Duke Ching of Ch`i said to Tzŭ-kung, "Whom do you serve
as your teacher?"
He replied, "Chung-ni of Lu."
"Is this Chung-ni a sage?"
"He is a saint, not merely a sage."
Duke Ching laughed slightingly and said, "Wherein does his
saintliness consist?"
Tzŭ-kung said, "I do not know."
Duke Ching quickly[2]
colored up and said, "First you say he is
a saint, and now you say you do not know. What do you mean?"
Tzŭ-kung said, "All my life long I have had heaven over my
head, and I still do not know the height of heaven. All my life
long I have trodden upon the earth, and still I do not know the
thickness of the earth. My serving Chung-ni is comparable to a
thirsty man who grasps the handle of a pitcher and goes to the
river or the lake, drinks his fill, and leaves. How is he also to
know the depth of the river or lake?"
Duke Ching said, "Are you not overpraising him?"
Tzŭ-kung said, "How would your servant Tz`ŭ dare speak
extravagantly? I only fear that I have still not done him justice.
If I praise Chung-ni, it is comparable to lifting up a double handful
of earth and adding it to Mt. T`ai: it is perfectly obvious that
there is no increase [in the size of the mountain]. If I do not
praise Chung-ni, it is comparable to scratching up a double
handful [of earth] from Mt. T`ai: it is perfectly obvious that there
would be no decrease."
Duke Ching said, "Is there such goodness as this? Is there
such goodness as this?
The Ode says,[3]
Composed[4]
and dignified;
Inscrutable, invincible.
