INFLUENCE OF THE COSMIC SPIRIT ON THE UNIVERSE

 

 

 

 

p. 142

INFLUENCE OF THE COSMIC SPIRIT ON THE UNIVERSE

  If the philosopher says that mental phenomena cannot be accounted for wholly

in physiological terms, and that the behaviour of living organisms cannot be

exhaustively described by laws of mechanics, he not only cannot be

scientifically refuted, but he will find a number of scientific men to agree

with him. And if he says that the whole evolutionary process cannot be

attributed to chance, but points to the gradual realization of some supreme

purpose, he will still find scientific men willing to follow him—a little faint,

perhaps, but pursuing.

 

The Times, London. 

p. 143

VI

DISSERTATION ON

A COMPENDIOUS REVIEW OF THE INFLUENCE

OF THE COSMIC SPIRIT ON THE UNIVERSE

{notes|elucidations and analyses}

 

  The title is Fan Lun    The meaning of fan is a large expanse of water;

overflowing water. Here it is used to describe a wide survey of history from the

beginning of time, to discover the gains and losses, with the tao as the

standard of measurement; and everything is referred to it as the unity.

  An ancient king1 did not wear the crown and royal robes to govern the empire.

He cherished the people and Kingship lies in good government not in pomp.

made no use of degrading punishments. He gave wealth to the people rather than

extracted it from them. The empire did not mind the absence of regal symbols,

since it respected the virtues of his person. During such a period, the Yin and

Yang were in harmonious cooperation; the rain and wind were seasonable, and

creation flourished. Nests could be looked into and the birds fondled. Wild

beasts could be held in the leash and led about.2 What need was there for the

authorities to wear broad phylacteries and the embroidered symbols of power,

such as a crown, etc.?

  In ancient times, the people, living in humid plains, dug caves further and

further into the earth. When the Sages ameliorated hard social conditions.

people were not able to bear the severities of winter with its cold and frosts

and fogs, nor the heat of summer with its stinging bites of mosquitoes and

gnats, the Sages arose and planned their relief. They dug foundations, and made

timber houses for them; they made them of rafters, above, and covered roof and

sides with boards, as p. 144 a protection against wind and rain and a shelter

from cold and heat. These measures gave satisfaction to the people.

  Pei Yu was the first tailor to fashion clothes. People twisted hemp with

their fingers and made it by spinning into cloth of web and woof. Thus they had

the wherewith to cover their persons and fight the cold. The ground was tilled,

in primitive times, with sharp-pointed sticks and hoed with the bones of shell

fish (clam). They cut grass with a wooden sickle and carried water in earthen

vessels. The people worked hard, with only meagre gains. Later generations made

ploughs and hoes and picks for mowing and hoeing; they drew water up in buckets,

by means of a winch. The people were eased and got more profitable returns.

  In ancient times, as great rivers and famous channels interrupted

communication and prevented intercourse, they Transport improved.

scooped out timber and joined logs together for rafts and boats. Thus it was

possible to interchange commodities, and by the saddling of horses to cover

great distances. The labour of carrying heavy loads was lightened by the

creation of wheels, made by bending wood, and making it into carts to which were

harnessed horses and kine, so that travel to distant parts was possible without

fatigue. Men had no means of defence against the depradations of ravenous beasts

and wild animals, until swords and pikes were cast and fashioned into defensive

weapons. It was only then possible to ward them off and keep men free from their

spoliations.

  Thus people, driven by necessity of their difficulties, sought means of

relief. Forced by their trials, they devised means of alleviation. By empirical

knowledge, every one sought means of relief from his necessitous circumstances.

Finding out the economical, they gradually changed their implements to suit

their requirements. The customary tool need not be followed, and implements of

the past need not be conformed to. Thus the standards of former kings are

changed.

p. 145

  We may instance the case of marriage. The ancient custom determined that the

parties themselves should not Not incumbent to follow convention.

arrange the marriage ceremony (but that it should be left to relations), Shun,

however, married without telling his people about it. This was quite not

permissible from the point of view of propriety.

  The rule in the selection of an heir was that the eldest be chosen; but Wen

Wang passed by Pei I Kuo, the eldest, and designated Wu Wang. This was

constitutionally irregular.

  It was the custom that people should marry only on attaining the age of

thirty, but Wen Wang begat Wu Wang when he was only fifteen. Such was against

the law.

  The House of Hsia placed the tablet of a deceased member to the east of the

central steps; the House of Yin Custom only temporary,

placed it between the central pillars; the House of Chou on the west. These

practices differed. The House of Yu used earthenware coffins. The Hsia House

made a brick grave and reclined the corpse within, covering it over with earth.

The Yin House used coffins made of cypress. The Chou House decorated the walls

of the grave (with feathers). Thus the practices of burial have been dissimilar.

  Again, the house of Hsia offered their sacrifices in their houses at midnight

(in the dark). The Yin people sacrificed in the Ancestral Hall in the twilight.

The Chou people sacrificed from sunrise to evening, in the Audience Hall. This

shows the existence of diversity in the practice of sacrifices.

  Yao had the Ta Chang imperial music: Shun used the Chin Shao music, Yü the Ta

Hsia, T‛ang the Ta Hu, Chou the Wu-Hsiang, These show that the music used by the

different dynasties differed.

  Thus we see that whilst there was a diversity in the practices of the Five

Emperors,4 nevertheless their virtues equally embraced the whole empire. The

Three Kings p. 146 used different methods; but the renown of each equally became

a tradition.

  Now all these changed their methods in unison with the times, and regulated

their etiquette and music and may be abrogated.

accordingly. As an illustration, take the case of a blind musician who, in

fixing the bridge of a psaltery (violin), moves it up and down into position.

Though he has no definite measurements to guide him, yet he gets the tune (key)

unerringly. Therefore he who is versed in the spirit of the art of music, can

fix the key. The discernment being within the mind, he can judge and decide the

proper positions of the whole gamut. Duke Shao of Lu had a foster mother whom he

loved. When she died, he wore a white linen cap in mourning. Thus arose the

custom of mourning for foster mothers. Yang Hou slew Liao Hou (at a feast) and

took his wife. Owing to this, the custom of women's presence at a feast was

abrogated.5

  Thus when the practices of the Ancient Kings appeared to be unsuitable to new

times, they were abandoned; but when suitable to and compatible with the demands

of still later times, they were revived and observed. These show that there have

been no uniform standards of ceremonies and music, in the past. Sages regulated

them according to the times. They were not bound by any.

  There is only one fundamental and unvarying law in all rule, that is the good

of the people. There is a constant The good of the people

principle in governing and in education, of which the important factor is, that

commands should be such as can be observed readily. There is no need for any

literal imitation of the ancients, if methods in use are beneficial to the

people. There is no need to follow precedent, if existing plans meet the needs

of the time.

  The decay of Hsia and Shang came about through obstinate conservatism and

refusal to change decaying methods. This resulted in the end of the dynasties.

The p. 147 The unvarying law.

rise of the Three Kingdoms was due to the use of new methods, independent of the

traditionary, and the exercise of rule on these new lines. Hence, the Sages

legislated to suit the changing times and reformed the ceremonies according to

      Obstinate conservatism fatal.

modified customs and new ideas. Dress and utensils have followed the law of

utility. Laws and regulations have been adopted fitting to the occasion. Hence,

it cannot be said that any wrong has been done in changing ancient practices,

and to follow established custom is not altogether praiseworthy.

  A hundred streams issue from different springs; but Methods differ. The

      aim one.

all converge towards the one centre, the sea. Sage statesmen varied in their

methods and regulations; but all concentrated their thoughts towards good rule.

  It was when the princely rule was failing, that poetry was created in the

hope of reviving it. When the Why the Odes were made

House of Chou was crumbling, and propriety and justice were decadent, the Annals

were written (as a stimulating admonition to the world). These classics are

extolled by those who studied them. But it must not be forgotten that they are

the creations of decadent ages. Scholars drunk in their principles and art as an

education, for a guidance to the world. But surely they are not comparable to

the golden age of the Three Kingdoms. To regard the Odes and Annals as the way

of the ancients, and honour them as such, may be very well; but we have to

remember that there is still something But Tao is the vital matter.

better, viz:—the ages before the Odes and Annals were composed. A Tao that is

imperfect is not comparable to the Tao in its perfection. The humming of the

Odes of former Kings is inferior to a realization of the principles that

inspired them. But to put into words this inspiration p. 148 is not possible.

Words cannot express this. Hence this saying.6

  THE TAO THAT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN WORDS IS NOT THE ETERNAL TAO.

  Duke Chou, in his service of Wen Wang, arrogated no arbitrary authority. He

administered nothing on his Duke of Chou

own responsibility. He had the air of an incompetent individual (as though his

person were unable to carry his clothes): he seemed as though he could not

express his mind. In attendance on Wen Wang, he appeared most pliable and

submissive, as though he could not sustain his position, always showing a fear

lest he should fail. In this he may be said to be a true son.

  When Wu Wang died, and Cheng Wang was still young, Duke Chou carried on the

work of Wen Wang. He attended to the Census, transacted the affairs of

administration, suppressed the disturbances of the I and Ti: he executed his two

brothers, Kuan and Tsai.{7} He sat with his back to the screen and faced south;8

and gave audience to the Feudal Lords. He had no counsellor in administering

rewards and punishments, in organizing and deciding.9 His authority was

respected everywhere, and his renown filled the land. In this he may be said to

be perfect as a great statesman.

  After Ch‛eng Wang had grown to manhood, the Duke handed back to him the

insignia of empire and once more took the position of facing north, offering the

homage and service of a minister. He acted only after consultation and did the

business of his office after receiving the imperial reply. He showed no trace of

an ambitious will nor any shade of boastfulness of his merits. Thus he may be

said to be a perfect minister.

  Thus we see, in the person of one man, that, in order to sustain the duties

of the several times, he had to make three changes. How much more necessary is a

change incumbent on a prince who experiences many changes or on p. 149 a country

which has a succession of kings! Man, according to his position, follows his

taste and predilections and relies on his power to satisfy what his desires

command. But it is plain that the application of one uniform principle or fixed

rule to the demands of every different time and the appreciation of the mating

of them to every issue, will never result in a proper equilibrium.

  Therefore, the sage's spring of action is called the Tao. His deeds are

called affairs (Shih). The Tao is like a bell The Tao is unchangeable.

or a stone musical instrument. Their tunes are unvarying. Affairs may be likened

to the violin and psaltery. Each string has its tone. Different strings imply

different plans. Laws, ceremonies, justice are the instruments of governing men,

and are not the cause or raison d'être of government, which must be in the tao

of the ruler. Hence (jen) humanity is the web, and justice (i) is the woof.

These are the unchanging principles of every age in the art of governing.

      Methods vary.

But as to man, an estimate of his worth and examination of his suitability to

the times must be made. Given these, what matters it, though there be a daily

change in events and circumstances. Apart from the fundamental moral principles,

just enumerated, there can be no unchanging law for all time. Harmony with the

times, agreeableness with human experience, conformity to the laws of Nature,

acceptance by the Divinity, these are the principles which will ensure a proper

government.

  In ancient times, men were simple and sincere; work was real; commerce was

honest, and woman was virtuous and faithful. Under such conditions it was an

easy matter for government and education to convert people and correct

      Laws must suit the times

customs. But now that virtue is much on the wane and the manners of the people

superficial, it would be idle to attempt to apply a law which may have been

applicable to an age full of sincerity and honesty, to a people already lawless

and base. p. 150 It would be just like an attempt to control a restive horse

without bit, bridle, stirrups and a whip.

  Of old, Shen Nung10 never issued laws; nevertheless the people followed him.

T‛ang and Yü had a system of laws without punishments. The House of Chow

governed by faithfulness: they never broke their word. The House of Yin demanded

an oath from the people. The House of Chou went further and entered into

covenant by blood.9a When we come to consider the present age, when the people

think lightly of the shame of castigation and punishment, and do not consider a

lustful disposition degrading, any attempt to apply the way of Shen Nung in

government would lead to inevitable anarchy.

  Pei Ch‛eng Tzŭ Kao refused the position of a feudal lord and continued to

till his land. This renunciation won universal admiration. But should a man now

refuse office and go into retirement, he would be looked an as the lowest in the

district. He could never have the same standing as was awarded to such

independence of mind, in olden times.

  In olden times, the soldier was simply armed with bow and sword. Their pikes

had no points, their long lances no barbs. But soldiers of a later age must be

equipped with battering rams for attack; the defenders must have shields to stop

the arrows. The bow became a multiple one and it was needful to have a cow drag

the carriage into battle.11

  In olden times it was not the custom to slay youths in taking a kingdom nor

to make captives of men whose temples were getting grey. What was counted good

in ancient times is now laughed at. What was looked on as glory in the past is

now regarded as a shame. The art of ruling as carried on by the ancients is now

considered anarchical and out of date.

  Though Shen Nung and Fu Hsi dispensed no rewards and punishments people did

no wrong. Nevertheless, legislators cannot (now), in imitation of them, do

without law and succeed in governing men. Shun used the lancers p. 151 and

dances and the rebellious aborigines became willing subjects. Notwithstanding,

pacificators cannot hang up their instruments and do without soldiers and arms

in governing a violent people.

  From these considerations it is evident that the nature of legislation must

be determined, as to its means and use, Times and needs must determine

      nature of legislation.

by a consideration of national conditions; and regard to its nature must be

determined by the urgency of the times. It should be swift and severe in

disturbances, easy and tolerant in times of tranquility. Implements are changed

with the times and fixed to suit circumstances, and the legislation of the sage

is such that all things settle down in mutual conformity. The worthies organize

ceremonies so that even bad men pay heed to them. The people under law cannot

respond to a very idealistic regime; those under the restraints of ceremonies

cannot meet every change (i.e., the rustic knows the simple rules of social

etiquette, but he would be at a loss in the ceremonies of the court). It is

useless to commission one who has no ear for music to produce a tune. He who has

no appreciation of the fundamental origins of order and disorder of human nature

should not be entrusted with the making of laws. There must be the understanding

ear and clear vision before the Tao can be entrusted to anyone for action.

  Yin altered the regime of Hsia; Chou altered that of Yin; and the dynasties

of the Annals changed the customs of Chou. Since the ceremonies of the Three

Dynasties were dissimilar, what need is there for us to follow and conform to

antiquity?

  A fundamental principle is that the leaders should create, and associates

should follow. They who know the sources from which law and government spring,

will change their methods in response to the times. They who have no

apprehension of the fountain-head of law and the art of ruling, can never

maintain tranquility, even though they follow ancient ways.

p. 152

  Legislation should change with the times; ceremonies and etiquette should

alter with new ideas. Students who Die-hards. A square peg in a round

hole.

follow traditional methods; they who walk after the ways of predecessors, who

stick to habits, think no government can be carried on except on these

traditional lines. This attitude may be expressed by the saying "He tries to fit

a square peg into a round hole." It would be difficult to obtain, by any such

procedure, satisfactory and firm issues, such as are desired.

  At present the Confucianist and Meist extol the Three Dynasties, the Wen and

Wu systems,12 but do not act up Superficial Reforms.

to their professions. They preach what they do not practise. They reprobate the

present manners, but do not reform them. They thus do what they condemn. They

praise what is good, but operate what is bad. Thus they are full of anxieties

the whole time, but fail to give any help in ruling. They toil with their bodies

and exercise their intelligence without giving any help to the King or the age.

Modern artists paint monstrosities, such as demons and nymphs, and dislike to

paint common objects, such as dogs and horses, because demons and nymphs never

appear, whereas dogs and horses may daily be seen.13 (People could say whether

the art was good and correct them).

  Now it is not possible without knowledge to meet critical situations. People

of even limited intelligence can well enough praise the merits of the ancients.

