It is interesting to note that unlike Yan Yuan who was very respectful to­ wards the Master that he never questioned his teaching, so much so that even Confucius said, "Hui is no help to me. He simply delights in everything I say." Zilu, however, was a critical-thinking person and would ask questions whenever he had issues with the Master's lectures. For instance, he once asked the Master, "If the prince of Wei expects you to assist him in governing his state, what would be your top priority?" The Master said, "I will first rectify names." Zilu said bluntly, "Are you not kidding? You are being too pedantic. Why is such rectification so important?" The Master said, "Zhong You, how rude you are! A man of true virtue is always cautious about things that he does not know. If names are not correct, discourse would not be smooth and appropriate." (Section 3, Chapter XIII)

On another occasion, Zilu questioned if learning was indeed as important as Confucius thought it was. Having heard that Zilu appointed Zigao as Chief of Feiyi, the Master said, "He has not yet completed his studies. To appoint him to this position is to ruin him." Zilu said, "Why should one complete a curriculum in order to be regarded as having learned?" Annoyed, the Mas­ ter said, "That is why I hate those sophists." (Section 25, Chapter 11) Once when Zilu learned that Confucius went and visited the notorious Nan Zi, who was traditionally believed to be a lustful woman, he was displeased, openly expressing his disagreement. And the Master had to defend himself, saying, "If I have done anything improperly, Heaven would reject me! Heav­ en would reject me!" (Section 28, Chapter) In a certain sense, Confucius had mixed feelings about this unconventional disciple. He was quoted as com­ menting on Zilu, "Zhong You has ascended to the main hall, but he has not yet entered the inner chamber." (With this metaphor, Confucius meant that Zhong You had done a good job in learning, but he had not yet reached a level of sophistication.) (Section 15, Chapter XI) This is another way of say­ ing that although Zilu spent many years learning from Confucius, the Master still thought that he was not yet a superior man. The cu订 ent chapter comprises of 30 sections, dealing with a wide range of significant topics, including the art of governance, philosophy of education, self-cultivation, and moral principles, and more importantly, a Confucian humanism ( 和而不同 he er bu t6ng) that advocates a harmonious human co-existence in which common ground is sought while differences are re­ spected.

[13- 1] 子路问政。子曰：    “先之，劳之。“请益。曰：        “无倦。"

13.1     Zilu asked about how to govern. The Master responded, "Be a role model by working diligently and the people will follow." Zilu asked for more advice. The Master said, "Be never weary in governmental affairs."

[Comment] "益 yl" means "to increase," while "无倦 WU juan" connotes "without weariness."

[Reading] Confucius believed that a good government is one that sets a moral example of ethical behavior and honorable conduct, in hopes of win­ ning the confidence of the people it governs. The government would not be in power if its "people had no faith in them." (Section 7, Chapter XII)

[13- 2] 仲弓为季氏宰，问 政。子曰： “先有司，赦小过，举贤才。" 曰： ＂焉知贤才而举之？”子曰：           “举尔所知。尔所不知，人其舍诸？”

13.2     Zhonggong was appointed as chief governor for the Ji family and so he asked the Master about how to govern. The Master replied, "Work hard and set an example for other officials, pardon their small faults, and select the virtuous and the talented for positions of responsibility." Zhonggong asked further, "How do I find the virtuous and the talented and appoint them to important positions?" The Master said, "Select from those you know well. Those others you do not know, will be recommended to you, won't they?"

[Comment] "有司yo u s1" refers to a chief official in charge of daily gov­ emmental affairs in ancient China.

[Reading] Zhonggong's name was Ran Yong. Zhonggong was a courtesy name. As one of the leading disciples of Confucius, Zhonggong impressed the Master with his true virtue, so much so that he said, "Yong should be appointed to a prominent position to govern a country." (雍也可使南面yong ye ke shT n6n mian) (Section 1, Chapter VI) In this section, Confu­ cius shared with Zhonggong his incredible insights about good government. The most important thing for governmental officials to do is promote and practice ethical conduct and moral codes. This is because, Confucius be­ lieved, the morality of the noble man of true virtue (and, by extension, good government) is like the wind, and the morality of the people is like the grass. "When the wind blows, the grass bends accordingly."

