the instruction of a tutor, an official named Pan Piu.

66

Wang Ch'ung was a man of extensive reading, who exercised an independent judgment as to the things he read. His family being poor there were no books at home, so he was in the habit of roaming round the market-place of Loh Yang to inspect those there exposed for sale. After once reading he could remember and repeat the contents of a volume, thus he became thoroughly well versed in the works of writers generally in all branches of literature. From the capital he returned to his native place, leading a retired life and keeping a school. He took office in the department on the Board of Workst (?), and constantly prevented his superiors going wrong by his remonstrances, but as there was in consequence a lack of harmony, he retired from office. Ch'ung was fond of discussion. At first sight his views seem very eccentric, but after a while we perceive that they are well founded. His idea was that the general run of Confucianists whilst holding closely to the letter lost much of the true meaning, so he lived in privacy and gave himself up to reflection, keeping aloof equally from social festivities and mournful celebrations. In his house penknife and pencil were to be met everywhere, at the door, on the window-sill and in the recess of the wall. He composed the Lun Hangt (Critical Disquisitions) in 85 sections, containing two hundred thousand characters, explaining every class of natural objects, their resemblances and differences, and correcting current speculations and theories.

"The Governor of the province, Tung Kin, specially attached him to his household, and afterwards made him sub-Prefect of the Imperial Prefecture (i.e. the region inclosing

the capital). On resigning this office he returned home.

"A friend and neighbour, Sie I-wu, memorialized the Emperor, commending Ch'ung as a very learned man; the Emperor Suhtsung* issued a special mandate bidding him take office. Owing to sickness he did not comply.

"When nearly seventy years old his intellect and bodily strength failed him; yet he composed the Sing-shoo in 16 sections, on regulating and restraining the appetites, nourishing the animal spirits, and self-preservation generally. In the year Yungyüan (Ho Tai A.D. 89) he was taken ill and died at home."

Thus much as to the writer. Now let us see what information we can gather as to the nature of the book itself. Having already satisfied ourselves as to its authenticity, we next consult the editors of Kien Lung's magnificent catalogue.

In the Kin ting sze k'oo tsuen shoo tsung muh+ or Descriptive Catalogue of the Imperial library, drawn up by Imperial Command 1772-1790, Part IV. (Belles lettres) chapter 120, we find the Lun Hang noticed as being "A work of thirty books, selected and presented to the Emperor by the Governor of Kiang-sub." The article in full reads thus:

"In the time of the later Han dynasty (A.D. 25-220) Wang Ch'ung, with the literary appellation Chung Yin, became an author. He was a native of Shang Yu and writes of himself that he was chief of the Board of Works in the District.

"In the Tu Yü‡ office he also held a place as Chief of the Board of Works. Under the Prefect, he held office in the Board of Works of the Five Offices. He farther says that in the third year Yüan Ho (A.D. 86) he re

moved his family and withdrew privately to Kiu-kiang, and Lo-kiang in Tan-yang-ün of the Yang-chau district. He afterwards became sub-Prefect. In the second year Chang Ho (A.D. 88) he withdrew from Yang-chau and retired to his home.

"His book contains 85 sections, but the 44th, Chao Chi* has only an abstract, and nothing more, there are therefore really only 84 sections. Examining what he relates of himself, we find him saying, 'My book, although the style is heavy, discusses altogether a hundred different subjects. If we look into the annals of the old scholar T'aikung-mong† or the modern Tungchung Shüt those books were composed in more than a hundred sections. My book likewise nearly reaches to a hundred, and some say they are too many.' Thus I conclude that his book originally contained over a hundred sections. The table of contents gives eighty-five sections, the present work therefore is not quite the same as it was formerly. The main idea of Wang Ch'ung's book is very clearly set forth in the (last) section Sz Ki or his autobiography. Because owing to bad times and unfavourable fortune, his heart was grieved within, whilst without, the vanity and deception of the men of the age, excited his hatred, he therefore set to work in earnest to write books. His language is too fierce. His two sections, 'Mencius Satirized' and 'Confucius Interrogated' amount to an energetic sharpening of his pen to use it in keen rivalry with those worthies and sages. We must term them wayward and perverse, designed really to display talent, and secure fame. He desired in everything to be preeminent, even proclaiming that his grand

* 招致

太公望; real uame Kiang Tsze-ya 姜

a counsellor of Si-peh in the 12th cen

tury, B.C. See Mayers, p. 81, 257.