Words alone are a simple matter. The sages, however, refuse to bring into being

laws that cannot be put into practice. Good kings will not listen to advice that

cannot be verified in practice. There is nothing greater in the fluid of Nature

than the creative harmony. When this creative spirit operates, Yin and Yang

work, day and night are distinguished, and creation moves into birth; seed sown

in spring matures in autumn. Both in birth and fruition p. 153 Nature of

      the rule of the Tao-Sage.

there must be the essence of the creative life (ho). Hence, the Tao of the sage

is generous and yet dignified, severe and yet benign, pliant and yet firm, stern

and yet benevolent.

  Too much sternness will defeat its own ends by He finds the

equilibrium.

breaking the offender; too much leniency will lead to laxity. The sage stands

just midway between harshness and benignity, and so he finds the very root of

the Tao.

  An accumulation of the Yin fluid will result in depression; an accumulation

of the Yang fluid will lead to overbuoyancy. When the Yin and Yang fluids

combine, the happy medium is found resulting in creative harmony.

  A line used for measuring can be both rolled up and stretched out. Drawn out

and expanded, it is straight and a measurement taken by it. It is in some

similar way that the sage uses his body.

  Now a rope has length without breadth. Though short, it is interminable,

i.e., it can be used successively in measurement. It is straight and yet not

stiff. Its results are and harmony

lasting, i.e., the measurements, etc., which it has taken are determined and

cannot be altered. These are the qualities of the line. And its symbolic

qualities are seen in the acts of the sage. Hence, he appears benign in the

exercise of his kindness; being benign, he does not strike terror. The

enforcement of severity implies harshness; but where there is pure harshness,

concord is absent. The application of love tends to leniency; pure leniency

results in disobedience to commands. The use of punishment means cruelty, and

cruelty wears away the spirit of affection.

  In olden times, Duke Chi Chien lost control of his kingdom, by committing the

whole power to his great Ruler must not be too indulgent.

ministers. His generals, prime minister and regents assumed authority, and these

parties created factions, so that justice failed in the land. This resulted in

Ch‛en Ch‛eng, T‛ien p. 154 Ch‛ang, Ch‛ih I and Tzŭ P‛i, slaying their master

(the Duke). Lü Shih overthrew the imperial altars, and Ch‛en got the Kingdom.

This tragic result arose from the indulgence (of the ruler). On the other hand,

Cheng Tzû Yang was harsh, he loved to decapitate and punish. He lacked the

reforming spirit in his punishments. His bow was broken by one of his ministers,

and he, fearing decapitation for his fault, slew Tzŭ Yang with a crowbar in a

melée. This was the result of harsh severity.

  People do not understand the power of the Tao, so But must have a

      dominating conduct.

when they see the gentle being despoiled, they all strive to be aggressive;

seeing the aggressive coming to a bad end, they strive to be gentle,—a result

arising from the lack of one dominating principle of conduct. So when any

untoward event is heard of or seen, they have no definite means to meet it.

  Take an illustration. A person who does not know the music of a gong, will

sing too low in the bass and fail to recover; the tenor will get too high and

screech and lose the harmony. As a contrast, the lyric singing of Han Nyo, Tsing

Ch‛ing, Hsieh T‛an, the ballads of Hou Tung and Yen Sheng came hot from the soul

of these singers and welled up from their inspired feelings, with a richness of

voice, so that every note was correct and harmonized with the listener's mind.

The secret was that they had a mastery of their music which gave them control

over the And exercise control.

high and the low without outward or artificial help; they had the scale and time

in their own minds. Again a blind man, wending his way, follows the direction of

others. He goes to the right or left as directed. A gentleman gets out of his

way; but a rustic may cause him to swerve into a ditch, because he cannot see.

Therefore the two generals Lou Tzŭ and Wu Ch‛o lost Hsi Ho (territory of the Wei

Kingdom); Min Wang delegated full power to Nao Ch‛ih and died at Tung Miao.

These tragic events were caused by lack of proper p. 155 plans and forethought

in their defensive methods, and in the king's failure to exercise strong

control. On the contrary, Wen Wang used his two ministers Lu Wang and Kung Shih

and extended his empire. Tsŭ Wang used only one minister, Sun Shu Ao, and became

the supreme ruler. These men had method in their defensive operations, and

exercised control.

  The orchestra, drum and dance are the instruments of music; obeisances and

bowing are the practices for cultivating etiquette. Generous expenditure in

funerals and protracted mourning in the obsequies of the dead, were established

by Confucius. But these proprieties were condemned by Mei Tzŭ. Universal love,

altruism, respect for the saints, adoration of the spirits, disbelief in

destiny, were the creations of Mei Tzû; but these practices and ideas were

condemned by Yang. The preservation of one's nature, the maintenance of reality

and refusal to let circumstances entangle one's person, were the creations of

Yang; but they were criticised by Mencius. Thus, each man has Each faculty

      in life must be used in the right sphere.

his own method and ideas in the principles he adopts and the opinions he

opposes. Therefore, right and wrong have each their place. These found, there

can be no mistake. When the right and the wrong are not properly placed, there

can be nothing right. The Tan Hsueh, Tai Ming, Fan Chiung Kung Tung, Ta Hsia Pei

Shih, Ch‛i Hung Hsin Ku tribes have each their standards of what is right and

wrong; their customs respectively vary. But in China, king and minister, husband

and wife, father and son, have their laws of mutual service. In these views of

right and wrong, what one person looks on as right the other regards as wrong,

and vice versa. Just as, for example, a hatchet, an axe, a bradawl, a file each

has its own work. When Yü was King, he heard all the affairs of empire by the

help of the five musical tones.14 There was hung the bell, the drum, the

sonorous stone, the bell and clappers, to receive and give notice of the arrival

of visitors from the p. 156 Four Parts. The purpose of this arrangement may be

explained in the words of the Classics "Those who have anything to teach me on

principles, let the drum be struck: Those who have any instructions on right,

let the bell be struck; those who have anything to say on State affairs let the

clappers be sounded; those who have urgent words on a crisis, let the sonorous

stone be sounded; those who have pleas should strike the flat drum with the

clappers." Under such a regime he was busy. He got up from his meal ten times;

often he had no time to dress his hair after a bath, but answered the summons

clutching his hair in his hand. Such was his toil in the service of the people;

and if anyone failed to be good and loyal under such an example, it was the

person's fault.15

  In the age of Ts‛in16 (the fashion was) to build lofty belvederes and

grand-stands, to lay out extensive gardens Militarism is costly in lives

      an suffering.

and mark out long race-courses and cast big bronze men. Soldiers were deputed to

guard the frontier walls, and tributes of corn and levy of money were received

for the public use. Poll taxes were collected and sent to the Exchequer. Strong

men were conscripted and sent to Lin Ch‛ao and Ti Tao on the West, to Kuei Chi

and Fu Shih, on the East, to Yu Chang and Kuei Lin, on the South, and to Fei Hu

and Yang Yuan, on the North, viz.: to most distant parts and on laborious

expeditions. Along the roads corpses filled the ditches. The good and loyal men

who protested against these unjust practices were called "ill-omened fellows";

and the preachers of humanity and justice were laughed at as fanatics. When we

come to the epoch of the Emperor Kao, we find that he preserved tottering states

and continued princely houses who left no issue. In elevating great principles

through the empire, he was full of zeal; his body burned with ardour and he

rolled up his sleeves in taking up arms to control the lawless, beseeching the

Almighty on behalf of the people. During this period, the valiant, valorous,

brave and gallant braved death in desert and p. 157 marsh. The vanguard received

arrow and stone; the rearguard dropped into ditches and gullies. Wounded a

hundred times, they offered their whole life to contest the possession of power.

Burning with military ardour, they trod the path of full sacrifice, surrendering

their precarious lives. At that time those people who wore flowing garments and

broad sashes (scholars) and who preached Confucianism and Meism, were looked on

with disfavour. Thus it continued until the anarchy was overcome. After the

settlement of the country the regime of Wen was resumed and the glory of Wu

reestablished. When the emperor's title to the royal power was secure, the house

of Lin created its own symbolic crown. The doctrines of the literati, of Mei, of

Lu and of Ch‛u were unified and the traditional teachings of the former sages

were understood and practised. The banners of the King were displayed and the

great coach17 ridden in; the nine pennants gonfallon were furled; the great bell

sounded; the musical drum played; the imperial music Hsien Ch‛ih was presented

and the Kan Chi dance performed. The emperor would hesitate to order a

recrudesence of militarism in the time of peace. Thus, during this period, the

civil and military, with their blessings and evils, alternated according to the

times.

  The militarists of the present time despise the civilians. The pacificists

(civil) condemn the militarists. There are mutual recriminations. Both fail to

appreciate the different needs of alternating times and the necessity for the

application of divers methods, each suitable to its time. Each faction looks at

the matter from a one-sided point of view. So one party, looking only to the

eastern side, does not see the west window; looking at the north he does not see

the south. Thus, as there is no comprehensive view, there Morality

      essential to national well-being

can to be no kind of understanding. Moral truth is the principle by which

nations are preserved. Families decay because morality is being clogged. Yao had

not a hundred families under his rule.{18} Shun had but a pin point of p. 158

territory. Howbeit they gained the empire in the end. Yü had not even 18 people

nor Tang as much as seven li of land, yet finally they ruled the Feudal Lords.

Wen Wang was placed between Ch‛i and Chou, with no more of a territory than 100

li; yet he rose to be emperor. These Rise and fall of Nations

men exercised the kingly way.19 On the other hand, Hsia, Chieh, Yin and Chou

were most powerful. Wherever the foot of man went or boat penetrated was within

their territories; nevertheless, these kings were slain by the hand of man and

became the laughing-stock of the world. These men practised the way of decay.

Therefore, the sages judge of success by the life of the people. The indications

of the rise and decay of morality appear beforehand in life and manners. Hence,

they who have hold of the right way are bound to grow, though small at first.

They who have the seed of death in them and are bound to come to an end, even

though they have attained to the possession of great power.

  Consider; when Hsia20 was about to fall, Chung Ku, the Prime Minister,

anticipating the disaster, fled beforehand to Shang; just three years

afterwards, Chieh, the emperor, perished. When Yin was about to be overthrown,

Huang and I, ministers, went over to Wen Wang, just a year before the death of

Chou. We thus see that the sages, in their discernment of the symptoms of rise

and fall, and the crises of success and failure, have no need to wait for the

actual days of Ming T‛ao and Yeh Chia.21

  Now, people seeing that success comes to the strong, measure their land and

count their numbers. Thinking that Not by power nor might.

gain comes to the wealthy, they total up their corn and calculate their cash. On

such lines the prince of a thousand chariots could not fail to become the

dominant power, and the power of a myriad chariots would dissipate every sign of

decay. Were these the symptoms of preservation and decay it would be easy to

know them! A rustic man and an unsophisticated woman could discourse on them.

However these are not p. 159 the means of success, nor the law of continuance,

Hsiang Tzû of Chao, by means of the one city of Tsin Yang, became an autocrat,

Chih Pei through possessing San Tsin, fell a victim.22 Min Wang perished, though

he ruled Reign of Law essential.

the Great Ch‛i. T‛ien Tan won renown by the possession of Chieh Mei, Hence we

see that kingdoms, however great, if decadent, cannot be upheld, but where there

is law, small countries may not be slighted. From these examples we may learn

that the preservation of kingdoms does not depend on their bigness but on the

reign of law; and their ruin results from the loss of truth and not from their

littleness. The Ode says:—"God looked towards the West and favoured that

reign."22a These words speak of locality, indicating the removal of Yin (on the

east) by the advance of Chou (from the west).

  Therefore, we find this great principle, that princes of anarchical countries

who strive to extend their territory, Humanity and Justice.

but who neglect to fill the land with the practices of humanity and justice, who

seek to aggrandise their power and who fail to advance truth and righteousness,

neglect the very means that could establish and preserve them and create the

very conditions of decay and ruin. For these reasons, when Chieh became the

prisoner (of T‛ang) in Chiao Men, he did not even then repent of his evil ways,

but rather only regretted that he had not killed T‛ang, when he had him prisoner

in Hsin Tai.23 Likewise Chou, when he was confined in Hsuan Shih, had no sorrow

for his wickedness, but only regretted that he had not killed Wen Wang at Chin

Li.24 These two princes, when they were mighty and strong, failed to realize

their wrong-doing. If they had Avengers of might.

cultivated the way of right and justice, T‛ang and Wu would not have dared even

to come and pay obeisance to them; much less would they have ventured to attack

and slay them! These men confused the lights of Heaven and lost the hearts of

men. p. 160 Even insignificant mortals—let alone T‛ang and Wu—would have invaded

their lands. Themselves unmindful of their conduct, their deeds paved the way to

their own ruin. There are more than one Tang and Wu in the world; even though

these were killed, others would arise to continue their work. Furthermore, Tang

and Wu, though small and weak at first, eventually rose to imperial power,

because they maintained the way of truth. Chieh and Chou were placed in

positions of immense power, yet were despoiled of everything, because they

failed to walk in the paths of rectitude.

  This is the guiding law. If the principles of a government by right are not

acted on, but rather the selfish policy of personal gain is followed, which ends

in seizure of territory, then such a course leads directly to ruin.

  When Wu Wang overthrew Yin, some of his people wished to build a fortress on

the Wu Hsing mountain. Forts cannot preserve a nation.

The Duke of Chou opposed the scheme, justifying his opposition by maintaining

that the Wu Hsing mountain was a position of strength and inaccessible,

naturally. "If my virtue," he said, "can spread over the empire, people would

find it difficult to bring their tribute and reports over these heights, if

fortified. Were I to act in an arbitrary and illegal way, the people would fall

on me and make difficulties." Based on such principle, the house lasted for

thirty-six generations without losing any of its territory. The Duke of Chou, in

thus refusing to build fortifications, may be said to have conserved the

interests of the kingdom.

  There is an old saying of a Chou book: "The words of the authorities are put

in practice by the subjects. The words of the subjects are put into use by the

authorities. They thus mutually help in carrying on the country."

  The words of the authorities are the prince's law, the words of the people

are a guide to meet the needs of the country and carry on administration

satisfactorily. These are the ways to success, of expediency and failure. The p.

161 sages, alone, know what is expedient; others look on a literal faithfulness

in words, or a strict adherence to time Minor sins permissible to shield

      great principles.

as excellent conduct for ruling a country. The father of Chih Kung appropriated

some strayed sheep, and his son confessed. Wei Sheng lost his life in keeping an

assignation. Now this testimony of the son to the crime of the father, who was

drowned for his crime, was an act of literal faithfulness. Faith was carried to

an extreme; but such acts are little esteemed.

  It is generally held a great fault for the soldier to go beyond his command.

When the Duke Mu moved his soldiers to make a surprise attack on the Cheng

country, he had to pass Chou, on his march eastward. Hsü An-kao, a merchant of

Cheng, travelling west with cattle to the markets, met the Ts‛in commander on

the confines of Chou and Cheng. He feigned to have an order from the Baron of

Cheng. And so he told the Commander that he was A deception justified

deputed to come with a present of 12 heads of cattle to him. This he did to stop

the army and save the Cheng nation. Thus, it comes to pass, sometimes, in

certain things, that fidelity becomes a fault and the telling of an untruth a

great merit. Under what circumstance, then, can it be said that equivocation is

praiseworthy and meritorious? An example will help us in answering. Kung Wang of

Ts‛u, once upon a time, was captured at Yin Ling. P‛an Wang, Yang T‛ien Chi,

Huang Shuai Wei, Kung Sun Ping made a compact to rescue their captured King.

Kung Wang feigned great fear and stood trembling, as though he had lost all his

manhood. Huang Shuai Wei kicked him, whereupon the king, showing great anger at

this indignity, rushed after them, and they took him off. Now all this feigning

was flagrant deception, but justifiable by the circumstance. Ts‛ang Wu Jao

married a wife and gave her to his brother because of her beauty. But this act,

though showing an affectionate loyalty, should not have been done.

p. 162

  We may, then, judge that the sage considers the circumstances and suits his

methods to the end in view; he The Sage guided by times and seasons.

accommodates his actions to the times and has no fixed methods of application to

any and all occasions. Now he bends, now he is unbendable; now he yields, now he

is adamantine. He has no unalterable mode of action. According as the times are

difficult or easy, he humbles himself, swaying like the reed before the wind,

yet not so as to give way before an aggrandising power. Strong and firm, his

resolution mounts high like the floating clouds and yet without any haughtiness

of spirit. He responds to every change according to the call of the time and

occasion.