[13- 3] 子路曰：                    “卫君待子而为政，子将奚先？”子曰：                        “必也正名乎！”子路曰：            “有是哉，子之迂也！奚其正？”子曰：        “野哉， 由也！君子千其所不知，盖阙如也。名不正则言不顺，言不顺则事不成， 事不成则礼乐不兴，礼乐不兴则刑罚不中，刑罚不中则民无所措手足。 故君子名之必可言也，言之必可行也。君子千其言，无所苟而已矣。＂

13.3     Zilu asked the Master, "If the prince of Wei expects you to assist him in governing his state, what would be your top priority?" The Master said, "I will first rectify names." Zilu said, "Are you not kidding? You are being too pedantic. Why is such rectification so important?" The Master said, "Zhong You, how rude you are! A man of true virtue is always cautious about things that he does not know. If names are not correct, discourse would not be smooth and appropriate. If discourse is not smooth and appropriate, things cannot be accomplished. If things cannot be accomplished, propriety and music will not advance. If propriety and music will not advance, punish­ ments cannot be appropriately executed. If punishments cannot be appropri­ ately executed, the people will be confused. Therefore, the noble man of true virtue must ensure that the names are proper so that his discourse is appro­ priate and what he speaks can be implemented appropriately. The noble man of true virtue is always cautious with his words."

[Com ment] " 卫君 we i jun" refers to Duke Chu of Wei, "卫出公 we i chu gong," whose name was " 辄 zhe" and who was the grandson of Duke Ling of Wei, " 卫 灵 公 wei ling go ng ." " 正 名 zh 的 g ming" translates as "to rectify," while " 阙 q u 召 is used interchangeably with " 缺 q u 召 to mean "questionable." "苟 g 6 u" connotes "carelessness."

[Reading] At the core of Confucian values is 午 L Li (the rites of propriety), which Confucius believed to be a central mechanism that regulates all per­ sonal, institutional, and social behaviors and conducts. One of the important components of 礼 Li is 正 名 Zhengming (literarily: rectifying names). Confucius lived in a time of sociopolitical chaos. As the Quanrong (a non-Han ethnic group) invaded Northwestern China, the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) had to move its capital to Luoyi in eastern China, marking the begin­ ning of the Eastern Zhou (770 - 256 BC). The latter itself was divided into two major periods: the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC-476 BC), in which Confucius lived, and the Warring States Period (476 BC-221 BC). During the Eastern Zhou, while the Zhou court was still in place, its institu­ tions of hierarchy became increasingly irrelevant. As a result, the fiefdoms awarded to royal relatives and generals by the Zhou kings in hopes of pre­ serving their royal control over the territory began to turn themselves into independent states, striving for political power. Parricide, regicide, treachery, betrayal, and usurpation were rampant within these vassal states. Confucius wished to restore social order and social hierarchical structure by reinstitut­ ing the Zhou rules of propriety. One of the most important things to do was 正 名 Zhengming, so that "The prince should be a prince, embodying true virtue; the minister should be a minister, embodying perfect deference; the father should be a father, embodying love and kindness, and the son should be a son, embodying filial piety." Only in this way could discourse on all levels-personal, institutional, and social-be made smooth and appropriate, thus leading to an ideal society of harmonious human co-existence.

[13- 4] 樊迟请学稼。子曰： “吾不如老农。" 请学为圃。曰： “吾不如老圃。＂

樊迟出。子曰：“小人哉，樊须也！上好礼，则民莫敢不敬，上好义， 则民莫敢不服；上好信，则民莫敢不用情。夫如是，则四方之民饶负   其子而至矣，焉用稼？”

泌 9

13.4     Fan Chi asked the Master about agriculture. The Master said, "I am not so good as an old farmer." Fan Chi asked about how to grow vegetables. The Master said, "I am not so good as a vegetable farmer." After Fan Chi left, the Master said, "Indeed, Fan Chi is a shallow-minded person. If the man in a high position values propriety, the people will cer­ tainly be respectful. If the man in a high position values righteousness, the people will follow. If the man in a high position values faithfulness, the peo­ ple will be sincere. When one has these qualities, people from all quarters will come to him with their children on their backs. What need is there for him to grow vegetables himself?"

[Com ment] " 圃 pu" indicates a "vegetable garden." However, it can also be used as a verb implying "to grow vegetables." " 用 情 yo ng qf ng" connotes "to treat ... with true feeling and sincerity." " 褚 qia ng" refers to the broad strap used to carry an infant baby.

