CHAPTER IV.

DOMESTIC REGULATIONS.

ON SELECTING A RESIDENCE, AND CHOICE OF ASSOCIATES.

Confucius said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighborhood. If a man, in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise? Now, benevolence is the most honorable dignity conferred by Heaven, and the quiet home in which man should dwell. Since no one can hinder us from being so, if yet we are not benevolent, this is being not wise."

Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "Some say that Confucius, when he was in Wei, lived with the ulcer doctor, and when he was in Ts'e with the attendant Tseih Hwan: was it so?" Mencius replied, No; it was not so. Those are the inventions of men fond of strange things.

"Confucius went into office according to propriety, and retired from it according to righteousness. In regard to his obtaining office or not obtaining it, he said,

'That is as ordered.' But if he had lodged with the attendant Tseih Hwan, that would neither have been according to righteousness nor any ordering of Heaven.

"When Confucius, being dissatisfied in Loo and Wei, had left those States, he met with the attempt of Hwan, the master of the horse of Sung, to intercept and kill him. At that time, though he was in circumstances of distress, he lodged with the city-master Ching, who was then a minister of Chow, the prince of Ch'in.

"I have heard that the characters of ministers about court may be discerned from those whom they entertain, and those of stranger officers from those with whom they lodge. If Confucius had lodged with the ulcerdoctor and with the attendant Tseih Hwan, how could he have been Confucius ?"

Mencius said, "Pih-e would not allow his eyes to look on a bad sight, nor his ears to listen to a bad sound. He would not serve a prince whom he did not approve, nor command a people whom he did not esteem. In a time of good government he took office; and on the occurrence of confusion, he retired. He could not bear to dwell either in a court from which a lawless government emanated, or among lawless people. He considered his being in the same place with a villager, as if he were to sit amid mud and coals with his court robes and court cap. In the time of Chow, he dwelt on the shores of the North sea, awaiting the purification of the empire. Therefore, when men now hear the character of Pih-e, the corrupt become pure, and the weak acquire determination."

E Yin said, “ Hwuy of Lew-hea was not ashamed to serve an impure prince, nor did he think it low to be an

inferior officer. When advanced to employment, he did not conceal his virtue, but made it a point to carry out his principles. When dismissed and left without office, he yet did not murmur. When straitened by poverty, he yet did not grieve. When thrown into the company of village people, he was quite at ease, and could not bear to leave them. He had a saying, 'You are you, and I am I. Although you stand by my side with breast and arms bare, or with your body naked, how can you defile me?' Therefore when men now hear the character of Hwuy of Lew-hea, the mean become generous, and the niggardly become liberal.

"As to Confucius, when it was proper to go away quickly, he did so; when it was proper to delay, he did so; when it was proper to keep in retirement, he did so ; when it was proper to go into office, he did so this was Confucius."*

Mencius said, "Pih-e among the sages was the pure one; E Yin was the one most inclined to take office Hwuy of Lew-hea was the accommodating one, and Confucius was the timeous one,

;

"In Confucius we have what is called a complete concert. A complete concert is when the large bell proclaims the commencement of the music, and the ringing stone proclaims its close. The metal sound commences the blended harmony of all the instruments, and the winding up with the stone terminates that blended harmony. The commencing that harmony is the work of wisdom. The terminating it is the work of sageness.

As a comparison for wisdom, we may liken it to skill,

* Confucius did at every time what the circumstances required.

and as a comparison for sageness, we may liken it to strength as in the case of shooting at a mark a thousand paces distant. That you reach it is owing to your strength, but that you hit the mark is not owing to your strength."

Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "I venture to ask the principles of friendship." Mencius replied, "Friendship should be maintained without any presumption on the ground of one's superior age, or station, or the circumstances of his relatives. Friendship with a man is friendship with his virtue, and does not admit of assumptions of superiority.

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Respect shown by inferiors to superiors is called giving to the noble the observance due to rank. Respect shown by superiors to inferiors is called giving honor to talents and virtue. The rightness in each case is the same.

"In regard to inferior creatures, the superior man is kind to them, but not loving. In regard to people generally, he is loving to them, but not affectionate. He is affectionate to his parents, and lovingly disposed to people generally. He is lovingly disposed to people generally, and kind to creatures.

"The wise embrace all knowledge, but they are most earnest about what is of the greatest importance. The benevolent embrace all in their love, but what they consider of the greatest importance is, to cultivate an earnest affection for the virtuous."

PARENTAL GOVERNMENT.

Kung-sun Ch'ow said, "Why is it that the superior man does not himself teach his son?"

angry.

Mencius replied, "The circumstances of the case forbid its being done. The teacher must inculcate what is correct. When he inculcates what is correct, and his lessons are not practiced, he follows them up with being When he follows them up with being angry, then, contrary to what should be, he is offended with his son. At the same time, the pupil says, 'My master inculcates on me what is correct, and he himself does not proceed in a correct path.' The result of this is, that father and son are offended with each other. When father and son come to be offended with each other, the case is evil.

"The ancients exchanged sons, and one taught the son of another.

"Between father and son there should be no reproving admonitions to what is good. Such reproofs lead to alienation, and than alienation there is nothing more inauspicious."

"Mencius said, "Those who keep the Mean, train up those who do not, and those who have abilities, train up those who have not; and hence men rejoice in having fathers and elder brothers who are possessed of virtue and talent. If they who keep the Mean spurn those who do not, and they who have abilities spurn those who have not, then the space between them-those so gifted and the ungifted-will not admit an inch."