  Intercourse, according to the rules of propriety, demand that the minister

should bend the knee and bow the head in reverence and respect. But in an

exiguous crisis, no one would affirm that the lifting of the foot to kick the

person of the prince would be wrong. Therefore, if etiquette should he wanting

at times, it arises from the exigency of the occasion. Filial service demands a

pleasant countenance, a humble demeanour and an orderly deportment from the son,

when he stoops to tie the gaiter The right of impiety.

and the shoe of the father; but when one's father is drowning, the son may pull

the father out by the hair, to save him. No one would think the son guilty of

any contumely to the person of a father, in so doing. Thus we see that the

pulling of a father by the hair or the mention of the King's name25 in prayer,

is a natural act demanded by the circumstances. This is the demand of

expediency. Listen to the words of Confucius:

  "Those who study together may not equally find the way. There may even be a

  common agreement on theories, but it does not follow that all will be

  established in the way. Even though there be a common practice, it may be that

  all will not concur in a matter of p. 163 expediency."

Analects BK IX. Chap. 29.  

  The Sage, alone, is able to see the way of expediency. Therefore, what

appears, at first, incompatible, later on The Sage avoids varnish and

      seeks reality.

turns out to be correct, which shows a knowledge of what is expedient. A loss of

expediency turns a good occasion into a failure. From all this we see that

etiquette is but an outward varnish on the real material, an artificially

created decoration, and is of no use in a sudden crisis. So the Sage carries on

the conventions of society by means of etiquette, but applies reality in the

administration of affairs, fitting occasion to the needs of the case. He is not

bound by any one custom nor tied to any unchangeable or crystallized form. For

this reason his failures are few, his successes many. His commands carry to all

parts of the empire without opposition.

  The ape has a cognizance of the past, but none of the future. The Eastern

magpie26 knows the future, but not the past. This is a differentiation in merits

and shortcomings.

  Formerly Chang Hung was the astrologer of the house of Chou. There were

neither laws of climatic conditions nor of changes in weather, with which he was

not conversant; nevertheless he was not able to foresee his own death through a

carriage accident. Su Ch‛in was a common man who generally rode shanks's pony.

But he rose to travel in a stylish carriage and be the adviser of great kings.

      Mere capacity not enough.

The Feudal Lords unhesitatingly followed his advice, nevertheless, he, too, did

not succeed in avoiding a wreck when travelling. Hsü Yen Wang's duties lay in

great philanthropy, and he did the works of mercy and justice. The whole

Thirty-six Kingdoms paid him court; nevertheless he was killed, and having

neither sons nor grandsons, his house perished. Ta Fu Chung was the right-hand

man of Wang Chu: Ch‛ien of Yueh righted his wrongs and wiped out his disgrace by

p. 164 capturing the person of Ch‛ien Fu, his enemy, He extended the national

territories by about a thousand li. Yet he threw himself from the top of the

tower, Shu Lou, (given him by the king), and died.

  All these persons were versed in the essentials of government and in the

means of self-preservation. Chang Hung was proficient in astrology but not in

human affairs. Su Ts‛in knew the art of weighing the merit of plans and schemes,

but did not know what constituted misfortune and happiness. Hsü Yen Wang was a

proficient protagonist in the exercises of love and mercy, but not in the signs

of the times. Ta Fu Chung knew how to be loyal, but not how to plan for his own

person.

  The sages did not so act. They weighed every matter in all their

deliberations of world conditions and acted Sages careful in planning.

accordingly. Their policies were regulated in view of circumstances. Therefore,

whilst the greatest need of empire was met, the petty needs of a locality were

not neglected for a moment.

  Let us suppose the empire in anarchy, law and order being suspended, the

principles of government abandoned, the strong and weak in mutual conflict,

everyone striving to gain power, the distinction of prince and minister lost,

the differentiation of classes extinct, the military verminous from constant

service, the swallows building their nests in the camps, and the soldier with

never a respite from service: only when the country had come to these straits,

did the people realize the gravity of affairs and feel a sense of

responsibility: but it was too late to revive the country. Disaster was

inevitable.

  Suppose the country at rest, the government in concord, the people in comfort

and peace, high and low in mutual harmony, and then those persons who only think

of getting into the public service, come out with zeal and energy to serve their

country, when all is calm. They would inevitably be the subject of public

castigation.

  Now both those who realized the sense of danger too p. 165 tardily, and those

who come out into public service only during an era of peace, are useless. On

the contrary, the action of the sage is very different. Only such as he can

accommodate himself to obscurity and publicity; he, alone, can be pliant or

obdurate; he, alone, can be active or quiet, according to the times. He will act

according to the circumstance. He will apprehend what direction forces will

take. He will study the fluctuations of affairs in their beginnings, act

compatibly with their transformations and respond to them as they shift.

Therefore, he will have no and in weighing events.

embarrassments during his life's activities. Thus we see there will be matters

that can be performed, but not discussed; there will be matters that can be

discussed, but not performed. Some that are difficult of completion may be

easily ruined. Some will be easy of action, but difficult to bring to fruition.

The former means that some plans can be acted on and that others must be

abandoned. The second means that some plans are wholly wrong. The next means

that what is difficult of completion and easily spoilt pertains to reputation.

These four categories are what the sage, alone, can discern clearly and to which

he pays great attention. It is the sage that gains a yard by giving an ell. This

is his method of action. Superior men may swerve a little from Minor

      faults no bar to service.

the strict rules of morality, in order to gain the full truth. This is their

method of action. As examples we may quote the case of the Duke of Chou who bore

the obloquy of putting his brother to death. Huan Kung of Ch‛i carries the odium

of raising strife in the country. Notwithstanding, the Duke of Chou wore out the

infelicity of his act, by the justice inherent in his case. And Huan Kung slew

the dragon of ill repute, by his valorous merits: so both these are amongst the

worthies. Now were we to hide and tarnish a life of brilliancy for even small

faults, there never would be any great kings or worthy ministers. When the eye

is troubled with a little sore, provided it does not interfere with sight, p.

166 no one would think of cauterizing it. When the throat is sore, provided it

does not interfere with breathing, no one would apply the knife to it. The

mounds along the river bank are innumerable; yet the country generally may be

said to be level. An obstacle in flowing water raises wavelets; but the high and

low being near and many, it may be said that the surface is even.

  Formerly, Ts‛ao Tzŭ, a general of Luh, was thrice defeated in battle and lost

1,000 li of land. Ts‛ao Tzŭ never looked back or retraced his steps, but went

forward, ready, if need be, to die in battle, and thought the worst that could

happen would be no more than a reputation of a loser of battles and a captured

general. Notwithstanding, Ts‛ao Tzŭ was not mortified by his defeats but rather

felt ashamed of dying without achieving his purpose; so, during the treaty at

Kô, he drew out his dagger and, clutching the coat of Huan Kung, threatened to

kill him. He thus won back in a day what he had lost in three defeats. The

renown of his valour spread over the empire and his deeds were enshrined in the

Luh nation.

  Kuan Chung27 attempted to rescue his King, Baron Chin, but he cannot be

praised for intelligence, for he fled and escaped and had no share in the tragic

death of his King (as a minister should). For this he cannot be called valorous.

Bound and handcuffed and yet unashamed of his chains, he cannot be said to be

faithful. For these unmeritorious acts, an ordinary man would not claim his

friendship nor would a prince ever make a minister of him! Nevertheless, freed

from the shackles of bondage after becoming the leading minister in Ch‛i, he

united the 9 Feudal states into one empire. Had he rushed to death and lost his

life, without regard to later plans for the empire, he would never have

accomplished the work of unifying the empire under one dominant power.

  As things are now, princes do not weigh the supreme merit of their ministers,

nor regard their preeminent abilities, as a whole, but rather select them for

some small personal p. 167 Small defects must not stand in the way of

      service.

goodness, and thus they miss the chance of getting really able men. Therefore,

when men are distinguished by a generous humanity, there is no need to enquire

into some small blemish or some crux in their characters, or to criticise them

for some minor failt, when their fame is established. No leviathan or sturgeon

can be bred in a puddle, made by rain in the footprints of an ox, and a beehive

cannot be the nest of an ostrich. A small form cannot contain a large body.

  No nature is wholly free from some shortcoming. It is enough to weigh the

general purpose of the life. A trifling shortcoming must not be allowed to

entangle the whole person. Of course, if a person fails to have any great scheme

or purpose in life, then he is useless for great office, even though he may be

well-spoken-of in his village.

  Yen Hsin Chu of Liang Fu was a bandit, but rose to be a loyal minister of

Ch‛i. Tuan Kan Mu was a Character considered as a whole.

piece-goods broker of Ts‛in and became the instuctor of Baron Wen. Meng Mao

married his sister-in-law and had five sons by her; but he became the Prime

Minister of Wei. He pacified its turbulence and dissipated the national

troubles. Ching Yang was a drunkard, an unkempt fellow and a whoremonger; but as

a General of Wei, he brought the Feudal Lords to their knees. Now all these men

had each his shortcomings; yet their work and renown have not perished. This may

be attributed to the great powers of their character, as a whole.

  Chi Huang, Ch‛en Chung Tzŭ were worthy men and independent in action. They

refused to enter the Too idealistic standards.

unwholesome atmosphere of the Court, nor would they eat the food of anarchy and

so they died of hunger. Their idealism failed wholly to save the country and

throne, because they lost the conception of the general good in a narrow view of

personal integrity. Thus we see that a narrow view of life will never achieve p.

168 anything great. Men have no use for a censorious critic of the age. The

knarled rings in a big body are more Moral indiscretions not a bar.

widely distributed; a big foot will make a long pace. There never has been a

wholly perfect man from the begining till now. So the I Ching says: "Small

mishaps may, if they do not discourage one, lead on to fortune." This means that

there are none without some faults and indiscretions: the only thing to be

feared is lest these small faults should get the mastery of life. Yao, Shun,

Tang and Wu were masters of the world during its most brilliant periods. Ch‛i

Huan and Tsin Wen were the heroic figures of the Five Autocracies.28 Yet Yao had

the name of being unkind, Shun bears the reproach of haughtiness towards his

father. Tang and Wu are sullied by those affairs of slaying people. The Five

Barons have the reputation of planning rebellions. Thus, no gentleman will

demand a perfect and complete virtue in anyone individual. You cannot lop off a

part of a perfect limb and correct moral character, nor tear a piece from a

virtuous life. A person of extensive knowledge must not be defamed (though he

may have a blot on the scutcheon). A perfect knowledge of civil and military

things must not be asked of any one man. What can be expected from one person

should not be above what one man's strength can bear. Personal virtue comes by

the cultivation of the tao; never demand of a person more than what the strength

of one man can easily render. The Moral culture not easy.

cultivation of the person in virtue is a most difficult business. When this

difficult work is achieved, the person's conduct is high. To make any service

possible implies that the demand shall be moderate. The precious jade-piece of

the house of Hsia Hou is not without flaws. A most brilliant diamond is not free

from lines of crystallization, Yet these masterpieces with their little flaws

are regarded as the most precious things in the empire; small blemishes are not

enough to hide their great beauty. It were indeed difficult to find any p. 169

worthy men in the empire, if men of purpose were lost because of their

shortcomings rather than prized for their great achievements.

  Pei Li Hsi was a cattle-broker, Yi Yin a cook, T‛ai Kung was a butcher, Ning

Ch‛i a ballad singer. But subsequently their merits as ministers are not

forgotten. Before they rose to power, the multitude only saw the

      Discernment in choosing men.

lowliness of their avocations and their degrading occupations. They failed to

appreciate their general excellencies and thought of them as degenerates. It

needed the penetration of the kingly mind to see their worth. It was only after

they became the assistants of Kings and were made the Prime Ministers of the

Feudal Barons, that the populace saw their worth and realized that they were

exceptional men.

  To be advanced from the kitchen, to emerge from the butchery, to be raised,

after deliverance from the prisoner's shackles, to be exalted from a broker's

position, for such, I say, to be bathed in the bath of nectar and purified by

the heating streams of the sun, exalted to high positions in the Court and

seated in high office of State, on the right hand of the Three Dukes, for them

to stand unabashed in the Palace of the Kingdom and feel pride of dignity abroad

amongst the Barons, with powers matching those of princes,—all this shows that

it required the penetration of Yao to discern their merits, whilst they were as

yet undistinguished. This is the way Yao knew Shun. The populace only became

cognizant of his merits after he had completed his great work and established

his reputation.

  Such, only, is the popular knowledge of Shun. Were anyone to rely merely on

his own eyes and intelligence, Given only to a few.

without having the proper methods of judging a worthy, and were he to go and try

to find him in palace or hamlet, he would assuredly miss many a one. Ordinary

men cannot go and imitate Yao in his discovery of Shun, since they have not the

acumen for discovering men.

p. 170

  Now, as a rule, all things have a great similarity. There is outwardly but

little difference between one man and another. And mediocre princes and

governors of the world may be deceived easily by appearances. A white bone much

resembles ivory; most men fail to distinguish the one from the other. So with

men. The specious kind appears to have goodness, but it is not really so. The

bravado kind has not really got courage. Now, did men really appear as distinct

in character as a jade does from stone, or beauty from ugliness, it would be

easy to judge them. There are four varieties of plants very much alike and hard

to be distinguished, so that people often mistake them. Similarly the

sword-maker may err in thinking a Sword is like (the famous) Mo Hsieh sword.

Only the expert, O Yen, could give an authoritative opinion. The diamond-cutter

may Easy to err in judgement.

mistake a piece of jade, thinking it to be an imitation stone, the P‛i. But I

Tun, alone, would never miss the lustre. The prince of An was misaken in a

wicked minister who had only the devices and sharpness of a knave. But the

perfect gentleman is discerned only by the sage who can see clearly the true

marks by slight indications, just as the length of a snake may be gauged by the

head uplifted just one foot. The size of an elephant may be guessed from its

tusk. The expert in swords, Chu Yung Tzu of Hsieh, was able to discern the

keenness of the edge by an apparent image of the Fox cuirass on the blade.29 If

the waters of the Chih and Sheng rivers were mixed, Hsü Erh and I Yü could yet

disinguish the one from the other by sipping the mixture, distinguishing the

sweet and bitter. In like manner, too, the Sage determines a worthy man from a

single act of his, and can thus differentiate between a worthy and an unworthy

one.

  Confucius, by refusing the magistracy of Ling Ch‛in, showed that he was free

from the love of empty gain. By the refusal of Imperial power, Hsü Yu

manifested, by this one act, the purity of his life. Similarly, it might be said

p. 171 that he who has not been burnt will not grasp fire, since Taste and

      act show character.

he knows it burns. He who has not been wounded wlll not clutch a blade because

he sees its danger. We may thus gather that a glance is enough for a man to

decide, withou actual experience, so that the character of a person may be known

from a mere trifle. Hence, in judging a person's principles, if he is of the

nobility, see what theories he advances; if wealthy, see how he dispenses his

money; if poor, see what he declines; if a commoner sees what he will not do; if

impoverished, see what he will not accept. You will find out the courage of a

person if he refuses to yield to difficulties; if tempted by enjoyments and

luxuries, see how he comports himself. Surrounded by wealth and riches, it will

be possible to judge of his benevolence; agitated by fears, it will be possible

to decide his virtues. These various symptoms embrace the whole of human nature.

  The ancient method of rewards was good, involving but little expenditure of

money, yet resulting in wide-spread Value of rewards and punishments.

influence. Their method of punishment was good. It was thus, by a few exemplary

acts they stopped all wickedness. Their method of giving was also good. It was

discreet but effective in results. Their method of exacting revenue was also

excellent and brought in a large supply from the contributors without

compunction.