[Reading] This passage was traditionally interpreted to be revealing of Confucius'belittling view of the so-called working class people engaged in menial jobs. Understood against the historical context in which Confucius lived, it should become clear that Confucius was more concerned with how to prepare statesmen of integrity, righteousness, and propriety who would become wise and capable leaders in the administration of government affairs and public issues. This thinking constitutes the core of his educational philosophy that emphasizes the importance of training character rather than preparing for a profession at a low level.

[13- 5] 子曰： ＂诵   《 诗》三百， 授之以政， 不达； 使千四方， 不能专对。虽多，亦奚以为？”

13.5     The Master said, "A man may be able to recite 300 poems from the Classic of Odes, but he is unable to manage governmental affairs effectively when he is charged to do so. Or he is unable to handle diplomatic situations when he is charged with missions as a diplomatic envoy. What good is it, even though he has extensive learning?"

[Comment] "专对 zhua n dul" means "to respond by oneself.""以 yT" con­ notes "用 yo ng" (to use).

[Reading] One  of  Confucius'educational  ideas  was  to  put  into  practice what one has learned. If one learns simply for the sake of  learning  and does not carry it out in action, the knowledge thus acquired is useless and learning would become a wasteful act. There are two other implications. First, one should learn useful knowledge. According to Confucius, this comprises of, among other important books, 《尚书》Shangshu (Book of Documents or Classic of History),《春秋》Chungq iu (Spring and Autumn Annals) and《诗经》Shijing (Classic of Odes), as well as the Six Arts: Rites ( 礼），Music (乐）， Archery ( 射），Charioteering( 御），Calligraphy ( 书），and Mathematics (数）． Confucius placed great emphasis on the importance of studying the Odes because it can, in his words, "inspire you, make you contemplative, promote friendship, and teach you how to criticize. From the Odes, you learn how to serve your parents and later on how to serve the prince. Additionally, it helps you learn the names of birds, beasts, plants, and trees." (Section 9, Chapter XVII) Second, as Confucius stressed the importance of carrying out learning to act, he was not in favor of rote learning that focuses on the memoriza­ tion of information by mere repetition. To learn is to apply learning to actual reality, in hopes of helping solve sociopolitical problems.

[13- 6] 子曰： “其身正，不令而行；其身不正，虽令不从。"

13.6     The Master said, "When a prince is righteous and ethical, the people will follow him even though no orders have been issued. If he is not right­ eous and unethical, the people will not obey even if he has issued orders."

[Reading] This passage can be read as a follow-up on Section 2 of this chapter. The key to good governance is, according to Confucius, govern­ mental officials'unfailing promotion and practice of ethical conduct and moral codes. The morality of a ruler (in this case, the morality of a prince) is "like the wind and the morality of the people is like the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends accordingly." (Section 2, Chapter XIII)

[13- 7] 子曰： “鲁卫之政，兄弟也。＂

13.7     The Master said, "The governments of Lu and Wei are just like broth- ers."

[Reading] Lu was a vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty. The first duke was the Duke of Zhou. As a regent, he was crucial to the consolidation of the Zhou kingdom established by King Wu, his elder brother, which was at the moment placed in the hands of a minor child, the son of King Wu. The first duke of the State of Wei was Kangshu, who was the younger brother of the Duke of Zhou. Both were revered as exemplary statesmen for excellent and ethical governance. That is why Confucius compared the governance in the two states to the relationship between brothers.

[13- 8] 子谓卫公子荆：        “善居室。始有，曰： ｀苟合矣。＇少有， 曰： ｀苟完矣。＇富有，曰： ｀苟美矣。'"

13.8     Speaking of Gongzi Jing of Wei, the Master said, "He was good at the management of family wealth. When he began to accumulate wealth, he would say'that is about enough.'When his family wealth increased a bit, he would say'that is close to enough.'When he had had yet more, he said,'Ha, that is almost more than enough.'"

[Comment] "卫公子荆 we1 gong zT jTng" was the prime minister of Wei, who had a courtesy name o尸南楚 n6 n chu" and who was the son of Duke Xian of Wei. " 善居室 s ha n jO sh1" translates as "good at the management of family wealth." "苟 g 6 u" connotes "just about enough," while "合 he" means "enough."

[Reading] Confucius was obviously impressed by Gongzi Jing's ability to manage wealth. He was further impressed by his decent sense of gratifica­ tion: a man who was never greedy. Just as Lao Zi said, "He who knows enough is enough will always have enough."

