by An Liu
Moreover, those whose persons were upright and whose natures were good,
who radiated their ardor to perfect their Humaneness,22
who relied on their discontent to act with Rightness,
whose nature and destiny could be a source of pleasure, and who did not need to rely on study and inquiry to tally with the Way, were Yao, Shun, and King Wen.
Those who indulged deeply in wine and sex, whose conduct was unrestrained,
who could not be instructed by means of the Way
or taught by the example of virtue,
whom a stern father could not correct,
whom a worthy teacher could not transform,
were Dan Zhu and Shang Jun.23
Those with delicate, tender faces and brilliant white teeth, whose figures were beautiful and whose bone structure was elegant, who did not need to rely on cream and powder or perfume and unguents, [and] who by nature could please others, were Xi Shi and Yang Wen.
Those who were ugly and grotesque, whose mouths were large, and whose teeth were crooked, whose bellies were fat and whose backs were hunched, [and] who applied white powder and black mascara but could not be made beautiful were Mo Mu and Bi Sui.
Now those who
in loftiness do not reach Yao and Shun,
in baseness do not compare with Shang Jun,
who in beauty do not reach Xi Shi,
and who in ugliness do not compare with Mo Mu,
are those to whom education and instruction are conveyed and to whom perfume and unguents are applied.
Furthermore, a son may kill his father, but the fathers of the world do not cast away their sons [as a result]. Why? It is because most sons love their fathers. A Confucian may be wicked and corrupt, but [people] do not abandon the Way of the Former Kings [as a result]. Why? [It is because] most [Confucians] put it into practice.
Now, rejecting study because those who study have faults is like
taking one instance of choking to refuse grain and not eat
or taking one problem with stumbling to stop walking and not go [anywhere].
This is deluded. [19/204/20–27]
Now a fine horse needs no whips or spurs to go. A poor-quality horse, even if whips and spurs were doubled, would not proceed. But never to use whips and spurs for this reason would be foolish. Now a coward may wield a sharp sword, but if he struck, he could not cut, and if he stabbed, he could not pierce. In the case of a brave warrior, with one blow he could rend the flesh and wound the body. If on account of this, you were to abandon [the blades of legendary swordsmiths] Gan Jiang and Mo Ye and use your fists to fight instead—this would be perverse. What I mean to say is: abide by the majority and conform to the customary. When you are not praising the heights of the Nine Heavens, you are speaking of the depths of the Yellow Springs; this amounts to discussing the limits of two extremes. How can these [extremes] be [the basis for] general assessments? [19/205/1–5]
Oranges and pomelos24 grow in winter, but people say winter brings death, for most things die in winter.
Shepherd’s purse and wheat die in the summer, but people say summer brings growth because most things grow in summer.
The twists and turns of the Yangzi and the Yellow rivers sometimes flow north and sometimes flow south, but people say that they flow eastward.
Jupiter and Saturn move eastward day by day and month by month, but people say that the stars and planets shift westward day by day and month by month;
they take the majority as their basis.
Among the Hu people are those who are knowledgeable and principled, but people call them stupid;
Among the Yue people are those who are dull-witted and slow, but people call them clever;
they consider the majority when naming them.
Now, Yao’ s eyebrows were of eight colors, and his [body’s] nine apertures all flowed into one another.25 He was public minded, upright, and devoid of personal preferences. With one pronouncement, the multitudes were united.
Shun had two pupils in each eye. This was called “Double Discernment.” What he did became laws, and what he said became statutes.
Yu’s ears had three openings. This was called “Great Penetration.” He increased benefits and eradicated harms, clearing the waterways and dredging the rivers.
King Wen had four nipples. This was called “Great Humaneness.” The world returned home to him, and the common people grew close to him.
Gao Yao26 had a horselike mouth. This was called “Utter Trustworthiness.” He judged cases with clarity and brilliance as he judiciously examined human emotions.
Xie27 was born from an egg;
Qi28 was born from a stone;
Shi Huang29 was born and could write; Yi was born with a long left30 arm and was an outstanding archer. Nine such worthies as these appeared only once in a thousand years, yet it was as if they followed on one another’s heels. Nowadays we are bereft of the heavenly blessings of these five sages or the flourishing talent of these four worthies. [Under such circumstances,] wanting to abandon study and follow nature is like abandoning a boat in the hopes that you will walk on water.
When [precious swords like] Chun’gou and Yuchang were first taken from their molds,
if you sliced with them, they would not cut;
if you stabbed with them, they would not pierce.
But once enhanced by polishing and grinding and rubbed until their points were sharp, in water they could cut through a dragon boat, and on land they could slash through rhinoceros-hide armor.31
When a mirror is first taken from its mold, it is hazy and does not yet reflect form or shape. When it is coated with dark tin [powder] and rubbed with a clean felt cloth, you can distinguish clearly the fine hair of the temples and eyebrows. Now, learning is a person’s whetstone and tin. To say that learning does not enhance a person is a statement that refutes itself. [19/205/7–20]
19.5
The weakness of a wise person [in some field] makes him not as good [in that field] as a foolish person who is strong [in it].
