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Introductory Notes

BOOK XXI, THIEN DZE-FANG.

Thien dze-fang is merely the name of one of the men who appear in the first paragraph. That he was a historical character is learned from the 'Plans of the Warring States,' XIV, art. 6, where we find him at the court of the marquis Wän of Wei (B. C. 424-387), acting as counsellor to that ruler. Thien was his surname; Dze-fang his designation, and Wû-kâi his name. He has nothing to do with any of the paragraphs but the first.

It is not easy to reduce all the narratives or stories in the Book to one category. The fifth, seventh, and eighth, indeed, are generally rejected as spurious, or unworthy of our author; and the sixth and ninth are trivial, though the ninth bears all the marks of his graphic style. Paragraphs 3 and 4 are both long and important. A common idea in them and in 1, 2, and 10, seems to be that the presence and power of the Tâo cannot be communicated by words, and are independent. of outward condition and circumstances.

Book XXI
Part II Section XIV

Thien Dze-fang¹.

1. Thien Dze-fang, sitting in attendance on the marquis Wän of Wei², often quoted (with approbation) the words of Khî Kung³. The marquis said, 'Is Khî Kung your preceptor?' Dze-fang replied, 'No. He only belongs to the same neighbourhood. In speaking about the Tâo, his views are often correct, and therefore I quote them as I do.' The marquis went on, 'Then have you no preceptor?' 'I have.' And who is he? He is Tung-kwo Shun-dze⁴.' 'And why, my Master, have I never heard you quote his words?' Dze-fang replied, 'He is a man who satisfies the true (ideal of humanity)⁵; a man in appearance, but (having the mind of) Heaven. Void of any thought of himself, he accommodates himself to others, and nourishes the true ideal that belongs to him. With all his purity, he is forbearing to others. Where they are without the Tâo, he rectifies his demeanour, so that they understand it, and in consequence their own ideas melt away and disappear. How should one like me be fit to quote his words?'

When Dze-fang went out, the marquis Wän continued in a state of dumb amazement all the day. He then called Lung Lî-khin, and said to him, 'How far removed from us is the superior man of complete virtue! Formerly I thought the words of the sages and wise men, and the practice of benevolence and righteousness, to be the utmost we could reach to. Since I have heard about the preceptor of Dze-fang, my body is all unstrung, and I do not wish to move, and my mouth is closed up, and I do not wish to speak;—what I have learned has been only a counterfeit of the truth⁶. Yes, (the possession of Wei) has been an entanglement to me.'

2. Wän-po Hsüeh-dze⁷, on his way to Khï, stayed some time in Lû, where some persons of the state begged to have an interview with him. He refused them, saying, 'I have heard that the superior men of these Middle States⁸ understand the (subjects of) ceremony and righteousness, but are deplorably ignorant of the minds of men. I do not wish to see them.' He went on to Khî; and on his way back (to the south), he again stayed in Lû, when the same persons begged as before for an interview. He then said, 'Formerly they asked to see me, and now again they seek an interview. They will afford me some opportunity of bringing out my sentiments.' He went out accordingly and saw the visitors, and came in again with a sigh. Next day the same thing occurred, and his servant said to him, 'How is it that whenever you see those visitors, you are sure to come in again sighing?' 'I told you before,' was the reply, 'that the people of these Middle States understand (the subjects of) ceremony and righteousness, but are deplorably ignorant of the minds of men. Those men who have just seen me, as they came in and went out would describe, one a circle and another a square, and in their easy carriage would be like, one a dragon and another a tiger. They remonstrated with me as sons (with their fathers), and laid down the way for me as fathers (for their sons). It was this which made me sigh.'

Kung-nî saw the man, but did not speak a word to him. Dze-lû said, 'You have wished, Sir, to see this Wän-po Hsüeh-dze for a long time; what is the reason that when you have seen him, you have not spoken a word?' Kung-nî replied, 'As soon as my eyes lighted on that man, the Tâo in him was apparent. The situation did not admit of a word being spoken.'