  Examples of such may be given from history. Chao Hsiang Tzŭ, after the

raising of the investment of Tsin Yang, bestowed the chief reward on Wu Jen Kao

Hê. Others criticised this, alleging that the man did but little to save the

situation when they were besieged in Tsin Yang. So the King explained his action

by saying, "When I was besieged and my house and country were in critical

danger, all my ministers were disrespectful to me in my plight: Wu, alone,

preserved still the proper courtesies between prince and minister in this time

of humiliaton." This act p. 172 had great influence in the whole empire by

inspiring the feeling of loyalty. None there was, but showed respect to his King

after this example. This, then, is an illustration of the saying, 'All were

inspired by an exemplary reward.'

  Again, Wei Kung of Ch‛i prepared a cauldron of boiling oil in the central

area of his court, and addressing the officer of Wu Yen, said, "The report of

your fine reputation reached my ears daily, but when I came to examine the

facts, I found that your district was a waste, your granaries empty and prisons

full. It was by wickedness that you served me." He was, thereupon, thrust into

the cauldron. After this exemplary punishment, for the next 32 years, articles

dropped on the road and lost were quite safe. This is an example of the saying,

"By an exemplary punishment crime is stopped."

  Once an expediticn lost a favourite horse which kicked the traces and ran

away. It was captured by some rustics Art of conciliation.

and eaten. When the Duke Mu Kung saw them, he said, "You ate my horse, but I

fear it will hurt you since you did not take wine with it. Let me now invite you

all to take some wine, which will save you from any ill effects." A year after

this event, King Kung of Ts‛in pressed the Duke hard in the battle at Han. The

soldiers of his enemies were about to capture his carriage, when 300 local

people rushed to his rescue and saved him. These were the people who had eaten

his horse and had been regaled with wine by him. This is an example of the

saying, "Discretion in giving largesse leads to influential results."

  Further, Huan Kung of Ch‛i, purposing a military expedition, was short of

equipment for his troops. So he issued a notice that great criminals should be

pardoned, if they supplied him with the materials for making cuirasses:

criminals should be redeemed by a gift of metal, the quantity to be determined

by the gravity of the guilt. Unsuccessful litigants were to be consoled, if they

gave a gift of arrows. The people thought well of the plan and worked to make p.

173 arrows from poles; metal was melted into swords. Thus, the lawless were

subdued, and the unruly corrected. In this way he became the dominant lord of

the empire. This illustrates the saying, "They contributed much without

grumbling."

  The sage, then, will influence the people by that which commands their

goodwill and restrain evil-doors by following what the people detest. So that,

by the exemplary reward of one man, the King wins popular applause; by an

exemplary punishment of one man, all the people are filled with fear. Thus the

perfect way of rewards demands no lavish expenditure. The most perfect form of

punishment does not need that many suffer. Confucius slew Shao Cheng and stopped

crime in Luh. By putting Teng Hsi to death, Tzû Ch‛an closed up the ways of

criminals in Chêng. Thus the distant regions are warned by an intimate act, and

the big known from the little. Similarly the Sage, by a few acts, is able to

reach and rule the wide stretches of empire.

  There is nothing in the world easier than goodness and nothing more difficult

than depravity. By "goodness" is Easy to be good.

meant tranquility of mind, undisturbed by cupidity. By "depravity" is meant a

grasping spirit with many cravings. He who is satisfied with the simple needs of

his nature, refusing the superfluous delights of the world, will not be tempted

by any seductions. He who follows the law of his nature, will preserve his soul,

without any inward conflicts. Hence the statement "It is easy to be good."

Clambering up city walls, scaling dangerous heights, thieving the official keys,

forging Not easy to be bad.

and stealing official money, rebelling and murdering, lying and bearing false

witness, are acts contrary to human nature. Hence the saying, "It is difficult

to be bad."

  The reason that men commit criminal acts and endanger their lives springs

from unsatiated appetites which are uncontrolled by proper restraints. How may

this be proved? p. 174 The promulgated laws of the Empire state: "The removers

of graves shall be decapitated; thieves and bandits shall be punished." These

are under the administration of the authorities. The law commands that the

police should always be on the track of criminals and catch them. Now if an

ignorant man or stupid woman knows well there is no escape for criminals,

transgressors of the law cannot hope to evade the penalty. Nevertheless the

good-for-nothing people who cannot control their lusts, brave the penalty of

death, and incur the obloquy of punishment. In spite of this terrifying result,

the executioners lead an endless train of guilty persons to execution after the

autumn assize, and the blood of the culprits who die deluges the streets. It is

the lust for gain that brings people to this tragic end.

  Armies in battle, ready for action, one facing the other, are addressed by

their respective generals in such words as, "Whoever slays an enemy shall be

loaded with honours; the craven shall be decapitated." Notwithstanding this, the

front line of soldiers, being incapable of advancing and of winning the promised

laurels of a victor, came under the sentence of decapitation. The very act of

fleeing, through fear of death, brought on them the certainty of death as a

punishment. Hence the gain, on one side, becomes a loss, and vice versa. Thus

the intimate connection of infelicity should not be neglected. So that in the

desire of gaining a certain end, the good is missed. As an example take the

instance in Tzŭ, where some passengers travelling by boat met with a big wind,

which swept the waves over the boat. The passengers, in their fright, jumped

into the water. They wished to live and feared death; but the attempt to escape

it, in one form, brought it on them, in another form. Men governed by the

appetites are just like these. A Ch‛i individual stole some money at a crowded

bazaar. He was walking away with it when the police asked him why it was that he

stole the money in the market. The thief replied that the sight of the money

filled his p. 175 mind to the exclusion of the policeman. So his desires made

him forgetful of the nature of his act.

  The Sage, therefore, watches the fluctuations of the emotions; he weighs the

measures of repugnance and The psychology of crime.

admiration; he understands the feelings of joy and anger. When the emotions are

under proper control, no excesses, therefore, come to disturb life: no faults

can incriminate, when the act of taking and giving are rightful. No sorrow can

approach, when admiration and repugnance are regulated; when anger and joy are

within proper limits, no compunctions can molest. Thus, then, the man who is

under the rule of reason does not hanker after money nor does Be ruled by

      reason.

he decline good luck when it comes. What he has he will not throw away and he

makes no demand for that which he does not possess. He is always satisfied. The

drops caught from the eaves can fill a bowl; a broken cup can never ladle out

all the waters of a Yellow river or a Yangtse.

  Men's hearts are very similar to the things just instanced. They should be

governed as to their needs, by the due measure of their wants. Just enough food

to satisfy one's hunger and enough clothes to protect the body against the cold

should suffice for a form of six feet. Where there is no rule or measure to

govern one's thrift, it would be found that the highest position in the land

would be insufficient to give satisfaction, and the wealth of the empire

inadequate to give enjoyment to such a person. Sun Hsü Ao thrice declined the

premiership without any regrets. The seductive attractions of position and

emoluments could not entangle him. Chung Tzû Fei stood unmoved when the two

dragons clutched his boat, the monsters failed to frighten him. When the heart

of the sage is at ease and his mind firm, and when his spirit rules within,

nothing can raise doubts and fears.

  A drunken man stoops in entering a city gate as though it were a small door

in his house; he enters the p. 176 deep waters of rivers as though they were but

the little streams in the valley, because his spirit is besotted by wine. The

timid, seeing a pillar in the night, thinks it a ghost; he imagines a stone

lying prone to be a tiger. Fear has robbed him of his spirit. There are no such

things as ghosts and goblins.

  When male and female are mated and the Yin and Yang crossed, the feathered

tribes appear as fowls and such like; and the hairy tribe as foals and colts.

The soft element became skin and flesh, the hard element teeth and horns. But as

they are common sights, they are not objects of strange curiosity. The water

breeds dragons and sea serpents, mountains grow metal and jade, and these no one

looks on as objects of wonder.

  An old cypress takes fire by spontaneous combustion; old corpses become

phosphorescent; yet people do not think these things strange. The Hsiao Yang30

stalks the mountains. The undines (Yin Hsiang) are begotten by the waters. The

trees give birth to the Pi Fang, fabulous bird, (Hamadryad) (Satyr). The well

begets the Fen Yang Rain naiad. That people should think these strange comes

from their rarity and the mind's superficial acquaintance with things. The sage,

alone, knows these fantastic things; people of understanding, alone, comprehend

the use of them. The strange and unnatural create doubt in the minds of the

generality of men. Those things which are not understood, and on which the

people are not informed, are taken as spiritual manifestations and are used as

means to warn and restrain the people. All these appearances are used as

parabolic teaching. Popular Use of myths

superstitions became educative. The following are examples. The people say that

pork is the best offering to the spirits of ancestors. In the burial obsequies

of the dead, furs must not be used. The ancestral spirit will strike the arms of

those playing with sharp swords. To make a pillow of the door step, and sleep

there, is unlucky, since ghosts pass in and out that p. 177 way and step on the

sleeper's head. And so on. Now all such sayings as these are not found written

in any code, and the Sage does not speak of any such popular superstition. There

is an explanation of them all. Take the superstition that pork is the best

offering to a dead ancestor. A pig is really no better than any other wild beast

or deer, but it is used in the service of the spirits simply because it is the

animal most commonly fed in every home, and is an article easily got. It is held

in esteem for this purpose because of its accessibility. It is not meant that

the dead should not be buried in furs because they are not equally serviceable

as silks and linen for warmth to the body, but because people regard it

difficult to obtain them and so look upon them as articles of great value. And

they could not be handed down from father to son, if they were buried; whilst,

at the same time, they are useless to the dead but of great utility to the

living. Hence they are loth to use furs for this purpose. The saying that the

spirit of the dead will strike those playing with swords, arises from accidents

that may happen. From an accidental wound, strife and enmity often come,

eventuating in punishment and death. The ignorant do not appreciate these

results, so the saying is used to restrain them. The folklore that ghosts will

step on those who sleep in doorways may equally be attributable to social

utility. If ghosts are immaterial beings, they have no need of doors and windows

for access; if they depend on holes for ingress and egress, there would be no

occasion for them to step on anyone. The fact is, doorways and windows are the

passages for wind and air. These elements are the result of the clashing forces,

Yin and Yang; so that it is just here they strike anyone with a cold, and

illness will be the result. Hence the idea of ghosts and spirits is used to make

people desist from the practice and save them from harm.

  It is impossible to record all similar folk-lore found in books and script,

and store them up in the archives for public instruction; therefore, the

ignorant are instructed by p. 178 means of these mythological sayings, and are

being instructed in those things of whose harm they are ignorant, by such

inculcation, and by the dread of demons of which use is made. This folklore is

of great antiquity. The uninitiated, therefore, look upon ghosts and demons as

being inauspicious, or auspicious, as the case may be, and fear them

accordingly. The bold do not believe in them, and those of understanding know

the real significance of these superstitions.

  It must not be thought that the spirits can eat the sacrifices offered by the

people to the well, kitchen, door, window, basket, brook, mortar, pestle, and so

on; but the sacrifices offered to them are a display of the gratitude of people

to the spirits for their boundless kindness and trouble. Hence, whenever there

is an act of worship for kindness, it is an occasion for remembering their

meritorious service.

  T‛ai Shan is the only mountain that can give rise to the stone round which

the flock of clouds collect which, uniting into one whole cumulus, will disperse

in rain, in a short time. The streams and rivers are the only channels that run

unceasingly, even when the land is parched by a three years drought, fertilizing

the land and enriching every Why sacrifice?

plant. These are the reasons why the King seasonably offers them sacrifices. So

the horse, which has eased the labours of man, is buried when it dies. The ox,

when it dies, is stretched out on a carriage. Ox and horse should not be

forgotten for their services. How much more so should this be the case in

respect of man! The Sage, therefore, pays great attention to humanity and

multiplies the ceremonials of gratitude and thanksgiving. For such reasons, Yen

Ti,31 reigning under the symbolic essence of fire, was created to be the Kitchen

God. Yü spent a laborious life in the service of the empire and was deified as

the lares of the home. Hou Chi,32 on his death, was made the god of agriculture

for his great services to men in the art of p. 179 Why demon worship?

tilling the ground. I eliminated the pests from the empire and was deified as

the rustic divinity of the farmer. These instances supply the reasons for the

creation of the cult of demon worship.

  Once upon a time there was a man in North Ts‛u, who had the reputation of

being a pugilist and helping the oppressed with his fists. His children often

exhorted him not to do so and to give up his gymnastic cult, but without avail.

A local thief broke into his dwelling one night and, in this way, his gymnastic

exercises came to be known to the officials. The pugilist was frightened and

fled. He was pursued and captured; but those people whom he had helped, in the

past, came to his rescue and fought for him. Thus escaping, he returned and

spoke to his children, saying "You have often advised me to desist from my

exercises, but I have saved the family this evening by my arts. So that such

advice as you gave was useless." This man knew how to deliver himself from

trouble, but not how to keep himself from trouble. His wisdom may truly be

doubted.

  A man of Sung, about to give his daughter in marriage, said to her: "I fear

this marriage cannot be consummated, unless you can make a little money

yourself. It would be easy to marry you, could you get a little wealth." The

girl understood what her father hinted at and purloined the private goods of her

grandfather. When the grandfather knew of the theft, he drove the girl from

home. The father did not blame himself for this, but rather prided himself on

the success of his scheme. He knew how to get some stolen money, but failed to

apprehend that this stolen money would lead to making the girl an out-cast. Such

reasoning as the father's arouses our ire.

  A man who overloaded a hired conveyance so that no ox could draw it, fearing

lest the axle would break, thought it well to strengthen the shafts, without

realizing that the added bit of material would more swiftly cause the axle to

break.

p. 180

  The King of Ts‛u, when he went to hunt the hare, provided himself with two

jade ornaments on his girdle, in case one should break in the chase; but the

very fact of two being in juxtaposition, one knocking against the other, made it

all the more easy for them both to be broken.

  The government of a disturbed nation is very similar to the experiences

recorded in these examples.

  The eyes of the owl are big, but not of such keen vision as those of rats. A

centipede has many feet, but is not so quick as a snake, in its motion. Thus we

may see that the big is unequal to the little and the many unequal to the few.

Even the strong may be weak and the weak strong; the man of the weak

constitution is he who suddenly dies. Who but the sage can discern the true

merits of the great and little, the lordly and the lowly? These cannot be

decided by appearances. Wherever the Tao exists, there will be honour. An

illustration will make this plain. When the emperor abides in the Chiao

pavilion, the officers of state hasten with him, the ministers walk alongside,

those who sit bend their heads, those who stand do so reverently. At this very

time in the Ming T‛ang and the T‛ai Miao,33 hats are hung, swords are

unstrapped, girdles are unloosed and sleepers lie about. And this not because

the Chiao pavilion is big and the others small, but the presence of the emperor

makes the difference and gives the dignity. Now the honour conferred by the

Heavenly Doctrine is even greater than that conferred by the presence of the

King. Wherever it is, all creation looks up to it with reverence. Hibernating

insects, the jays in their nests, all turn their faces towards this one divine

unity, the centre of perfect creative harmony. If the King could verily maintain

the endowments of the Tao, in perfect harmony, then birds and beasts, plants and

trees would all, without exception, share in the divine enrichment. How much

more would man so share!

 

 

 

Next

 

BEGINNING AND REALITY

 

 

 

p. 30

BEGINNING AND REALITY

      Unheard the dews around me fall,

       And heavenly influence shed:

      And silent on this earthly ball

       Celestial footsteps tread.

 

      Night moves in silence round the pole,

       The stars sing on unheard,

      Their music pierces to the soul,

       Yet borrows not a word.

 

      Noiseless the morning flings its gold,

       And still the evenings place:

      And silently the earth is rolled

       Amidst the vast of space.

 

      In quietude Thy Spirit grows

       In man from hour to hour:

      In calm eternal onward flows

       Thy all-redeeming power.

 

      Lord, grant my soul to hear at length

       Thy deep and silent voice:

      To work in stillness, wait in strength,

       With calmness to rejoice.

 

     

      STOPFORD A. BROOKE.

