BOOK III.

THE CHUNG YUNG, OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN.

PROLEGOMENA BY THE PHILOSOPHER CH'ING.

My master, the philosopher Ch'ing, says: "Being without inclination to either side is called CHUNG ; admitting of no change is called YUNG. By CHUNG is denoted the direct course to be pursued by all under heaven; by YUNG is denoted the fixed principle regulating all under heaven. This work contains the law of the mind, which was handed down from one to another, in the Confucian school, till Tsze-sze, fearing lest in the course of time errors should arise about it, committed it to writing, and delivered it to Mencius. The book first speaks of one principle; it next spreads this out, and embraces all things; finally, it returns and gathers them all up under one principle. Unroll it, and it fills the universe; roll it up, and it retires and lies hid in mysteriousness. The relish of it is inexhaustible. The whole of it is solid learning. When the skillful reader has explored it with delight till he has apprehended it, he may carry it into practice all his life, and will find that it cannot be exhausted.

CHAPTER I.

THE PATH OF DUTY-ITS ORIGIN IN HEAVEN.

A doctrine extensively taught in this third book is, that man by nature is originally good, having the nature he received from heaven; and conduct in accordance with that nature constitutes what is right and true.

What heaven has conferred is called THE NATURE; an accordance with this nature is called THE PATH OF DUTY; the regulation of this path is called INSTRUCTION.

The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it would not be the path. On this account, the superior man does not wait till he sees things, to be cautious; nor till he hears things, to be apprehensive.

While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in a state of EQUILIBRIUM. When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of HARMONY.

This EQUILIBRIUM is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this HARMONY is the universal path which they all should pursue.

Let the states of equilibrium and harmony.exist in per

fection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.*

CONFUCIUS AFFIRMS THAT HEAVEN HAS CONFERRED A PERFECT NATURE UPON ALL, YET MOURNS THAT THE PATH OF THE PERFECT NATURE IS UNTRODDEN.

The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Mean! Rare have they long been among the people, who could practice it!"

"I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not walked in the knowing go beyond it, and the stupid do not come up to it. I know how it is that the path of the Mean is not understood: the men of talents and virtue go beyond it, and the worthless do not come up to it."

"Alas! How is the path of the Mean untrodden !" "Men all say, 'We are wise;' but being driven forward, and taken in a net, a trap, or a pitfall, they know not how to escape. Men all say, 'We are wise ;' but happening to choose the course of the Mean, they are not able to keep it for a round month."

"The empire, its States, and its families, may be perfectly ruled; dignities and emoluments may be declined; naked weapons may be trampled under the feet; but the course of the Mean cannot be attained to.”

"The path is not far from man. When men try to pursue a course which is far from the common indica

* By heaven and earth are here meant what were supposed to be the parent powers of the universe, on which depend the generation and nourishing of all things.

tions of consciousness, this course cannot be considered THE PATH."*

THE GOLDEN RULE

PRESSED.

NEGATIVELY AND POSITIVELY EX

CONFUCIUS CONFESSES THAT HE HAS NOT

ATTAINED TO IT.

"When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like, when done to yourself, do not do to others.)'

Το

"In the way of the superior man there are four things, to not one of which have I as yet attained. To serve my father, as I would require my son to serve me: to this I have not attained. To serve my prince, as I would require my minister to serve me: to this I have not attained. To serve my elder brother as I would require my younger brother to serve me: to this I have not attained. set the example in behaving to a friend, as I would require him to behave to me: to this I have not attained. Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself ; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license. Thus his words have respect to his actions, and his actions have respect to his words: is it not just an entire sincerity which marks the superior man?"

*The path of the Mean is not far to seek. Each man has the law of it in himself, and it is to be pursued with earnest sincerity.

DISCHARGE WITH CHEERFULNESS THE DUTIES OF YOUR STATION, NOR MURMUR AT THE

HEAVEN.

APPOINTMENTS OF

The superior man does what is proper to the station in which he is; he does not desire to go beyond this.

In a position of wealth and honor he does what is proper to a position of wealth and honor. In a poor and low position, he does what is proper to a poor and low position. Situated among barbarous tribes, he does what is proper to a situation among barbarous tribes. In a position of sorrow and difficulty, he does what is proper to a position of sorrow and difficulty. The superior man can find himself in no situation in which he is not himself.

In a high situation, he does not treat with contempt his inferiors. In a low situation, he does not court the favor of his superiors. He rectifies himself, and seeks for nothing from others, so that he has no dissatisfactions. He does not murmur against heaven, nor grumble against men.

Thus it is that the superior man is quiet and calm, waiting for the appointments of Heaven; while the mean man walks in dangerous paths, looking for lucky occur

rences.

The Master said, "In archery, we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself."