King Chao of Ch`u had an officer named Shih Shê,[2]
who was
characterized by his impartiality and love of the right, and the
king made him a judge.[3]
At this time someone killed a man on
the highway. When Shih Shê went in pursuit of him, it turned
out to be his father.
He returned to the court and said, "The person who killed the
man was my father. To sacrifice one's father to perfect one's
administration is not filial; not to put in operation the laws of
one's prince is not loyal. My duty is to submit to punishment for
having overlooked his crime and disregarded the law." He prostrated
himself before the axe and execution block saying, "My
life is in your hands."
The prince said, "You pursued him without catching him;
how can there be any blame? May you go on with your work."
Shih Shê said, "Not so. Not to be partial to one's father is
not filial; not to carry out the laws of one's prince is not loyal.
To go on living when guilty of a crime deserving death is not
honest. If Your Highness wishes to grant a pardon, it is the grace
of a superior; but I cannot neglect the laws: such is the duty (i)
of an inferior."
Whereupon he would not leave the axe and execution block,
but cutting his throat, died in the court.
When the superior man hears of this, he says, "Pure and lawabiding—such
was Master Shih."
Confucius said,[4]
"The father conceals the misconduct of the
son, and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness
is to be found in this."
The Ode says,[5]
That officer
In the country will ever hold to the right.
Master Shih is an example of this.
