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Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 11: "Hsien Tsin" Part 2/2

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7 years ago
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"Tsze-kung asked which of the two, Shih or Shang, was the superior. The Master said, 'Shih goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does not come up to it.' 'Then,' said Tsze-kung, 'the superiority is with Shih, I suppose.' The Master said, 'To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.'"

Hello everyone! This is the next post in my series of commentaries on the Confucian Analects. Thank you for the support yesterday! I am very sorry that this is 20 minutes late. If you have missed any of my previous commentaries, they will be linked down below. Let's get into my commentaries.

Here is the second half of my commentaries on Book 11: Hsien Tsin:

[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

Hsien Tsin

XIV
Confucius's admonition and defense of Tsze-lu

  1. The Master said, "What has the lute of Yu to do in my door?"
  2. The other disciples began not to respect Tsze-lu. The Master said, "Yu has ascended to the hall, though he has not yet passed into the inner apartments."

I think the point of this passage is that Lu made a mistake. The other disciples stopped respecting him, and Confucius made the point that Lu "is on the right track."

XV
Comparison of Shih and Shang-excess and defect equally wrong

  1. Tsze-kung asked which of the two, Shih or Shang, was the superior. The Master said, *"Shih goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does not come up to it.
  2. "Then," said Tsze-kung, "the superiority is with Shih, I suppose."
  3. The Master said, "To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short."

The message behind this passage is that you should not do more than is required of you, or less. You should aim to achieve exactly what you are assigned.

XVI
Confucius's indignation at the suport of usurpation and extortion by one of his disciples

  1. The head of the Chi family was richer than the duke of Chau had been, and yet Ch'iu collected his imposts for him, and increased his wealth.
  2. The Master said, "He is no disciple of mine. My little children, beat the drum and assail him."

Confucius did not like the fact that one of his disciples collected taxes for the head of the Chi family (remember, Confucius hates the Chi family. They have a history). He disowned Ch'iu because of this.

XVII
Characters of the four disciples-Ch'ai, Shan, Shih, and Yu

  1. Ch'ai is simple.
  2. Shan is dull.
  3. Shih is specious.
  4. Yu is coarse.

Ch'ai is simple, meaning that he does not think things through.
Shan is dull, meaning that heis not creative in the way he thinks.
Shih is specious, meaning that he seems to be correct but turns out to be wrong most of the time.
Yu is coarse, meaning that he is rude or vulgar.

XVIII
Hui and Ts'ze contrasted

  1. The Master said, "There is Hui! He has nearly attained to perfect virtue. He is often in want."
  2. "Ts'ze does not acquiesce in the appointments of Heaven, and his goods are increased by him. Yet his judgements are often correct."

Yen Yüan had nearly lives a life in perfect virtue. Yet, he is flawed in wanting things a lot. Ts'ze accepts supersticians easily without reluctance, but his judgements are ussually correct. The point of this passage is that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, even Yen Yüan and Ts'ze.

XIX
The good man
Tsze-chang asked what were the characteristics of the GOOD MAN. The Master said, "He does not tred in the footsteps of others, but, moreover, he does not enter the chamber of the sage."

A good man does not free loadoff of those around him, and he does not do more than he is assigned to increase his own reputation.

XX
We may not hastily judge a man to be good from his discourse
The Master said, "If, because a man's discourse appears solid and sincere, we allow him to be a good man, is he really a superior man? or is his gravity only in appearance?"

The point of this passage is that sometimes people seem to be good but really aren't. Confucius' point is that its hard to distinguish whether they are good, or are only good in the moment.

XXI
An insistance in Tsze-lu and Zan Yu of how Confucius dealt with his disciples according to their characters
Tsze-lu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard. The Master said, "There are your father and elder brothers to be consulted-why should you act on that principle of immediately carrying into practice what you hear?" Zan Yu asked the same, whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard, and the Master answered, "Immediately carry into practice what you hear." Kung-hsi Hwa said, "Yu asked whether he should carry immediately into practice what he heard, and you said, 'There are your father and elder brother to be consulted.' Ch'iu asked whether he shout immediately carry into pracice what he heard, and you said, 'Carry it immediately into practice.' I, Ch'ih am perplexed, and venture to ask you for an explanation." The Master said, "Ch'iu is retiring and slow; therefore I urged him forward. Yu has more than his own share of energy, therefore I kept him back."

The point of this passage is that different circumstances and different people recquire different treatment. Confucius gave his disciples the answers they needed, not necessarily THE ANSWER. This makes me think of how different level courses in school teach the same information, just at different rates.

XXII
Yen Yüan's attachment to Confuius and confidence in his mission
The Master was put in fear in K'wang and Yen Yüan fell behind. The Master on his rejoining him, said, "I thought you had died." Hui replied, "While you were alive how should I presume to die?"

In this statement, Yen Yüan is making the exageration that learning from Confucius is so important to him that he would not allow himself to die.