[13- 9] 子适卫， 冉有仆。子 曰： ＂庶矣哉！＂冉有曰：          “既庶矣， 又何加焉？”曰：       “富之。＂曰：        “既富矣，又何加焉？”曰：                “教之。"

13.9     The Master went to the State of Wei and Ran You was driving a car­ riage for him. The Master said, "Indeed this place is populous!" Ran You asked, "The population is already large enough. What else needs to be done?" The Master said, "Enrich them." "What more needs to be done when they become rich?" asked Ran You. The Master said, "Educate them."

[Com ment] "适 s h1" means "to go to a place" and "仆 pu" translates as "to drive a carriage." " 庶 s hu" means "many," but in this context, it connotes "populous."

[Reading] This passage focuses on the two of Confucius'interesting ideas: enriching and educating people, both of which have immediate relevance to the present-day world. In his view, a good government is one whose priority is to enrich its people, ensuring their wellbeing. Its next step is to promote education among its people in the hope of improving their conditions social­ ly, culturally, and morally. That is why Confucius devoted his late life to the education and cultivation of all people, regardless of their different social backgrounds. "有教无类 yo u jiao WU 伦i" (Learning should be made acces­ sible to people regardless of their different classes.) (Section 39, Chapter XV)

[13- 10] 子曰： ＂ 苟有用我者， 期月而巳可也， 三年有成。＂

13.10   The Master said, "If any of the princes would have me to run their state, I should have accomplished something significant in the first twelve months. Within three years the government would be a success."

[Comment] "期月jT yue" means "twelve months, or one year."

[Reading] Confucius was confident that he could assist any prince in gov­ eming his country well. Although his ideas were not readily appreciated by many princes, and although sometimes he was so frustrated by being ne­ glected by rulers that he would sigh, "If my doctrines do not work. I shall get upon a raft on the sea and go abroad," (Section 7, Chapter V) he would encourage himself by thinking that once any prince adopted his thought, he should be able to make a difference.

[13- 11] 子曰： ＂｀善人为邦百年，亦可以胜残去杀矣。＇诚哉是言也！”

13.11   The Master said, "The sage remarked that'If men of virtue were to run a country in succession for one hundred years, they would be able to terminate cruelty and violence and abolish capital punishments.'How true is this adage!"

[Comment] "善人s ha n r的 " describes "men who are virtuous and ethical."

[Reading] Good government is one that rules with moral codes and ethical conducts. As Confucius said, the morality of a ruler is "like the wind and the morality of the people is like the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends accordingly." (Section 2, Chapter XIII) However, it takes time for this goal to be realized; it may require years upon years of unwavering efforts to produce desired effect. Nonetheless, Confucius remained confident that 'If men of virtue were to run a country in succession for one hundred years, they would be able to terminate cruelty and violence and abolish capital punishments."

[13- 12] 子曰：          “如有王者，必世而后仁。＂

13.12   The Master said, "If a truly virtuous ruler were to emerge, it would take at least thirty years for the governing of the virtuous and benevolent to realize and prevail."

[Comment] In ancient China, one " 世 sh1" means "thirty years as a cycle."

[Reading] This section is a follow-up on the preceding one that recognizes how challenging it would be for good governance to be realized and how long it may take to obtain this goal.

[13- 13] 子曰： ＂苟正其身矣，千从政乎何有？不能正其身，如正人何？”

13.13   The Master said, "If one sets himself correct, what difficulties will he have in governing a country? But if one cannot rectify himself, how can he rectify others?"

[Comment] "何有 he you" translates as both question and answer, "What difficulties could there be? None."

[Reading] This passage echoes what Confucius advised in Section 6 of this chapter, that is, "When a prince is righteous and ethical, the people will fol­ low him even though no orders have been issued. If he is not righteous and unethical, the people will not obey even if he has issued orders."

[13- 14] 冉子退朝。子曰：  “何晏也？”对曰：            “有政。“子曰： “其事也。如有政，虽不吾以，吾其与闻之。＂

13.14   Ran Zi returned from court. The Master asked him, "Why are you so late?" Ran Zi replied, "I was engaged in government business." The Master said, "It must be some family affairs for the Ji family. If it were government business, I would have heard about it, even though the prince does not have me in service now."

[Comment] "晏 yo n" translates as "to be late."

