Wan Zhang, Part One萬章上

Wan Zhang asked, "Shun went out to the fields and cried out to Heaven, weeping. Why did he cry out and weep?"

Mencius said, "He resented and he longed."

Wan Zhang said, "It is said, 'When his parents love him, he rejoices and does not forget them. When his parents hate him, he toils and does not resent them.' Then did Shun resent them?"

"Zhang Xi asked Gongming Gao, 'That Shun went out to the fields, I have already heard your teaching on that. But that he cried out weeping to Heaven and to his parents, this I do not understand.' Gongming Gao said, 'This is not something for you to know.'

Now Gongming Gao held that the heart of a filial son could not be so unfeeling. 'I plow with all my strength and do my duty as a son, and that is all. If my parents do not love me, what fault is there in me?'

Yao sent his nine sons and two daughters, with the hundred officers and oxen and sheep and filled storehouses, to serve Shun in the midst of the fields. Many of the scholars of all under heaven went over to him, and Yao was about to look over all under heaven and hand it to him. But because he was not in accord with his parents, he was like a man in distress with nowhere to turn.

To be liked by the scholars of all under heaven is what men desire, and yet it was not enough to undo his sorrow. A beautiful woman is what men desire, and though he took the two daughters of Yao as his wives it was not enough to undo his sorrow. Wealth is what men desire, and though he held all under heaven it was not enough to undo his sorrow. Honor is what men desire, and though he became Son of Heaven it was not enough to undo his sorrow. The liking of men, a beautiful woman, wealth and honor were not enough to undo his sorrow. Only being in accord with his parents could undo it.

When a man is young he longs for his parents. When he comes to know beauty he longs for the young and lovely. When he has a wife and children he longs for his wife and children. When he takes office he longs for his ruler, and if he does not win his ruler his heart burns. The great filial piety is to long for one's parents to the end of one's life. A man who still longed at fifty, I have seen in the great Shun."

Wan Zhang asked, "The Shi says, 'How does a man take a wife? He must tell his parents.' If this word is to be trusted, no one should have kept it like Shun. How is it that Shun married without telling them?"

Mencius said, "Had he told them, he could not have married. That man and woman dwell together is the greatest of human bonds. Had he told them, he would have thrown away the greatest of human bonds and come to resent his parents. That is why he did not tell them."

Wan Zhang said, "That Shun married without telling them, I have already heard your teaching on that. How is it that Yao gave him his daughters and did not tell them?"

"Yao too knew that if he told them he could not give his daughters in marriage."

Wan Zhang said, "His parents had Shun repair the granary and then took away the ladder, and Gusou set fire to the granary. They had him clean out the well, and when he came out they followed and covered it over. Xiang (象) said, 'The plan to bury the lord of the capital was all my doing. The oxen and sheep go to my parents, the granaries go to my parents. The shield and spear are mine, the zither is mine, the bow is mine, and my two sisters-in-law shall keep my bed.'

Xiang went into Shun's house, and Shun was on his couch playing the zither. Xiang said, 'I have been longing for you, my brother, with a heavy heart,' and he looked ashamed. Shun said, 'These officers and people of mine, govern them for me.' Did Shun not know that Xiang meant to kill him?"

"How could he not know? When Xiang grieved he grieved with him, and when Xiang was glad he was glad with him."

"Then was Shun's gladness feigned?"

"No. Long ago a man sent a live fish to Zichan of Zheng. Zichan had the keeper of the pond raise it in the pond. The keeper boiled it and ate it, and came back and reported, 'When I first let it go it was limp and weak. In a little while it grew lively, and off it went at its ease.' Zichan said, 'It has found its place! It has found its place!' The keeper went out and said, 'Who calls Zichan wise? I had already boiled it and eaten it, and he says it has found its place, it has found its place.'

So a gentleman may be deceived by what fits reason, but he is hard to trap with what is not the Way. Xiang came in the Way of a brother's love, and so Shun truly believed him and was glad. What was feigned in that?"

Wan Zhang asked, "Xiang made it his daily business to kill Shun. When Shun became Son of Heaven, why did he cast him out?"

Mencius said, "He gave him a fief. Some say he cast him out."

Wan Zhang said, "Shun sent Gonggong into exile at Youzhou, cast out Huandou to Mount Chong, put the Sanmiao to death at Sanwei, and executed Gun at Mount Yu. He punished these four criminals, and all under heaven submitted. He was punishing those who were not benevolent. Xiang was utterly without benevolence, and yet he was given Youbi as a fief. What crime had the people of Youbi committed? Is a benevolent man truly like this, punishment for others and a fief for his younger brother?"

"Toward a younger brother the benevolent man keeps no anger hidden and lets no resentment stay overnight. He loves him as his own, and that is all. Holding him close, he wishes him honor. Loving him, he wishes him wealth. To give him Youbi was to make him rich and honored. If he himself were Son of Heaven while his brother was a common man, could that be called loving him as his own?"

"May I ask what is meant by 'some say he cast him out'?"

"Xiang could do nothing as he pleased in that state. The Son of Heaven sent officers to govern it and to bring in its tribute and taxes, and for this it is called casting out. How could Xiang have been harsh with those people?

Even so, Shun wished to see him again and again, and so had him come without cease. 'He did not wait for the time of tribute, but received Youbi on matters of government.' This is what that means."

Xianqiu Meng asked, "There is an old saying, 'An officer of full virtue cannot be made a subject by his ruler, nor a son by his father.' Shun stood facing south, and Yao led the feudal lords facing north to pay court to him, and Gusou too faced north and paid court. When Shun saw Gusou his face was uneasy, and Confucius said, 'At that time all under heaven was in danger, it was tottering!' Is this saying truly so?"

Mencius said, "No. These are not the words of a gentleman. They are the words of a rustic from the east of Qi. Yao had grown old, and Shun was acting as regent.

The Yao dian says, 'In the twenty-eighth year Fangxun at last passed away. The people mourned as for a father and mother. For three years within the four seas the eight kinds of music were stilled.' Confucius said, 'Heaven has no two suns, and the people have no two kings.' If Shun was already Son of Heaven and also led the feudal lords of all under heaven in three years of mourning for Yao, then there were two Sons of Heaven."

Xianqiu Meng said, "That Shun did not make Yao his subject, I have already heard your teaching on that. But the Shi says, 'Under the wide heaven there is no land that is not the king's, and to the farthest shore of the land there is no man who is not the king's subject.' Shun was already Son of Heaven. May I ask, then, how Gusou was not his subject?"

"This poem does not mean that. It speaks of one who toils in the king's service and cannot care for his parents. He says, 'None of this is not the king's business, and yet I alone toil at it.'

So one who explains the Shi does not let the letter harm the words, and does not let the words harm the intent. He meets the intent with his own mind, and then he has it. If one went by the words alone, the poem Yunhan says, 'Of the people left in Zhou, not one remained.' If this word is to be trusted, then Zhou had no people left.

The utmost of a filial son is nothing greater than honoring his parents, and the utmost of honoring his parents is nothing greater than supporting them with all under heaven. To be the father of the Son of Heaven is the utmost honor. To support them with all under heaven is the utmost support.

The Shi says, 'Long does he think of filial piety, and filial piety is his law.' This is what that means. The Shu says, 'Reverently he went about his work and appeared before Gusou, careful and trembling, and Gusou too came to be in accord.' Is this a father who cannot make him a son?"

Wan Zhang said, "Yao gave all under heaven to Shun. Was there such a thing?"

Mencius said, "No. The Son of Heaven cannot give all under heaven to another."

"Then when Shun held all under heaven, who gave it to him?"

"Heaven gave it."

"When Heaven gave it, did it lay its charge on him in careful words?"

"No. Heaven does not speak. It shows by conduct and by affairs, and that is all."

"How does it show by conduct and by affairs?"

"The Son of Heaven can recommend a man to Heaven, but he cannot make Heaven give him all under heaven. A feudal lord can recommend a man to the Son of Heaven, but he cannot make the Son of Heaven give him a lordship. A great officer can recommend a man to a feudal lord, but he cannot make the feudal lord give him the place of a great officer.

