mo; those who wish to make them heavier than the way of Yao and Shun are simply greater and lesser Jie."

Bai Gui said: "My management of the waters surpasses that of Yu."

Meng Zi said: "You are mistaken. Yu managed the waters according to the way of water. Therefore Yu made the four seas his channels. Now you make your neighboring states his channels. When water flows backward, it is called flood water; flood water is inundation—it is what the humane abhor. You are mistaken."

Meng Zi said: "If a junzi is not sincere, how can he maintain his position?"

Lu wished to appoint Yue Zheng Zi to government. Meng Zi said: "When I heard this, I was so happy I could not sleep."

Gong Sun Chou said: "Is Yue Zheng Zi forceful?"

Meng Zi said: "No."

"Is he wise and thoughtful?"

"No."

"Is he widely learned and knowledgeable?"

"No."

"Then why are you so happy you cannot sleep?"

Meng Zi said: "Because he is fond of goodness."

"Is being fond of goodness sufficient?"

[Someone] said: "If one delights in goodness, one will be superior to all under Heaven—how much more so the State of Lu! If one delights in goodness, then everyone within the four seas will consider a thousand li a light distance and come to counsel one in goodness. If one does not delight in goodness, then people will say: 'He is arrogant—I already know it.' The sound and expression of arrogance will keep people at a distance of a thousand li. When scholars stop at a distance of a thousand li, then flatterers and sycophants will arrive. To dwell with flatterers and sycophants and wish for the state to be well governed—can it be done?"

14

Chenzi said: "Under what circumstances did the gentlemen of antiquity take office?"

Mencius said: "There were three conditions under which they took office, and three under which they left. When they were welcomed with respect and propriety, and it was said that their words would be put into practice, then they took office. If their respect and propriety had not yet diminished, but their words were not put into practice, then they left. In the next case, even though their words were not yet put into practice, if they were welcomed with respect and propriety, they took office. If the respect and propriety declined, then they left. In the lowest case, they had no food in the morning and no food in the evening, and from hunger they could not leave their door. The ruler heard of it and said: 'On the grand scale I am unable to practice his Way, and on the smaller scale I am unable to follow his words. To allow him to starve in my land—I would be ashamed.' He gave them sustenance—they could accept it, merely to avoid death."

15

Mencius said: "Shun rose from among the furrows of the fields; Fu Yue was raised from those working on walls and fortifications; Jiao Ge was raised from those selling fish and salt; Guan Yiwu was raised from among the prisoners; Sun Shu'ao was raised from the seacoast; and Baili Xi was raised from the marketplace. Thus, when Heaven is about to place a great responsibility upon a person, it will first exercise their mind with suffering, toil their sinews and bones, starve their flesh, impoverish their person, and frustrate everything they do. By these means it stirs their heart, steeps their nature, and amplifies what they were unable to do. People are constantly prone to error, and only then can they reform. When their minds are troubled and their thoughts are obstructed, only then do they rise up. When it shows in their countenance and is expressed in their voice, only then are they understood. A state that within has no families of law or remonstrating ministers, and without has no hostile states or external calamities, will constantly perish. From this we know: life arises from sorrow and calamity, and death comes from ease and pleasure."

16

Mencius said: "There are many methods of teaching as well. When I disdain to instruct someone, that too is instructing them."