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Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 12: "Yen Yüan" Part 2/2

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7 years ago
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"Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, 'What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled?' Confucius replied, 'Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors, is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.'"

Hello everyone! We are nearly 75 percent of the way through this series. For those of you who have not read this series before, this is a series where I offer commentaries about the Confucian analects. Let's get into the second half of Book 12!

Here is the second half of my commentaries on Book 12: Yen Yüan:

[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

Yen Yüan

XIII
To prevent better than to determine litigations
The Master said, *"In hearing litigations, I am like any other body. What is necessary, however, is to cause the people to have no litigations.

Avoiding disagreements is better than arbitrating them after they happen.

XIV
The art of governing
Tsze-chang asked about government. The Master said, "The art of governing is to keep its affairs before the mind without weariness, and to practice them with undeviating consistency."

A governing body should make what it does clear and consistent.

XV
Hardly different from VI:XXV
The Master said, "By extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, one may thus likewise not err from what is right."

If you wish to always be right, you should constantly try to further your own viewpoints, and apply what you learn to your own life through the use of manners.

XVI
Opposite influences upon others of the superior man and the mean man
The Master said, "The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this."

The superior man will seek to refine the best features and qualities of others. The average man will enhance their bad qualities.

XVII
Government moral in its end, and efficient by example
Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "To govern means to rectify. If you lead on the people with correctness, who will dare not to be correct?"

You should govern based on what is correct. No one will go against you if what you do is indeed correct.

XVIII
The people are made thieves by the example of their rulers
Chi K'ang, distressed about the number of thieves in the State, inquired of Confucius how to do away with them. Confucius said, *"If you, sir, were not covetous, although you should reward them to do it, they would not steal.

This is another quote that brings up the point that a nation's people follow the example of their government. Confucius' point is that if the government did not allow themselves to steal, then the people would not allow themselves to steal either.

XIX
Killing not to be talked of by rulers; the effect of their example
Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, "What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled?" Confucius replied, "Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors, is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it."

Confucius' point here is that superiority in man naturally creates a hierarchy in which the superior outdo the inferior. Therefore, it is not necessary to kill those who are inferior because it does not provide any necessary assistance to the superior.

XX
The man of true distinction, and the man of notoriety

  1. Tsze-chang asked, "What must the officer be, who may be said to be distinguished?"
  2. The Master said, "What is it you call being distinguished?"
  3. Tsze-chang replied, "It is to be heard of through the State, to be heard of throughout his clan."
  4. The Master said, "That is notoriety, not distinction."
  5. "Now the man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words, and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others. Such a man will be distinguished in the country; he will be distinguished in his clan."
  6. "As to the man of notoriety, he assumes the appearance of virtue, but his actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubts about himself. Such a man will be heard of in the country; he will be heard of in the clan."

In this passage, Confucius emphasizes the differences between notoriety and distinction. Someone who is distinct is by nature humble. They act clearly based on what they believe. They love pursuing what is right. Someone who demonstrates notoriety makes their beliefs known, but easily contradicts them through action. They possess no humility, and thrive on fame.

XXI
How to exalt virtue, correct vice, and discover delusions

  1. Fan Ch'ih rambling with the Master under the trees about the rain altars, said, "I venture to ask how to exalt virtue, to correct cherished evil, and to discover delusions."
  2. The Master said, "Truly a good question!"
  3. "If doing what is to be done be made the first business, and success a secondary consideration: is not this the way to exalt virtue? To assail one's own wickedness and not assail that of others-is not this the way to correct cherished evil? For a morning's anger to disregard one's own life, and involve that of his parents-is not this a case of delusion?"

To demonstrate virtue, you should prioritize doing the right thing over success, and point out and attack your own flaws rather than the flaws of others. It is delusional to disregard your own flaws, yet note someone else's.

XXII
About benevolence and wisdom-how knowledge subserves benevolence

  1. Fan Ch'ih asked about benevolence. The Master said, "It is to love all men." He asked about knowledge. The Master said, "It is to know all men."
  2. Fan Ch'ih did not immediately understand these answers.
  3. The Master said, "Employ the upright and put aside all the crooked; in this way the crooked can be made to be upright."
  4. Fan Ch'ih retired, and, seeing Tsze-hsia, he said to him, "A little while ago, I had an interview with our Master, and asked him about knowledge. He said, 'Employ the upright and put aside all the crooked-in this way, the crooked will be made to be upright.' What did he mean?"
  5. Tsze-hsia said, "Truly rich is his saying!"
  6. "Shun, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed Kao-yao, on which all who were devoid of virtue disappeared. T'ang being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed I Yin, and all who were devoid of virtue disappeared."

The point of this passage is that things such as love and knowledge are only attainable to those who are honorable. This incentivises honor and helps to teach those who are dishonorable to be honorable.

XXIII
Prudence in friendship
Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, "Faithfully admonish your friend, and skillfully lead him on. If you find him impracticable, stop. Do not disgrace yourself."

Warn your friends, and help them to move on from harmful situations. However, if it is not possible to keep them from harm, do not try. Involving yourself could cause you to put yourself at jeopardy.

XXIV
The friendship of the Chün-tsze
The philosopher Tsang said, "The superior man on grounds of culture meets with his friends, and by their friendship helps his virtue."

The superior man takes the advice of his friends into account. This in turn, helps him to develop moral standards to the highest degree.

Previous Posts

Confucian Analects

Art of War Review

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