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Chapter 29 of 33
庄子
Confucius and Liuxia Ji were friends. Liuxia Ji's younger brother was named Robber Zhi. Robber Zhi led a following of nine thousand people, rampaging across the world and invading the feudal lords. They broke through doors and entered homes, plundered oxen and horses, and abducted women. Greedy and insatiable, they forgot their families, showed no regard for parents and brothers, and did not offer sacrifices to their ancestors. In the cities they passed through, great states closed their city gates tightly, small states hid within their fortresses, and the people of the world suffered greatly.
Confucius said to Liuxia Ji: "A father must surely be able to instruct his own son; an elder brother must surely be able to instruct his younger brother. If a father cannot instruct his son, and an elder brother cannot instruct his younger brother, then the affection between father and son, elder and younger brother, is of no value. Now you, sir, are a talented scholar of this generation, yet your younger brother is Robber Zhi, becoming a plague upon the world, and you cannot instruct him. I am privately ashamed on your behalf. Please allow me to go and persuade him for you."
Liuxia Ji said: "You say that a father must surely be able to instruct his son, and an elder brother must surely be able to instruct his younger brother. But if a son does not listen to his father's instruction, and a younger brother does not accept his elder brother's teaching, then even with your eloquence, sir, what can you do about it? Moreover, Robber Zhi's character is such that his mind surges and churns like a spring 🍃, his thoughts are as elusive as a whirlwind, his fierceness is enough to resist enemies, and his eloquence is enough to cover up faults. Follow his wishes and he is pleased; go against his wishes and he becomes angry, and at the slightest provocation he insults people with his words. Sir, you must not go." Confucius would not listen. He had Yan Hui drive the carriage and Zigong ride beside him, and went to see Robber Zhi.
Robber Zhi was resting his troops at the southern foot of Mount Tai, mincing human livers for food.
Confucius requested an audience through the gatekeeper, saying: "I, Kong Qiu, have the good fortune to be acquainted with Liuxia Ji, and I wish to pay my respects beneath the tent." The gatekeeper conveyed the message again. Robber Zhi said: "Let him enter!" Confucius walked in with rapid small steps, moved backward away from his seat, and bowed twice to Robber Zhi. Robber Zhi flew into a rage, spread his legs apart, pressed his hand on his sharp sword, glared with furious eyes, and spoke in a low, fierce voice like a young tiger: "Kong Qiu, come forward! If what you say follows my wishes, you shall live; if it goes against my wishes, you shall die."
Confucius said: "I have heard that there are three kinds of virtue in the world: being born tall in stature, with flawless handsome features, loved by young and old, noble and lowly alike—this is the highest virtue; wisdom that can penetrate heaven and earth and discern all things—this is the middle virtue; and courageous boldness that can gather crowds and lead troops—this is the lowest virtue. Generally, one who possesses even one of these virtues is sufficient to face south and reign as king. Now you, General, possess all three of these virtues. You stand eight feet two inches tall, your countenance has radiance, your lips are like bright vermilion, your teeth are like aligned shell pieces, your voice accords with the pitch of the Yellow Bell, yet you are named 'Robber Zhi.' I am privately ashamed for you, General, and find it unacceptable. If you are willing to heed my advice, I wish to go south as an envoy to Wu and Yue, north to Qi and Lu, east to Song and Wei, and west to Jin and Chu, to have them build for you a great city of several hundred li in circumference, establish a metropolis with hundreds of thousands of households, honor you as a feudal lord, and begin anew with the world—ceasing warfare, gathering brothers together, and jointly offering sacrifices to your ancestors. This is the conduct of sages and accomplished scholars, and it is also the desire of the people of the world."
Robber Zhi flew into a great rage: "Kong Qiu, come forward! Those who can be enticed by profit and moved by words are nothing but foolish and vulgar commoners. Now, as for my tall stature and handsome appearance, people delight in seeing me—this is the natural endowment bequeathed to me by my parents. Even if you, Kong Qiu, did not praise me, do I not know it myself? Moreover, I have heard that those who delight in flattering others to their faces also delight in slandering them behind their backs. Now you tell me of great cities and numerous people—you are trying to persuade me with profit, to keep me like a common man. How could that last long! However great a city may be, nothing is greater than the world. Yao and Shun possessed the world, yet their descendants had not even a place to insert an awl. Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou became sons of Heaven, yet their descendants were wiped out. Is this not precisely because the profit was too great?
