18. Wei Zi

Translation: Weizi left the ruler of Yin; Jizi was reduced to slavery; and Bigan died for offering remonstrance. Confucius said, “Yin had three benevolent men.”

Reading note: Their choices—departure, endurance of humiliation, and fatal remonstrance—differed, but each remained faithful to what was right.

Translation: When Liuxia Hui served as a judge, he was dismissed repeatedly. Someone said, “Is it not yet time for you to leave?” He replied, “If I serve others by the straight way, where could I go without being repeatedly dismissed? If I serve them by bending the way, why leave the land of my parents?”

Reading note: The “straight way” means principled integrity. For Liuxia Hui, changing states would solve nothing if integrity remained unwelcome everywhere.

Translation: Duke Jing of Qi, speaking of how to receive Confucius, said, “I cannot treat him as generously as the Ji family does; I can place him between the Ji and Meng families.” Later he said, “I am old and cannot employ him.” Confucius then left Qi.

Reading note: Rank andtreatment were secondary. Once the duke made clear that he would not put Confucius to use, Confucius departed.

Translation: The people of Qi presented female musicians, and Ji Huanzi accepted them. For three days he did not attend court, so Confucius left.

Reading note: The gift distracted Lu’s leadership from government. Ji Huanzi’s neglect of court showed Confucius that ritual order and responsible rule had been set aside.

Translation: Jieyu, the eccentric of Chu, passed Confucius singing: “Phoenix, phoenix! How has your virtue fallen so low? What is past can no longer be corrected, but what lies ahead may still be pursued. Give it up, give it up! Those engaged in government today are in danger!” Confucius stepped down, wishing to speak with him, but Jieyu hurried away and avoided him, so no conversation took place.

Reading note: Calling Confucius a phoenix, Jieyu urged him to withdraw from a perilous age. Confucius’s attempt to speak with him shows his continuing commitment to public life.

Translation: Changju and Jieni were plowing side by side when Confucius passed. He sent Zilu to ask where the ford was. Changju asked, “Who is the man holding the reins?” Zilu replied, “Kong Qiu.” “Kong Qiu of Lu?” “Yes.” “Then he should know the ford.” Zilu next asked Jieni, who said, “Who are you?” “I am Zhong You.” “A disciple of Kong Qiu of Lu?” “Yes.” Jieni said, “The whole world surges in disorder like a flood; with whom can you change it? Instead of following a man who avoids particular people, would you not do better to follow those who avoid the whole world?” He kept covering the seed without pause. Zilu went back and reported this. Confucius said sadly, “We cannot live in company with birds and beasts. If I do not associate with humankind, with whom shall I associate? If the Way prevailed in the world, I would not be trying to change it.”

Reading note: The recluses advocate withdrawal from society; Confucius insists on sharing responsibility for the human world precisely because it is disordered. The remark about knowing the ford also mocks his search for a way forward.

Translation: Zilu, traveling with Confucius, fell behind. He met an old man carrying a weeding basket on his staff and asked, “Have you seen my master?” The man said, “His limbs do no labor and he cannot distinguish the five grains—who is his master?” He planted his staff in the ground and began weeding. Zilu stood respectfully with hands clasped. The man kept him overnight, killed a chicken, cooked millet for him, and introduced his two sons. The next day Zilu caught up and reported the encounter. Confucius said, “He is a recluse,” and sent Zilu back to see him. By the time Zilu arrived, the man had gone. Zilu said, “To refuse office is to neglect what is right. If the proper relation between elder and younger cannot be discarded, how can the duty between ruler and minister be discarded? Seeking to keep oneself pure, one disrupts a fundamental human relation. A gentleman takes office to carry out what is right. That the Way will not prevail is something we already know.”

Reading note: The old man mocks wandering scholars yet observes the courtesies due to guest and age. Zilu argues that one cannot honor some human bonds while abandoning public duty; service is justified by duty, not guaranteed success.

Translation: Among those who withdrew from public life were Boyi, Shuqi, Yuzhong, Yiyi, Zhuzhang, Liuxia Hui, and Shaolian. Confucius said, “Those who neither lowered their purpose nor brought disgrace upon themselves were perhaps Boyi and Shuqi.” Of Liuxia Hui and Shaolian he said, “They lowered their purpose and accepted humiliation, yet their words accorded with proper relations and their conduct with careful judgment. That is what may be said of them.” Of Yuzhong and Yiyi he said, “They lived in seclusion and spoke without restraint. They kept themselves pure, and their withdrawal suited the circumstances.” He added, “I differ from them: for me, nothing is invariably permissible and nothing invariably forbidden.”

Reading note: Confucius recognizes several forms of principled withdrawal but binds himself to none. His final remark expresses flexibility guided by what is right in the particular situation.

Translation: Zhi, the grand music master, went to Qi; Gan, who played at the second meal, went to Chu; Liao, who played at the third, went to Cai; and Que, who played at the fourth, went to Qin. Fangshu, the drummer, went to the region north of the Yellow River; Wu, who shook the hand drum, went to the Han River region; while Yang, the assistant music master, and Xiang, the stone-chime player, went toward the coast.

Reading note: The passage records the dispersal of the musicians of Lu. “Second meal,” “third meal,” and “fourth meal” designate musical posts associated with successive stages of ceremonial dining; the bare list of departures evokes the collapse of ritual music and the loss of worthy officials.

Translation: The Duke of Zhou said to the Duke of Lu, “A noble person does not estrange his own kin, nor does he give senior ministers cause to resent that their abilities are left unused. Old associates are not cast aside unless they have committed a grave fault. Do not demand every excellence from a single person.”

Reading note: The Duke of Zhou sets out principles for governing and appointing others: preserve affection within the family, make proper use of ministers, and remain loyal to old associates while allowing for ordinary shortcomings. “Do not demand every excellence from a single person” counsels judging people by their strengths rather than expecting perfection.

Translation: The Zhou had eight worthy men: Bo Da, Bo Shi, Zhong Tu, Zhong Hu, Shu Ye, Shu Xia, Ji Sui, and Ji Gua.

Reading note: The passage preserves the names of eight respected men, identified by the seniority terms Bo, Zhong, Shu, and Ji. Since it gives no account of their deeds, its main force is simply to honor the abundance of worthy figures under the Zhou.