3. Yen Yüan asked Kung-nî, saying, 'Master, when you pace quietly along, I also pace along; when you go more quickly, I also do the same; when you gallop, I also gallop; but when you race along and spurn the dust, then I can only stand and look, and keep behind you⁹.' The Master said, 'Hui, what do you mean?' The reply was, 'In saying that when you, Master, pace quietly along, I also pace along," I mean¹⁰ that when you speak, I also speak. By saying, "When you go more quickly, I also do the same," I mean I that when you reason, I also reason. By saying, "When you gallop, I also gallop," I mean¹⁰ that when you speak of the Way, I also speak of the Way; but by saying, "When you race along and spurn the dust, then I can only stare, and keep behind you," I am thinking how though you do not speak, yet all men believe you; though you are no partisan, yet all parties approve your catholicity; and though you sound no instrument, yet people all move on harmoniously before you, while (all the while) I do not know how all this comes about; and this is all which my words are intended to express¹¹.'

Kung-nî said, 'But you must try and search the matter out. Of all causes for sorrow there is none so great as the death of the mind;—the death of man's (body) is only next to it. The sun comes forth in the east, and sets in the extreme West;—all things have their position determined by these two points. All that have eyes and feet wait for this (sun), and then proceed to do what they have to do. When this comes forth, they appear in their places; when it sets, they disappear. It is so with all things. They have that for which they wait, and (on its arrival) they die; they have that for which they wait, and then (again) they live. When once I receive my frame thus completed, I remain unchanged, awaiting the consummation of my course. I move as acted on by things, day and night without cessation, and I do not know when I will come to an end. Clearly I am here a completed frame, and even one who (fancies that he) knows what is appointed cannot determine it beforehand. I am in this way daily passing on, but all day long I am communicating my views to you; and now, as we are shoulder to shoulder you fail (to understand me);—is it not matter for lamentation? You are able in a measure to set forth what I more clearly set forth; but that is passed away, and you look for it, as if it were still existing, just as if you were looking for a horse in the now empty place where it was formerly exhibited for sale. You have very much forgotten my service to you, and I have very much forgotten wherein I served you. But nevertheless why should you account this such an evil? What you forget is but my old self; that which cannot be forgotten remains with me.'

4. Confucius went to see Lâo Tan, and arrived just as he had completed the bathing of his head, and was letting his dishevelled hair get dry. There be was, motionless, and as if there were not another man in the world¹². Confucius waited quietly; and, when in a little time he was introduced, he said, 'Were my eyes dazed? Is it really you? Just now, your body, Sir, was like the stump of a rotten tree. You looked as if you had no thought of anything, as if you had left the society of men, and were standing in the solitude (of yourself).' Lâo Tan replied, 'I was enjoying myself in thinking about the commencement of things¹³.' 'What do you mean?' 'My mind is so cramped, that I hardly know it; my tongue is so tied that I cannot tell it; but I will try to describe it to you as nearly as I can. When the state of Yin was perfect, all was cold and severe; when the state of Yang was perfect, all was turbulent and agitated. The coldness and severity came forth from Heaven; the turbulence and agitation issued from Earth. The two states communicating together, a harmony ensued and things were produced. Some one regulated and controlled this, but no one has seen his form. Decay and growth; fulness and emptiness; darkness and light; the changes of the sun and the transformations of the moon:—these are brought about from day to day; but no one sees the process of production. Life has its origin from which it springs, and death has its place from which it returns. Beginning and ending go on in mutual contrariety without any determinable commencement, and no one knows bow either comes to an end. If we disallow all this, who originates and presides over all these phenomena?'

Confucius said, 'I beg to ask about your enjoyment in these thoughts.' Lâo Tan replied, 'The comprehension of this is the most admirable and the most enjoyable (of all acquisitions). The getting of the most admirable and the exercise of the thoughts in what is the most enjoyable, constitutes what we call the Perfect man.' Confucius said, 'I should like to hear the method of attaining to it.' The reply was, 'Grass-eating animals do not dislike to change their pastures; creatures born in the water do not dislike to change their waters. They make a small change, but do not lose what is the great and regular requirement (of their nature); joy, anger, sadness, and delight do not enter into their breasts (in connexion with such events). Now the space under the sky is occupied by all things in their unity. When they possess that unity and equally share it, then the four limbs and hundred members of their body are but so much dust and dirt, while death and life, their ending and beginning, are but as the succession of day and night, which cannot disturb their enjoyment; and how much less will they be troubled by gains and losses, by calamity and happiness! Those who renounce the paraphernalia of rank do it as if they were casting away so much mud; they know that they are themselves more honourable than those paraphernalia. The honour belonging to one's self is not lost by any change (of condition). Moreover, a myriad transformations may take place before the end of them is reached. What is there in all this sufficient to trouble the mind? Those who have attained to the Tâo understand the subject.'

