Book IX.
*28. Chap. I. Wên K`ung [OMITTED] (Criticisms on Confucius).
The Confucianists do not dare to criticise the Sages, although
the words of the Sages are not always true and often contradictory.
It is also, because they do not understand the difficult
passages, and only repeat what the commentators have said. Wang
Ch`ung vindicates the right to criticise even Confucius. Such criticisms
are neither immoral nor irrational. They help to bring out
the meaning, and lead to greater clearness. Wang Ch`ung then takes
up a number of passages from the Analects for discussion, in which
he discovers contradictions or other flaws, but does not criticise
the system of Confucius or his theories in general.