[13- 15] 定公问 ：     “一言而可以兴邦，有诸？“孔子对曰：            “言不可以若是，其几也。人之言曰：｀为君难，为臣不易。＇如知为君之难也， 不几乎一言而兴邦乎？”曰： “ 一言而丧邦， 有诸？“ 孔子对曰： “ 言 不可以若是， 其几也。人之言曰： ｀予 无乐乎为君，唯 其言而莫予违也。＇如其善而莫之违也 ， 不亦善乎？ 如不善而莫之违也 ， 不几乎一言而丧邦乎？”

13.15   Duke Ding of Lu asked if there was a single sentence that could make a country thrive. The Master replied, "It is too absolute to assume that. But there is a similar saying,'It is difficult to be a ruler; it is not easy to be a minister.'If a ruler is fully aware of the challenging nature of his position, would not this be the sentence that could cause a country to thrive?" Duke Ding asked further if there was a single sentence that could ruin a country. The Master said, "It is too absolute to assume that. But there is a similar saying, ' I derive no pleasure in being a prince, but only in that no one would go against what I have to say!'It is a good thing that no one would challenge you when what you say is correct. But it is very bad that no one would dare to offer any opposition to you when what you say is wrong. Would this not amount to the one saying that could ruin a country?"

[Reading] Good governance, as Confucius defined it, is governance with righteousness, benevolence, and the rites of propriety. When a ruler is "fully aware of the challenging nature of his position," he is cautious in decision­ making and diligent in governmental affairs. For Confucius, however, this is far from being enough. What is more demanding is that the ruler dares to challenge himself by remaining open to suggestions, and more importantly, by attentively listening to criticism.

[13- 16] 叶公问政。子曰：  “近者说，远者来。"

13.16   She Gong of Chu asked about government. The Master said, "Make the people in the vicinity happy and make the people from distant quarters willingly identify with you."

[Comment] "叶公 s he gong" was a minister in the State of Chu. His name was " 沈诸梁 s he n zh O li6ng ," and he held a courtesy name of "子高 zT goo." His fief was in a place called "叶 s h色" hence he was known as "叶 公 s he g o ng ." " 说 yue" was used interchangeably with "悦 yue ," which in ancient China meant "happy, delighted."

[Reading] Another aspect of good governance relates to diplomacy, the art of conducting negotiations over issues among various vassal states during the Spring and Autumn Period, which featured a fast-declining feudal sys­ tern established by the Zhou court. As the Zhou court became increasingly irrelevant, more and more former fiefdoms, such as Chu and Wei, became independent states, vying for political power. Parricide, regicide, treachery, betrayal, and usurpation were rampant within these vassal states. For socio­ political purposes, big and usually more important states often organized regular conferences to discuss critical issues affecting their interests. Diplo­ macy thus became all the more important at such interstate conferences or elsewhere between individual states. That is why, in Section 5 of this chap­ ter, Confucius emphasized the importance of training talented diplomatic en­ voys: "Aman may be able to recite 300 poems from the Classic of Odes, but he is unable to manage governmental affairs effectively when he is charged to do so. Or he is unable to handle diplomatic situations when he is charged with missions as a diplomatic envoy. What good is it, even though he has extensive learning?"

[13- 17] 子夏为荩父宰，问 政。子曰：     “无欲速，无见小利。欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成。＂

13.17   Zixia, who was the governor of Jufu, asked about government. The Master said, "Do not wish to have things done too quickly and do not focus only on small profits. If you seek to do things too quickly, it results in more haste, but less speed. If you focus only on small profits, no great accom­ plishments will be achieved."

[Com ment] "荩父 ju fu" was the name of a place in the State of Lu.

[Reading] Although not a successful statesman himself because many of his ideas were not appreciated and were neglected by rulers during his time, Confucius had a lot of sociopolitical insights on government. In this sec­ tion, he discussed two of his ideas: vision and strategy. According to him, to govern wisely and morally so as to make a difference would take time. "If a truly virtuous ruler were to emerge," Confucius said, "it would take at least thirty years for the governing of the virtuous and benevolent to realize and prevail." (Section 12 of this chapter) To completely transform society by "terminat[ing] cruelty and violence and abolish[ing] capital punishments" may take even longer, even as long as one hundred years, according to the adage of the ancient sages. (Section 11 of this chapter) Nothing can be ac- complished too quickly. Confucius warned , " 欲速则不达 yu SU zebu d6"(If you seek to do things too quickly, it results in more haste, but less speed), which has now become a household saying of wisdom in China. Second, good rulers must have sensible visions. Instead of small profits and short-term interests, they should focus on significant sociopolitical visions and then prioritize them accordingly. Simply put, Confucius believed good government should have vision and strategy in addition to moral codes, ethi­ cal conducts, and the rules of propriety.

