Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 17: "Yang Ho" Part 2/2

"(1.) The Master said, 'I would prefer not speaking.' (2.) Tsze-kung said, 'If you, Master, do not speak, what shall we, your disciples, have to record?' (3.) The Master said, 'Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?'"

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Here is the second half of my commentaries on Book 17: Yang Ho:

[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

Yang Ho

XIV
Swiftness to speak incompatible with the cultivation of virtue
The Master said, "To tell as we go along, what we have heard on the way, is to cast away our virtue."

I think this passage is warning against spreading unfounded rumors. It makes the point that it is good to wait, when you learn something, until you have evidence to back it up.

XV
The case of mercenary officers, and how it is impossible to serve one's prince along with them

The Master said, "There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one's prince!"

"While they have not got their aims, their anxiety is how to get them. When they have got them, their anxiety is lest they should lose them."

"When they are anxious lest such things should be lost, there is nothing to which they will not proceed."

I think the point of this passage is that it is impossible to serve with people who have anxiety even without understanding the situation. In the same way, it is impossible to work with these people when they understand a situation and do not have anxiety.

XVI
The defects of former times become vices in the time of Confucius

The Master said, "Anciently, men had three failings, which now perhaps are not to be found."

"The high-mindedness of antiquity showed itself in a disregard of small things; the high-mindedness of the present day shows itself in wild license. The stern dignity of antiquity showed itself in grave reserve; the stern dignity of the present day shows itself in quarrelsome perverseness. The stupidity of antiquity showed itself in straightforwardness; the stupidity of the present day shows itself in sheer deceit."

I think this passage explains the evolution of an ideology that is at first considered simply wrong. Confucius explains that what was once just considered wrong by the first generation, is considered morally evil by the next. One example of this might be communism. In Marx's time, communism was considered by a lot to be something that will not work. Nowadays, communism is considered by many to be morally evil.

XVII
[A repitition of I:III]
The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom asssociated with virtue."

I believe this passage is saying that your words and appearance do not define who you are. You may appear to be virtuous, or speak as if you are, but that does not make you virtuous.

XVIII
Confucius's indignation at the way in which the wrong overcame the right
The Master said, "I hate the manner in which purple takes away the luster of vermilion. I hate the way in which the songs of Chang confound the music of the Ya. I hate those who with their sharp mouths overthrow kingdoms and families."

I think the point of this passage is that Confucius does not like how things have turned out in his time compared to the traditional things which came before.

XIX
The actions of Confucius were lessons and laws, and not his words merely

The Master said, "I would prefer not speaking."

Tsze-kung said, "If you, Master, do not speak, what shall we, your disciples, have to record?"

The Master said, "Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?"

The point of this passage is that Confucious does not only speak of his moral values, he carries it out in everything that he does. He makes a clever analogy. When his disciples ask how they are supposed to learn, he reminds them that Heaven does not need to speak for mankind to know its intentions. Mankind needs to simply observe the world around him to learn of Heaven's intentioins.

XX
How Confucius coculd be "Not at home," and yet give intimation to the visitor of his presence
Zu Pei wished to see Confucius, but Confucius declined, on the ground of being sick, to see him. When the bearer of this message went out at the door, (the Master) took his lute and sang to it, in order that the Pei might hear him.

I think the point of this passage is that Confucius did not feel up to hosting Zu Pei, but Confucius made his best attempt at entertaining Pei, and making him feel welcome. So, the overall point could be considered to be to put your best effort into any task at hand, even if that effort is diminished by illness.

XXI
The period of three years' mourning for parents; it may not on any account be shortened; the reason of it

Tsai Wo asked about the three years' mourning for parents, saying that one year was long enough.

"If the superior man," said he, "abstains for three years from the ovservaces of propriety, those observances will be quite lost. If for three years he abstains from music, music will be ruined."

"Within a year the old grain is exhausted, and the new grain has sprung up, and, in procuring fire by friction, we go through all the changes of wood for that purpose. After a complete year, the mourning may stop."

The Master said, "If you were, after a year, to eat good rice, and wear embroidered clothes, would you feel at ease?" "I should," replied Wo.

The Master said, "If you can feel at ease, do it. But a superior man, during the whole period of mourning, does not enjoy pleasant food which he may eat, nor derive pleasure from music which he may hear. He does not feel at ease, if he is comfortably lodged. Therefore, he does not do what you propose. But now you feel at ease and may do it."

Tsai Wo then went out, and the Master said, "This shows Yü's want of virtue. It is not till a child is three years old that it iss allowed to leave the arms of its parents. And the three years; mourning is universally observed throughout the empire. Did Yü enjoy the three years' love of his parents?"

I think the point of this passage is that a superior man will not get over something really quickly. He remembers what is necessary to remember, and knows how to feel about it. In this passage, Confucius claims that children should mourn the loss of their parents for three years. Tsai Wo says that dropping your life for three years in order to mourn your parents is a waste of time. He makes the point that grain is born and dies and is born again within a year, and therefore that is the length of time that should be spent mourning. Confucius responds by saying that to do this is fine, it just demonstrates that someone is an average man. He makes the point that a superior man recognizes that it is not until three years after a baby is born that it may leave its parents' arms. I think the reason why Confucius said this was to make the point that there are things that last for one year, and things that last for three as well. Just because something lasts for one year does not mean that another thing should last for one year.

XXII
The hopeless case of gluttony and idleness
The Master said, "Hard is it to deal with him, who will stuff himself with food the whole day, without applying his mind to anything good! Are there not gamesters and chess players? To be one of these would still be better than doing nothing at all."

I think the point of this passage is that it is better to something unproductive than to do nothing at all. I think Confucius is saying that unproductiveness is better than laziness.

XXIII
Valor to be valued only in subordination to righteousness; its consequences apart from that
Tsze-lu said, "Does the superir man esteem valor?" The Master said, "The superior man holds righteousness to be of highest importance. A man in a superior situation, having valor without righteousness, will be guilty of insubordination; one of the lower people having valor without righteousness, will commit robbery."

The point of this passage is that courage is only benefitial when it is a characteristic of someone who considers righteousness to be of the most importance. Someone who is brave in a situation without possesing righteousness is incompetent. In the same way, it is robbing of someone who deserves to be brave the chance.

XXIV
Characters disliked by Confucius and Tsze-kung

Tsze-kung said, "Has the superior man his hatreds also?" The Master said, "He has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who, being in a low station, slanders his superiors. He hates those who have valor merely, and are unobservant of propriety. He hates those who are forward and determined, and, at the same time, of contracted understanding."

The Master then inquired, "Ts'ze, have you also your hatreds?" Tsze-kung replied, "I hate those who pry out matters, and ascribe the knowledge to their wisdom. I hate those who are only not modest, and think that they are valorous. I hate those who make known secrets, and think they are straightforward."

I think the point of this passage is that a superior man dislikes people who act in a way that contradicts their beliefs. The superior man hates hypocrites.

XXV
The difficulty how to treat concubines and servants
The Master said, "Of all people, girls and servants are the most difficult to behave to. If you are familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented."

The point of this passage is that it is hard to hang out with girls and servants because they act as though they are humble, then reveal themselves when they are comfortable with you. If you refuse to acquaint with them, they become unhappy with you.

XXVI
The difficulty of improvement in advanced years
The Master said, "When a man at forty is the object of dislike, he will always continue what he is."

This is an embodiment of the modern phrase "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Someone who is old will not change something no matter how wrong it may be. This is because whatever is wrong has become habit.

Confucian Analects

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Commentary on the Confucian Analects, Book 17: "Yang Ho" Part 2/2

Yang Ho

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