Long ago Yao recommended Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him. He showed him to the people, and the people accepted him. Therefore it is said, Heaven does not speak, it shows by conduct and by affairs, and that is all."

"May I ask how it was that he recommended him to Heaven and Heaven accepted him, and showed him to the people and the people accepted him?"

"He had him preside over the sacrifices, and the hundred spirits enjoyed them. This was Heaven accepting him. He had him preside over affairs, and affairs were well governed and the people were at peace. This was the people accepting him. Heaven gave it, and men gave it. Therefore it is said, the Son of Heaven cannot give all under heaven to another.

Shun helped Yao for twenty-eight years. This is not what a man could bring about. It was Heaven. When Yao died and the three years of mourning were over, Shun withdrew from the son of Yao to the south of the Southern River. Yet of the feudal lords of all under heaven, those who came to court went not to the son of Yao but to Shun. Those with suits went not to the son of Yao but to Shun. Those who sang did not sing of the son of Yao but sang of Shun. Therefore it is said, Heaven.

Only then did he go to the central states and take the throne of the Son of Heaven. Had he dwelt in the palace of Yao and pressed hard on the son of Yao, that would have been seizing it, not the gift of Heaven.

The Tai shi says, 'What Heaven sees comes from what our people see, and what Heaven hears comes from what our people hear.' This is what that means."

Wan Zhang asked, "People say, 'When it came to Yu his virtue declined, and he handed the throne not to a worthy man but to his son.' Was there such a thing?"

Mencius said, "No, it was not so. If Heaven gives it to a worthy man, it goes to the worthy man. If Heaven gives it to a son, it goes to the son.

Long ago Shun recommended Yu to Heaven for seventeen years. When Shun died and the three years of mourning were over, Yu withdrew from the son of Shun to Yangcheng, and the people of all under heaven followed him, just as after Yao died they did not follow the son of Yao but followed Shun.

Yu recommended Yi (益) to Heaven for seven years. When Yu died and the three years of mourning were over, Yi withdrew from the son of Yu to the north side of Mount Ji. But those who came to court and those with suits went not to Yi but to Qi (啓), saying, 'He is the son of our ruler.' Those who sang did not sing of Yi but sang of Qi, saying, 'He is the son of our ruler.'

Danzhu was unworthy, and the son of Shun was unworthy too. Shun helped Yao and Yu helped Shun for many years, and they had given their benefit to the people for a long time. Qi was worthy and could reverently carry on the Way of Yu, while Yi helped Yu for few years and had given his benefit to the people for no long time.

The stretch of years between Shun and Yu and Yi, and whether their sons were worthy or unworthy, were all Heaven, and not what men could bring about. What is done though no one does it is Heaven. What comes though no one brings it is the decree (命).

For a common man to hold all under heaven, his virtue must be like that of Shun or Yu, and there must also be a Son of Heaven to recommend him. That is why Zhongni did not hold all under heaven.

Among those who held all under heaven by succession, the one Heaven casts down is always such a man as Jie or Zhou Xin. That is why Yi (益) and Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou did not hold all under heaven.

Yi Yin helped Tang and made him king over all under heaven. When Tang died, Taiding did not take the throne. Waibing reigned two years, and Zhongren four. Taijia overturned the laws and punishments of Tang, and Yi Yin cast him out to Tong (桐) for three years. Taijia repented of his fault, blamed himself and mended himself. At Tong he dwelt in benevolence and moved to righteousness, and after three years of heeding what Yi Yin had taught him he returned to Bo (亳).

That the Duke of Zhou did not hold all under heaven was like Yi (益) under Xia and Yi Yin under Yin.

Confucius said, 'Tang and Yu handed it on, and Xia Hou and Yin and Zhou passed it by succession, but the meaning is one.'"

Wan Zhang asked, "People say, 'Yi Yin sought office with Tang by his carving and boiling of meat.' Was there such a thing?"