[13- 18] 叶公语孔子曰：      “吾党有直躬者，其父攘羊，而子证之。＂ 孔子曰：   “吾党之直者异千是：父为子隐，子为父隐，直在其中矣。＂

13.18   She Gong of Chu told the Master,"In my land there is a righteous man who testified against his father who stole a sheep." The Master said, "In my land righteous men are different from that in your land. The fathers would conceal the misdeeds of their son and the sons would conceal the misdeeds of their fathers. Herein lies righteousness."

[Comment] " 党 da ng" was a neighborhood unit in ancient China, each of which consisted of five hundred households. "直躬者 zh f gong zh色" refers to "upright and righteous men," while " 攘 羊 ra ng yang" means "to steal sheep" and "证 zh 却 g" connotes "to testify."

[Reading] In this section, Confucius offered an interesting reading of what it means to be "filial," one of the central concepts in his value system. According to Confucius, "filial piety" means "respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors." A question rises: What if parents and elders appear to be on the wrong side? Should children correct them when this happens? Confucius' advice is (as seen in Section 18, Chapter IV), "When one serves his par­ ents, one may correct them, but politely. If one sees that they will not take his advice, he should still be respectful, without offending them. He may be concerned, but he should not resent them." In the same spirit, Confucius disagreed with She Gong of Chu by arguing that the principle of righteous­ ness in "filial piety" requires that "the fathers would conceal the misdeeds of their sons, and the sons would conceal the misdeeds of their fathers." Viewed from today's perspective, this seems to be a controversial statement.

[13- 19] 樊迟问仁。子曰：  “居处恭，执事敬，与人忠。虽之夷狄， 不可弃也。"

13.19   Fan Chi asked about true virtue. The Master said, "Be docile, duteous and deferential at home, be serious and responsible in administering busi­ ness, and be faithful and sincere about others. Even though one is among uncultivated tribes, one should not compromise these qualities."

[Reading] As a central guiding principle in Confucian values, "1 二 Ren"  has a wide range of implications. Here, Confucius highlighted  the three of  them as "deferentiality, sincerity, and faithfulness" to be applied appropriately on different occasions.

[13- 20] 子贡问曰：  “何如斯可谓之士矣？“子曰：    “行已有耻，

使千四方，不辱君命，可谓士矣。"

曰：    ＂敢问其次。＂曰：            “宗族称孝焉，乡党称弟焉。＂

曰：    ＂敢问其次。＂曰： “言必信， 行必果，胫胫  然小人哉！ 抑亦可以为次矣。"

曰：    “今之从政者何如？”子曰：        ＂噫！斗笛之人，何足算也？”

13.20   Zigong asked, "What kinds of men can be regarded as Shi?" The Mas­ ter replied, "Those who have a sense of shame while conducting themselves; those who are able to successfully fulfill the mission charged by his prince when dispatched to any quarters could be called Shi." Zigong asked again, "Could I ask who would be placed on the next lower level?" The Master said, "Those who are praised for being filial by his rela­ tives in the family clan; those who are praised for being fraternal by fellow people in the neighborhood." Zigong asked further,"I venture to ask who may be in the next lowest class." The Master said, "Those who keep their promise and accomplish whatever they do. Those who are opinionated are mean people. However, they per­ haps may also make yet another class of Shi on an even lower level." Zigong further pressed, "What do you think of those who are governing at present?" The Master said, "Alas, these mean-minded persons are not even worth taking into account."

[Comment] "果 g u6 " means "resolute, determined," while "胫胫 胫ng keng" is an onomatopoeia, imitating the sound of striking a stone, which implies "as  hard as a piece of rock." "斗笛之人d6 u  shoo zhT 毛n"  refers to "a narrow-minded and mean person."

