Superphysics
Art of Governing amd Consistency
4 minutes • 723 words
How should a government worker do his duties?
Lead the way in it, work hard at it, and do not tire of it.
Chung-kung was made first minister to the Chief of the Ki family and consulted Confucius about government.
Confucius to Chung-kung:
Let the heads of offices be heads. Excuse small faults. Promote men of sagacity and talent.
But how am I to know the sagacious and talented, before promoting them?
Promote those who you know
As to those of whom you are uncertain, will others omit to notice them?
The prince of Wei has been waiting for you to work for his government. What is it your intention to take in hand first?
Only out of necessity, as the rectification of terms.
How far away you are, sir! Why such rectification?
You are so rustic, Tsz-Lu.
A gentleman would be a little reserved and reticent in matters which he does not understand. If terms are incorrect, language will be incongruous. If language is incongruous, deeds will be imperfect.
When deeds are imperfect, propriety and harmony cannot prevail. In this case, the criminal laws will fail in their aim. This will cause the people to not know where to set hand or foot.
Hence, a man of superior mind, certain first of his terms, is fitted to speak. He is certain of what he says and can proceed upon it. His language has nothing heedlessly irregular.
Please teach us about husbandry.
I am not an expert husbandman.
Please teach us gardening.
I am not an expert gardener.
When Fan Ch’i had gone out, Confucius said:
Fan-Chi has a small mind. Let a man who is set over the people love propriety, and they will not presume to be disrespectful.
Let him be a lover of righteousness, and they will not presume to be aught but submissive.
Let him love faithfulness and truth, and they will not presume not to lend him their hearty assistance.
Ah, if all this only were so, the people from all sides would come to such a one, carrying their children on their backs. What need to turn his hand to husbandry?
A man could hum through the Odes the 300. Yet he knows that he is unskilled when given some administrative work to do for his country.
He might know much of that other lore. Yet if, when sent on a mission to any quarter, he could answer no question personally and unaided, what after all is he good for?
Let a leader show rectitude in his own personal character, and even without directions from him things will go well.
If he be not personally upright, his directions will not be complied with.
Once he made the remark:
The governments of Lu and of Wei are in brotherhood. The son of the Duke of Wei managed his household matters well.
On his coming into possession, he thought, ‘What a strange conglomeration!’ Coming to possess a little more, it was, ‘Strange, such a result!’ And when he became wealthy, ‘Strange, such elegance!’"
The Master was on a journey to Wei, and Yen Yu was driving him. He saw a huge population in Wei.
They are so many people here. What more would you do for them?
I would enrich them
And then what?
I would instruct them. Were any one of our princes to employ me, after a twelvemonth I might have made some tolerable progress
Again, “How true is that saying, ‘Let good men have the management of a country for a century, and they would be adequate to cope with evil-doers, and thus do away with capital punishments,’”
Again, “Suppose the ruler to possess true kingly qualities, then surely after one generation there would be good-will among men.”
Again, “Let a ruler but see to his own rectitude, and what trouble will he then have in the work before him? If he be unable to rectify himself, how is he to rectify others?”
Once when Yen Yu was leaving the Court, the Master accosted him.
Why are you late?
I was busy with legislation.
I should have been there to hear the details of your legislation, even though I am not in office.