Confucius said, 'O Master, your virtue is equal to that of Heaven and Earth, and still I must borrow (some of your) perfect words (to aid me) in the cultivation of my mind. Who among the superior men of antiquity could give such expression to them?' Lâo Tan replied, 'Not so. Look at the spring, the water of which rises and overflows; it does nothing, but it naturally acts so. So with the perfect man and his virtue;—he does not cultivate it, and nothing evades its influence. He is like heaven which is high of itself, like earth which is solid of itself, like the sun and moon which shine of themselves;—what need is there to cultivate it?'

Confucius went out and reported the conversation to Yen Hui, saying, 'In the (knowledge of the) Tâo am I any better than an animalcule in vinegar? But for the Master's lifting the veil from me, I should not have known the grand perfection of Heaven and Earth.'

5. At an interview of Kwang-dze with duke Âi¹⁴ of Lû, the duke said, 'There are many of the Learned class in Lû; but few of them can be compared with you, Sir.' Kwang-dze replied, 'There are few Learned men in Lû.' 'Everywhere in Lû,' rejoined the duke, 'you see men wearing the dress of the Learned¹⁵;—how can you say that they are few?' 'I have heard,' said Kwang-dze, 'that those of them who wear round caps know the times of heaven; that those who wear square shoes know the contour of the ground; and that those who saunter about with semicircular stones at their girdle-pendents settle matters in dispute as they come before them. But superior men who are possessed of such knowledge will not be found wearing the dress, and it does not follow that those who wear the dress possess the knowledge. If your Grace think otherwise, why not issue a notification through the state, that it shall be a capital offence to wear the dress without possessing the knowledge.' On this the duke issued such a notification, and in five days, throughout all Lû, there was no one who dared to wear the dress of the Learned. There was only one old man who came and stood in it at the duke's gate. The duke instantly called him in, and questioned him about the affairs of the state, when he talked about a thousand points and ten thousand divergences from them. Kwang-dze said, 'When the state of Lû can thus produce but one man of the Learned class, can he be said to be many?'

6. The ideas of rank and emolument did not enter the mind of Pâi-lî Hsî¹⁶, and so he became a cattle-feeder, and his cattle were all in fine condition. This made duke Mû of Khin forget the meanness of his position, and put the government (of his state) into his hands. Neither life nor death entered into the mind of (Shun), the Lord of Yü, and therefore he was able to influence others¹⁷.

7. The ruler Yüan¹⁸ of Sung wishing to have a map drawn, the masters of the pencil all came (to undertake the task). Having received his instructions and made their bows, they stood, licking their pencils and preparing their ink. Half their number, however, remained outside. There was one who came late, with an air of indifference, and did not hurry forward. When he had received his instructions and made his bow, he did not keep standing, but proceeded to his shed. The duke sent a man to see him, and there he was, with his upper garment off, sitting cross-legged, and nearly naked. The ruler said, 'He is the man; he is a true draughtsman.'

8. King Wän was (once) looking about him at Zang¹⁹, when he saw an old man fishing²⁰. But his fishing was no fishing. It was not the fishing of one whose business is fishing. He was always fishing (as if he had no object in the occupation). The king wished to raise him to office, and put the government into his hands, but was afraid that such a step would give dissatisfaction to his great ministers, his uncles, and cousins. He then wished to dismiss the man altogether from his mind, but he could not bear the thought that his people should be without (such a) Heaven (as their Protector). On this, (next) morning, he called together his great officers, and said to them, 'Last night, I dreamt that I saw a good man, with a dark complexion and a beard, riding on a piebald horse, one half of whose hoofs were red, who commanded me, saying, "Lodge your government in the hands of the old man of Zang; and perhaps the evils of your people will be cured."' The great officers said eagerly, 'It was the king, your father.' King Wän said, 'Let us then submit the proposal to the tortoise-shell.' They replied, 'It is the order of your father. Let not your majesty think of any other. Why divine about it?' (The king) then met the old man of, Zang, and committed the government to him. The statutes and laws were not changed by him; not a one-sided order (of his own) was issued; but when the king made a survey of the kingdom after three years, he found that the officers had destroyed the plantations (which harboured banditti), and dispersed their occupiers, that the superintendents of the official departments did not plume themselves on their successes, and that no unusual grain measures were allowed within the different states²¹. When the officers had destroyed the dangerous plantations and dispersed their occupants, the highest value was set on the common interests; when the chiefs of departments did not plume themselves on their successes, the highest value was set on the common business; when unusual grain measures did not enter the different states, the different princes had no jealousies. On this king Min made the old man his Grand Preceptor, and asked him, with his own face to the north, whether his government might be extended to all the kingdom. The old man looked perplexed and gave no reply, but with aimless look took his leave. In the morning he had issued his orders, and at night he had gone his way; nor was he heard of again all his life. Yen Yüan questioned Confucius, saying, 'Was even king Wän unequal to determine his course? What had he to do with resorting to a dream?' Kung-nî replied, 'Be silent and do not say a word! King Win was complete in everything. What have you to do with criticising him? He only had recourse (to the dream) to meet a moment's difficulty.'