XXIII
A great minister-Chung-yu and Zan Ch'iu only ordinary ministers

  1. Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Chung Yu and Zan Ch'iu could be called great ministers.
  2. The Master said, "I thought you would ask about some extraordinary individuals, and you only ask about Yu and Ch'iu!"
  3. "What is called a great minister, is one who serves his prince according to what is right, and when he finds he cannot do so, retires."
  4. "Now, as to Yu and Ch'iu, they may be called ordinary ministers."
  5. Tsze-zan said, "Then they will always follow their chief-will they?"
  6. The Master said, "In an act of parricide or regicide, they would not follow him?"

Confucius' point here is that a great minister serves based on what he believes is right. If he no longer feels what he is doing is right, he will retire. He then makes the points that the ministers Chi Tsze-zan named would immediately take up allegiance to the ruler who wrongfully assasinates the ruler they work under. His point is that a great minister would resign.

XXIV
How preliminary study is necessary to the exercise of government-a reproof of Tsze-lu

  1. Tsze-lu got Tsze-kao appointed governor of Pi.
  2. The Master said, "You are injuring a man's son."
  3. Tsze-lu said, "There are (there) common people and officers; there are the altars of the spirits of the land and grain. Why must one read books before he can be considered to have learned?"
  4. The Master said, "It is on this account that I hate your glib-tongued people."

Confucius is saying that to be a good governor, you must educate yourself on the subject of your decisions.

The point of this passage is that a superior leader must first educate them on the subjects that they are deciding on before deciding. For example, most modern world leaders look at all of their options, and study the scenario before making a decision about what to do in war or in peace.

XXV
The aims of Tsze-lu, Tsang Hsi, Zan Yu, and Kung-hsi Hwa, and Confucius's remarks about them

  1. Tsze-lu, Tsang Hsi, Zan Yu, and Kung-hsi Hwa were sitting by the Master.
  2. He said to them, "Though I am a day or so older than you, do not think of that."
  3. "From day to day you are saying, 'We are not known.' If some ruler were to know you, what would you like to do?"
  4. Tsze-lu hastily and lightly replied, "Suppose the case of a State of ten thousand chariots; let it be straightened between other large states; let it be suffering from invading armies; and to this let there be added a famine in corn and in all vegetables: if I were intrusted with the government of it, in three years' time I could make the people to be bold, and to recognize the rules of righteous conduct." The Master smiled at him.
  5. Turning to Yen Yu, he said, "Ch'iu, what are your wishes?" Ch'iu replied, "Suppose a state of sixty or seventy li square, or one of fifty or sixty, and let me have the government of it-in three years' time, I could make plenty to bound among the people. As to teaching them the principles of propriety, and music, I must wait for the rise of a superior man to do that."
  6. "What are your wishes, Ch'ih," said the Master next to Kung-hsi Hwa. Ch'ih replied, "I do not say that my ability extends to these things, but I should wish to learn them. At the services of the ancestral temple, and at the audience of the princes with the sovereign, I should like, dressed in the dark square-made robe and the black linen cap, to act as a small assistant."
  7. Last of all, the Master asked Tsang Hsi, "Tien, what are your wishes?" Tien, pausing as he was playing on his lute, while it was yet twanging, laid the instrument aside, and rose. "My wishes," he said, "are different from the cherished purposes of these three gentlemen." "What is there in that?" said the Master; *"do you also, as well as they, speak out your wishes." Tien then said, "In this, the last month of spring, with the dress of the season all complete, along with fixe[sic] or six young men who have assumed the cap, and six or seven boys, I would wash in the I, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing." The Master heaved a sigh and said, "I give my approval to Tien."
  8. The three others having gone out, Tsang Hsi remained behind, and said, "What do you thing of the words of these three friends?" The Master replied, "They simply told each one his wishes."
  9. Hsi pursued, "Master, why did you smile at Yu?"
  10. He was answered, "The management of a State demands the rules of propriety. His words were not humble, therefore I smiled at him."
  11. Hsi again said, "But was it not a State which Ch'iu proposed for himself?" "Yes; did you ever see a territory of sixty or seventy li or one fifty or sixty, which was not a State?"
  12. Once more, Hsi inquired, "And was it not a State which Ch'ih proposed for himself?" The Master again replied, "Yes; who but princes have to do with ancestral temples, and with audiences but the sovereign? If Ch'ih were to be a small assistant in these services, who could be a great one?"

This was a long passage to type. It was over 600 words. I think the moral of the story is that the first disciple to speak lacked humility in his wishes and presentation. The second really didn't show anything in his statement. The third was humble, yet showed confidence in himself as a leader, and according to Confucius, he is a great leader. The fourth was favorited because of the humility he showed whilst talking of his wishes. I think the point of this passage is to show that it is okay to make judgements of people, but your judgements should be based on hard known truths, and you should act using manners whether your judgements are good or bad.

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