 

 

 

  "In the Grand Beginning of all things there was nothing in all the vacancy of

space: there was nothing that could be named. It was in this state that there

arose the first existence: the first existence, but still without bodily shape.

From this, things could be produced, (receiving) what we call their several

characters. That which had no bodily shape was divided, and then without

intermission there was what we call the process of conferring. The two processes

continued to operate, and things were produced. As they were completed, there

appeared the distinguishing lines of each, which we call the bodily shape. That

shape was the body preserving the spirit, and each had its peculiar

manifestation which we call its nature." Kuang Tzû, translated by Dr. LEGGE.

p. 31

II

DISSERTATION ON BEGINNING AND REALITY

{notes|elucidations and analyses}

  Beginning: Reality: The reality of the Cosmic Spirit. There was an evolution

in the non-existence towards the realization of the existene. This process is

described in the terms "The Beginning: The Reality." The processes of evolution.

  (1) There was "the beginning:"1 (2) there was a beginning of an anteriority

to this beginning: (3) there Reality Beginnings.

was a beginning of an anteriority even before the beginning of this anteriority.

(4) There was "the existence." (5) There was "the non-existence." (6) There was

"not yet a beginning of non-existence." (7) There was "not yet a beginning of

the not yet beginning of non-existence."

  (1) the meaning of "There was the beginning" is that there was a complex

energy which had not yet pullulated into germinal form, nor into any visible

shape of root and seed and rudiment. Even then in this vast and impalpable void

there was apparent the desire to spring into life; but, as yet, the genera of

matter were not formed.

  (2) At "the beginning of anteriority before the beginning" the fluid of

heaven first descended and the fluid of earth first ascended. The male and

female principles interosculated, prompting and striving among the elements of

the cosmos. The forces wandered hither and thither, pursuing, competing,

interpenetrating. Clothed with energy, they moved, sifted, separated,

impregnated the various elements as they moved in the fluid ocean, each aura

desiring to ally itself with another, even when, as yet, there was no appearance

of any created form.

  (3) At the stage "There must be a beginning of an anteriority even before the

beginning of anteriority," Heaven p. 32 contained the spirit of harmony, but had

not, as yet, descended: earth cherished the vivifying fluid, but had not

ascended, as yet. It was space, still, desolate, vapoury,—a drizzling humid

state with a similitude of vacancy and form. The vitalising fluid floated about,

layer on layer.

  (4) "There was the existence" speaks of the coming of creation and the

immaterial fluids assuming definite forms," implying that the different elements

had become stabilized. The immaterial nuclei and embryos, generic forms as

roots, stems, tissues, twigs and leaves of variegated hues appeared. Beautiful

were the variegated colours. Butterflies and insects flew hither and thither:

insects crawled about. We now reach the stage of movement and the breath of life

on every hand. At this stage it was possible to feel, to grasp, to see and

follow outward phenomena. They could be counted and distinguished both

quantitatively and qualitatively.

  (5) "The non-existence" period. It was so called because when it was gazed on

no form was seen: when the ear listened, there was no sound: when the hand

grasped, there was nothing tangible: when gazed at, it was illimitable. It was

limitless space, profound and a vast void,—a quiescent, subtile mass of

immeasurable translucency.

  (6) In "There was not yet a beginning of non-existence," implies that this

period wrapped up heaven and earth, shaping and forging the myriad things of

creation: there was an all-penetrating impalpable complexity, profoundly vast

and all-extending; nothing was outside its operations. The minutest hair and

sharpest point were differentiated: nothing within was left undone. There was no

wall around, and the foundation of non-existence was being laid.

  (7) In the period of "There was not yet a beginning of the not yet beginning

of non-existence," Heaven and Earth were not divided: the four seasons were not

yet separated: the myriad things were not yet come to birth. p. 33 Vast-like

even and quiet, still-like, clear and limpid, forms were not visible.

  One says, "I can appreciate non-existence, but the non-existence of

non-existence is too profound for me to apprehend! How may one come to this

apprehension?" These fluxes are most mysterious, beyond the ken of the mind.

None can trace the workings of these mysterious operations and penetrate into

ultimate depths.2

  Now Heaven has endowed me with a body and given me work in life. It has made

it pleasant for me during Joy of life and death.

old age and has prepared for my dissolution in death.3 The agencies that are

good for life are those which are good for death.4 People assume that a boat

hidden in a cave, or an island in a lake are safe and firm. Nevertheless a man

of mighty Nothing lost.

strength may carry them away at midnight and escape, without the sleepers

knowing anything about it.5

  If the world is hidden in the world, then there is no Tao does not

      decay.

possibility of concealing it. In other words the Tao is coextensive with the

universe and it is safe from change and decay.

  The emergence of the human form in creation is pleasureable. If man undergoes

a myriad transformations Resurrection.

without end, dying and coming to renewed life, this is a source of joy that

cannot be expressed. Decay and resurrection are triumphant sources of joy.

  Take an illustration of a person in a dream. He dreams he is a bird flying in

the air; he dreams he is a fish lost (immersed) in the pool. In the dream he is

insensible of its being a dream: only when he returns to consciousness, does he

become aware that it was but a dream. Now is looked on as the time of life;

afterwards this now-life will be looked on as a great dream.

  In the prenatal state, how can one know the joys of life? Likewise how can we

venture to deny, before we p. 34 die, that death has no joy?

  In ancient times, Kung Niu-ai6 had a fit of madness and, during seven days,

was changed into a tiger. His brother peeped in at the door to look at him and

was seized by the tiger and killed. Hence the human limbs had changed into the

claws and teeth of the wild beast. A Certain continuity persists when form

      changes.

Will and mind had changed: spirit and body were transformed, and then he was a

tiger. In that state he was ignorant that he had been a human being previously.

Just when he was a man, he was totally unaware that he would be a tiger as well.

Each of these two alternations had its several pleasures according to the form:

but the creature, in the one form, was wholly unconscious of his existence in

the other form. The change of state by the substitution was immense; but there

was a continuity of pleasure in both the assumed forms. Cunning and stupidity,

right and wrong! Who can say how they spring up?7

  Water, on the approach of winter, congeals and becomes ice. Ice meets with

spring and melts to become water again. Water and ice are periodic changes of

form. In the wheel's revolution of flux, who may imagine which is pain and which

is joy? Therefore the bodily form suffers from the rigours of cold, heat,

dryness and dampness. The body wastes, but the spirit is hale. On the other

hand, the spirit may suffer from the outrages of joy, anger and anxieties.

Whilst the vitality of spirit is being exhausted, the form may remain in

abundance of strength. Again, when the carcasses of worn-out horses are skinned,

the hide is found to be dry and brittle: but the carcass of a young hound, on

the other hand, is found to be full of sap, when Spirit does not die with

      body.

killed. Hence the ghost of him who has an untimely death (from injury) is

troubled. The spirit of him who dies full of years is rigid.8 All these

instances indicate that body and spirit do not end together9 and are not

identical. Now p. 35 the sage makes use of his mind, leans on his nature,

depends on his spirit; and when these are mutually helpful, a tranquil life is

lived and ended. Hence he has no dreams during his sleep and has no anxieties

during consciousness.10

  The ancients lodged within the realm of the Tao; desire was controlled and

passion mastered; and, in Utopia.

consequence, the spirit did not wander into the extraneous. They derived repose

from the calm of creation: they were not disturbed by the baneful effects of

comets and the tail of the Great Bear. Though noxious, they refused to be

disturbed by their appearances.

  During this period, the people were in a state of Arcadian simplicity: they

ate and rambled about: they smacked their stomachs and rejoiced. All together

enjoyed the blessings of heaven and ate of the fruits of the earth. They did not

wrangle in mutual recriminations, nor dispute over rights and wrongs. Peace and

plenty existed. This may be called the Ideal Rule.11

  During such times, rulers employed, in all offices, men who did not confuse

the nature of the people.12 There were officers for guiding and cherishing the

people without disturbing the spontaneity of virtue in their minds. Therefore

the artificial doctrines of humanity and justice12 were absent, and all creation

luxuriated and fattened. Without the device of rewards and punishments, the

whole empire flocked to pay its tribute. The doctrine is as splendid as it was

successful. Nevertheless it is not easy to specify its movements with any

detail, just as progress may not be manifest in any one day, though a whole year

may show great achievement.

  As the fish forgets its relative existence in the river and lake, so men

forget themselves in their relation to the way and art of the Tao. The perfect

man (Chen-jen) of ancient time stood in the very root and centre of being, the

foundations of Heaven and Earth themselves, and wandered at will, unhasting and

free, in this central seat of being. He cherished and diffused virtue, he

enkindled p. 36 the spirit of harmony of existence and thus enabled creation to

come to full maturity. Which of them, then, would involve himself in the

commotions of men, and embroil his soul in the pothers of life?

  Nevertheless the Tao has its rules and principles; its connective relations

result in a (Tao) Unity, so that the thousand twigs and myriad leaves are

connected and related. Get at the unit, and the interrelations will fall into

line.

  Hence, when in office, (the superior man) has the means to diffuse his

commands; when out of office, he has the power to forget that he is of little

count; when poor, he rejoices in his work; when difficulties assail, he can

control Difficulties show the man.

them. It is only with the arrival of the great cold, when the frost and snow

descend, that we become aware of, and appreciate the evergreen of the pine and

cypress. Likewise it is only when difficulties confront men, and the ways of

danger are trodden, and the path in front is threaded with perils, that we see

how the Sage-man never loses the Tao. Therefore the man who can 'put on the

doctrine' treads the path of life (securely): he who looks into the mirror of

the Great Purity, sees with great clearness. It is the man who can establish the

peace of empire who is made king, i.e. regulates the sacrifices and issues the

commands. He who perambulates in the regions of reconditeness (tao) has equal

lucidity with sun and moon. Consequently, such take the Tao for a rod, virtue

for the fishing line; they use etiquette and music for hook, and love and

justice for bait. They cast these into the rivers and sea (world), and thus

there is nothing that they fail to hook from the abundant life of creation.13

  On the other hand, the person who follows narrow and crooked conventionalism,

who tinkers with things, and who in his plans and designs for the reform of

human institutions, simply cobbles here and there in altering and improving the

ingtitutions of men, acts in a most superficial p. 37 Reforms must not be

      patchwork.

way, dealing only with extrinsic and trifling things. I grant that they give

scope to their wills and find satisfaction to their desires. How much more do

they find satisfaction, who cherish the jasper ring (Tao)14 who, forgetful of

liver and gall—their very life,—abandon eye and ear15 and are not guided by the

play of the senses, but float in the Tao-men follow Tao not senses.

uncircumscribed, transcendental universe; they do not get contaminated by

rubbing with the world, but, going in and out within the spiritual16 frontiers,

keep in touch with Heaven and Earth. Is it not so? Men such as these suppress

their understanding and cling to the pristine nature, the uncontaminated root.

They take no heed of gain and loss,—worthless dust are these,—and look on death

and life just as night and day. So when they look upon the Jade Coach17 with its

snow-white ivory appearance, when they listen to the pure and crystal tones of

the five-reed organ, the equanimity of their soul is not disturbed by these

(sensual objects), When they ascend precipitous and lofty heights of T‛ai hang,

Fei-hu, Ko-Wang,18 or approach True to principle.

some deep abyss, which even a monkey would fear to look on, they do not become

giddy and lose their balance. They may be likened to the jade of the Kun-lun

mountain which, if heated in the fire for three days and nights, loses none of

its liquid and soft colour, showing them to be the finest work of nature. We

may, hence, see that if life fails to enslave the sage (i.e. he will die if

necessary), how, then, will gain move his mind? If death will not thwart him,

much less will danger frighten him!

  They who are clear on the distinction of life and death, (i.e. different

phases of one thing) and who apprehend the alternations of fortune, will never

entertain the idea19 of giving a hair of their leg in exchange for the greatest

thing in the world: for empire they will not abandon the Tao.

p. 38

  Such matters as honours and poverty coming on are looked upon as but a

passing breath, i.e. a passing phase Unconquerable.

of fortune. Slander and backbiting are no more to such a man than the flitting

of a mosquito or a gadfly over the body. He holds fast the pristine luminosity

and suffers it not to be tarnished. He acts with pure sincerity: there is no

jobbing or double-dealing. Placed in darkness, he is not dark; lodging in the

cold regions of the Arctic regions, he never succumbs. The Meng-men,

Chung-chuang mountains cannot obstruct his course.

  It is only the man with the Tao who is able not to succumb: neither rushing

waters, nor whirlpools, nor the depth of the Lu-liang can delay him. The dangers

of T‛ai-Hang, Shih-chien, Fei-hu, Ko-wang are no difficulty to him.

  Therefore, he who, voyaging on the rivers and the seas of life, has his mind

directed on spiritual pilgrimages into the precincts of the Highest, is the same

who is in unity with the One Source (tao). (Or, another rendering. He who mixing

with the world, yet keeps his heart in the secret place, is he who is united

with the Tao.) Who else would not be defeated?

  Therefore, they who dwell with the perfect man, are led to forget family

poverty; and the honourable of the Influence of the perfect man.

world do not display their splendours when he is present, (one course suffices

for the feast), but rejoice in simplicity. In his presence the hero shrivels his

martial spirit, and the covetous man suppresses his concupiscence. Sitting down,

he has no need to instruct; standing up, he has no need to criticise; and the

guest who comes with receptive heart goes away loaded with solid truth. So,

without speaking, he quenches the thirst of men with truth. Hence the perfect

Tao is wu wei, (an action of the spirit), operating like the action of the

dragon or the snake.20 These stretch out or contract, change their form and

throw off the skin p. 39 according to the time. Outwardly he follows convention,

but inwardly he maintains his nature. His eye and ear are not confused by a show

of power, nor is his mind perplexed by doubt. The spirit which he cherishes

being uniquely great, he thereby roams in the Great Purity (tao), encouraging

and stimulating the whole creation. It may thus be concluded that he who uses

his spirit in a complexity of things, loses his spirit; he who nourishes his

spirit, the spirit abides.

  The Tao issues from the One fountain21 and communicates with the nine gates22

of Heaven: it is distributed The great unity.

over the six23 thoroughfares (of existence): it flows over the uncircumscribed

frontiers of the universe, by immateriality: it acts on matter by inoperose

inaction rather than by operose action (passive evolution). Matter has been

acting in the past; therefore all things have followed the tao, not by personal

action of the tao, but by evolution of the tao.

  What the dome of Heaven covers, what earth sustains, what the six corners of

the earth embraces, what the positive and negative respire, what the rain and

clouds moisten and fertilise, and what truth and virtue maintain, all come from

the one father and mother24 and are interpenetrated by one harmony. Hence, the

oak (in the north) and the orange tree (in the south) are brothers: and the

Miao25 and the San Wei25 are one family. The eye watches the flight of geese,

the ear listens to the organ, yet, at the Unity runs through all.

same time, the mind may wing its flight to the distant Yen-men pass. These

experiences happen in one body, and the spirit divides itself and roams over the

six corners of the world: by one movement it traverses a myriad miles. Hence,

from these diversities we see that from that which is near, the liver and gall,

i.e. the one body, may move to the far south or the distant north. But looked at

from the identity of the person, all things are of one Unity.

  Each school has its own theory, issuing from principles p. 40 peculiar to

each, such as the theories of Mei, Yang, Schools only contain bits of

      truth.

Shen, Shang26 on the way of government. Now each may be looked on as the rib of

one umbrella or as the spoke of a wheel. If the complement number is complete,

well: if not, it is of little importance to practical use. These schoolmen

considered themselves important, but were not in line with the nature of the

universe: their range was small. As to their existence, we may take an example

from the smelter in a foundry casting a vessel. It is inevitable that in the

casting of an image some drops of the molten mass should be scattered on the

ground. As these drops touch the ground, they harden and assume some definite

shape. It is possible that such pieces, thus fortuitously formed, will be of

some small service; yet they are not to be compared with the Nine-tripod

Vessel27 of the Chou house. Much less could they be compared with a vessel the

lines of which have been finely drawn. The point is, the tenets of these

schoolmen are far and away inferior to the Tao—the body of truth.

  Now the distributions and bifurcations of creation, the divisions of matter

into leaves and twigs, roots and branches, all spring from one stock. Though

having only one trunk, yet the offshoots branch out into myriad forms. These

divisions befall the recipients and not the creative power, "which is unity.

Thus, then, these are all recipients and not the giver which is the Tao. The

recipients are not givers. The giver embraces everything: he covers the

emanations of his creation. These are the reflections of its own giving, and

these reflections of the giver are owned, like the cloud which falls and

moistens all things: but the cloud is cloud and the moisture is moisture. There

is a separation and yet a unity. In giving itself, this unity is not lost and

the tao does not change or lose anything. So it is not itself.

  An example of the statement "there is nothing not received" may be had in a

thick cloud full of rain, particles p. 41 massed together and distributing

themselves in heavy rain. It steeps the myriad things in moisture, but does not

get wet itself, i.e. it gives itself to others.

  Now a skilful archer has expediences and contrivances, even as the bow-maker

has the skill of rule and compass. An expert is only expert in his own

      craft.

Each of these has severally been attained by practice and skill. Each is expert

in his own line. The one could not be an expert in the attainment of the other,

even as Hsi Chung was incapable of becoming a P‛eng Meng: nor could Tsao Fu be a

Pei Lo.28 That is to say, an acquaintance with one locality does not give

knowledge of the whole range of a country.

  When an article of purple colour is dyed with black alum, the result will be

that the article becomes darker than the dye itself. Likewise when a green

article is dyed with indigo blue, it will come out a deeper colour than the dye

itself. Though purple is not black, and green not blue, they owe their origin to

black and blue respectively, and they can never recover their original shade.

The colour gets faint and deteriorates by the dyeing. How much more that which

has not yet undergone the creative agency. The transformations have been

innumerable which no pen can fully describe.29

  From all this we may learn that there is no matter which has not sprung from

that which is past. The varieties are profuse in the extreme.

  Again, the minute autumn hair30 can disappear into the non-spatial, yet,

though so minute, it is great compared Tao is most fine so most pervasive

      and great.

with the Tao. The thickness of the feathery nexus within the reed is almost

equal to nothing, and yet it is thick (compared with the Tao). The Tao, more

minute than the hair-like feather of autumn or the thinness of the feathery

nexus, spreads out into every cranny and fills infinity: nothing can obstruct or

stand in its way: subject, as it is, to the minute and abstruse, it vivifies p.

42 creation and controls its fluxes.31 Its operations are immense. This goes

without saying.

  Now a swift wind that will uproot trees is unable to pull out a hair. A lofty

tower, in falling, will break the backbone or crush the head of a resident; but

small insects will hum as they fly about in the falling ruins. Creeping and

moving insects have equally been endowed with nature's springs of action.

Nevertheless, it is the class of such minute creatures that can most easily fly,

and those creatures of a small and delicate structure that can save themselves

most easily. How much more so, then, can that which has not received a corporeal

form at all, fly about most easily.

  From such considerations it is clear that the formless produces forms. Hence,

the sage man commits his soul to Form comes from the formless and senses

      used after Tao illumination.

the spiritual realm and reverts to the beginning of creation.32 He looks into

the profound and listens in the voiceless regions.33 He, alone, is clear within

the realm of the spirit (profound). Within the immobile void (vast stillness),

he, alone, has the illumination. He can use it, because he does not use; but

later the non-use gives use: he knows, because he does not know: and afterwards

the non-knowing leads to knowing.34

  Now when the firmament was not fashioned, the sun and moon could not run

their courses; when the Earth Honest truth only from the honest man.

was not established, the trees and plants could not be planted. When that which

composes the body, was not stabilized, that which is and which is not, had no

form.35 Hence, it may be concluded that when the True man is there, true

knowledge,36 also, is there. They who hold what is not clear, how can they know

that the knowledge I speak of is the knowledge? Now accumulation of kindnesses,

abundance of generosity, wealth of love, and such things as persuasive speech,

encouragement of the people by p. 43 largess, inducements to the people to the

enjoyment and to the delighting of their nature, compose Jen, benevolence.

  To set up great merit, to gain fame, to make real the loyalties of king and

ministers, to arrange the regulation of classes, to know laws of kindred and

strangers, to divide the classes, to support falling states, to preserve a

decaying house, to quell rebellions, to control turmoils, to restore decadent

clans, to continue a dying house and to suppress anarchy, compose I,

righteousness.37

  (What are the real values?) To close up the avenues of the senses; to repress

the ambitions of the mind; to abandon the mere art of cleverness and knowledge

and revert to the state of Wu Shih, non-cognition: to roam in the void, as

outside the world of sensibility and move in the regions of "nothings" (no

affairs); to imbibe the Yin, and exhale the Yang and move in step with the

harmony of creation, is Tê. Therefore, where the Tao distributes itself, there

is Tê (and constitutes the variety of virtues in man). When these attributes

abound and overflow, we have (the real) benevolence, jen, and righteousness,

i.38 But when the Confucian school sets up benevolence and righteousness as the

ultimate, then the Tao and its attributes Tê are abandoned and lost.

  A large tree39 is cut down and carved into sacrificial cups. It is carved

with chisel and foot-measure, with art and skill. It is embellished with the

figures of beautiful bells, of dragon, snake, tiger and leopard. It is most

decorative.40 But a piece of this timber has fallen as waste. The difference

between the carved goblet and the piece which has gone uncarved is the

difference between beauty and roughness. All the pieces of timber have lost

      Broken away from Tao conduct is artificial.

the natural sap of wood. Likewise, the spirit of man has lost its sap, when

dispersed abroad and not rooted in the Tao. Its language is garish: when tê, the

attribute of the tao, is lost, actions become insincere and meretricious. p. 44

This leads to the death of vitality within. Conduct is regulated by environment.

When such is the case, it is inevitable that the body has become the slave of

matter.

  Now when language is garish and action meretricious, it implies that the

spirit has been trading with the senses Fine manners do not make a

      gentleman.

(and not dealing with tê, the attributes of the tao). When words are garish and

action meretricious, everything is sought from without and spiritual vitality

vanishes and (in the consequent perplexity) endless efforts are resorted to in

order to supply the lacunae. This process digorganises the mind and beclouds the

spirit, thereby confusing the foundation of life. Since, therefore, the

fundamental basis is reduced to a state of uncertainty and the mind imbibes from

the external world the base conventions of worldly habits, and since there are

disconnections, inconcinnities {sic}, gaps and failures, the inner light becomes

misty and dim. As a consequence, there ensues a state of inward conflict, and

not a moment of peaceful tranquility can be had.

  The sage-man,41 however, cultivates the tao-method within and makes no

outward adornment of benevolence The sage cultivates Tao first and last.

and righteousness. The impressions conveyed by the senses of eye an ear have no

influence on him, but he moves in tune with the soul and spirit. He who is thus

minded penetrates the three fountains42 below and seeks the nine entrances into

Heaven above. The mind opens out to the frontiers of the earth and penetrates

into the depths of creation. This is the sage's movement of spirit.

  But the Chen Jen,43 True Man,43 moves in a still more exalted sphere. He

moves in the regions of the completely The true man moves in spiritual

      realm.

immaterial and travels the deserts of annihilation. He rides on the Fei Lien44

and follows Tun Yü, (the immortal genii). He journeys into the extra-mundane

regions and rests in a spiritual house. He has the ten p. 45 suns for his

candle, the wind and rain for his servants, the thunder-lord is his minister,

and Kua Fu,45 the genii, is his messenger. He allies himself with the female

genii, Mi-fei46 and Chih-nu. How could Heaven and Earth be enough for the

operations of such a being?47 Hence the Immaterial and Spiritual is the home of

the Tao: equanimity and ease are its nature. Man, on the other hand, driving his

soul, disturbs his spirit. He strives after insipid honours and gain: he pursues

after the things of the outside world. These efforts all ruin his clarity of

spirit and separate him from its true abode.

  (Now take an example of the theme). He who is freezing in winter thinks of

the genial warmth of spring. The fevered subject of the heat of summer looks for

the cool breezes of autumn. He who has a disease in his system shows it in

heightened colour of the face.

  Again the ch‛en tree gives a blue tincture which, when used as a collyrium,

will cure inflammation of the eyes; and some snails, also, cure ophthalmia.

Infusions for the eye are made from these. Now, were anyone to apply these to an

eye without inflammation, they would produce the very disease they would cure

and produce obscurity of vision.48

  The means used by the Confucian sage for terrifying Laws and

      Punishments not the best.

the world will not be used by the perfect man, (the chen jen of Taoism). The

methods used by the Confucian worthies for stemming worldliness will not be

applied by the Taoist sage.

  Further, a shallow pool such as an ox can wade will have no foot-long carp in

it. The hill, K‛uei-fu, will bear no timber of ten-foot girth, for the reason

that the capacity of these hills is limited and they cannot bear anything big.

All material things are circumscribed, which, by implication, leads us to

understand the immensity of the immaterial and formless. It is the immaterial

which creates the great mountains and deep waters. Great is the Tao!

  Moreover, when men are tied by the world, they are p. 46 circumscribed, and

the spiritual energies are cramped. Sensual illusions cramp men.

The body thus languishing, the spirit runs to waste, an emptiness is inevitable.

The virtues emanating from the tao in a world of perfect tê gave men a life full

of cheerfulness and the elasticity of simplicity and innocence. They moved in

the sphere of the original endowment of mind. They consulted their natural

instincts and eschewed the sensual illusions of things (were not slaves to the

allurements of the world). They looked to the pristine nature49 for a standard

of life and roamed unfettered (by the bonds of desire) in the wide fields of

nature.

  The Sage, therefore, inhales the fluid of the Yin and Yang, and all

creatures, being full of ease, were expectant on his virtue, in order to induce

general like-mindedness. At this period, with no governing authority, the people

lived their life in quietness. The world was a unity without division into

classes nor separation into orders (lit: a disorgnised mass): the unaffectedness

and homeliness of the natural heart had not, as yet, been corrupted: the spirit

of the age was a unity, and all creation was in great affluence. Hence, if a man

with the knowledge of 'I'50 appeared, the world had no use for him.

  Following the course of history until we come to the decay of the world, we

arrive at the times of Mr. Fu Hsi.51 Simplicity lost in the complexity of

      life from new learning.

His principles seemed profound and vast, breathing the spirit of virtue and

cherishing the feeling of cordiality. These influenced and stirred the people:

and so there appeared, for the first time, the desire for learning and its

concrete fruits. The people began to abandon simplicity of heart and they tended

to become sensible to the allurements of the universe. Therefore, their virtue

became dissipated over many interests, so that it was difficult to preserve

unity.

  However, it was with the advent of Shen Nung52 and Huang Ti53 that there

arose a division and separation of p. 47 A veiled attack on the policies

      of the time.

the main elements of life. The spirit of enquiry led men to penetrate into and

regulate the principles of the celestial and terrestrial hemispheres. They

applied Yin and Yang to natural events and harmonized or adjusted the theories

of the hard and soft elements, thus producing the different divisions and

classifications of creation. They gave each thing its laws and place. Whereupon

the people began to be inquisitive (stare and gape) and interested. All were in

an attitude of attention and expectation through ear and eye. Hence, the spirit

of cooperation was lost in government by the rise of private opinion.

  When we come to a still later time, to the periods of K‛un Wu and Hsia Hou,

we find that the desires of men were centred on the material and sensual: their

intelligence was allured by the objective impression of the senses, so that they

lost hold of the central principles of life.

  Proceeding still further, we come to the decay of the House of Chou. Purity

was vitiated, simplicity Rise of ceremonies etc.:

disappeared. Truth was adulterated by various opinions, and virtue was

restrained in its operation by hurtful actions. Specious theorists (schismatics)

sprung up like mushrooms. With the decay of the Chou House, the true kingly way,

too, fell. Confucian and Meian54 theories then, first, came into being. With the

rise of private opinion, recusancy and polemics began. Whereupon the

philosophies of Yang and Mei54 rose and strove for equality with the sage.55 By

plausible and specious theories, the orthodox55 was slandered and the multitude

captivated. Confucian writers, too, set up their own schools of music and

dances; and, by embroidering their talk with quotations from the Odes, they

'bought' fame and became renowned in the world. The system of ceremonies in

imperial interviews or social intercourse became excessive; the fashions in

dress became luxurious. A crowd of assistants was not sufficient to meet all the

changing ceremonies, nor the accumulation of wealth enough p. 48 to meet all the

extravagant expenses. At this juncture, the people first began to form

themselves into schools and parties, each desiring to carry out its own opinion

and specious views, and become the oracles of the world. By Loss of the

      Reality.

such a show of cleverness and knowledge, they won reputation and êclat. But the

people, groping in the wilderness of bewilderment, lost the fundamental ideal of

life.

  But the wherefore of losing the soul{56,} 57 by men was a matter of long

process: the causes of decay and This loss gradual.

deterioration came on gradually and imperceptibly. The causes were old. Hence

the doctrine of the Sage is, by the desire of returning nature to the original,

to exercise the mind in non-desire (Hsu).58 The schoolmen's59 doctrine is, by

desiring (freedom of nature) to exercise nature in deep knowledge, to have the

consciousness of the abstruse. But as to popular and conventional philosophy, it

is different (i.e. Confucian classics) from either of the foregoing. Its

eclectic ethic cramps nature, leading to an inward anxiety of spirit and an

      Worldly renown useless.

outward misuse of eye and ear. And, for the first time, we have the rise of a

minor philosophy dealing with the small and insignificant details of things to

the detriment of the spiritual values, dissipating the practices of benevolence,

etiquette and music, so that they could not act, using them with an unusual

cleverness to gain a name and renown in the world. This was not at all

praiseworthy, and, personally, I refuse to imitate them. I hold it is better to

have the true ease of spiritual culture than the sweets Value of life

      important.

of empire. It is better to roam in the infinitude of naturalness and have a true

apprehension of the relationship between the visible and the invisible,60 than

to have the pleasure of glory and renown. To possess a well-ordered life and

have a logical apprehension of Being and non-Being61 is the great thing.

Universal praise adds no p. 49 encouragement to such a man, nor would there be

any abatement of purpose, even were the whole realm to be hostile. These men

have a clear and definite idea of the value of life and death, and a clear

perception of that which constitutes honour and shame.

  Were fire or flood to overwhelm the world, the spirits of these men would not

quail, nor would it give them any surprise. Thus they look upon this span of

life as but a feather wafted on the winds, or a floating straw on the waters,

(Empire and its glories are but a bubble). Who, then, would wish to centre his

thoughts on this material and passing world!

  The nature of water is to be clear and pure; but it is made turbid by the

soil. The disposition of man is serene and tranquil; but lust and desire have

disturbed it. What men have received from Heaven are such things as the sense of

the ear's power of hearing, the eye's appreciation of colour, the sense of taste

and smell, by mouth and nose; the sense of cold and heat, through skin and

nerve. The passions (Ch‛ing) are one. How is it, then, it may be asked, that

some are clever and some almost stupid? The difference lies in the way of

control (one governs himself by the outward or senses; the other governs himself

by the inward or the tao).

  It is clear, then, that the soul is the well of intelligence. When the well

is clear, the intelligence will be pellucid. The intelligence is the store-house

of the mind. When the intelligence is correct, the mind will be just. Men don't

make mirrors of rushing waters, but make mirrors of still waters, because it is

quiet. Men don't peer into mirrors of rough metal for seeing the form, but into

burnished metal, in order to see their images; and this, because of its

evenness. Now, evenness and stillness are qualities that can reveal the nature

of other things. From which consideration it may be concluded that the positive

rests on the negative, i.e. movement rises from quiescence: or water and metal

are unconscious of having qualities that can be of p. 50 service. Hence, the

empty room, i.e. the unsullied heart, begets the white, that is to say the tao;

and blessings come to rest there.62

  A bright mirror cannot be defiled by dust: the appetites cannot disorganise a

soul that is pure.63 The spirit that Light and truth come from within not

      from ear and eye.

is scattered and dissipated in the external senses, and the efforts to restore

it by works, is nothing other than the neglect of the root and the attempt to

restore it by cultivation of the branches. There is no correspondence between

the outward and the inward: the desire to get in contact with things bedims the

original light and is nothing but a search for knowledge through ear and eye.