[Reading] The concept of the "士 Shi" class evolves over time. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, "士 Shi" occupied the lowest status in the aris­ tocracy. Starting in the Spring and Autumn Period, there began to emerge what was later called "four social classifications": " 士 Shi" (bureaucratic scholarly elite/scholar-officials), "农 Nang" (peasant farmers), "工 Gong" (artisans and craftsmen), and "商 Shang" (merchants). Over the centuries, the definition of " 士 Shi" expanded to include landholding gentry and rich merchants. Confucius was born into the "士 Shi" class. In this section, he discussed what he believed to be defining characteristics of the "士 Shi" in descending order: Those who have a sense of shame in conducting themselves; Those who are able to successfully fulfill the mission charged by his prince when dispatched to any quarters; Those who are praised for being filial by his relatives in the family clan; Those who are pronounced for being fraternal by fellow people in the neigh­ borhood; Those who keep their promise and accomplish whatever they do; Those who are opinionated are mean people. However, they perhaps may also make yet another class of Shi on an even lower level. It is interesting to note that Confucius regarded those "who are governing at present" not only not as "士 Shi", but as unworthy of consideration, as well.

[13- 21] 子曰：          “不得中行而与之，必也狂猖乎！狂者进取，猖者有所不为也。"

13.21   The Master said, "It is hard to find men in pursuit of the Middle Way, with whom I may share my thoughts, therefore I have to relate myself to the fervent and the prudent. The fervent will proactively advance, whereas the prudent will be cautious with their discerning judgment."

[Comment] "中行 zho ng xing" means "act in accordance with the Middle Way." " 猖 jua n" describes one who is "restrained, over-cautious."

[Reading] This passage can be viewed as a follow-up on Section 29 of Chapter 6 in which Confucius regarded the Doctrine of the Mean (also called the Middle Way " 中 道 Zhongdao") as the perfect virtue of the su­ preme level. However, he was frustrated that few people would make ef­ forts to pursue this level, and "that even fewer would be able to attain to this level." Disappointed, he said he had no choice but to relate himself to those on a lower level, that is, the fervent who always proactively advance or the prudent who remain overcautious with their discerning judgment. Obvi­ ously, neither functions to his satisfaction.

[13- 22] 子曰：          “南人有言曰： ｀人而无恒，不可以作巫医。， 善夫！”      “不恒其德，或承之羞。“子曰：            “不占而已矣。＂

13.22   The Master said, "The people of the South hold this belief:'If a man is not consistent, he cannot be a shamanic healer.'Indeed, a great saying! 'If one cannot be consistent in his virtue and benevolence, he would be disgraced.'"The Master also said, "A man without consistency cannot be a shamanic healer to attend to prognostication."

[Com ment] "南人 n6 n 毛n" means "southerners."

[Reading] Consistency is the focus of this section. According to Confu­ cius, there are two levels when talking about consistency. First, whatever one does, one should do with a high degree of firmness and determination. It is this persistent character and harmonious practice that ensure success. Second, Confucius expanded his discussion to include moral consistency, what he regarded as being "consistent in virtue and benevolence." By this, he meant consistency in one's moral standards, actions, and values. For example, Zeng Zi, one of his leading disciples, was quoted as saying, "I daily examine myself to see: whether I may not have been faithful and duti­ ful enough when I do things for others; whether I may not have been truth­ ful enough to my words when I interact with my friends; and whether I may not have practiced what my teacher has instructed me to do." (Section 4, Chapter I) Self-reflection and self-examination thus become an important part of moral development that requires consistency and perseverance.

[13- 23] 子曰：          “君子和而不同，小人同而不和。＂

13.23   The Master said, "The noble man of true virtue is on harmonious terms with others but does not follow them with adulation. The inferior man follows the crowd indiscriminately yet cannot be harmonious with the crowd."

[Reading] On one level, Confucius discussed the fundamental difference between " 君子J unzi" and the inferior man. "君子Junzi"(the noble man of true virtue) is defined as one who is on harmonious terms with others yet who thinks critically and adheres strictly to his values. On the other hand, the inferior men, like a flock of sheep, always follow the flow yet are unable to be harmonious with their fellows. On a deeper level, Confucius elaborated on the significance of " 和而不同 he er bu t6ng" as an essential component of his all-embracing humanism that advocates a harmonious human co-ex­ istence in which common ground is sought while differences are respected. Since Confucius' time, " 和而不同 He er bu tong" has been hailed as one defining characteristic of Chinese cultural tradition and Chinese aesthetics.

