Superphysics
How to Make One's Way in Life; Manage a Country
4 minutes • 684 words
Duke Ling of Wei was consulting Confucius about army arrangements.
Had you asked me about such things as temple requisites, I have learnt that business, but I have not yet studied military matters.
He followed up this reply by leaving on the following day.
After this, during his residence in the State of Ch’in, his follower became so weak and ill due to a stoppage of food supply none of them could stand.
Tsz-Lu, with indignation, exclaimed:
Is a gentleman to suffer starvation?
A gentleman will endure it unmoved. But a common person breaks out into excesses under it.
Tsz-Kung, you regard me as one who studies and stores up in his mind a multiplicity of things. But that is wrong. I have one idea, one chord on which to string all.
Tsz-Lu, do you know that Virtue is rare?
Was not Shun such a ruler who ruled well without effort?
What did he do? He bore himself with reverent dignity and undeviatingly ‘faced the south,’ and that was all.
Tsz-chang was consulting him about making way in life. He answered:
Be true and honest in all you say, and seriously earnest in all you do. Even if your country is inhabited by barbarians, South or North, you will make your way.
If you do not show yourself thus in word and deed how should you succeed, even in your own district or neighborhood?
When you are walking, let these 2 counsels be 2 companions preceding you, yourself viewing them from behind.
When you drive, have them in view as on the yoke of your carriage. Then may you make your way.
Tsz-chang wrote them on the two ends of his cincture.
Straight was the course of the Annalist Yu, straight as an arrow flies. He kept an arrow-like course whether the country was well or ill-governed.
A man of masterly mind, too, is Ku Pih-yuh!
When the land is being rightly governed he will serve. When it is under bad government he is apt to recoil, and brood.
You will lose your man if you do not speak to the man whom should speak to.
You will lose your words if you speak to a man to whom you should not speak to.
The wise will not lose their man nor their words.
The scholar whose heart is in his work, and who is philanthropic, seeks not to gain a livelihood by any means that will do harm to his philanthropy.
There have been men who have destroyed their own lives in the endeavor to bring that virtue in them to perfection.
How can we become philanthropic?
A worker who wants to do his work well must first sharpen his tools.
Wherever you live, serve under some wise and good man among those in high office. Make friends with the more humane of its men of education.
How should we manage a country?
Go by the Hi Calendar.
Have the State carriages like those of the Yin princes.
Wear the Chow cap.
For your music let that of Shun be used for the posturers.
Put away the songs of Ching, and remove far from you men of artful speech.
The Ch’ing songs are immodest. Artful talkers are dangerous.
Those who care not for tomorrow will the sooner have their sorrow.
Ah, ’tis hopeless! I have not yet met with the man who loves Virtue as he loves Beauty. Was not Tsang Wan like one who surreptitiously came by the post he held?
He knew the worth of Hwi of Liu-hi, and could not stand in his presence.
Be generous yourself, and exact little from others; then you banish complaints.
With one who does not come to me inquiring ‘What of this?’ and ‘What of that?’
I never can ask ‘What of this?’ and give him up.
If a number of students are together all day, and in their conversation never approach the subject of righteousness, but are fond merely of giving currency to smart little sayings, they are difficult to manage.
