Book 5: Gongye Chang

Book 5: Gongye Chang

Commentary

Section 5.1

The Master spoke of Gongye Chang: "He is a fit man to marry. Although he was in prison, it was not through any fault of his own." He gave him his own daughter in marriage.

Section 5.2

The Master spoke of Nan Rong: "When the state is well governed, he will not be passed over; when the state is ill governed, he will escape punishment and disgrace." He gave him the daughter of his elder brother in marriage.

Section 5.3

The Master spoke of Zijian: "A gentleman indeed is this man! If Lu were without gentlemen, how would he have acquired this character?"

Section 5.4

Zigong asked, "What am I like?" The Master said, "You are a vessel." "What kind of vessel?" "A precious ritual vessel."

Section 5.5

Someone said, "Yong is benevolent but lacks eloquence." The Master said, "What use is eloquence? A man who is ready with his tongue only earns the dislike of others. I do not know whether he is benevolent, but what use is eloquence?"

Section 5.6

The Master told Diaokai Diao to take office. He replied, "I am not yet confident of my understanding of this." The Master was pleased.

Section 5.7

The Master said, "My doctrines make no headway. I shall get upon a raft and float upon the sea. The one who will follow me will surely be You, will it not?" Zilu heard this and was delighted. The Master said, "You surpass me in enthusiasm for the bold, but he has no material to work with."

Section 5.8

Meng Wubo asked whether Zilu was benevolent. The Master said, "I do not know." He asked again. The Master said, "You could be entrusted with the military command of a state of a thousand chariots. But whether he is benevolent, I do not know." "What about Qiu?" "Qiu could be the steward of a town of a thousand households or of a noble family with a hundred chariots. But whether he is benevolent, I do not know." "What about Chi?" "Chi, with his sash and standing in court, could be entrusted with the reception of guests and visitors. But whether he is benevolent, I do not know."

Section 5.9

The Master said to Zigong, "Who is superior, you or Hui?" Zigong replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and understands ten. I hear one point and understand two." The Master said, "You are not his equal. Neither you nor I is his equal."

Section 5.10

Zai Wo slept during the day. The Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dung and earth cannot be plastered. As for Yu, what is the use of reproving him?" The Master added, "Formerly, when I heard a man's words, I believed he would act accordingly. Now, when I hear a man's words, I watch how he acts. It is through Yu that I have changed."

Section 5.11

The Master said, "I have not yet seen a man of firm character." Someone replied, "What about Shen Cheng?" The Master said, "Cheng is full of desires. How can he be firm?"

Section 5.12

Zigong said, "I do not wish others to impose on me, nor do I wish to impose on others." The Master said, "Ci, that is beyond your reach."

Section 5.13

Zigong said, "The Master's outward culture may be heard; but his discourse on human nature and the Way of Heaven may not be heard."

Section 5.14

When Zilu heard a teaching, and had not yet been able to put it into practice, he was afraid lest he should hear something else.

Section 5.15

Zigong asked, "Why was Kong Wenzi given the title 'Wen'?" The Master said, "He was quick and eager to learn, and he was not ashamed to learn from those below him. For this reason he was given the title 'Wen.'"

Section 5.16

The Master spoke of Zichan: "He had four characteristics of the gentleman: in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superiors, he was reverent; in nourishing the people, he was generous; in employing the people, he was just."

Section 5.17

The Master said, "Yanzi was good at maintaining friendships with people, and his respect for them grew with time."

Section 5.18

The Master said, "Zang Wenzhong housed his great tortoise shell in a room with pillars carved like mountains and posts adorned with water-plant designs. How could he be called wise?"

Section 5.19

Zizhang asked, "The chief minister Ziwen was appointed three times to the post of chief minister, yet he showed no sign of pleasure; he was dismissed three times, yet he showed no sign of resentment. He always informed the new chief minister about the policies of the old one. What do you think of him?" The Master said, "He was loyal." "Was he benevolent?" "I do not know. How can he be considered benevolent?" "Cui Zi murdered his lord, the ruler of Qi. Chen Wenzi possessed ten teams of horses and abandoned the state to go to another. On arriving there, he said, 'The ministers here are just like our minister Cui Zi.' He left for another state, and again said, 'The ministers here are just like our minister Cui Zi.' He left again. What do you think of him?" The Master said, "He was pure." "Was he benevolent?" "I do not know. How can he be considered benevolent?"

Section 5.20

Ji Wenzi thought three times before acting. When the Master heard of it, he said, "Twice is enough."

Section 5.21

The Master said, "When the state was well governed, Ning Wuzi was wise; when the state was ill governed, he was foolish. Others may equal his wisdom, but none can equal his foolishness."

Section 5.22

When the Master was in Chen, he said, "Let us go home! Let us go home! Our young people back home are ambitious and aspiring; they show promise and accomplishment, but they do not know how to shape and restrain themselves."

Section 5.23

The Master said, "Bo Yi and Shu Qi did not dwell on past grievances, and therefore resentment against them was rare."

Section 5.24

The Master said, "Who says that Weisheng Gao was upright? Once, when someone asked him for vinegar, he went and begged it from a neighbor and gave it to him."

Section 5.25

The Master said, "Clever talk, a pretentious appearance, and excessive deference—Zuo Qiuming considered them shameful, and I also consider them shameful. To conceal resentment and befriend the person resented—Zuo Qiuming considered it shameful, and I also consider it shameful."

Section 5.26

Yan Yuan and Jilu were in attendance. The Master said, "Why not each of you tell me your ambition?" Zilu said, "I would like to share my carriages, horses, fur coats, and robes with my friends, and to feel no regret even if they were worn out." Yan Yuan said, "I would like not to boast of my goodness and not to impose my labors on others." Zilu said, "I would like to hear your ambition." The Master said, "To bring comfort to the old, to be trusted by friends, and to win the affection of the young."

Section 5.27

The Master said, "It is all over! I have not yet seen a man who is able to perceive his faults and inwardly accuse himself."

Section 5.28

The Master said, "In a hamlet of ten households, there are surely those as loyal and trustworthy as I am, but none so fond of learning as I."