"Moreover, I have heard that in ancient times, beasts were many and people were few, so people all made their homes in trees to avoid the beasts. By day they picked acorns and chestnuts to eat, and by evening they returned to roost in the trees, so they were called 'the people of Youchao.' In ancient times, people did not know how to wear clothes. In summer they accumulated much firewood, and in winter they used it to burn for warmth, so they were called 'the people who knew life.' In the age of Shennong, people lay down in stillness and rose up in naturalness. People knew only their mothers and not their fathers, living together with the elks and deer, plowing to eat, weaving to clothe themselves, with no thought of harming one another. This was the age of the most flourishing virtue. Yet the Yellow Emperor could not maintain such virtue; he fought a great battle with Chiyou in the wilds of Zhuolu, and blood flowed for a hundred li. Yao and Shun became rulers and established the hundred officials; Tang of Shang exiled his sovereign Jie, and King Wu killed Zhou. From this time onward, the strong oppressed the weak, and the many bullied the few. From the time of Tang of Shang and King Wu onward, all have been disrupters of the world.
"Now you cultivate the governance of Kings Wen and Wu, grasp the eloquence of the world, and use it to instruct later generations. Wearing the long robes and shallow sashes of the Confucians, with affectations and hypocrisy in your words and deeds, you delude the rulers of the world, seeking after wealth and honor. The greatest robber of all is you, Kong Qiu. Why do the people of the world not call you 'Robber Qiu,' and instead call me 'Robber Zhi'? You used your honeyed words to persuade Zilu, causing him to follow you. You had Zilu remove his tall cap, unbind his long sword, and accept your teachings. The whole world said, 'Kong Qiu can curb violence and stop evil.' But what was the result? Zilu wanted to assassinate the ruler of Wei, but his affair did not succeed, and his body was minced into meat paste and hung at the Eastern Gate of Wei. This was because your teaching was insufficient.
"Do you call yourself a man of talent and a sage? You were driven out of Lu, your footprints were erased in Wei, you were without resources in Qi, and you were besieged between Chen and Cai—with no place in the world to accommodate you. Your teaching of Zilu ended with him being minced into meat paste. Such calamities—above, you could not preserve yourself; below, you could not shelter others. What is there in your way that is worth treasuring?
"Among those whom the world esteems, none is greater than the Yellow Emperor. Yet even the Yellow Emperor could not preserve virtue; he fought a great battle at Zhuolu, and blood flowed for a hundred li. Yao was not kind (killing his eldest son), Shun was not filial (exiling his younger brother), Yu was half-crippled, Tang exiled his sovereign, Wu attacked Zhou, and Wen was imprisoned at Youli. These six men are all admired by the world. Examining them closely, they were all deluded from their true nature by profit, forcibly going against their own feelings and natures—their conduct was in fact most shameful.
"Those whom the world call worthy scholars, like Boyi and Shuqi... Boyi and Shuqi declined the throne of Guzhu and ultimately starved to death on Shouyang Mountain, with no one even to bury their bones. Bao Jiao adorned his conduct and denounced his age, then embraced a tree and stood until he died. Shen Tudi's remonstrance was not accepted, so he carried a stone on his back and threw himself into the Yellow River, where the fish and turtles devoured him. Jie Zitui was the most loyal, cutting flesh from his own thigh to feed Duke Wen of Jin. Later Duke Wen betrayed him, so Jie Zitui left in anger, embraced a tree, and was burned to death. Weisheng met with a woman by agreement under a bridge, but the woman did not come; when the flood waters rose he did not leave, and embracing a bridge pillar, he drowned. These six men are no different from dogs cut to pieces, pigs cast adrift, or beggars with gourd ladles—all abandoned their bodies for fame, giving no regard to their root and failing to nurture their lifespan.
"Among those the world calls loyal ministers, none surpass Prince Bigan and Wu Zixu. Wu Zixu was cast into the river, and Bigan had his heart torn out. These two men—the world calls them loyal ministers, yet they were ultimately mocked by the world. From the examples above, down to Wu Zixu and Bigan, none are worthy of esteem.