What is this but the abandonment of the brilliancy of the (tao) and the

pursuance of truth through the obscurity of the senses? This is what is called

losing the tao.

  When the mind has an objective, the spirit follows and is held there. When a

return is attempted to the realm of the spirit, passion, (tao) and then

concupiscence are held in check only by effort. It is thus the sage nourishes

the spirit.

  Hence the rulers of ancient time felt the necessity of an understanding of

the real facts of nature and of the Unity in diversity.

human lot (the rich, poor, educated and illiterate, etc.). Though their actions

were not all alike, yet their agreement with the tao was one.

  Furs are not worn in summer, not because people are not fond of furs, but

because of the oppressive heat. Fans are not wanted in winter, not because

people dislike them, but because the air is already cool enough.

  The Sage eats just enough to satisfy his wants, and wears just sufficient

clothes to cover his person.64 He Simplicity.

limits expenditure on himself truly. How, then, could impurity and concupiscence

spring up in his heart! Therefore, were empire within his grasp, p. 51 he would

not look at it as his own (from a selfish idea): or, had such an one the

capacity to govern, he would not want to do so. It is not worth it. Were fame to

come to him! Well! He would never make an effort to seek it. The Sage has that

which can be followed: pursuing this, the appetites and desires cease.

  Kung and Mei's disciples taught the methods of benevolence and justice to the

world: nevertheless, they could not Artificial moralities inferior.

personally be free from anxieties, since, being without power, they failed to

put these virtues into operation. How much more so was it the case with their

successors. Why this failure? Their tao was an outside one. (They treated the

matter extraneously and not fundamentally). They proceeded backward, by starting

with the accidental and extrinsic65 they tried to return to the fundamental,—a

process that Hsü Yu66 would not use. And where he would fail, Purity gives

      power.

the majority of people would never succeed. Given real permeation into the

nature of life, benevolence and justice will be found to follow; they will

accompany and be the result of a sincere nature. There are no likes and dislikes

(bias) to trip the heart.67

  When the soul is not clogged with desires, nor the mind loaded with sophism,

the inward light is clear and penetrating and the mind easy and at leisure from

the weight of the senses; unclogged and unobstructed, it meets every impression

of the senses without bias and in serenity,—a state which no force can beguile,

which no sophist with cunning words can shake, which no voluptuousness or

licentiousness can seduce, nor art and beauty submerge, which no clever man can

move or shake, nor a powerful man frighten. This is the Tao of the True Man.

Such a person as this shapes creation and cooperates with the Creator in

governing man. Nothing in Heaven or Earth can rob him of immortality!

  The power which brings about organic life does not p. 52 die itself,68 nor

does the transformer of inorganic things Polished scholarship not enough.

change. The spirit69 crosses the Lu Mountain and the T‛ai Hang without finding

difficulty. It enters the Four Seas and the Nine Rivers70 without getting

soaked. Placed in the narrowest and most exiguous space, it is not cramped;

stretched out over the vast regions of the Universe, it can do so without

'panting.' He who does not comprehend this (who has not this secret), though his

eyes were keen enough to count an innumerable herd of sheep, his ears fine

enough to distinguish the eight musical tones, his feet nimble enough to dance

the Yang Ah and his hands adroit enough te beat the time of the Yen Shui;71

though he knows the profundities of creation, and his perspicacity is clear as

sun and moon, though he could juggle with words72 and were his arguments as

polished as the lustre of jade and stone, such accomplishments were vain and

unprofitable in the government of men.

  Quiescence and ease, contemplation and meditation, ease and tranquillity

(free from passions) are the means for nourishing the nature. Harmony and

happiness, unaffectedness and freedom from passions (Hsü wu) are the means

      He who has Tao has all.

for nourishing tê, virtue. When the outward senses do not produce inward

perturbations, then nature finds its true centre. When passions (hsing) do not

move the harmony (of mind), then tê, virtue, is settled in its sphere. When life

is nourished to pass through life73 and virtue is cherished to win full years,

this may be called the embodiment of the Tao. In the case of such people there

is no irregularity in their pulses nor noxious humours in their system. Neither

bane nor blessing can disturb their life. Neither criticism nor praise can raise

the least irritation. In this way Perfection is reached.

  Nevertheless who can reach this standard without a proper environment? Such a

man might, indeed, appear; but if the times were unpropitious, even his life

would p. 53 not be safe. The man without the tao would be much less likely to

keep free of entanglements.

  Further, the senses, (ear and eye) of men are in contact with and respond to

impressions. The mind and Longing for quiet and freedom.

will are cognitive of anxiety and joy; the hand and foot feel the itch of

things. People want to avoid heat and cold. When a wasp or scorpion bites the

finger, the spirit is restless; when a mosquito or gnat (gadfly) bores the skin,

the mind is ill at ease.

  The onset of troubles and anxiety harass the mind of men to a far greater

degree than do the poisonous sting of wasp and scorpion or the annoying pain of

the bite of a mosquito. And the longing for quiet, solitude, detachment and

freedom from passion, cannot but be strong. How can it be attained?

  Again, when the eye examines the speck of autumn hair, the ear does not hear

the clap of thunder: when the ear is intent on distinguishing and harmonizing

the sounds of the jade and stone, the eye does not see the height of the T‛ai

Shan. What then? It is just this. When the little commands attention, the great

is often lost. Now the onset of the world upheaves our nature and stirs the

passions Most easy to sully the spirit.

in a continuous stream, like the flow of a fountain. Though one desired to break

away wholly from them, such a wish could hardly be realized.

  Trees planted and cultivated by the work of ten men, by means of irrigation

and fertilisation, could be pulled up by one man and a clean sweep made of every

vestige in one night. How much more so were the whole country to engage in the

work of destruction of what has been planted! Though a desire existed for a

lengthy life, how could it be attained? Take again the example of a bowl of

turbid water standing in some hall. It would take more than a day for it to

settle and become so transparent that the eye-lashes could be seen p. 54

reflected: on the other hand, it can he made turbid in a moment, so that you

could not distinguish square from round in it. Man's spirit is easily befouled

and most difficult to clarify: it is very similar to the example given by the

bowl of water. How much befouled the soul would be if the pollution had been

continued through a long time. Moreover, how can the spirit find a moment's

peace, subject to the worries and cares and temptations of the world?74

  In the golden age75 of ancient time, the shopman found pleasure in his shop,

and the farmer had joy in his farming; the minister found peace in his affairs

and the retired scholars cultivated the way (of the ancient kings). At that

time, winds and rains did not destroy nor injure the Advance the Tao.

trees nor did plants die prematurely: the nine tripods76 were heavy: the jade

and pearl were lustrous. The Lo river threw forth the Red book;77 the Yellow

river emitted the Green plan (map);78 Hsü Yu, Fang Hui, Shan Chuan, Pei I,79

therefore, were able to get an understanding of their doctrines.

  How did this come about? Because the masters of men (kings) truly desired to

advance the interests of the empire; hence these four men found the opportunity

and leisure to advance the practice of the Truth (Tao). It was not that these

four men had such perfect talents that they were superior to all others, but no

one else could compete with them in the lustre of their teaching, because they

fell on the favourable times of Tang and Yü.80 But when we come to the epochs of

Chieh of Hsia and Chou of Yin, and the world will have peace.

these monsters roasted men alive, they put good men that dared to criticise them

on the top of poles, forcing them, by the heat of irons, to fall into the lake

of fire below, laughing at their agony. They cut open the hearts of the worthy,

and exposed the tendons of hardy men.81 They made mince-meat of the daughter of

Kuei Hou, and ground the bones of Mei Pei.

  During these monstrosities, the Jao mountain tumbled p. 55 down, and the

three rivers ran dry. Flying birds were wounded in the wings and walking wounded

beasts limped along.

  It would be wrong to say that it was only during these periods there were no

sages. The fact was they could not do anything to put their teaching into

practice, since they fell on uncongenial times. Birds even at the height of a

thousand jen,82 and beasts stalking in the depth of Environment important.

thick reeds, were not safe from the untimely shafts of the hunter. How much more

difficult, then, was the lot of the masses! From this we may see that the

practice of the Truth does not lie with the professor alone but also hangs on

the condition of the age,

  The city of Li Yang83 (Yang Chow) was turned into a lake, in one evening.

Valour, talent, as well as timidity, the godly and the ungodly were all caught

and engulfed.

  A favourable wind on the height of the Wu mountain carried a fire forward,

consuming the finest tallow-trees and medicinal grasses, as well as the common

plants and grasses. The fishes in the Yellow River fail to see, on account of

the turgid waters: the tender and late grains fail to mature, because of

untimely frosts. These are the results of naturally unfavourable circumstances.

  Likewise, when there is proper government, the foolish and stupid individuals

cannot alone produce anarchy. Similarly, the wise, alone, cannot, without

cooperation, induce a proper government. Treading in the way of an anarchical

world and failing to put into operation the Tao, as he would, is a situation

similar to that of shackling Ch‛i and I84 together, and expecting them to do the

full journey of a thousand li. Place a monkey in a cage, and he will be like a

pig showing none of his nimbleness and pranks, since he has no room for

exercising these. Shun's A favourable destiny.

ploughing and hoeing could be of no benefit to his native village. When he was

made King, however, his virtue spread over the four p. 56 quarters of the

empire; not on account of any more overflowing of merit, but due, rather, to

being favourably placed. An influential position gives the opportunity.

  The Sages-of-old, were men of harmony, joy, ease, and quietude that pertained

to their nature. But it was the favourable destiny (of place and position) that

made it possible for them to propagate the doctrine.

  Hence, when nature is seconded by destiny, things will go: when destiny is

seconded by nature, everything will be clear. The Wu Hao bow, the Hsi Tzŭ

crossbow, could not be shot without the string. The small boats of Yueh, and the

few plank boats of Szechuen cannot be floated without water.

  When the air above is full of the darts of the crossbow, and the earth

beneath is spread full of nets and snares, though one were to desire to soar

high and stir the world by his teachings, it could not be done. At the Odes

say:—

      'I was gathering and gathering the mouse-ear,'

      'But could not fill my shallow basket,'

      'With a sigh for the man of my heart,'

      'I placed it there on the high way.'

 

 

Odes Pt. I. Bk. I. Ode 3.   

  A longing is expressed in these words for the days—the golden age—of the long

past.

 

 

 

 

 

  ***********

 

 

 

THE TWO WORLDS

THE WORLD OF SPIRIT AND THE WORLD OF SENSE

Theme suggested by the material given in the 7th Essay of Huai Nan Tzû.

  The Taoist philosophy maintains three fundamental essences, as outlined in

the 7th chapter. These are ching ###, the ethereal part, as opposed to the gross

in human beings. This is spoken of by some as instinct: ch‛i ### élan vital,

transformed into material substance. The word is the same as the word for air

and is that which is looked upon as substance; and finally shen ### the

animal-spirits, the mind and so on: by some it is thought of as conscience.

These three are, or should be, under the command of the will. Volition is the

vanguard. The combination of these three, results in the issue of beings. The

organization of the different classes is due to the different quantities of the

essences in the combination. That which has only partaken of ch‛i becomes

mineral. A combination of ching and ch‛i forms the lower form of organic matter,

such as plants and animals. But those objects that are possessed of the three

elements, ching, ch‛i and shen, go to form the highest form of beings,—beings

with mind and soul. Within such beings the due harmony of the ching and shen

constitute what may be called "the spirit."

  This highest form of beings has the power of will to choose its own path in

life: but, for their own welfare, they should adopt the will of the Tao as their

fundamental director.

  The processes of creation proceed on very natural lines. The combination of

the three factors, as mentioned previously, proceeds continuously and gives

birth to the Cosmos,—Heaven, Earth and Man. Since these are creations proceeding

through the instrumentality of the Tao, p. xxii their full life can only be

maintained by entire harmony and identity with this Cosmic Spirit. But, being

endowed with a power of will in himself, man is inclined to neglect this, by the

seduction of the senses and through ignorance, thus making an artificial life

for himself where the senses and the flesh predominate, to the neglect of the

spirit and culminating in the final ruin of life. But Heaven and Earth still

maintain their original contact and implicitly follow the movement of the Tao,

in all their motions. "As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be," in

regard to these. But man, being endowed with power of will, does not follow the

impulse of the Tao, but goes on, following his own desires, and conducts his

administrative, executive, educational and ceremonial systems, wholly regardless

of the direction of the Tao, and has thus lost reality and created an artificial

state of life. So the natural harmony is lost, to a great extent. In turn, this

artificiality has altered (swerved) the course of Heaven and Earth.

  The human body is constituted as a microcosmos: it is a miniature form of the

universe. The four limbs and the whole body have a resemblance to the larger

universe. The part affects the whole; and so, if the part has lost its full

power of interaction and coöperation, the larger whole is affected. Heaven and

Earth have a way of wholesomeness, in order to follow the volition of the Tao.

This consists in the economy of the use of all or any of its powers, care of its

talents and love and regard for its soul. So that, if we do not follow them, but

do everything in artificial ways,—following our own wills, the harmony of nature

will be spoiled, as well as our own economies of life.

  Losing this wholesomeness of life will create great disadvantages, inducing

the four corruptions of the body, which will invitably entail death. If the

microcosmos suffers, the macrocosmos cannot escape infection. There is a close

connection between the Universe and Man. There is intimate connection between

Man and all things. There is an equality and an essential unity. This is the p.

xxiii ontology of life. Since human beings neglect or are ignorant of this

wholeness, and are disobedient to the will of Tao, painful consequences follow,

such as the pangs of birth, sickness, old age and death. Men, being ignorant of

the true course of evolution and laws of nature, think of life as pleasure, and

death as bane, or regard strength as the summum bonum, and decay and the ills of

life as evil and unfortunate,—all which implies that a great mistake has been

made about the natural system, and, in consequence, many unnatural things are

brought about.

  Accordingly, the first thing to do is to guard the mind; for the mind is the

throne of the spirit: it is the tablet of the soul and the spot where the

'jades' (precious things) of life are presented. It is the shrine of life. If

there is no tablet, presentations will have no value, and nothing can be done in

averting evils. So all real men safe-guard the mind. They never let it drift,

and so they accomplish great things, and great results are achieved. The

attitude is one of stillness or a perfect equilibrium of forces, i.e., not

disturbed by passion. They are, however, full of activity. They understand that

the changes occurring in the body are only the natural processes of evolution;

they feel assured that the spirit can never die; and accordingly, look on it as

a matter of supreme importance to safe-guard the spirit through the mind, or

safe-guard the heart,—the soil whence the spirit comes. This is most important!

Evolving from the chen jen ###, true man, there grows, naturally, the chih jen

### superman,—the highest class of beings in nature.

  It may be permitted us to think that the word mind used in the foregoing

passage is much similar to the word reason as used by Plato. Here, then, we have

a very interesting analogy between two ancient writers, living not very distant

in time from one another, but very distant in space. One in Greece, the other in

China. And it will well repay us to compare the two worlds which both discussed.

One the world of sense, the other the world p. xiv of spirit. We have already

seen the Taoist conceptions of the two worlds; let us now hear the Platonic

view. I will quote from Martineau's "Types of Ethical Theory."

  "According to Plato, the leading distinction between its immortal part and

its mortal is expressed by the words Reason and Sense. The adhesive

entanglements of sense and passion grow around the soul, and cover her with an

earthly mass so dense and wild, that her primitive divine nature is unperceived:

but if you only notice the insight that she can show into the true and good, and

the converse she aspires to with the godlike and immortal, you may imagine what

she would appear if, lifted out of the gulf in which her life is plunged, and

with the unsightly accretions all struck off. The immortal part of the soul is

simple and uncompounded: but the other is composed of a nobler and a less noble

part, of which the higher,—impulse or energy of Will, mediates between the

extremes of Intellect and Sense: and the lower,—appetite, or the selfish desire

of having rather than of being, is in complete opposition to reason, and through

the force of the intervening impulse to be in rightful subordination to it. This

leads to the conception of character.

