Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 6: "Yung Yey" Part 1/2

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! Yesterday, we finished up book 5: Kung-ye Ch'ang. So, today I am starting Book 6: Yung Yey. It is currently Thursday (at the time of writing this). All of the text I copied was lost, so I am typing the Confucian text for the second time. Let's get into my commentaries:

Here is the first half of my commentaries on Book 6: Yung Yey:

[Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CCO Public Domain]

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

Yung Yey

I
The character of Zan Yung an Tsze-sang Po-tsze as regards their aptitude for government

The Master said, "There is Yung!-He might occupy the place of a prince."

Chung-kung asked about Tsze-sang Po-tsze. The Master said, "He may pass. He does not mind small matters."

Chung-kung said, "If a man cherish himself a reverential feeling of the necessity of attention to business, though he may be easy in small matters in his government of the people, that may be allowed. But if he cherish in himself that easy feeling, and also carry it out in his practice, is not such an easy mode of procedure excessive?"

The Master said, "Yung's words are right."

I think the important think to pay attention to here is the phrase "easy in small matters." Confucius builds off of this phrase, "He does not mind small matters." This means that Tsze-sang Po-tsze is lazy. This passage is about the importance of paying attention to small details, especially in government.

II
The rarity of a true love to learn-Hui's superiority to the other disciples
The duke of Ai asked which of the disciples loved to learn. Confucius replied to him, "There was Yen Hui; HE loved to learn. he did transfer his anger; he did not repeat a fault. Unfortunately, his appointed time was short and he died; and now there is not such another. I have not yet heard of anyone who loves to learn as he did."

Those who are superior do not remain angry, they learn from their mistakes, and are fond of learning. For example, think of people who stand out in society because of their learning. These might be people like Stephen Hawking, Gary Kasparov, or Albert Einstein. An example from music would be Beethoven, who didn't become a composer until after years of training.

III
Discrimination of Confucius in rewarding or salarying officers

Tsze-hwa being employed on a mission to Ch'i, the disciple of Zan requested grain for his mother. The Master said, "give her a fu." Yen requested more. "Give her an yü," said the Master. Yen gave her five ping.

The Master said, "When Ch'ih was proceeding to Ch'i, he had fat horses to his carriage, and wore light furs. I have heard that a superior man helps the distressed, but does not add to the wealth of the rich."

Yüan Sze being made governor by his town by the Master, he gave him nine hundred measures of grain, but Sze declined them.

The Master said, "Do not decline them. May you not give them away in the neighborhoods, hamlets, towns, and villages?"

The point of this passage is to be charitable with helping the poor, but do not help the rich financially. This basically means, decide whether to give someone money (for help) based off of economic status.

IV
The vices of a father should not discredit a virtuous son
The Master, speaking of Chung-kung, said, "If the calf of a brindled cow be red and homed, although men may not wish to use it, would the spirits of the mountains and rivers put it aside?"

A child should not be judged based on their parents' mistakes.

V
The superiority of Hui to the other disciples
The Master said, "Such was Hui that for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue. The others may attain to this on some days or in some months, but nothing more."

Hui is better than the other disciples because he is able to live strictly by his moral values for three months. The other disciples may be able to do this for a day, or a month, but none of them can top him.

VI
The qualities of Tsze-lu, Tsze-kung, and Tsze-yu, and their competency to assist in government
Chi K'ang asked about Chung-yu, whether he was fit to be employed as an officer of government. The Master said, "Yu is a man of decision; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" K'ang asked, "Is Ts'ze fit to be employed as an officer of government?" and was answered, "Ts'ze is a man of intelligence; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" And to the same question about Ch'iu the Master gave the same reply, saying, "Ch'iu is a man of various ability."

Here, Confucius is saying that you do not need any incredible abilities or virtues to be an officer in government. I suppose he is saying that it is not extraordinary to hold a role in government. Nowadays, all you need are skills in marketing (specifically advertising), decent views that people can follow, and the money to compete.

VII
Min tsze-ch'ien refuses to serve the Chi family
The chief of the Chi family sent to ask Min Tsze-ch'ien to be governor of Pi. Min Tsze-ch'ien said, "Decline the offer for me politely. If any one come again to me with a second invitation, I shall be obliged to go and live on the banks of the Wan."

This is the earliest discouragement against spam :) Too bad there wasn't a mute button back then. I think what this passage means is to be polite about an invitation the first time, and the second time be more forceful and decisive.

VIII
Lament of Confucius over the mortal sickness of Po-niu
Po-niu being ill, the master went to ask for him. He took hold of his hand through the window, and said, "It is killing him. It is the appointment of Heaven, alas! That such a man should have such a sickness! That such a man should have such a sickness!"

This is Confucius stating that fate forced Po-niu to be sick. We often still do blame a higher power for our problems in times of sickness and loss.

IX
The happiness of Hui independent of his poverty
The Master said, "Admirable was the virtue of Hui! With a single bamboo dish of rice, a single gourd dish of drink, and living in his mean narrow lane, while others could not have endured this distress, he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!"

This is Confucius, again, speaking highly of Hui, who appears to have endured poverty to live by his own moral standards. Who ever said a teacher couldn't pick favorites? I remember speaking of Muhatma Gahndi, Martin Luther King Jr, and Rosa Parks in a similar passage. These people endured poverty and discomfort in the name of their own moral beliefs.

X
High aim and perseverance proper to a student
Yen Ch'iu said, "It is not that I do not delight in your doctrines, but my strength is insufficient." The Master said, "Those whose strength is insufficient give over in the middle of the way, but now you limit yourself."

Do something, even if you don't think you can. He is saying that if you can't do something, you will be forced to stop mid-way through, but that is still further than you get not trying at all. I would note that Confucius is not saying that if you think you can, you will; but he's stating that if you try, you will fail, and someday succeed.

XI
How learning should be pursued
The Master said to Tsze-hsia, "Do you be a scholar after the style of the superior man, and not after that of the mean man."

Try to learn as someone who cares about others and lives up to their own moral standards, rather than thinking first of your own personal gain and living according to inconsistency. This means do not use what you learn to hurt others for your own personal gain, but rather use what you learn to help others, and embody your moral standards.

XII
The character of Tan-t'ai Mieh-ming
Tsze-yu being governor of Wu-ch'ang, the Master said to him, "Have you got good men there?" He answered, "There is Tan-t'ai Mieh-ming, who never in walking takes a short cut, and never comes to my office, excepting on public business."

Don't take a short cut that causes you to be arrogant and miss something. Do not use your relationships with people for your own personal needs, at the expense of the other's.

XIII
The virtue of Mang Chih-fan in concealing his merit
The Master said, *"Mang Chih-fan does not boast of his merit. Being in the rear on an occasion of flight, when they were about to enter the gate, he whipped up his horse, saying, "It is not that I dare to be last. My horse would not advance."

Do not brag. The examoke used by Confucius is Mang Chih-fan who was at the back of the retreating army's line. Mang Chi-fan didn't want to be there, it's just that his horse wouldn't go fast enough to get farther up in the line.

XIV
The degeneracy of the age esteeming glibness of tongue and beauty of person
The Master said, "Without the specious speech of the litanist T'o and the beauty of the prince Chao of Sung, it is difficult to escape in the present age."

This passage is about how sometimes things can make us forget our troubles, and it is important to realize that. For example, in modern times, movies can help us forget debt or marital problems for two hours.

Confucian Analects

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Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 6: "Yung Yey" Part 1/2

Yung Yey

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