1, a celebrated scholar and states

Jan, a devoted Confucianist and opponent of mystics and charlatans, B.C. 140. Mayers, p. 209, 688.

father was perverse and stupid, in order to manifest how much he himself excelled.

"He was exceedingly mad. His other discussions for instance that the sun and moon are not round, and such sayings, although answered afterwards by Ko Hung, who wrote under the (Eastern) Tsin dynasty,* are nevertheless for the most part examinations and criticisms of the false, and probe the manners of the age. Much in them is sound as to doctrine, and they are also very useful for disseminating instruction. Neither Choo Yung's† K'eu-e-shwo (Discourse to dispel Doubts), nor Sëeay Ying-fang'st Pëen-hwo-pëen (Doubtful Books Discussed), transcend this in value.

"Wang Ch'ung's literary style is very variable; he presses home quibbles, and gives way to much exaggeration and redundancy. This is what he himself says, 'When dwelling places are numerous, the territory cannot be small, when the population is large the clan registers cannot be few. If the cases are very many in which the truth is lost, if specious illusive sayings abound, how when indicating the true and establishing the right, can the words in which these are discriminated and discussed be forced into a narrow and direct path?' It certainly is as he has said.

"Besides this Ch'ung composed A Satire on Manners,§ and Guide to the Conduct of

Government business. When aged he also wrote the Yang-sing-shoo, † on Self-preservation. These have now all ceased to circulate, only this one (the Lun Hang) is preserved. Confucianists somewhat dislike its rank profusion, but after all they cannot do away with it.

"Kaou Sze-sun in his Wei-leo says that Yuan Hung in the How-han-ke§ remarks 'Wang Ch'ung composed the Lun Hang, but it has not been extensively circulated; Ts'ai Yung|| on entering Wu first saw it and used it as an aid to conversation.' 'Sayings helpful to conversation,' this just describes the book; his decisions ought to command assent. Those who oppose this book are many, but there will always be those who will be well pleased with it." Having thus presented our author and his credentials to the public, I will leave him to speak for himself in the following pages.

to the truth, how much less when speaking hastily and abruptly could they be altogether right. They cannot in every respect be right. The men of that day did not know the necessity for investigation.

Perhaps their ideas were profound, difficult to perceive, the men of that day did not understand how to investigate. When we consider the sayings of the worthies and sages, from first to last there is much that is mutually contradictory; their composition from beginning to end mutually clashes. The students of the present day cannot comprehend this. Every one says "The talents of the seventy disciples of Confucius were superior to those of the present Confucianists;" this saying is absurd. They regard Confucius as the great exemplar, the sage when teaching his Doctrine certainly imparted it to men of rare talents, therefore say they there is this difference. But the talents of the ancients are the talents of our cotemporaries; one who is now called a hero, was considered by the ancients a Spiritual Sage, therefore it is said that men like the seventy disciples in the course of ages are so few. Supposing that now there should appear a sage like Confucius then all the present generation of students would be disciples like Yent and Mint; but supposing there had been no Confucius, then those seventy disciples would have been like the present Confucianists. How do we verify this? Because the students with Confucius could not thoroughly investigate (his meaning). The

*

* Shoo King, Part II., Bk. 11., Ch. 1., 4. Dr. Legge. "Oh! your virtue O Emperor is vast and incessant. It is sagely spiritual," &c.

C.f. Mencius, B. vii., P. II., Ch. xxv., 8. "When the sage is beyond our knowledge he is called a spirit man."

Yen Yuen also called Yen Hwuy, and Tsze-yuen; one of the principal disciples of Confucius, an advocate of education as the popular regenerator. He surpassed in wisdom and quickness of perception.

Min Tsze-k'een named Sun. A disciple whom Confucius highly esteemed for his purity and filial affection,

sayings of the sage were not entirely intelligible when he discoursed upon the Doctrine and set forth its meaning, he was unable readily to make it clear; not being able to expound it readily, they ought to have enquired so that he could have made it manifest; he being unable entirely to explain it, they ought to have investigated it to the uttermost.

Kaou Yaou when setting forth the Doctrine in the presence of the Emperor Shun, used superficial generalities, instead of treating the subject thoroughly.

