the faithfulness of Hung Yen or the righteousness of Pu Chan of Chên? But would the writers of our own time deign to use these cases as examples? For illustrations in proof of their views they go up to Yu and the Hsia period, and down as far as the Yin and Chou dynasties. The exploits and remarkable feats of the Chin and Han epoch are already too modern for them, and fancy our own time, which comes after all the other ages, and what the narrators have seen with their own eyes! The painters like to paint men of ancient dynasties, and reject heroes of the Chin and Han epoch, however wonderful their deeds may have been. The scholars of the present age prize antiquity, and scorn the present. They value the snow-goose and disdain the fowl, because the snow-goose is from afar, and the fowl is near.

Provided that there were a moralist now more profound than either Confucius or Me Ti, yet his name would not rank as high as theirs, and, if in his conduct he should surpass even Tseng Tse and Yen Hui, he would not be as famous as they. Why? Because the masses think nothing of what they see, but esteem what they know only by hearsay. Should there be a man now, just and generous to the highest degree, and should an inquiry into his actions prove that he is not outvied by anybody in the past, would the writers mention him in their works, showing that they give him credit for what he has done? Narrating marvellous stories, they would not wrong the ancients by taking their subjects from modern times, but would those who are fond of these stories put aside those books on antique lore and things far off, and take an interest in modern writings? Yang Tse Yün wrote the T'ai-hsüan, and composed the Fa-yen,' but Chang Po Sung did not deign to cast a look upon these books. As he was living with Yang Tse Yün shoulder to shoulder, he had a poor opinion of what he said. Had Yang Tse Yün lived prior to him, Chang Po Sung would have looked upon him as a gold safe.

One hears people say that the sages of old possessed most brilliant qualities, and accomplished wonderful works. Hence Confucius said, "Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven that is grand, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it. How majestic was he in the works which he accomplished! How glorious in the elegant regulations which he

1 These two works of the philosopher Yang Tse Yün have come down to us. The more celebrated of the two is the Fa-yen, the T'ai-hsüan, soi-disant an elucidation of the Yiking, is very obscure.

instituted! Shun followed Yao, and did not impair his grand institutions, and Yu succeeded Shun, and did not mar his great works. Subsequently we come to Tang. He rose in arms, and defeated Chich, and Wu Wang took the battle-axe, and punished Chou. Nothing is said about majesty or glory, we hear only of fighting and defeating. The qualities of these princes were bad, therefore they appealed to arms. They waged war, and neglected the arts of peace. That explains why they could not get along together. When the Chin and Han period arrived, swords were drawn, and conclusions tried everywhere. Thus Ch'in conquered the empire. When Chin was in possession of it, no felicitous omen appeared as the phoenix e. g., which comes, when all the States are at peace. Does that not show their moral impotence and the poorness of their achievements?

This statement is unreasonable. A sage is born by a fusion of the fluids of Heaven and Earth; he does great things, when he takes the reins of government. But this fusion of the fluids does not only take place in the past and formerly in few instances; why then should a sage alone be good? The masses are inclined to cherish the past, and decry the present, to think nothing of what they behold, and very much of what they have heard. Besides, they see that in the Classics and other works the excellence of sages and wise men is painted in the most vivid colours, and that Confucius extols the works of Yao and Shun still more. Then they have been told that Yao and Yü abdicated, and declined the throne, whereas Tang and Wu fought for it, and snatched it from their predecessors. Consequently they think that in olden times the sages were better than now, and that their works, and their civilizing influence was greater than in later times. The Classics contain highly coloured reports, and extravagant and exaggerated stories are current among the people. Those who study the Classics and read books all know this.

Confucius said, "Chou's wickedness was not so very great. Therefore the superior man hates to consort with base persons, for the faults of the whole world are laid to their charge."3 People always will contrast Chieh and Chou with Yao and Shun. When they have any praise to bestow, they give is to Yao and Shun,

1 Analects VIII, 19.

2 When Chou was defeated, he burned himself on the "Deer Terrace." Afterwards Wu Wang shot three arrows at the corpse, struck at it with his sword, and with his battle-axe severed the head from the body. Cf. Shi-chi chap. 4, p. 11.

3 Analects XIX, 20.

and, when they speak of any wickedness, they impute it to Chou and Chieh. Since Confucius says that the wickedness of Chou was not so very great, we conclude that the virtue of Yao and Shun was not so extraordinary either. The resignation of Yao and Shun and the overthrow of the preceding dynasties by Tang and Wu were predetermined by the fate of Heaven. It could not be achieved by goodness or badness, or be brought about by human actions. If Tang and Wu had lived in the time of Yao and Shun, they would also have abdicated the throne instead of defeating their predecessors, and had Yao and Shun lived in the Yin and Chou dynasties, they would likewise have overthrown their opponents, and not have declined the throne. What has really been fate, is by people thoughtlessly described as goodness or wickedness. At the period, when according to the Classics all the States were living in harmony, there was also Tan Chu, and when the phoenix made its appearance, there were at the same time the Yu Miao, against whom every one had to take up arms and fight continually. How did goodness and wickedness or great and small virtue come in?