The deficits of a worthy [in some field] make him not as good [in that field] as an ordinary person who surpasses [in it].32
How do I know this is so? With Song painting and Wu smelting, the carving of molds and the engraving of patterns are complex and intricate. Their creation of such subtle mysteries, [even] the sages Yao and Shun could not achieve. The young girls of Cai and the talented youth of Wey
in weaving their red waistbands,
in blending their marvelous colors,
in forming their black backgrounds,
and displaying their crimson patterns
[do what even] the wisdom of Yu and Tang could not attain! [19/205/22–24]
What Heaven covers,
what Earth supports,
is contained within the six coordinates;
is embraced within the universe.33
What yin and yang produce [from] the essence of blood and qi [are] creatures that have
a mouthful of teeth or a head bearing horns,34
front claws or rear hooves,
soaring wings or clutching talons
that advance by wriggling or move by crawling.
When happy, they are harmonious;
when angry, they are quarrelsome;
seeing benefit, they pursue it;
avoiding harm, they withdraw from it;
their instinctive responses in this respect are one. Although in their likes and dislikes they do not differ from people, nonetheless,
though their claws and teeth are sharp,
though their muscles and bones are strong,
they cannot avoid being controlled by people [because]
they cannot communicate their intelligence to one another,
and their abilities and strength cannot be made to act as one.
Each has its natural propensity that is not endowed or received from the outside.
Thus their strengths have boundaries, and their acc
omplishments have limits.
Now the wild goose follows the wind to fly in order to preserve its energy and strength. It holds straw in its mouth while soaring in order to fend off tethered arrows. Ants know how to build hills; badgers35 make their winding tunnels; tigers and leopards have lairs of grass. Wild boars have grassy nests, rows of felled trees, and burrowed holes that join one another in the manner of palaces and rooms; they provide protection to guard them from the rain and shield them from the hot sun. Thus even birds and beasts know ways to seek out and accord with what brings them benefit.
Now [suppose] a person were born in a secluded and remote state and grew up in a leaking room in a poor house, was reared without older and younger brothers, and from childhood was bereft of father and mother. If [in addition] his eyes never witnessed proper rites, his ears never heard of former or ancient times, and he lived alone in his own home without going beyond his gate—even if by nature he was not stupid, nonetheless his knowledge would certainly be wanting. [19/205/26–19/206/8]
Long ago
Cang Jie invented writing;
Rong Cheng created the calendar;
Hu Cao36 made clothing;
Lord Millet introduced agriculture;
Yi Di invented wine;
and Xi Zhong made carts.
These six men all had
the Way of spirit illumination
and [left behind] footprints of sagely wisdom.37
Thus [each] person invented something and bequeathed it to posterity. It is not the case that a single person alone would have been able to do all of them. Each fully applied his knowledge, prizing what he hoped to achieve so that subsequently each provided something for the world. Now if you had made these six men exchange their tasks, their brilliance would not have been apparent. Why? [It is because] the myriad things of the world are utterly numerous and knowledge is not sufficient to encompass them all. From the Zhou era onward, there have been no worthies like these six, and yet people have pursued all their callings. Among the people of the current age, there is not a single person of that caliber, yet people have come to know the Way of the Six Worthies. Education and training extended and continued [their work] so that their knowledge could flow forth and communicate with [later ages]. From this perspective, it is clear that learning can never cease. [19/206/10–14]
Now in the case of a blind person, his eyes cannot distinguish day from night or differentiate white from black; nevertheless when he grasps the qin and plucks the strings, triply plucking and doubly pressing,38 touching and plucking, pulling and releasing, his hands are like a blur, and he never misses a string. If we tried to get someone who had never played the qin to do this, though possessing the clear sight of Li Zhu or the nimble fingers of Jue Duo,39 it would be as if he could neither contract nor extend a finger. What is the reason for this? Such things are made possible only through repeated practice so they become habitual.
Thus,
the bow must await the stringing frame before it can be strung,
and the sword must await the whetstone before it can be sharpened.
Jade is harder than anything else, but it can be carved into the shape of beasts, the heads and the tails taking their true forms; this is the achievement of the abrasive stone.40 Wood may be as straight as a marking cord, but if it is shaped to make a wheel, its bending will match the compass. This is the power of the bending frame. Things as hard as Tang jade can still be carved; it can be formed and made into useful things. How much more so is this the case with the human heart and mind! [19/206/16–20]
Moreover, the Quintessential Spirit is saturating and soaking, subtle and fine.41
Suddenly and quickly it alters and transforms
in accordance with things it moves and shifts
like the clouds rising and the winds drifting; it establishes and applies itself where it is most useful.