9. Lieh Yü-khâu was exhibiting his archery²² to Po-hwän Wû-zän²³. Having drawn the bow to its full extent, with a cup of water placed on his elbow, he let fly. As the arrow was discharged, another was put in its place; and as that was sent off, a third was ready on the string. All the while he stood like a statue. Po-hwän Wû-zän said, 'That is the shooting of an archer, but not of one who shoots without thinking about his shooting. Let me go up with you to the top of a high mountain, treading with you among the tottering rocks, till we arrive at the brink of a precipice, 800 cubits deep, and (I will then see) if you can shoot.' On this they went up a high mountain, making their way among the tottering rocks, till they came to the brink of a precipice 800 cubits deep. Then Wû-zän turned round and walked backwards, till his feet were two-thirds of their length outside the edge, and beckoned Yü-khâu to come forward. He, however, had fallen prostrate on the ground, with the sweat pouring down to his heels. Then the other said, 'The Perfect man looks up to the azure sky above, or dives down to the yellow springs beneath, or soars away to the eight ends of the universe, without any change coming over his spirit or his breath. But now the trepidation of your mind appears in your dazed eyes; your inward feeling of peril is extreme!'

10. Kien Wû asked Sun-shû Âo²⁴, saying, 'You, Sir, were thrice chief minister, and did not feel elated; you were thrice dismissed from that position, without manifesting any sorrow. At first I was in doubt about you, (but I am not now, since) I see how regularly and quietly the breath comes through your nostrils. How is it that you exercise your mind?' Sun-shû Âo replied, 'In what do I surpass other men? When the position came to me, I thought it should not be rejected; when it was taken away, I thought it could not be retained. I considered that the getting or losing it did not make me what I was, and was no occasion for any manifestation of sorrow;—that was all. In what did I surpass other men? And moreover, I did not know whether the honour of it belonged to the dignity, or to myself. If it belonged to the dignity, it was nothing to me; if it belonged to me, it had nothing to do with the dignity. While occupied with these uncertainties, and looking round in all directions, what leisure had I to take knowledge of whether men honoured me or thought me mean?'

Kung-nî heard of all this, and said, 'The True men of old could not be fully described by the wisest, nor be led into excess by the most beautiful, nor be forced by the most violent robber. Neither Fû-hsî nor Hwang-Tî could compel them to be their friends. Death and life are indeed great considerations, but they could make no change in their (true) self; and how much less could rank and emolument do so? Being such, their spirits might pass over the Thâi mountain and find it no obstacle to them²⁵; they might enter the greatest gulphs, and not be wet by them; they might occupy the lowest and smallest positions without being distressed by them. Theirs was the fulness of heaven and earth; the more that they gave to others, the more they had.'

The king of Khû and the ruler of Fan²⁶ were sitting together. After a little while, the attendants of the king said, 'Fan has been destroyed three times.' The ruler of Fan rejoined, 'The destruction of Fan has not been sufficient to destroy what we had that was most deserving to be preserved.' Now, if the destruction of Fan had not been sufficient to destroy that which it had most deserving to be preserved, the preservation of Khû had not been sufficient to preserve that in it most deserving to be preserved. Looking at the matter from this point of view, Fan had not begun to be destroyed, and Khû had not begun to be preserved.