Yu* investigated his meaning, turning the superficial into the profound, and developing generalities in detail. For, beginning a searching enquiry, in this case was speaking in opposition, thus sounding the depths, and by conflicting remarks making all plain,

Confuciust laughed at Tsze Yew's use of music and singing; Tsze Yew aptly quoted in reply a saying which Confucius had used on a former occasion. Now if we examine the style of the Analects we shall see that a large proportion of the sayings of Confucius are like the above playful allusions to the use of music and singing.

Very few disciples investigated this like Tsze Yew. On this account the words of Confucius are knots, not to be untied. As the seventy disciples were unable to investigate them at the time, the Confucianists of to-day cannot determine what is and what is not the doctrine.

But the custom of students arises not from the lack of ability, but from the diffi

culty of withstanding one's teacher, of questioning closely to establish the meaning, and of bearing unwavering witness to the right and wrong. The principle of investigation does not absolutely require us to have been contemporaries, vis-à-vis with the Sage. It is not absolutely necessary for the commentators of the present day to have received instruction at the mouth of the sage before daring to give their explanations.

And if a question arise as to an obscure explanation, let us go back and investigate Confucius. What is there improper in that? Really possessing wisdom to expound the heritage left us by the sages, if we attack the language of Confucius, wherein will propriety be outraged? Speaking of enquiring into the language of Confucius, and investigating the obscurities of his style, I say there are those living in our own time possessed of great talents and exalted wisdom, who are capable of answering any one seeking an explanation of difficulties, and by these my present day investigation deciding the right and the wrong will certainly be regarded with esteem.

CHAPTER II.

Mang E asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "It is not being disobedient." Soon after as Fan Ch'e was driving him, the Master told him, saying, "Mang Sun asked me what filial piety was, and I answered him, "not being disobedient." Fan Ch'e said, "What did you mean?"

The Master replied, "That parents when alive should be served according to propriety; that, when dead, they should be buried according to propriety. (Analect, II. v.)

Now my question is this:-Confucius in saying "Not being disobedient" meant that "not being disobedient" is "propriety."

A filial son ought to anticipate and carry out his parents' desires, never should he be disobedient to their wishes. Confucius says, "Not being disobedient," he does not say, "Disobedient to demands of propriety."

When E heard what Confucius said, how could he be certain as to the meaning of "not being disobedient ?"

Fan Ch'e said, "What did you mean ?" The Master replied, "That parents when alive should be served according to propriety; that when dead, they should be buried according to propriety. If Fan Ch'e had not enquired into it, it follows that this phrase "not being disobedient" could not have been understood. The talents of Mang E did not transcend those of Fan Ch'e, therefore in the volume called Lun Yü we find neither his words nor deeds. If Fan Ch'e did not understand, is it not clear that E was incapable of doing so?

Wang Woo asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "Parents are anxious lest their children should be sick." (Analect, II. vi.)

This, Woo, their firstborn, was always causing anxiety to his parents, therefore Confucius replied, "They are anxious lest their children should be sick." Woo, the firstborn, gave his parents much anxiety. E acted contrary to propriety. Confucius reproving the shortcomings of Woo answered him saying, "Parents are anxious lest their children should be sick." He ought also to have replied to E, "Only in the case of flood or fire may you act in opposition to propriety."

Chow-kung* said, "Bestow labour on those of little capacity, but to the talented give brief outlines."

Taze-yewt was possessed of great talents, yet Confucius bestowed great labour in discoursing with him, whilst on the contrary be used brevity to E, a man of little capacity, thus he entirely opposed Chow-kung's ideas.

In reproving E's shortcomings he let slip the principles of his doctrine. How was it that his disciples never investigated this?

If he regarded the E as possessing power and authority, and dared not express all he meant, then he ought also merely to have said to Woo, "Not giving anxiety," and there have stopped. Both were scions of the Mang family, the power and authority of both were alike, on Woo he bestowed great labour, but was very brief with E. I do not understand his reason.

Supposing that Confucius had fully explained to E "Not disobeying the demands of propriety," where would have been his danger? Of those who were powerful in Loo, none were greater than the Ke family,* yet he reprehended their having eight rows of mimes in the temple court. He blamed their chief for sacrificing to the T'ae mountain. He was not afraid of incurring danger by not holding his peace when the Ke family was seeking an increase of territory unjustly. (Analect, Bk. xvI.) But he was afraid to reply to E explaining fully his fault. How was this? Moreover, there was not only one who enquired as to 'filial piety,' there was always some one driving him ; what he said in reply to E expressed neither the feeling of his heart nor the conviction of his mind, on this account he told Fan Ch'e.