Among Superior Men are those who can
arouse the essence and examine the infinitesimal,
polish and grind their talents,
spontaneously exercise their spirit illumination,42
observe the broad spectrum of things,
penetrate the obstructions of things,
observe the clues to beginning and end,
perceive the realm that has no exterior,
wander freely within the limitless,
meander beyond the dust of the world.
Splendidly, they stand alone;
loftily, they leave the world.
Such are the means by which the mind of the sage wanders. However, people of later ages did not have the leisure to sit and still their thoughts, playing the qin and reading books, reflecting on observations of high antiquity, befriending worthies and great men, studying and debating, daily gaining self-mastery, delving into and analyzing the affairs of their age, distinguishing and differentiating white from black, estimating successes and losses, foretelling disasters and blessings, setting up norms and establishing rules to serve as laws and regulations, investigating thoroughly the roots and branches of the Way, studying deeply the essential qualities of things, establishing what is so and eradicating what is not so, illuminating and instructing later generations,
in death, leaving a legacy,
in life, possessing a glorious reputation.
Things like this are what human talent can achieve. But if no one can accomplish such things, it is because people are lazy and lax and have many idle days.
Now,
[among] people who come from regions where the soil is barren, there are many who have [good] minds. This is because their lives are laborious.
[Among] people who come from places where the soil is rich, there are many who are devoid of talents. This is because their lives are easy.
Looking at it from this perspective, a wise person who makes no effort does not compare with a foolish person who loves to learn. From the rulers, dukes, and ministers on down to the common people, there has never been a case of someone succeeding without exerting himself to the utmost. The Odes says,
“The days pass and the months proceed;
through study of brightness and brilliance, I gain radiance and light.”43
This is what is referred to here. [19/206/22–19/207/6]
19.6
Reputation can be established through effort;
merit can be achieved through fortitude.
Thus the Superior Man
musters his will and commits himself to uprightness, hastening toward brilliant teachers;
encourages moderation and exalts loftiness, separating himself from the conventions of his age.
How might I illuminate this point?
Formerly, Nanrong Chou44 was ashamed that he alone lacked the sagely Way.
[Therefore,]
immersing himself in frost and dew,
arranging his sandals and hastening his steps,
he climbed mountains and forded rivers,
shielding his eyes from brambles and thorns,
going a hundred stages45 [with] his feet covered with blisters, not daring to rest.
[He reached] the south and met Lao Dan. Having received his instruction with a single word,
his Quintessential Spirit was suddenly enlightened;
his [formerly] obtuse and sad [heart became] orderly and lucid.
He was so pleased that for seven days he did not eat, although it was as if he had feasted on the tailao.46
Thus,
his brilliance illuminated all within the Four Seas,
and his reputation passed down to later generations.
He could summarily comprehend Heaven and Earth
and analyze something [as fine as] autumn floss.
Recognition and praise [of his merits] have not ceased to this day. This is what is meant by “Reputation can be established through effort.”
When Wu and Chu47 fought each other, the Chu undersecretary [Cheng] Daxin48 grasped his charioteer’s hand and said: “Today we confront a pow
erful enemy. We will
repel the glistening blades
and shield ourselves from arrows and stones.
If I die in battle, I still will win victory by [preserving] the people whole, [so that] our altars of soil and grain will be able to remain intact.” Subsequently he pressed forward but did not retreat, for he was stabbed in the abdomen and beheaded [in battle]. Never turning his heels to reverse course, he died.
Shen Baoxu49 declared: “If I give my all and fight this terrible enemy and fall as a bleeding corpse, I will show only the ability of an ordinary soldier. This is not so good as humbling myself and speaking self-deprecatingly and seeking aid from the Lords of the Land.” Thereupon,
he packed his grain on his back and traveled barefoot,
fording streams and treading valleys,
ascending to the highest peaks
descending to the deepest gullies,
crossing rivers and streams,
defying rapids and mountain passes,
striding past hidden snares,
stumbling through sand and stone
until the whole area from his feet to his knees was swollen and covered with many large blisters. He journeyed for seven days and seven nights before he reached the court of Qin.
Standing [on one leg] like a crane and refusing sustenance,
by day he moaned and by night he wailed,
his face as if dead ashes,
his coloring swarthy and dark,
his tears ran down his face to collect in a pool.
When he met the king of Qin, he declared, “Wu is [like] Mound Pig or Long Snake.50 It wants to gobble up the Upper States.51 The disaster began in Chu. Our ruler has lost his altars of soil and grain. He has fled [to live amid] the grasses and reeds. The population has fled and dispersed; and husbands and wives, men and women, do not have a moment to inform [others] of their whereabouts. I was sent to report the emergency.” The king of Qin thereupon raised a force of a thousand chariots and seventy thousand foot soldiers and appointed Zihu to command them. They crossed the pass to the east and attacked Wu at the Zhuo River, defeating Wu handily and thereby preserving Chu. Shen Baoxu’s accomplishment was recorded in the court and among the official laws and proclamations. This is an example of merit attained through fortitude. [19/207/8–22]