[13- 24]  子贡问曰：“乡   人皆好之，何如？” 子曰：“  未可也。”“  乡人皆恶之，何如？”子曰：     “未可也。不如乡人之善者好之，其不善者恶之。"

13.24   Zi Gong asked the Master, "What do you think of a person who is loved by all the people in his neighborhood?" The Master said, "We may not, just on this account, believe he is a good man." Zigong asked further, "What if he is disliked and even hated by all the people in his neighbor­ hood?" The Master said, "Still we may not, just on this account, believe he is a bad person. He is a truly good man if all the good in his neighborhood love him and all the bad in his neighborhood dislike him." 泣 7

[Reading] In this section, Confucius discussed how to judge a person. He argued against using consensus, the so-called "view of the majority," to pass a moral judgment. Confucius'criterion is that "he is a truly good man if all the good in his neighborhood love him and all the bad in his neighborhood dislike him." What this means is that a virtuous man is loved by people because he is virtuous and that he is disliked by bad people also precisely because he is virtuous. As such, there is no such thing as a virtuous man who can be loved by all people indiscriminately.

[13- 25] 子曰： “君子易事而难说也。说之不以道，不说也；及其使人也，器之。小人难事而易说也。说之虽不以道，说也；及其使人也， 求备焉。"

13.25   The Master said, "It is easy to serve the noble man of true virtue but hard to please him. He will not be pleased if you try to please him in a way that is not in accordance with the righteous. Yet when he employs people, he always uses them according to what they are able to do. On the other hand, it is difficult to work with the mean man. He will be pleased if you act in a way not in accordance with the righteous. Yet when he employs people, he is always finding faults and unreasonably demands perfection from them."

[Com ment] "易事 yl shl" describes one is "easy to work with." "说 yue" is used interchangeably with "悦 yue" to mean "please," while "难说 na n yue" connotes "hard to please." " 器 之 ql zhl''translates as "to employ someone according to his ability."

[Reading] This section is a follow-up on Section 23 of this chapter, in which Confucius once again discussed the distinct difference between " 君子Junzi" and 小人xiaoren (the inferior man). The noble man of true virtue does not find fault with people he employs, nor does he try to be hard on them. In the meantime, he keeps a distance from them so that he will be free from their adulation and flattery. When he employs people, he focuses only on their talents and abilities and does not allow his own preferences to get involved in his judgment. The inferior man does just the opposite.

[13- 26] 子曰：          “君子泰而不骄，小人骄而不泰。"

13.26   The Master said, "The noble man of true virtue is poised without be­ ing arrogant. The mean man is arrogant without being poised."

[13- 27] 子曰：          “刚、毅、木、讷近仁。＂

13.27   The Master said, "Possession of these four qualities—firmness, reso­ luteness, simplicity, and modesty—enables one to be close to true virtue."

[Reading] Confucius believed that these supreme qualities define "君子Junzi", in addition to benevolence, moral character, ethical conduct, and the rites of propriety.

[13- 28] 子路问曰：  “何如斯可谓之士矣？”子曰：    “切切佣佣， 怡怡如也，可谓士矣。朋友切切佣佣，兄弟怡怡。"

13.28   Zilu asked the Master, "What kinds of men can be called Shi?" The Master replied, "He, who is encouraging, supportive, and assuring yet ami­ cable and friendly, can be called Shi. That is, being encouraging, supportive, and assuring among friends, and being amicable and courteous among broth- ers."

[Com ment] "低低s1sT''means "to encourage, to supervise in an earnest manner."  "怡怡 yf yf" connotes "amicable, friendly."

[Reading] For Confucius'other discussion of "士 Shi" , see Section 20 of this chapter.

[13- 29] 子曰：          “善人教民七年，亦可以即戎矣。＂

13.29   The Master said, "When good men have taught the people for seven years, they may be ready to fight like soldiers in a war."

[Com ment] "即戎 jf r6ng" means "to join a battle," while "即 jf" connotes "to engage in" and "戎 r6 ng" describes a "soldier."

[Reading] These two sections (13.29-13.30) indicate Confucius'human­ istic concern for commoners. As discussed previously, Confucius'time was rife with wars between vassal states, which were vying for political power. While advocating good government of benevolence and righteousness, Con­ fucius was fully aware of the importance of arming people to defend their country and fight for justice. As such, it is the ruler's responsibility to train his people for warfare. Otherwise, "To lead an untrained people into battle is to throw them away." It is a criminal act.

[13- 30] 子曰：          “以不教民战，是谓弃之。＂

13.30   The Master said, "To lead an untrained people to war is to throw them away and sacrifice them."