Annotations to Canon I:—
Confucius was Premier of Wei. His disciple, Tzŭ-kao,
was the judge of a criminal court and once cut off the feet
of a criminal. The footless man became their gate-keeper.
Some people slandered Confucius before the Ruler of Wei,
saying that Chung-ni was plotting a disturbance. Therefore,
the Ruler of Wei wanted to arrest Confucius. Confucius
ran away. All his disciples escaped. Tzŭ-kao went to the back[8]
gate. The footless gate-keeper led the way and sheltered
him in the basement beneath the gate. The officials sought
for him but could not find him. At midnight, Tzŭ-kao asked
the footless gate-keeper, "I could not bend the legal decree
of the sovereign and cut off your feet with my own hands.
This is the time for you to take revenge. Why are you willing
to shelter me? How can I receive such a kindness from you?"
In reply the footless man said: "I had my feet cut off as my
crime deserved such punishment. Nothing could be done
about it. Nevertheless, when Your Excellency was about to
decide on the case against thy servant, Your Excellency
interpreted the ordinance in all possible ways and supplied
words either before or after thy servant's pleas, being so
anxious to hold thy servant innocent, which thy servant
understood very well. When the case was settled and the
sentence was passed, Your Excellency in excess of pity felt
unpleasant as expressed in the facial colour, which thy servant
saw and also understood. That was not because of Your
Excellency's private favour to thy servant but because of
his inborn nature and benevolent heart. This is the reason
why I have felt pleased and grateful to Your Excellency."
T`ien Tzŭ-fang went to Wey from Ch`i. He saw from a
distance Chieh Huang riding in the coach of a feudal lord
with cavaliers around and marching out in full dignity.
Fang at first thought Marquis Wên was going out, and therefore
moved his carriage to a side-track in order to avoid
the procession. Later, he found Chieh Huang alone[9]
in the
coach. "Why are you riding in this coach?" asked Fang.
In reply Huang said: "When His Highness was scheming
to attack Central Hills, thy servant recommended Chieh Chioh
to him and a proper scheme was devised. When His Highness
was actually going to attack Central Hills, thy servant recommended
Yo Yang to him and Central Hills was taken. After
the conquest of Central Hills, His Highness worried over
the governorship of the country, when thy servant recommended
Li K`o to him, and as a result Central Hills became
orderly. For this reason, His Highness awarded thy servant
this coach." Thereupon Fang said: "To such a merit the
reward is still too small to be equivalent."
When Ch`in and Han were attacking Wey, Chao Mao
went westward on an itinerant tour and Ch`in and Han
stopped the campaign. When Ch`i and Ching were attacking
Wey, Mao went eastward on an itinerant tour and Ch`i and
Ching stopped the campaign. Accordingly, King Hsiang
of Wey supported him with the emolument[10]
of five chariots.
Complaining of the meagreness of the emolument, Mao said:
"Formerly, when Po-i was buried with the dignity of a general
at the foot of the Shou-yang Mountain, All-under-Heaven
said, `Indeed, in view of the worthiness of Po-i and his
reputation for benevolence, to bury him with the dignity of a
general is hardly sufficient—not even enough to cover his
hands and feet underground.' Now thy servant stopped the
invading forces of four states. And for meritorious services
Your Majesty granted thy servant five chariots. To reward for
such meritorious services in this way is to do the same as
an upstart in spite of his wealth wearing hemp sandals.
Confucius said: "Who knows how to be an official,
plants gratitude in the mind of the people; who does not
know how to be an official plants resentment in the mind of
the people. The strickle is for adjusting the measure. The
official is for adjusting the law. Who governs a state should
not lose sight of the means of adjustment."
Shao Shih-chou was a faithful, honest, clean, and earnest
man of antiquity. He served Lord Hsiang of Chao as bodyguard.
Once he contested in strength with Hsü Tzŭ from
Chung-mou and found himself not as strong as Hsü Tzŭ.
He then went into the court and told Lord Hsiang to replace
himself with Hsü Tzŭ. "Your post," said Lord Hsiang, "is
coveted by everybody else. Why do you want Hsü Tzŭ to
replace you?" "Thy servant serves Your Highness,"
replied Shao Shih-chou, "with his physical strength. Now,
Hsü Tzŭ's strength is greater than mine. Unless thy servant
offers to be replaced by him, thy servant is afraid others might
recommend him to Your Highness and thy servant might be
guilty of suppressing an able man."
According to a different source: Shao Shih-chou served
as aide-de-camp to Lord Hsiang. Upon their arrival at
Chin-yang, a wrestler named Niu Tzŭ contested with him
in strength, but he could not win. Thereupon Chou spoke
to the Lord: "Your Highness made thy servant an aide-decamp[11]
because Your Highness thought thy servant had
great strength. Now that there is somebody having greater
strength than thy servant may thy servant beg to present him
to Your Highness?"
