Master Kong Zhongni

Chapter 35
Confucius heard the words, picked up the piece of paper full of Zai Yu's ink.

"Is this the result of your recent thinking?"

"That's only part of it." Zai Yu respectfully bowed again: "The student still has some immature ideas, I hope I can discuss them with you, and I beg your master to give me some pointers."

Confucius nodded slightly: "Speak."

As the breeze blew, the willow branches were lifted, and the hem of Zaiyu's robe was lifted up. He smiled slightly, and began his own defense in front of Confucius.

"Recently, my disciples have been thinking about what is the way of a gentleman. I read the classics, consulted scholars, and looked at the benevolent people throughout the past and present. This is why I have today's doubts about 'there is benevolence in the well'.

After listening to your answer, Master, I finally realized something in my heart.

Don't ask whether the news is true or not, but jump deep into the well to seek benevolence.

It was Boyi and Shuqi who did not eat Zhou Su until their death.

It is Bigan who upholds the righteous way, is loyal and direct, but is cut open by Shang Zhou.

It is also Xu You who turned his ears away from listening to the news of the subjugated country and rejected Emperor Yao's Zen throne.

But first go to the well to observe, and then deal with it cautiously.

It was Shun who was selected from among the farmers who worked in the fields.

It was Fu Yue who was raised from among the slaves who worked on the wall.

It was also Yi Yin who served Shang Tang as a chef and was not appointed as the Prime Minister until he gained enough trust.

It is Guan Zhongguan Yiwu who endured the humiliation in your mouth and finally helped Huan Gong and Jiuhe princes to dominate the hegemony.

The above eight sages are all the most holy people in the population of the world, but their final achievements are not the same. "

Hearing this, Wu Mashi hurriedly stood up and objected: "My son, how can you make unreasonable comments on the sages? Isn't the good talk and virtue left by Boyi and Shuqi not their merits?"

Zeng Dian, who is about the same age as Zilu, also agrees with Wu Mashi.

"Although the eight people mentioned by Ziwo are all sages, the achievements of Guan Zhong and Yi Yin are nothing more than enabling Qi to dominate and the Shang Dynasty to continue.

However, now that Qi State's hegemony is no longer, the Shang Dynasty has long been destroyed, and the traces they left have long been obliterated by the years.

However, the noble sentiments of Xu You, Bigan, and Boyi Shuqi will only become stronger with the passage of time. How can it be said that the former is inferior to the latter? "

There are those who oppose Zaiyu, and naturally there are those who support Zaiyu.

Gao Chai, who was short at the side, thought for a while, and stood up to support his good buddy Zaiyu.

"I agree with my opinion.

Back then Zigong asked the Master: If a person can bring many benefits to the common people and help them live well, can this person be regarded as a benevolent person?
The master replied: Where there is only benevolence, this is simply a saint!Even Yao and Shun would have found it difficult to do such a thing.As for benevolent people, even if they want to stand up for themselves, they must also help others stand up together.If you want to live a good life for yourself, you must also help others live a good life together.He can be said to be a benevolent person if he can extend himself to others in everything.

It can be seen from this that in the eyes of the master, whether a person is good or bad depends on whether he has brought benefits to the common people! "

As soon as Gao Chai finished speaking, he saw Zai Yu give him a silent compliment.

That means impressively: good brother, reliable!
Gao Chai sat back to his seat with a smile, and after a while, a young man with a tall temperament and a gentle appearance stood up to support Zaiyu.

"Master, I also have an opinion."

Confucius glanced at him, sighed and said: "It's not neat, if you have an opinion, let's talk about it. There is no need to be too restrained when discussing learning."

The name of this gentle and modest gentleman is Mi Buqi, and his character is cheap.

Because of his good looks, good moral character, and strong ability, even Confucius once praised him as "a gentleman is as good as a man"!
Mi Buqi opened his mouth and said: "The so-called granaries know the etiquette, and the food and clothing are sufficient to know the honor and disgrace. The etiquette education can only be carried out after the virtuous government is effective, and the cultural education can only be carried out after the hungry people have enough to eat.

The reason why the noble sentiments of Xu You, Bigan, and Boyi Shuqi can be passed on to future generations is due to the stable environment brought by Yi Yin and Guan Zhong!

As the saying goes, there is a distinction between Taoism and politics, how can we put the cart before the horse and reverse cause and effect? "

Confucius has always advocated etiquette and law in teaching.But precisely because of this, Confucian disciples also gradually developed conceptual differences during their studies.

Some of them pay attention to practice. Although they also advocate etiquette, what they value more is the law in etiquette.

The other part focuses on enlightenment and cultivation. Although it also pays attention to the law, it is more inclined to the etiquette in the etiquette.

Normally, it is good for Confucius to give consideration to etiquette and law in his lectures, but when Zai Yu suddenly brought up this issue, the disciples naturally started to stand in line.

The two factions insist on their own views, you say yours, I say mine, and a big fight is about to happen.

Seeing this, Confucius coughed violently.

The academy immediately returned to calm.

Confucius looked around at the disciples who were sitting comfortably in the academy, his helpless eyes could be understood by anyone.

He sighed, and turned the topic back to Jaeyu, who was 'provoking trouble'.

"Yu! Everyone has said so much, let's go back to the way of a gentleman you have realized."

Zaiyu bowed, and then said: "I had a sense of the way of a gentleman, but it was vague. It was not until your words today, Master, that I woke up from it. Now I understand that the way of a gentleman lies in loyalty and forgiveness. "

Confucius nodded and asked, "Then what do you think is loyalty and forgiveness?"

Zaiyu replied: "You once said: if you want to be successful, you should build others; Others have flourished.

Loyalty is loyalty, that is to say, to help others wholeheartedly.

As for forgiveness, you also once said: Don't do to others what you don't want yourself to do to yourself, and you can call yourself forgiveness.Don't use what you don't want for yourself.Treat others the same way you treat yourself, and this can be called 'forgiveness'.

As long as you are loyal and forgiving, you can be regarded as a gentleman with a clear conscience. This is the golden mean, that is, an impartial, compromised and harmonious attitude towards things. "

"The mean?" Confucius thought about these two words, and suddenly smiled: "It's a very appropriate description! But how did you understand the mean from Meng Sun Heji?"

Zaiyu leaned over and said, "Actually, this is not learned from Mengsun Heji alone, but from the two families of the Yangtong family in Jin and the Meng family in our country."

The Meng family is the family of Mengsun Heji.

As for the Yang Tong family, it was the family of Shu Xiang, a virtuous official of the Jin State whom Confucius admired quite a lot.

Sure enough, when Confucius heard that Zai Yu compared the Meng family and the Yang Tong family, he showed a puzzled look.

"Oh? How do you say that? Is there any connection between the Meng family and the Yang Tong family?"

　The doctrine of the golden mean lies in impartiality and compromise, that is, to vote for both recommendation and monthly votes. If there is an investment or reward, then it can be regarded as a gentleman.

　　——Excerpt from "Zaiyu's Diary"

　　
　
(End of this chapter)