Why Shun Married Without Telling His Parents
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English translation
Original Chinese text
万章问曰：“《诗》云：‘娶妻如之何？必告父母。’信斯言也，宜莫如舜。舜之不告而娶，何也？”孟子曰：“告则不得娶。男女居室，人之大伦也。如告则废人之大伦以怼父母，是以不告也。”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “The Songs say, ‘How should one take a wife? One must first inform one’s parents.’ If this is true, no one should have followed it more faithfully than Shun. Why did he marry without informing them?” Mencius replied, “If he had told them, he would not have been able to marry. A man and woman forming a household is one of the great human relationships. If telling his parents meant abandoning this great human relationship and resenting them, that is why he did not tell them.”
Original Chinese text
万章曰：“舜之不告而娶，则吾既得闻命矣。帝之妻舜而不告，何也？”曰：“帝亦知告焉则不得妻也。”
English translation
Wan Zhang said, “I understand why Shun married without informing his parents. But why did Emperor Yao give his daughter to Shun without informing Shun’s parents?” Mencius replied, “Yao also knew that if he informed them first, Shun would not be able to marry her.”
Original Chinese text
万章曰：“父母使舜完廪，捐阶，瞽瞍焚廪。使浚井，出，从而掩之。象曰：‘谟盖都君咸我绩。牛羊父母，仓廪父母，干戈朕，琴朕，弤朕，二嫂使治朕栖。’象往入舜宫，舜在床琴。象曰：‘郁陶思君尔。’忸怩。舜曰：‘唯兹臣庶，汝其于予治。’不识舜不知象之将杀己与？”曰：“奚而不知也？象忧亦忧，象喜亦喜。”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “Shun’s parents ordered him to repair the granary, then removed the ladder, and Gu Sou set the granary on fire. They then told him to dig a well; after he climbed out, they filled it in. Xiang said, ‘The plot to kill Lord Du was entirely my doing. The cattle and sheep belong to our parents, as do the granaries; the weapons are mine, the qin is mine, the carved bow is mine, and the two sisters-in-law should prepare my quarters.’ Xiang went to Shun’s room and found him playing the qin on his bed. Xiang said, ‘I have been troubled and missed you, my brother,’ looking embarrassed. Shun replied, ‘Here are these officials and people; you can help me govern them.’ Did Shun not know that Xiang had meant to kill him?” Mencius said, “How could he not know? When Xiang was troubled, Shun was troubled too; when Xiang rejoiced, Shun rejoiced too.”
Original Chinese text
曰：“然则舜伪喜者与？”曰：“否。昔者有馈生鱼于郑子产，子产使校人畜之池。校人烹之，反命曰：‘始舍之圉圉焉，少则洋洋焉，攸然而逝。’子产曰：‘得其所哉！得其所哉！’校人出，曰：‘孰谓子产智？予既烹而食之，曰：“得其所哉！得其所哉！”’故君子可欺以其方，难罔以非其道。彼以爱兄之道来，故诚信而喜之。奚伪焉？”
English translation
Wan Zhang asked, “So was Shun pretending to be glad?” Mencius said, “No. Once someone gave a live fish to Zichan of Zheng. Zichan told the pond keeper to raise it in a pool. The keeper cooked and ate it, then reported, ‘At first it seemed sluggish; after a while it swam about freely and quickly darted away.’ Zichan said, ‘It found its proper place! It found its proper place!’ After leaving, the keeper said, ‘Who says Zichan is wise? I had already cooked and eaten the fish, yet he said it had found its proper place!’ Thus a gentleman may be deceived by a plausible account, but cannot easily be misled by what goes against the Way. Xiang came to him in the guise of a loving brother, so Shun sincerely trusted him and rejoiced. How was that pretense?”