They say that the wickedness of Chieh and Chou was worse than that of doomed Chin, but, as a matter of fact, we must admit that as for wickedness doomed Ch'in was ahead of Chieh and Chou.3 There is the same contrast between the excellence of the Han and the depravity of the Ch'in dynasty as between Yao and Shun on the one, and Chich and Chou on the other side. Doomed Chin and Han belong both to the later generations. Since the wickedness of doomed Chin is worse than that of Chieh and Chou, we may infer that in virtue the great Han are not outrivalled by Yao and Shun. Yao consolidated the various States, but his work did not last. The phoenix which appeared under the reign of Shun was five times attracted by Hsüan Ti. Under the reign of Ming Ti lucky omens and portents were seen in great numbers.5 Omens appear, because there is high virtue. When the omens are equal, the achievements must be on a level too. Should Hsüan Ti and Hsiao Ming Ti be inferior and not come up to Yao and Shun, how could they evoke the omens of Yao and Shun?

1 The degenerate son of virtuous Yao.

2 Aboriginal tribes, against which Shun had to fight. Vid. P. 494.

3 The hatred of the scholars of the Han time towards Chin Shih Huang Ti was still fresher and therefore more intense than their aversion to Chieh and Chou.

4 Cf. p. 359.

5 Cf. p. 372.

Under Kuang Wu Ti1 dragons rose, and phoenixes came forth. If, when he got the empire, things left in the street were picked up, did he not equal Tang of the Yin and Wu of the Chou dynasty at least?

People say that Cheng2 and K'ang of Chou did not impair the imposing works of Wen Wang, and that Shun in his glory did not mar the brilliant achievements of Yuo. Our present sage and enlightened sovereign is continuing the blessings and the prosperity of the reigns of Kuang Wu Ti and Hsiao Ming Ti, without the slightest symptom of a decline. Why should he not rank with Shun and Yü in remote antiquity, and be on a par with Cheng and Kang later on? It is because the Five Emperors and the Three Rulers lived previous to the classical writings, that the chronicles of the Han time look up to them, and that the writers imagine that in ancient times there were sages and excellent men, who accomplished great works, whereas later generations have declined, and that their culture is low.

2 The Emperor Ch'êng reigned from 1115 to 1078, Kang from 1078 to 1052. 3 The Emperor Chang Ti, 76 89 A.D., who succeeded Ming Ti. Under his

reign the Lun-heng seems to have been written. Vid. p. 372 Note 3.

4 The reigns of these three first sovereigns of the later Han dynasty were prosperous indeed.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Exaggerations (Yü-tsêng).

The Records say that Sages toil and trouble for the world, devoting to it all their thoughts and energies, that this harasses their spirits, and affects their bodies. Consequently Yao is reported to have been like shrivelled flesh, and Shun like dried food, whereas Chieh and Chou had an embonpoint over a foot thick. One may well say that the bodies of Sages working hard for the world, and straining their minds for mankind, are weakened, and that they do not become stout or fat, but to say that Yao and Shun were like dried flesh or food, and that the embonpoint of Chieh and Chou measured over a foot is exaggerating.

Duke Huan of Chi said:-" Before I had got hold of Kuan Chung, I had the greatest difficulties, after I had got him, everything was easy." Duke Huan did not equal Yao and Shun, nor was Kuan Chung on a par with Yü and Hsieh.' If Duke Huan found things easy, how could they have been difficult to Yao and Shun? From the fact that Duke Huan, having obtained the assistance of Kuan Chung, went on easily, we may infer that Yao and Shun after having secured the services of Yü and Hsieh cannot have been in difficulties. A man at ease has not many sorrows. Without sorrows he has no troubles, and if he is not troubled, his body does not wither.

Shun found perfect peace brought about by Yao, both carried on the virtues of the preceding generation and continued the pacification of the border tribes. Yao had still some trouble, but Shun could live at ease and unmolested. The Book of History says that the Supreme Ruler gave repose, which refers to Shun, for Shun found peace everywhere, he continued the government, appointed intelligent officers, employed able men, and enjoyed a dignified repose, while the Empire was well administrated. Therefore Con

2

1 Yü and Hsieh were both ministers of Yao and Shun. Yü became emperor afterwards.

2 Shuking Part V, Bk. XIV, 5 (Legge, Classics Vol. III, Pt. II, p. 455). The passage has been variously explained.

Lun - Heng.

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