Hello everyone! This is the next post in my series of commentaries on the Confucian Analects. In this post, I will provide the first half of my commentaries on Book 5: Kung-ye Ch'ang.
Here is the first half of my commentaries on Book 5: Kung-ye Ch'ang:
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Original text from the Public Domain Confucian Analects (from the 2013 edition of "The Art of War and Other Classics of Eastern Thought")
@cmp2020 original commentary
Kung-ye Ch'ang
I
Confucius in marriage-making was guided by character and not by fortune
- The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived; although he was put in bonds, he had not been guilty of any crime. Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife.
- Of Nan Yung he said that if the country were well governed, he would not be out of office, and if it were ill governed, he would escape punishment and disgrace. He gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife.
This is from a time when arranged marriage was common. He is saying (in modern terms) that your choice of a spouse should be solely based on character rather than wealth, power, and benefit. This fits in with his recurring theme of making decisions based on moral standards rather than personal gain.
II
The Chün-tsze formed by intercourse with other Chün-tsze
The Master said of Tsze-chien, "Of superior virtue indeed is such a man! If there were not virtuous man in Lu, how could this man have acquired this character?"
To be superior, you must learn how to be from someone else. In this case, he talks of Tsze-chien, who he calls superior. Confucius then says that Tsze-chien must have learned from someone else who was virtuous in Lu. Beethoven could be considered an example of this. He studied under many different teachers (including Haydn) before he established himself as a composer.
III
Whereto Tsze-kung had attained
Tsze-kung asked, "What do you say of me, Ts'ze!" The Master said, "You are a utensil." "What utensil?" "A gemmed sacrificial utensil."
Here Confucius is saying that everyone's purpose is to be of service to others.
IV
Of Zan Yung-readiness with the tongue no part of virtue
- Some one said, "Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue."
- The Master said, "What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartness of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue."
You do not need to display your moral standards to others to have moral standards. Ussually if you display your moral standards, people will hate you. In modern terms, this is called leadership by example, in which you live your moral standards, and others may choose whether to follow your example or not.
V
Ch'i-tiao K'ais opinion of the qualifications necessary to taking office
The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter on official employment. He replied, "I am not yet able to rest in the assurance of this." The Master was pleased.
This is a demonstration of humility. Confucius wanted this guy to fill a role, and the person said he's not ready yet. This pleased Confucius because K'ai displayed humility when he underestimated his own qualifications.
VI
Confucius proposing to withdraw from the world-a lesson to Tsze-lu
The Master said, "My doctrines make no way. I will get upon a raft, and float about on the sea. He that will accompany me will be to Yu, I dare say." Tsze-lu hearing this was glad, upon which the Master said, "Yu is fonder of daring than I am. He does not exercise his judgement upon matters."*
This is the opposite of what he said in my last article about Cautious people rarely making mistakes. Reckless people always make mistakes and do not think things through. For example, have you ever seen a drunk driver?
VII
Of Tsze-yu, and Tsze-hwa
- Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, "I do not know."
- He asked again, when the Master replied, "In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the military levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous."
- "And what do you say of Ch'iu?" The Master replied, "In a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, Ch'iu might be employed as governor, but I do not now whether he is perfectly virtuous."
- "What do you say of Ch'ih?" The Master replied, "With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly vituous."
This means that the jobs you do, or the honors given to you do not necesarily demonstrate whether you have and live by moral standards. I could also take this to mean don't assume someone is by their resume. Observe their character on top of that resume.
VIII
**Superiority of Yen Hui to Tsze-kung
- The Master said to Tsze-kung, "Which do you consider superior, youself or Hui?
- Tsze-kung replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and know a second."
- The Master said, "You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are not equal to him."
Here, Tse-kung is being humble and stating that he is not superior to Yung Hui because Yung Hui is able to expand upon what he learns to learn something new. For example, I remember once watching a Ted talk about a kid who can learn all about a language (including to speak it) and the culture behind that language in just a few days. I'm sure much of what he learns about knew languages, he has generalized from other languages.