"As for what you use to persuade me—if you tell me of ghosts and spirits, I cannot know of them; if you tell me of matters of the human world, that is nothing more than what you have said, and it is all already known to me. Now let me tell you what are the constant feelings of human beings: the eyes wish to see beauty, the ears wish to hear sweet sounds, the mouth wishes to taste delicious flavors, and the mind and will wish to be filled and satisfied. The highest lifespan of a person is one hundred years; the middle is eighty years; and the lowest is sixty years. Setting aside illness, emaciation, death and mourning, sorrow and calamity, the days for opening one's mouth in laughter are but four or five days out of a month. Heaven and earth are without end, but human death has a fixed limit. Taking a life of limited duration to lodge within boundless heaven and earth, one passes in an instant—no different from a swift steed galloping through a crack. Those who cannot delight their minds and wills, and cannot nourish their own lives, are people who are not versed in the Way. Everything you have said is what I spit upon. Leave quickly, go back, and speak no more! Your Way is frantic and feverish—it is the business of deceit and trickery and falsehood; it cannot preserve a person's true nature. What is there in it worth discussing!"
Confucius bowed twice and hurried out with rapid little steps. After going out and mounting his carriage, he dropped the reins three times. His eyes were dazed and could not see anything; his face looked like dead ashes, and leaning on the crossbar of his cart with head bowed, he could hardly catch his breath.
Upon returning to the Eastern Gate of Lu, he happened to meet Liuxia Ji. Liuxia Ji said: "I have not seen you for several days, and I perceive from your carriage and horses that you have the appearance of having traveled far—could it be that you went to see Robber Zhi?" Confucius looked up to heaven and sighed deeply: "Yes." Liuxia Ji said: "Did Robber Zhi, as I said before, go against your heart's wishes?" Confucius said: "Yes. This is what is called inserting a needle into oneself without being ill. Impatiently I went to stroke the tiger's head, to weave the tiger's whiskers—I almost failed to escape the tiger's mouth!"
Zizhang asked Man Goude: "Why not practice virtue? Without virtue one is not trusted; without being trusted one is not employed; without being employed one gains no benefit. Therefore looking at it from the perspective of reputation and calculating from the perspective of benefit, righteousness is the real thing. If one sets aside reputation and profit and looks inwardly upon one's own heart, then a scholar must not neglect virtue for a single day!"
Man Goude said: "Shameless people become wealthy; boastful talkers become eminent. Those who obtain great fame and great profit are almost all by means of shamelessness and false sincerity. Hence, from the standpoint of reputation and from the calculation of benefit, false sincerity is the real thing. If one sets aside fame and profit and looks within at one's heart, then the conduct of a scholar is merely that of preserving his own inborn nature!"
Zizhang said: "In former times Jie and Zhou were honored as Sons of Heaven and possessed the world in abundance. Yet now if you say to a slave, 'Your conduct is like Jie or Zhou,' he will put on an expression of shame and feel a sense of defiance—because even petty people despise Jie and Zhou. Zhongni and Mo Di, in destitution, were mere commoners. Now if you say to a prime minister, 'Your conduct is like Zhongni or Mo Di,' his countenance will become respectful, and he will say he is unworthy. This is what scholars truly esteem. Hence, by power being a Son of Heaven is not necessarily to be noble; by poverty being a commoner is not necessarily to be base. The distinction between noble and base lies in the beauty or ugliness of one's conduct."
Man Goude said: "Petty thieves are thrown into prison, but great robbers become feudal lords. It is within the gates of the feudal lords that men of righteousness and kindness may be found. Formerly Duke Huan of Qi killed his elder brother and took his sister-in-law as wife, yet Guan Zhong became his minister; Tian Chengzi Chang killed his ruler and usurped the state, yet Confucius accepted his gifts. In words they despised them; in action they demeaned themselves beneath them—this is a contradiction between speech and conduct warring in the mind! Is it not greatly perverse? Therefore the Book says: 'Who is wicked and who is good—the successful one is good, and the unsuccessful one is bad.'"
Zizhang said: "If you do not practice virtue, then kinship and distance lose their order, noble and base lose their standard, elder and younger lose their precedence. The five bonds and six positions—what then distinguishes them?"
