Annotations to Canon V:—
Yü[31]
Hsien-pai was Premier of Chin.[32]
Beneath his reception
hall there grew beans and weeds and outside his gate
thorns and brambles. He never had two courses at a meal nor
two sheets on the chair. None of his concubines wore silk.
At home he gave no grain to his horses. When out, he never
took his carriage. Hearing this, Shu Hsiang told Miao
Pêng-huang about it. Pêng-huang, disapproving such a life,
said: "This is to win the hearts of the subordinate people
with the rank and emolument bestowed by the sovereign."
According to a different source: Yü[33]
Hsien-pai of Chin
was newly appointed High Noble. Shu Hsiang went to
congratulate him. By the gate there were a coachman and
a carriage,[34]
but the horse was not eating fodder. Therefore,
Hsiang asked, "Why don't you have two horses and two
carriages?" In reply Hsien-pai said: "Our fellow countrymen
seem still hungry to me. Therefore, I do not give fodder
to my horses. Most of the grey-haired men walk on foot.
Therefore, I do not have two carriages." "At first I came,"
said Hsiang, "to congratulate you upon your appointment
to High Nobility, but now I congratulate you upon your
frugality." Then Hsiang went out and told Miao Pêng-huang,
"Join me in congratulating Hsien-pai on his frugality."
"Congratulations on what?" remarked Miao Tzŭ. "Indeed,
to bestow ranks and emoluments, flags and badges, is to
differentiate the various kinds of merits as well as to distinguish
between the worthy and the unworthy. Thus,
according to the law of the Chin State, a Senior High Officer
is entitled to two carriages and two teams of horses,
[35]
a
Middle High Officer, to two carriages and one team: and
a Junior High Officer, to one team only. This is to make grade
and ranks clear. Moreover, every noble must attend to
military duties, and therefore must keep his carriages and
horses in good condition,
[36]
form his soldiers and chariots
in lines, and thereby prepare for military action, so that in
case of emergency they can provide against all eventualities
and in time of peace they can serve in the court affairs. Now,
he has been disturbing the state affairs of Chin and loosening
the provisions against eventualities simply on purpose to
perfect his private virtue and exalt his personal reputation.
Is the frugality of Hsien-pai commendable at all? If not,
then congratulations on what?"
[37]
Kuan Chung, on becoming Premier of Ch`i, said to
Duke Huan, "Thy servant is noble but poor." "You shall
have the same wealth as the Building of Three Returns,"[38]
said Duke Huan. "Then thy servant is wealthy but still
low in rank." Duke Huan, accordingly, raised him above the
Kaos and the Kuos. "Thy servant is now high in rank but
very remote in relation from the ruling family." Thereupon
the Duke made him Uncle Chung. Hearing this, Confucius
disapproved of him and said, "Having become too extravagant
he came to embarrass his superior."
According to a different source: Uncle Kuan Chung on
going out would put red covers on his carriages and blue
costumes on his attendants, and on coming home would have
drum music played. In his yard stood tripods. His household
has as much wealth as the Building of Three Returns.
Therefore, Confucius said: "A good official, indeed! But
his extravagance is sufficient to embarrass his superior.
Sun-shu Ao, Premier of Ch`u, used a wooden cart pulled by
a mare and took coarse rice with vegetable soup and dried fish
for his meal. In winter he wore a lamb-skin coat and linen
clothes in summer. His face always had the look of hunger.
A good official, indeed. But in this case his frugality is
sufficient to oppress his inferiors."[39]
Yang Hu left Ch`i and found shelter in Chao. There Lord
Chien asked him, "I have heard that you are good in raising
able men." "While in Lu," said Hu, "thy servant raised
three men, all of whom became magistrates. After Hu was
found guilty in Lu, all of them searched after Hu. While
living in Ch`i, thy servant recommended three men: One
became an attendant on the King; one became a prefect;
and the third became an official receiver of public guests.
After I was found guilty, the attendant refused to see me;
the prefect intended to arrest me on receiving me; and the
official receiver pursued me up to the frontier, could not catch
me, and stopped. Really I am not good in raising men."
The Lord turned his face downwards with a smile and said:
"Indeed, the planter of mandarin orange and pomelo trees,
[40]
on eating fruits, gets the sweet taste; the planter of hedgerows
and brambles finds them prickly when they grow up.
Hence the gentleman is cautious in raising men."
Chung-mou had no magistrate. Therefore Duke P`ing
of Chin[41]
asked Chao Wu: "Chung-mou is a place
strategically important to three countries.[42]
It is the key to the
city of Han-tan. I want a good magistrate for it. Who will
be the right man?" "Hsing Pai-tzŭ will be the right
man," replied Wu. "Isn't he your enemy?" asked the Duke.
"No private feud should go through public gates," was the
reply. Then the Duke asked, "For the magistracy of Chung-fu,
who is the right man?" "My son is the right one," was
the reply. Hence the saying: "Recommend the right man
from outsiders even if your enemy; recommend the right
man among your relatives even if your son." Upon Chao
Wu's death, all the forty-six men whom he had recommended
to the Ruler, took their seats among the guests at
his funeral service. To such an extent he had shown no
personal favour to anybody all his life!
Duke P`ing once asked Shu Hsiang, "Among the ministers,
who is the worthiest?" "Chao Wu," was the reply. "You
side with your senior official," remarked the Duke. "No,"
said Hsiang, "Chao Wu, when standing up, looks undignified
even in his full dress, and, when speaking, seems unable to
utter his sentiments. Nevertheless, the officials he recommended
number several tens, all of whom he enabled to
exert their respective abilities, and in whom the public
authorities put great trust, not to mention the fact that in his
life Wu never utilized them to benefit his own family and
upon his death never committed orphans to their charge.
Therefore, thy servant dares to consider him the worthiest."
Chieh Hu recommended his enemy to Lord Chien for
premiership. The enemy thought he had by good luck
forgiven him, and so went purposely to thank him. Thereupon
Hu drew his bow, and, on receiving him, aimed at him,
saying: "To be sure, I recommended you because I
regarded your ability equal to the post. To have hatred for
you is my private feud with you. I never on account of my
feud with you kept[43]
you from my master." Hence the
saying: "No private feud should go through public gates."
According to a different source: Chieh Hu recommended
Hsing Pai-liu to the governorship of Shang-tang. Liu went
to thank him and said: "You have forgiven me my fault.
How dare I not repeat bows to you?" In reply Hu said:
"To raise you is a public matter; to hate you is a private
affair. You had better go. My hatred for you remains the
same as before."
One day a man from the Prefecture of Chêng was selling
pigs. When somebody asked him about the price, he said,
"The way is still so long. The sun is setting. How can I
have time to talk with you?"[44]