IX
The Idleness of Tsai Yü and its reproof
- Tsai Yü being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. Thi Yü!-what is the use of my reproving him?"
- The Master said, "At first, my way with men was to hear their words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my way is to hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yü that I have learned to make this change."
This is Confucius again speaking down towards hypocrisy. Tsai Yu, according to the preface, had a "sharp mouth." It also states that he took up a job with the State of Ch'i (we all know what Confucius thinks of Ch'i). In this job, he joined with T'ien Ch'ang in "some disorderly movement." This made Confucius ashamed of Tsai Yu. Hence, Confucius is saying that Tsai Wu is the reason why he listens to a man's words, then judge their actions rather than listen to their words, and assume their actions. I want to highlight what Confucius first said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel." This is a fancy way of saying that he cannot fix who Tsai Yu is, and therefore won't try.
X
Unending virtue cannot co-exist with indulgence of the passions
The Master sid, "I have not seen a firm and unbending man." Some one replied, "There is Shan Ch'ang," "Ch'ang," said the Master, "is under the influence of his passions; how can he be pronounced firm and unbending?"
This reminds me of segment VI from Book 4 (Part 1). In that segment, Confucius says that he has not seen someone who has the strength to live by their moral standards for their entire life. Here, Confucius again states this. Someone offers up Confucius' disciple Shan Ch'ang as a counter example. Confucius responds that living according to passion rather than moral standards must lead to breaking your beliefs.
XI
The difficulty of attaining to the not wishing to do to others as we wish them not to do to us
Tsze-kung said, "What I do not wish men to do to me, I also wish not to do to men." The Master said, "Ts'ze, you have not attained to that."
This segment is quite similar to our own golden rule "Do unto others as they would do unto you." I do not know what Tsze-kung did in his past, but apparently Confucius knows of an instance where Tsze-kung did not follow this moral standard. I would say this evolved into one of modern societies most spoken moral standards. I'd point out that this is also about hypocrisy.
XII
The gradual way in which Confucius communicated his doctrines
Tsze-kung said, "The Master's personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of them may be heard. His discourses about man's nature, and the way of Heaven, cannot be heard."
This is another example of leadership by example. He is saying that what the master teaches of principles can be heard, but his views about man's natural habits, and Heaven can only be observed.
XIII
The ardor of Tsze-lu in practicing the Master's instructions
When Tsze-lu heard anything, if he had not yet succeeded in carrying it into practice, he was only afraid lest he should hear something else.*
Tsze-lu is afraid that he will learn something too slowly, and get behind in following what the Master teaches. I feel this way all the time in school. You become so focused on solving a problem (without the teacher's help) that you are eventually left behind.
Previous Posts
Confucian Analects
[Book 1: Hsio R](@cmp2020/comentary-on-the-confucia
n-analects-book-1-hsio-r-part-1-1)
[Book 2: Wei Chang Part
1/2](@cmp2020/comentary-on-the-confucian-analects-book
-2-wei-chang-part-1-2)
[Book 2: Wei Chang Part
2/2](@cmp2020/comentary-on-the-confucian-analects-book
-2-wei-chang-pa)
[Book 3: Pa Yih Part
1/2](@cmp2020/comentary-on-the-confucian-analects-book
-3-pah-yih-part-1-2)
[Book 3: Pa Yih Part
2/2](@cmp2020/comentary-on-the-confucian-analects-book
-3-pah-yih-part-2-2)
Book 4: Li Zan Part 1/2
Book 4: Li Zan Part 2/2
Book 5: Kung-ye Ch'ang Part 1/2
Art of War Review
Part 6a: Weak Points and Strong
Part 6b: Weak Points and Strong
Part 7b: Maneuvering
Part 8: Variation in
Tactics
Part 9a: The Army on the March
Part 9b: The Army on the March
Also remember to check for: My weekly 7 post, As well as my composer birthday posts
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