CHAPTER Ⅱ

1. Confucius remarked, “He who rules the people, depending upon the moral sentiment, is like the Pole-star, which keeps its place while all the other stars revolve round it.”

2. Confucius remarked, “The Book of Ballads, Songs and Psalms contains three hundred pieces.The moral of them all may be summed up in one sentence:‘Have no evil thoughts.' ”

3. Confucius remarked, “If in government you depend upon laws, and maintain order by enforcing those laws by punishments, you can also make the people keep away from wrong-doing, but they will lose the sense of shame for wrong-doing. If, on the other hand, in government you depend upon the moral sentiment, and maintain order by encouraging education and good manners, the people will have a sense of shame for wrong-doing and, moreover, will emulate what is good.”

4. Confucius remarked, “At f ifteen I had made up my mind to give myself up to serious studies. At thirty I had formed my opinions and judgment. At forty I had no more doubts. At f ifty I understood the truth in religion. At sixty I could understand whatever I heard without exertion.At seventy I could follow whatever my heart desired without transgressing the law.”

5. A noble of the Court in Confucius' native State asked him what constituted the duty of a good son. Confucius answered, “Do not fail in what is required of you.”

Afterwards, as a disciple was driving him in his carriage, Confucius told the disciple, saying, “My Lord M — asked me what constituted the duty of a good son, and I answered, ‘Do not fail in what is required of you.' ”

“What did you mean by that? ”asked the disciple.

“I meant, ” replied Confucius, “when his parents are living, a good son should do his duties to them according to the usage prescribed by propriety; when they are dead, he should bury them and honour their memory according to the rites prescribed by propriety.”

6. A son of the noble mentioned above put the same question to Confucius as his father did.Confucius answered, “Think how anxious your parents are when you are sick, and you will know your duty towards them.”

7. A disciple of Confucius asked him the same question as the above. Confucius answered, “The duty of a good son nowadays means only to be able to support his parents.But you also keep your dogs and horses alive.If there is no feeling of love and respect, where is the difference? ”

8. Another disciple asked the same question.Confucius answered, “The diff iculty is with the expression of your look.That merely when anything is to be done the young people do it, and when there is food and wine the old folk are allowed to enjoy it, — do you think that is the whole duty of a good son? ”

9. Confucius, speaking of a favourite disciple whose name was Yen Hui, remarked, “I have talked with him for one whole day, during which he has never once raised one single objection to what I have said, as if he were dull of understanding. But when he has retired, on examining into his life and conversation I f ind he has been able to prof it by what I have said to him. No — he is not a man dull of understanding.”

10. Confucius remarked, “You look at how a man acts; consider his motives; f ind out his tastes. How can a man hide himself; how can he hide himself from you? ”

11. Confucius remarked, “If a man will constantly go over what he has acquired and keep continually adding to it new acquirements, he may become a teacher of men.”

12. Confucius remarked, “A wise man will not make himself into a mere machine f it only to do one kind of work.”

13. A disciple enquired what constituted a wise and good man. Confucius answered, “A wise and good man is one who acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.”

14. Confucius remarked, “A wise man is impartial, not neutral. A fool is neutral but not impartial.”

15. Confucius remarked, “Study without thinking is labour lost. Thinking without study is perilous.”

16. Confucius remarked, “To give oneself up to the study of metaphysical theories — that is very injurious indeed.”

17. Confucius said to a disciple, “Shall I teach you what is understanding? To know what it is that you know, and to know what it is that you do not know, — that is understanding.”

18. A disciple was studying with a view to preferment. Confucius said to him, “Read and learn everything, but suspend your judgment on anything of which you are in doubt; for the rest, be careful in what you say: in that way you will give few occasions for men to criticise what you say. Mix with the world and see everything, but keep away and do not meddle with anything which may bring you into trouble; for the rest, be careful in what you do: in that way you will have few occasions for self-reproach.”

“Now if in your conversation you give few occasions for men to criticise you, and in your conduct you have few occasions for self-reproach, you cannot help getting preferment, even if you would not.”

19. The reigning prince of his native State asked Confucius what should be done to secure the submission of the people. Confucius answered,“Uphold the cause of the just and put down every cause that is unjust, and the people will submit. But uphold the cause of the unjust and put down every cause that is just, then the people will not submit.”

20. A noble who was the minister in power in the government in Confucius' native State asked him what should be done to inspire a feeling of respect and loyalty in the people, in order to make them exert themselves for the good of the country. Confucius answered, “Treat them with seriousness and they will respect you. Let them see that you honour your parents and your prince, and are considerate for the welfare of those under you, and the people will be loyal to you. Advance those who excel in anything and educate the ignorant, and the people will exert themselves.”

21. Somebody asked Confucius, saying, “Why are you not taking part in the government of the country? ”

Confucius answered, “What does the ‘Book of Records' say of the duties of a good son?

“‘Be dutiful to your parents; be brotherly to your brothers;discharge your duties in the government of your family.'These, then , are also duties of government. Why then must one take part in the government of the country in order to discharge the duties of government? ”

22. Confucius remarked, “I do not know how men get along without good faith. A cart without a yoke and a carriage without harness —how could they go? ”

23. A disciple asked Confucius whether ten generations after their time the state of the civilisation of the world could be known.

Confucius answered, “The House of Yin adopted the civilisation of the Hsia dynasty; what modif ications they made is known. The present Chou dynasty adopted the civilisation of the House of Yin;what modif ications this last dynasty made are also known. Perhaps some other may hereafter take the place of the present Chou dynasty; but should that happen a hundred generations after this, the state of the civilisation of the world then, can be known.”

24. Confucius remarked, “To worship a spirit to whom one is not bound by a real feeling of duty or respect is idolatry; to see what is right and to act against one's judgment shows a want of courage.”