Confucius was walking about on top of Mt. Jung with Tzŭ-kung,
Tzŭ-lu, and Yen Yüan. With a sigh Confucius said, "May each
of you, my disciples, express his ambition. I am going to examine
them. How about you, Yu?"
He replied, "[I would like] to get white plumes like the moon
and red plumes like the sun.[2]
[The noise of] beaten gong and drum
would resound to the heavens above, and below . . . lances to
the earth.[3]
Only I would be able to send an army to attack."
Confucius said, "A brave soldier! Tz`ŭ, how about you?"
He replied, "With plain gown and white silk cap[4]
I would go
on my mission between the two states, and without holding a
weapon so much as a foot long, or so much as a shêng or a tou[5]
of grain, I would cause the two states to be intimate as brothers."
Confucius said, "A sophist! Hui, what about you?"
He replied, "Rotten fish are not kept in the same container
with the lan-ch`ih plant.[6]
Chieh and Chou do not rule at the same
time as Yao and Shun. These two have spoken, so how can I
speak?"
7[OMITTED]. The text is defective. (CHy.) Chou suggests emending to [OMITTED]
[OMITTED] "Why do you speak so humbly?"
Confucius said, "Hui has a humble mind. . ." (?)
Yen Yüan said, "I would like to get to be minister to an
enlightened king or a saintly ruler. I would have no walls built
nor moats or ditches dug. Yin and yang would be [kept] in equilibrium.
[Every] family would have sufficient, [every] man would
have enough. I would melt down the weapons in storage to make
agricultural implements."
Confucius said, "A great officer! Yu might come confident,
but what attacks would you be making? Tz`ŭ might come loquacious,[8]
but what use would you have for him? I would like to have
an official's robe[9]
and cap and be your steward."