Man Goude said: "Yao killed his eldest son, and Shun banished his own younger brother—is there order between close and distant? Tang banished Jie, and King Wu killed Zhou—is there a standard between noble and base? Wang Ji (the third son) was set up as the true heir, and the Duke of Zhou killed his elder brother—is there precedence between elder and younger? The Confucians speak hollow words, Mozi promotes universal love—is there any real distinction between the five bonds and six positions? Moreover, what you pursue is fame; what I pursue is profit. Both fame and profit repulse what is real, and are not in accord with reason, not in accord with the Way. I once debated with you before 'Wuyue,' saying: 'Petty men die for wealth; gentlemen die for fame. The reasons why they change their nature and distort their inborn character are different; but as to discarding what they ought to do and perishing for what they ought not to do—they are the same.' Therefore it is said: Do not be a petty man—return to acting for your inborn nature; do not be a gentleman—accord with the principle of Heaven. Whether crooked or straight, return to your natural essence. Face the four directions and transform according to the times. Whether right or wrong, grasp the pivotal hinge of roundness. Alone, complete your own intent, and wander with the Way. Do not cling to course or action, do not perfect a supposed rightness, for you will lose what one should actually do. Do not hasten after eminence and possessions; do not be destroyed by achievement and success—you will discard your heavenly nature. Bigan was carved into pieces, Wu Zixu lost his eyes—these are disasters brought on by loyalty; Zhigong exposed his own father, Weisheng drowned—these are calamities of trust; Bao Jiao stood dying embracing a tree, Shendi lamenting—these are injuries enacted through purity; Confucius saw no more his mother, Kuangzi saw no more his father—these are errors of righteousness. Judged that what passes as propriety is mere injury. From olden days onward, the many generations have passed on stories worth noting by scholar-journeys. These stories celebrate vices by naming those with a cause for suffering. Pathy strokes carry dignity onward, so they grind through malediction to set vigilance, thus, all calamities converge into human death in numbers—afflicted."
Wuzu asked Zhihe: "Do people by any measure ultimately never seek approval and eminence. When one man flourishes, men hoard profits; Men will adhere to the one beneath them who contritely obeys to him and lift upon men's lips nothing but worthiness. Being endearing from that sort of person yields vigor in many views unremitting. The pathway reverencing them yields. The under it escapes.”
See if you reap men. Yet cleave.
Rightly measure. Unsheathe."
Zhi commented: “Such a mon part,"But thus watch who for "wrong arise his to man's harmings can spur. Call never until is the to deed "amateur.
Few."
Wuzu: " Wealth having for this yielding.
The heart mind in turns every way best knows profit.
The great also soul. Overwrought.
Hazard hence hand shall wisdom find hold strength secure with which the name 'has only live sore each thing place sway kept retain 'one noble our people words perhaps differ."
Zhi comments:" If one leans from measure clear words.
Plumb weight while speaking wants things equal. Defect.
Thus greater greedy.
Merely bluish by someone thus void. At most weigh."
Advantage making everyone dwell wants but wearish parts by claiming lower: deemed right makes calm precluded but for? Thus toward both start again call used common.
One's body here, given order to this may thus watch remain preoccupy, frisk if fame check but.
Extremes whome found till about would stray speech keeps between will likely have no duty any lasting truly end while having them gave its ends.
Thus love gone people wealth long ruler's under peaceful said pass powers state child fill."
Wuzu said, "If one insists on preserving his reputation, tormenting his body, cutting off pleasures, and moderating enjoyment to sustain life, this is no more than being chronically frail, perpetually distressed, and clinging to life without dying."
Zhihe said, "Moderation is fortune; excess is harm. There is nothing that does not follow this principle, and with wealth and possessions it is especially true. The rich man of today—his ear craves the sounds of bells, drums, pipes, and flutes; his mouth craves the flavors of meat, wine, and delicacies—thereby stimulating his senses and desires, while forgetting his proper pursuits. This may be called confusion; wallowing in arrogance and aggression, like carrying a heavy burden up a slope, this may be called toil; coveting wealth and bringing worry upon himself, craving power and exhausting his vital energy, indulging in pleasure when idle, and growing ever more unrestrained as his body fattens, this may be called illness; pursuing wealth and profit with desires so abundant they fill the walls without retreat, insatiably greedy and unwilling to let go, this may be called disgrace; amassing possessions that go unused, brooding over them and refusing to abandon them, full of anxiety and bitterness, craving more without end, this may be called sorrow; fearing robbers and thieves at home, dreading the harm of raiders abroad, building fortified walls for defense, and daring not to walk alone outside, this may be called terror. These six are the greatest calamities under heaven, and yet people all forget them and do not perceive them. When disaster arrives, wanting to preserve their natural endowment and exhaust all their wealth to buy a single day of peace is already impossible. Thus, from the perspective of fame, nothing is to be seen; from the perspective of profit, nothing is to be gained. To entangle the mind and exhaust the body in contending for these—is this not utter folly!"