Mencius said, "No, it was not so. Yi Yin plowed in the fields of Youshen and delighted in the Way of Yao and Shun. If a thing was not righteous, if it was not the Way, though all under heaven were given him as his pay he would not look at it, and though a thousand teams of horses were tied up for him he would not glance at them. If a thing was not righteous, if it was not the Way, he would not give a single straw to another man, nor take a single straw from another man.

Tang sent men with gifts of silk to call him. He was unmoved and said, 'What are Tang's gifts of silk to me? What could be better than to live in the midst of the fields and delight there in the Way of Yao and Shun?'

Tang sent men three times to call him. Then at last he turned about and said, 'I live in the midst of the fields and delight there in the Way of Yao and Shun. What could that be beside making this ruler a ruler like Yao and Shun? What could it be beside making this people a people like those of Yao and Shun? What could it be beside seeing it with my own eyes in my own body?

When Heaven gave birth to this people, it had those who knew first awaken those who would know later, and those who awoke first awaken those who would awake later. I am one of Heaven's people who has awoken first. I shall awaken this people with this Way. If I do not awaken them, who will?'

He thought that if there was one man or one woman among the people of all under heaven who did not receive the benefit of Yao and Shun, it was as if he himself had pushed them into a ditch. He took the weight of all under heaven on himself like this, and so he went to Tang and urged him to strike Xia and save the people.

I have never heard of a man who bent himself and set others straight, still less of one who disgraced himself and set all under heaven straight. The conduct of sages is not the same. One keeps far off, another comes near. One leaves, another does not leave. But it comes back to keeping oneself clean, and that is all.

I have heard that he sought Tang by the Way of Yao and Shun. I have not heard that he did it by carving and boiling meat. The Yi xun says, 'The punishment of Heaven began its attack from the Mu palace. I began from Bo.'"

Wan Zhang asked, "Some say, 'In Wei, Confucius lodged with Yongju, and in Qi with the attendant Jihuan.' Was there such a thing?"

Mencius said, "No, it was not so. Men who love to make stories made this up.

In Wei he lodged with Yan Chouyou. The wife of Mizi and the wife of Zilu were sisters. Mizi said to Zilu, 'If Confucius lodges with me, the place of high minister (卿) of Wei can be had.' Zilu reported this, and Confucius said, 'There is the decree (命).'

Confucius went forward by ritual and withdrew by righteousness, and whether he gained a place or not he said, 'There is the decree.' Had he lodged with Yongju and the attendant Jihuan, that would have been without righteousness and without the decree.

Confucius was not at ease in Lu and in Wei, and when Huan, the minister of war of Song, lay in wait to kill him, he passed through Song in plain clothes. At that time Confucius was in hardship, and he lodged with Zhenzi the minister of works, who was a vassal of Zhou (周), Marquis of Chen.

I have heard that to know a minister near at hand you look at whom he takes in, and to know a minister from afar you look at whose house he lodges in. If Confucius had lodged with Yongju and the attendant Jihuan, how could he be Confucius?"

Wan Zhang asked, "Some say, 'Baili Xi sold himself to a keeper of animals in Qin for five sheepskins, and fed oxen to seek office with Duke Mu of Qin.' Is that true?"

Mencius said, "No, it was not so. Men who love to make stories made this up.

Baili Xi was a man of Yu. The men of Jin (晉) offered the jade of Chuiji and the horses bred at Qu, and asked passage through Yu in order to strike Guo. Gong Zhiqi remonstrated. Baili Xi did not remonstrate, for he knew that the Duke of Yu could not be remonstrated with, and he left.

When he went to Qin (秦) he was already seventy. If he did not know that seeking office with Duke Mu of Qin by feeding oxen was a foul thing, could he be called wise? He did not remonstrate because remonstrance was of no use. Can he be called unwise for that? He knew the Duke of Yu was about to fall and left before it, and he cannot be called unwise.

He was raised up in Qin at the right time, and he knew that Duke Mu was a man he could work with and helped him. Can he be called unwise for that? He helped Qin and made his ruler shine before all under heaven, so that it could be handed down to later ages. Could a man who was not worthy do this?

To sell oneself in order to make one's ruler great is a thing that even a man of the village who respects himself would not do. Shall it be said that a worthy man did it?"