庄子·外篇·田子方第二十一

田子方侍坐于魏文侯，数称囗（左“奚”右“谷”）工。文侯曰：
“囗（（左“奚”右“谷”）工，子之师邪？”子方曰：“非也，无
择之里人也。称道数当故无择称之。”文侯曰：“然则子无师邪？”
子方曰：“有。”曰：“子之师谁邪？”子方曰：“东郭顺子。”文
侯曰：“然则夫子何故未尝称之？”子方曰：“其为人也真。人貌而
天虚，缘而葆真，清而容物。物无道，正容以悟之，使人之意也消。
无择何足以称之！”子方出，文侯傥然，终日不言。召前立臣而语之
曰：“远矣，全德之君子！始吾以圣知之言、仁义之行为至矣。吾闻
子方之师，吾形解而不欲动，口钳而不欲言。吾所学者，直土埂耳！
夫魏真为我累耳！”

温伯雪子适齐，舍于鲁。鲁人有请见之者，温伯雪子曰：“不可。
吾闻中国之君子，明乎礼义而陋于知人心。吾不欲见也。”至于齐，
反舍于鲁，是人也又请见。温伯雪子曰：“往也蕲见我，今也又蕲见
我，是必有以振我也。”出而见客，入而叹。明日见客，又入而叹。
其仆曰：“每见之客也，必入而叹，何耶？”曰：“吾固告子矣：中
国之民，明乎礼义而陋乎知人心。昔之见我者，进退一成规、一成矩
，从容一若龙、一若虎。其谏我也似子，其道我也似父，是以叹也。
”仲尼见之而不言。子路曰：“吾子欲见温伯雪子久矣。见之而不言
，何邪？”仲尼曰：“若夫人者，目击而道存矣，亦不可以容声矣！
”

颜渊问于仲尼曰：“夫子步亦步，夫子趋亦趋，夫子驰亦驰，夫子
奔逸绝尘，而回瞠若乎后矣！”夫子曰：“回，何谓邪？”曰：“夫
子步亦步也，夫子言亦言也；夫子趋亦趋也，夫子辩亦辩也；夫子驰
亦驰也，夫子言道，回亦言道也；及奔逸绝尘而回瞠若乎后者，夫子
不言而信，不比而周，无器而民滔乎前，而不知所以然而已矣。”仲
尼曰：“恶！可不察与！夫哀莫大于心死，而人死亦次之。日出东方
而入于西极，万物莫不比方，有目有趾者，待是而后成功。是出则存
，是入则亡。万物亦然，有待也而死，有待也而生。吾一受其成形，
而不化以待尽。效物而动，日夜无隙，而不知其所终。薰然其成形，
知命不能规乎其前。丘以是日囗（左“彳”右“且”音ｃｕ２）。吾
终身与汝交一臂而失之，可不哀与？女殆著乎吾所以著也。彼已尽矣
，而女求之以为有，是求马于唐肆也。吾服，女也甚忘；女服，吾也
甚忘。虽然，女奚患焉！虽忘乎故吾，吾有不忘者存。”

孔子见老聃，老聃新沐，方将被发而干，蛰然似非人。孔子便而待
之。少焉见，曰：“丘也眩与？其信然与？向者先生形体掘若槁木，
似遗物离人而立于独也。”老聃曰：“吾游心于物之初。”孔子曰：
“何谓邪？”曰：“心困焉而不能知，口辟焉而不能言。尝为汝议乎
其将：至阴肃肃，至阳赫赫。肃肃出乎天，赫赫发乎地。两者交通成
和而物生焉，或为之纪而莫见其形。消息满虚，一晦一明，日改月化
，日有所为而莫见其功。生有所乎萌，死有所乎归，始终相反乎无端
，而莫知乎其所穷。非是也，且孰为之宗！”孔子曰：“请问游是。
”老聃曰：“夫得是至美至乐也。得至美而游乎至乐，谓之至人。”
孔子曰：“愿闻其方。”曰：“草食之兽，不疾易薮；水生之虫，不
疾易水。行小变而不失其大常也，喜怒哀乐不入于胸次。夫天下也者
，万物之所一也。得其所一而同焉，则四支百体将为尘垢，而死生终
始将为昼夜，而莫之能滑，而况得丧祸福之所介乎！弃隶者若弃泥涂
，知身贵于隶也。贵在于我而不失于变。且万化而未始有极也，夫孰
足以患心！已为道者解乎此。”孔子曰：“夫子德配天地，而犹假至
言以修心。古之君子，孰能脱焉！”老聃曰：“不然。夫水之于囗（
“灼”字以“氵”代“火”音ｚｈｕｏ２）也，无为而才自然矣；至
人之于德也，不修而物不能离焉。若天之自高，地之自厚，日月之自
明，夫何修焉！”孔子出，以告颜回曰：“丘之于道也，其犹醯鸡与
！微夫子之发吾覆也，吾不知天地之大全也。”

