The Analects
Book 16 · The Ji Family
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The Ji Family · 16.1
The Ji family was preparing to attack Zhuanyu. Ran You and Jilu went to see Confucius and said, “The Ji family is going to take action against Zhuanyu.”
Confucius said, “Qiu! Is this not your fault? Long ago, the former kings appointed Zhuanyu to preside over sacrifices at Eastern Meng. Moreover, it lies within our state's territory and is a servant of its altars to soil and grain. Why attack it?”
Ran You said, “Our master wants this. Neither of us, his two ministers, wants it.”
Confucius said, “Qiu! Zhou Ren had a saying: ‘Set out your strength and take your place; if you are incapable, withdraw.’ If an assistant will not steady someone in danger or support someone who is falling, what use is that assistant? And your words are wrong! When a tiger or rhinoceros escapes from its cage, or tortoise shell and jade are broken in their cases, whose fault is it?”
Ran You said, “Zhuanyu is strongly fortified and close to Bi. If we do not take it now, it will surely trouble our master's descendants in generations to come.”
Confucius said, “Qiu! The exemplary person detests those who will not admit that they want something, but insist on finding excuses for it. I, Qiu, have heard that rulers of states and great households are concerned not about having little, but about unequal distribution; not about poverty, but about insecurity. With equitable distribution there is no poverty; with harmony there is no shortage of people; with security there is no overthrow.
“Therefore, if distant people do not submit, cultivate learning and virtue to attract them. Once they have come, enable them to live in peace. Now you, You and Qiu, assist your master, yet cannot attract distant people who do not submit; you cannot preserve the state as it falls apart; instead, you plan to raise weapons within its borders. I fear that Jisun's troubles lie not in Zhuanyu, but within the walls of his own household!”
The Ji Family · 16.2
Confucius said, “When all under Heaven follows the Way, rites, music, and military campaigns issue from the Son of Heaven. When all under Heaven does not follow the Way, they issue from the regional lords. When they issue from the regional lords, power is seldom retained for ten generations; when they issue from great officers, power is seldom retained for five generations; when retainers of those officers control the state's commands, power is seldom retained for three generations.
“When all under Heaven follows the Way, government does not rest with the great officers. When all under Heaven follows the Way, common people do not debate the conduct of government.”
The Ji Family · 16.3
Confucius said, “Control of revenues has been lost by the ducal house for five generations, and political power has rested with the great officers for four. Therefore, even the descendants of the three Huan families are now in decline.”
The Ji Family · 16.4
Confucius said, “There are three kinds of beneficial friends and three kinds of harmful friends. Friendship with the upright, the trustworthy, and the widely informed is beneficial. Friendship with the obsequious, the ingratiating, and the glib is harmful.”
The Ji Family · 16.5
Confucius said, “There are three beneficial pleasures and three harmful pleasures. Taking pleasure in the discipline of rites and music, in speaking of others' goodness, and in having many worthy friends is beneficial. Taking pleasure in arrogance and excess, in idle roaming, and in feasting and indulgence is harmful.”
The Ji Family · 16.6
Confucius said, “There are three faults when attending an exemplary person. Speaking before the time to speak is called rashness. Failing to speak when the time has come is called concealment. Speaking without observing the person's expression is called blindness.”
The Ji Family · 16.7
Confucius said, “The exemplary person guards against three things. In youth, when the blood and vital energies are not yet settled, guard against sexual desire. In maturity, when they are strong, guard against fighting. In old age, when they have declined, guard against greed for gain.”
The Ji Family · 16.8
Confucius said, “The exemplary person stands in awe of three things: Heaven's mandate, great people, and the words of sages. The petty person does not understand Heaven's mandate and therefore does not stand in awe of it, treats great people with disrespectful familiarity, and mocks the words of sages.”
The Ji Family · 16.9
Confucius said, “Those born with understanding are highest. Those who attain understanding through learning come next. Those who learn when confronted with difficulty come next again. Those who face difficulty and still do not learn are lowest.”
The Ji Family · 16.10
Confucius said, “The exemplary person has nine considerations: when looking, to see clearly; when listening, to hear distinctly; in expression, to be warm; in bearing, to be respectful; in speech, to be wholehearted; in affairs, to be reverent; when in doubt, to ask; when angry, to consider the trouble that may follow; and when seeing possible gain, to consider what is right.”
The Ji Family · 16.11
Confucius said, “‘On seeing goodness, pursue it as though unable to catch up; on seeing what is not good, recoil as though putting one's hand into boiling water.’ I have seen people like this, and I have heard these words.
“‘Live in seclusion to fulfill one's aspirations, and practice rightness to make one's Way prevail.’ I have heard these words, but I have not seen such a person.”
The Ji Family · 16.12
“Not because of wealth,
but because of distinction.”
Duke Jing of Qi had a thousand teams of four horses. Yet on the day he died, the people found no virtue of his to praise. Bo Yi and Shu Qi starved at the foot of Mount Shouyang, yet the people praise them to this day. Is this not what those words mean?
The Ji Family · 16.13
Chen Kang asked Boyu, “Have you received any special teaching?”
He replied, “No. Once, my father was standing alone when I, Li, hurried across the courtyard. He asked, ‘Have you studied the Odes?’ I replied, ‘Not yet.’ He said, ‘Without studying the Odes, you will have no means of speaking.’ I withdrew and studied the Odes.
“Another day, he was again standing alone when I hurried across the courtyard. He asked, ‘Have you studied ritual?’ I replied, ‘Not yet.’ He said, ‘Without studying ritual, you will have no means of establishing yourself.’ I withdrew and studied ritual. Those are the two things I heard.”
Chen Kang withdrew, delighted. He said, “I asked one question and gained three things: I learned about the Odes, I learned about ritual, and I learned that the exemplary person does not favor his own son with private instruction.”
The Ji Family · 16.14
The wife of a state's ruler is called “Madam” by the ruler, while she calls herself “the young one.” The people of the state call her “our ruler's consort”; when speaking of her to another state, they call her “our humble lesser ruler.” People from another state also call her “the ruler's consort.”
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