庄子见鲁哀公，哀公曰：“鲁多儒士，少为先生方者。”庄子曰：
“鲁少儒。”哀公曰：“举鲁国而儒服，何谓少乎？”庄子曰：“周
闻之：儒者冠圜冠者知天时，履句履者知地形，缓佩囗（“决”字以
“王”代“冫”）者事至而断。君子有其道者，未必为其服也；为其
服者，未必知其道也。公固以为不然，何不号于国中曰：‘无此道而
为此服者，其罪死！’”于是哀公号之五日，而鲁国无敢儒服者。独
有一丈夫，儒服而立乎公门。公即召而问以国事，千转万变而不穷。
庄子曰：“以鲁国而儒者一人耳，可谓多乎？”

百里奚爵禄不入于心，故饭牛而牛肥，使秦穆公忘其贱，与之政也
。有虞氏死生不入于心，故足以动人。

宋元君将画图，众史皆至，受揖而立，舐笔和墨，在外者半。有一
史后至者，囗囗（“檀”字以“亻”代“木”音ｔａｎ３）然不趋，
受揖不立，因之舍。公使人视之，则解衣般礴裸。君曰：“可矣，是
真画者也。”

文王观于臧，见一丈夫钓，而其钓莫钓。非持其钓有钓者也，常钓
也。文王欲举而授之政，而恐大臣父兄之弗安也；欲终而释之，而不
忍百姓之无天也。于是旦而属之大夫曰：“昔者寡人梦见良人，黑色
而髯，乘驳马而偏朱蹄，号曰：‘寓而政于臧丈人，庶几乎民有瘳乎
！’”诸大夫蹴然曰∶“先君王也。”文王曰：“然则卜之。”诸大
夫曰∶“先君之命，王其无它，又何卜焉。”遂迎臧丈人而授之政。
典法无更，偏令无出。三年，文王观于国，则列士坏植散群，长官者
不成德，囗（左上“文”左下“虫”右“臾”音ｙｕ３）斛不敢入于
四竟。列士坏植散群，则尚同也；长官者不成德，则同务也，ｙｕ３
斛不敢入于四竟，则诸侯无二心也。文王于是焉以为大师，北面而问
曰：“政可以及天下乎？”臧丈人昧然而不应，泛然而辞，朝令而夜
循，终身无闻。颜渊问于仲尼曰：“文王其犹未邪？又何以梦为乎？
”仲尼曰：“默，汝无言！夫文王尽之也，而又何论剌焉！彼直以循
斯须也。”

列御寇为伯昏无人射，引之盈贯，措杯水其肘上，发之，适矢复沓
，方矢复寓。当是时，犹象人也。伯昏无人曰：“是射之射，非不射
之射也。尝与汝登高山，履危石，临百仞之渊，若能射乎？”于是无
人遂登高山，履危石，临百仞之渊，背逡巡，足二分垂在外，揖御寇
而进之。御寇伏地，汗流至踵。伯昏无人曰：“夫至人者，上窥青天
，下潜黄泉，挥斥八极，神气不变。今汝怵然有恂目之志，尔于中也
殆矣夫！”

肩吾问于孙叔敖曰：“子三为令尹而不荣华，三去之而无忧色。吾
始也疑子，今视子之鼻间栩栩然，子之用心独奈何？”孙叔敖曰：“
吾何以过人哉！吾以其来不可却也，其去不可止也。吾以为得失之非
我也，而无忧色而已矣。我何以过人哉！且不知其在彼乎？其在我乎
？其在彼邪亡乎我，在我邪亡乎彼。方将踌躇，方将四顾，何暇至乎
人贵人贱哉！”仲尼闻之曰：“古之真人，知者不得说，美人不得滥
，盗人不得劫，伏戏、黄帝不得友。死生亦大矣，而无变乎己，况爵
禄乎！若然者，其神经乎大山而无介，入乎渊泉而不濡，处卑细而不
惫，充满天地，既以与人己愈有。”

楚王与凡君坐，少焉，楚王左右曰“凡亡”者三。凡君曰：“凡之
亡也，不足以丧吾存。夫凡之亡不足以丧吾存，则楚之存不足以存存
。由是观之，则凡未始亡而楚未始存也。

Footnotes

back ¹ See vol. xxxix, pp. 151, 152.

back ² B.C. 424-387.

back ³ Some well-known worthy of Wei.

back ⁴ A greater worthy still. He must have lived near the outside suburban wall of the capital, and his residence became a sort of surname.

back ⁵ The Human and the Heavenly were blended in his personality.

back ⁶ So the Khang-hsî dictionary defines the phrase;—'a wooden image made of earth,' says Lû Shû-kih.

back ⁷ A Tâoist of note from some region in the south, perhaps from Khû, having his own share of the Tâoistic contempt for knowledge and culture.

back ⁸ Probably Lû and the northern states grouped closely round the royal domain.

back ⁹ They are both supposed to be on horseback.

back ¹⁰ In these three cases the ### of the text should be ###.

back ¹¹ So Hui is made to represent the master as a mental Thaumathurgist, and Confucius is made to try to explain the whole thing to him;—but not to my mind successfully. Still a distinction is maintained between the mind and the body.

back ¹² He was in the Tâoistic trance, like Nan-kwo Dze-khî, at the beginning of the second Book.

back ¹³ This 'commencement of things' was not the equivalent of 'our creation out of nothing,' for Mo Tan immediately supposes the existence of the primary ether in its twofold state, as Yin and Y an g; and also of Heaven and Earth, as a twofold Power working, under some regulation and control, yet invisible; that is, under the Tâo. In the same way the process of beginning and ending, growth and decay, life and death go on, no one knows how, or how long. And the contemplation of all this is the cause of unceasing delight to the Perfect man, the possessor of the Tâo. Death is a small matter, merely as a change of feature; and Confucius acknowledges his immeasurable inferiority to Lâo-dze.

back ¹⁴ Duke Âi of Lû died in B.C. 468, a century and more before the birth of Kwang-dze. On that, as well as on other grounds, the paragraph cannot be genuine.

back ¹⁵ Compare the thirty-eighth Book of the Lî Kî, where Confucius denies that there was any dress peculiar to the scholar.

back ¹⁶ Pâi-lî Hsî, a remarkable character of the seventh century B.C., who rose to be chief minister to Mû, the earl (or duke) of Khin, the last of the five Leading Princes of the kingdom. Mû died in B.C. 621. Mencius has much to say of Pâi-lî Hsî.

back ¹⁷ Shun's parents wished to kill him; but that did not trouble his mind; his filial piety even affected them.

back ¹⁸ His first year as duke of Sung was B.C. 530. The point of the story is not clear.

back ¹⁹ Where Zang was cannot be told.

back ²⁰ The old fisherman here was, no doubt, the first marquis of Khî, after the establishment of the dynasty of Kâu, known by various names, as Lü Shang, Thâi-kung Wang, and Kiang Dze-yâ. He did much for the new rule, but his connexion with kings Wän and Wû is a mass of fables. The fishing as if he were not fishing betokened in him the aimlessness of the Tâo.

back ²¹ That is, that all combinations formed to resist and warp the course of justice had been put an end to.

back ²² This must be the meaning of the ### 'for.' The whole story is found in Lieh-dze, II, p. 5. From Lieh's Book VIII, p. 2, we learn that Lieh-dze's teacher in archery was Yin Hsî, the warden of the pass famous in the history of Lâo-dze.

back ²³ Mentioned in Book V, par. 2.

back ²⁴ Sun-shû Âo;—see Mencius VI, ii, 15. He was, no doubt, a good and able man, chief minister to king Kwang of Khû. The legends or edifying stories about him are many; but Kwang-dze, I think, is the author of his being thrice raised and thrice dismissed from office.

back ²⁵ It is difficult to see why this should be predicated of the 'spirits' of the True men.

back ²⁶ Fan was a small state, held at one time by descendants of the famous duke of Kâu;—see the Zo Khwan, I, vii, 6; V, xxiv, 2. But we do not know what had been the relations between the powerful Khû and the feeble Fan, which gave rise to and could explain the remarks made at the entertainment, more honourable to Fan than to Khû.