  What is the highest good? Are we entangled in the delusions and fascinations

of the senses? We must clear ourselves from them, learn to converse with ideas,

subjugate the body, and welcome death as an emancipation from the last hindrance

of our wisdom. Are we sharers in that divine Reason which informs and organises

the universe? We must recognise and welcome it everywhere, and follow it out as

it ramifies through the world of sense, and touches pleasure itself with the ray

of beauty. There is nothing inconsistent in this double view, which regards the

material system now as the opaque veil to hide, now as the transparent medium to

reveal, the inner thought which is the divine essence of all: and seek, at one

time, into the intellectual glory, by escape from detaining appearances: at

another, to descend with that glory as it streams into the p. xxv remotest

recesses of the phenomenal world." Pp. 65-7.

  And then we are led on from this to consider the matter from the view-point

of the two worlds,—the visible and the invisible. As is clear to those who have

read these essays, the matter is ever present to these ancient Taoists—possibly

in a very vague way and not to be compared with the clearness and the ardour of

the Christian mystic. Possibly no modern life brings out this more manifestly

than the life of the late Cardinal Newman. "In words of strange and wrapt

solemnity he gave simply and unfalteringly his tidings of that "other world", to

him so real, that "other world", half-hidden yet mysteriously present, veiled by

the world of sense, yet laying from time to time, and unawares, upon the heart

some intimation, some mystic hint, that it was close at hand." And a further

quotation from the same source will remind us that the description given of him

bears much resemblance to that given, in ancient time, of the ancient "perfect

man" of the Taoists.

  "One who knew him speaks of his "intense stillness", when in repose. This

stillness was but the outward expression of his inward quietude, the quietude of

one rapt in contemplation of a vision. Mathew Arnold speaks of him as a

"spiritual apparition." "There's Newman", the students used to say, as they met

him, "with head thrust forward and gaze fixed as though at some vision seen only

by himself, with swift, noiseless steps he glided by". From the seclusion of the

study, from abstinence and prayer, from habitual dwelling in the Unseen, he

seemed to come forth, that one day of the week (Sunday), to speak to others of

the things he had seen and known." J. L. May's "Cardinal Newman". Pp. 30, 33.

 

 

 

 

 

****

THE COSMIC SPIRIT

 

 

      "To every form of being is assigned

      An active principle:—howe'er removed

      From sense and observation, it subsists

      In all things, in all natures: in the stars

      Of azure Heaven, the unenduring clouds,

      In flower and tree, in every pebbly stone

      That paves the brooks, the stationary rocks,

      The moving waters and the invisible air.

      Whate'er exists hath properties that spread

      Beyond itself, communicating good,

      A simple blessing, or with evil mixed:

      Spirit that knows no insulated spot,

      No chasm, no solitude; from link to link

      It circulates, the soul of all the worlds."

 

     

      Wordsworth. Excursion. Book VI, 1-15.

 

 

 

 

  Christianity has, also, found a difficulty in finding a term to express the

Divine Being; and so, sometimes, it has been left and expressed under the

general term, THE NAME. Christian doctrine found that the term "God" did not

adequately express the great idea in the one word, but was more complete under

the threefold expression: "Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

p. 2

TRANSLATIONS

 

 

 

DISSERTATION ON

THE COSMIC SPIRIT

{notes|elucidations and analyses}

  The Cosmic Spirit (Tao)1 embraces Heaven and supports Earth. It stretched the

four quarters of the The properties of the Tao.

Universe and generated the eight points of the the firmament. There is no limit

to its height, and its depth is unfathomable. It constituted Heaven and Earth

and endowed them with the primary elements, when as yet they were without form.

Flowing like a fountain, bubbling like a spring, impalpable, its energies

bubbled forth in the void and filled space. Continuing to effervesce, it

transformed the murky air of chaos into crystal clearness. Hence it filled

Heaven and Earth and stretched to the uttermost parts of the sea. It spent

itself without exhaustion: there was no morning or evening, i.e., rise and

decay, no fatigue and revival.

  Expanding, the Cosmic Spirit overspread every part of the firmament, earth,

time and space. Rolled together, it was not a fistful; compressed, it can

expand; opaque, it can yet be clear; yielding, yet strong, soft, yet firm. It is

a macrocosmos as well as a microcosmos. It holds, as in a net, the four poles:

and comprehends the active and passive forces of creation. It links the universe

together and makes the sky luminous. It is most substantial and full of sap;

most tenuous and fine: so delicate is it that it penetrates every pore and

crevice.

  It gives height to the mountain and depth to the abyss. It fashioned beasts

to walk and birds to fly. Sun The work of the Tao.

and moon are luminous by its power, and the planets revolve in their courses

because of it: the Chilin comes forth through its energy, and the phoenix wheels

in the empyrean through its might.

p. 3

  In the beginning, the two forces Yin and Yang,2 having obtained the essence

of the Tao, became the central Agency of Yin and Yang.

organizing powers. Their divinity and influence determined the transformations

of Heaven and the stability of Earth. The revolutions of the Universe were

unfailing. It was through the Tao that the heavens first revolved and the earth

was made fast: the successive revolutions failed not. The waters eternally

flowed without ceasing and were conterminous with creation. The winds blew; the

clouds steamed. There was nothing which should not be. Every thing was as it

should be. The thunder pealed; rains fell: each and all responding to the

movement of the Tao without cessation. Mysterious in its operations like the

emergence of spirit, or the arrival of the phoenix, or the transformations of

the dragon, its vestiges may be traced.

  As the potter moves the wheel, the hub turns, one complete turn following on

the other. In the universal Flux of matter.

flux, organisms, when finished and polished, dissolve again into their rough

elements and constituent parts.

  Without (apparent) doing, things came into existence under the inspiration of

the Tao. There is no sound or speech to indicate activity: the successive

evolutions proceed with energies permeating all. Without love or hate,

impartially, and in no boastful spirit, the perfect harmony is attained. The

myriad varieties are organised each with its own nature. The energy of the Tao

is imparted to the minutest thing: and, also, it operates in the greatest,

composing the mighty universe. Its virtue gives flexibility to nature and

harmonizes into unity the operations of Yin and Yang. It divides the four

seasons and co-ordinates the five elements. Its beneficent spirit breathes on

all, fructifying creation and the world of life. It sends forth its fattening

dews on grass and tree; it bathes metal and stone with lustre; it makes bird and

beast strong; it gives sheen to scale and feather, and strength to wing; and it

begets p. 4 the horns (of cattle). Through its powers the embryo of beasts do

not miscarry nor the eggs of birds addle.

  It is due to the Tao that fathers have no occasion to mourn over the untimely

death of their children,3 nor the The Tao preserves men from calamity.

elder brother weep over the untimely death of a younger member. Children are not

made orphans nor wives widows. That the ill-starred rainbow does not appear, nor

unlucky comets career in the sky, is due to the harmonious control of the Tao.4

  The supreme Tao begets all creation, but keeps itself as though it did not

exist, i.e. makes no boast of it. It Its transforming power.

produces all phenomena, yet without appearing as the controller. Creatures that

walk and breathe, that fly to and fro, and all creeping things depend on it for

life, yet are unconscious of the merits of the Tao in their well-being. They

await its behests for death, without bearing any grudge at the change. The

benefits of the Tao in life are not extolled: the decay of death, through wear

and tear, is not blamed. Accumulations of goods and stores must not be boasted

of as wealth, nor are their distributions and donations to be looked upon as any

impoverishment. Its fluxes are incomprehensible; its delicate operations are

interminable. Build it up and you cannot give it any more height of glory.

Subtract from it and you cannot rob it of any virtue. Multiply it and it is the

same number; detract from it and it is no fewer; hack it and it is no thinner;

slay it yet it is not destroyed; dig into it and it is without depth; fill it in

and it will be no shallower.

  Oh! how swift! how sudden! No form does it take: how exhaustless. Profound,

Oh! Obscure, Oh! Responsive, Oh! Answer there is, Oh! Effective, Oh! Never does

it move in vain, Oh! Conterminous with heaven and earth in its expansion and

contraction, Oh! Ascending and descending with Yin and Yang, Oh!

  In olden times Feng I and Ta Ping were great charioteers p. 5 by virtue of

the Tao.5 They rode on the chariot Examples of Tao enduement.

of clouds, entering the rainbow and floating on the lambent air: they raced into

the infinite distance and the utmost height. They crossed the hoarfrost and

snow, yet without any vestiges: and no shadow of theirs fell when the sun shone

on them: they were diaphonous. They mounted aloft in circling spirals like those

of the ram's horn, so swift were they. They crossed mountains and rivers; they

vaulted over the K‛un Lun. They mounted aloft, opened the gate of the Presence

and entered the abode of the Deity. The finest chariot of these latter days,

hitched to the fleetest horses urged by the sharpest thongs could not compete

with them in the race.

  Thus we see that the great man interested in the Tao lives happily without

anxieties: his outlook is without fears because he feels Heaven is a covering,

the Earth is a chariot, the four seasons his steeds, Yin and Yang his drivers.

He rides on the pinnacle of the clouds, through space, a compeer of the

Creator.6 He gives reins to his will; he opens out his mind to travel the great

empyrean. He walks when he so desires, or rushes on when he so wills. He

commands the Rain Spirit (star) to irrigate his way, and employs the Wind God to

sweep away the dust. The lightening he takes for whip, the revolving breath of

thunder as wind for his chariot wheels. Above, he travels in the boundless waste

of space; below, he comes forth at the gates of the great void. He looks all

round in space and gazes abroad on everything, yet keeping all under the central

organ7: master of the four quarters he brings everything within the range of the

master spirit within. And so it was that, with Heaven canopying all, there was

nothing outside the pale of his influence: with Earth as chariot, there was

nothing outside his range: with the four Seasons as steeds, he has all things as

ministers: with Yin and Yang as charioteers, there is nothing lacking; the

processes of creation are complete. So there is no instability p. 6 in this

immense effort: there is no toil in the profound operations. There has been no

fatigue of body nor diminution of intelligence.8 How was it that they gained a

knowledge of the conditions of Heaven and Earth? It was because they had the

authority of the Tao that they traversed the illimitable world.

  Therefore the affairs of empire should not be regulated in detail by legal

interference, inasmuch as they operate in Four Fundamental Principles.

      Purity, Quiescence, Peacefulness, Unity.

a natural way,9 i.e. Wu Wei. The fluxes of creation need not be examined into:

get the vital Tao and the fluxes will be understood. Take an illustration from a

mirror or from water. When these receive the form of an object, they mirror it

faithfully without any accretions; so the lineaments are exactly reflected. The

echo is only partly true to the sound: the shadow is not different from the

substance. The sound mysteriously reaches its own sound-like form. Man is

quiescent10 by nature; but desire moves in response to outward influences which

are the outward expression of things. The spirit responds to the impact of

matter, giving rise to mental perception. The response of inward perception to

the impact of outward things begets love and hate. When love and hate have taken

form, perception is seduced from the right way by outward suggestion: it is

unable to go back on itself; and reason or right is destroyed. Therefore those

who are permeated or possessed of the Tao do not barter away the Divine for the

human.11 Subject as they are to outward changes, they do not lose the inward

purity of nature; i.e. the impact of the world does not create concupiscence.

This nature is purely spiritual and ready to respond to every demand of nature.

The Seasons run their course; the ever-changing times circulate, yet without

confusing the basal unity.12 The small and great, the long and short, are each

in their appointed realms. Creation, in all its mighty leaps and restless

movements, proceeds without any dislocation: p. 7 everything is in its proper

place. Therefore those who are placed in power are not regarded as a burden by

the people: those who are at the head receive no harm from the people: that is

to say they are looked up to and loved! The whole empire is drawn to them: the

lawless and unruly fear them. Because they have no strife with creation,

therefore no one dares to strive with them.

  An angler who goes to the river bank with the finest of hooks, lines and

bait, who plies his skill with the Great Principles are superior to

      temporary expedients.

expertness of Tan Ho13 and Yuan Huan14 for a whole day, nevertheless cannot hope

to compete with the catch of the net in magnitude. An archer who can draw the Wu

Nao15 of a Seng Meng Tzu16 in shooting the bird on the wing nevertheless, cannot

compete with the use of a net in the greatness of the bag. And the reason is the

smaller size of the instrument. Thus in ruling men, the great law is better than

a multitude of minor regulations.17 A dart is inferior to a cho, a battering

ram, and a cho is inferior to something still greater, that is to a great

principle of action. The comparison between the exercise of a great principle

and the use of policies of opportunism, are not unlike the example of setting a

shrimp to catch a rat, or a frog to catch a flea. Opportunist policies are

indeed unequal to arrest evil or stem wickedness: they rather tend to aggravate

them.

  In ancient times, Emperor Kun of Hsia built a towering wall; but the Lords

rebelled and the distant people became Force leads to force.

suspicious and wily. And so Yü, seeing the opposition of the kingdoms, rased

this wall to the ground and filled in the moats, scattered the wealth

accumulated, burnt the implements of war and administered the empire on the

principles of virtue, not of force. As a result, the distant people brought

their tributes and the barbarian tribes their offerings. The concord sealed at

the conclave of the Lords, at T‛u Shan,18 resulted in valuable tributes from

myriad kingdoms. p. 8 From this we see that when a scheming mind is cherished,

the sincerity of purpose is not perfect nor the spiritual energies complete;

(singleness of mind is lacking.) The ruler whose vision is narrow fails to

appreciate how to command the services of those who are far away. From this we

see that militarism begets militarism. A fortified wall implies war chariots,

and a coat of mail leads others to sharpen their swords. If boiling water is

added to boiling water, it will but make it more violent. Likewise to beat a

vicious dog or whip a kicking horse, in order to correct it, would not succeed

even though Yin I or Tsao Fu19 were to do it. When the vicious disposition has

been quelled within, the tail of a hungry tiger can be played with: how much

more so such creatures as the dog or the horse!

  It is certain that he who is in sympathy with the Tao and acts accordingly,

wins his end with ease and is never Tao is expressed in naturalism and

      adaptation.

at a loss. The man of many plans who lives by schemes, on the other hand,

labours away without success. Violent measures and rigorous punishments are not

instruments for either a tyrant or a king. Blows and flagellations constantly

rained on subjects, are not the way to make dogs and horses travel far. The

excellent vision of Li Chu20 could see the point of a needle from the distance

of more than a hundred paces; yet he could not discern the fish in a pool. The

intelligence of Shih Kuang21 could distinguish the winds from the eight quarters

and harmonize the five notes of the eight scales; but his fine sense of hearing

could not discern anything more than ten li off. Hence one man's strength,

however much, is not enough to regulate even a small domain.22 But the man who

conforms to the art of the Tao, in accordance with the natural way of Heaven and

Earth, would find it easy to manage the whole world. Thus it was that Yü was

able to engineer the canals by following the nature of water and making it his

guide. Likewise, p. 9 Shen Nung, in the sowing of seed, depended for instruction

on the guidance given by the nature of the germ. The duckweed has its roots in

water, and the tree has its root in earth. The bird stretches his wing and flies

in the void: the feet of beasts clutch the solid ground and walk: the scaly

dragon inhabits the water: the tiger and leopard dwell in mountains. Such is

their inherent nature.

  The rubbing together of two pieces of wood begets heat: when metal is held in

fire it becomes liquid: wheels revolve; cylinders and scooped-out articles, as

boats or shells, float. Natural conditions these, arising from form and

following natural law.

  Similarly when the Spring winds arrive, the gentle rain falls, bedewing the

whole creation into fruitfulness. The feathered tribes burst the egg, and the

hairy creatures conceive and beget. Plants and trees put on bloom: birds and

beasts bear their eggs and conceive their young. Nothing is seen of these

operations, but the results are being achieved. The autumn chills bring the

hoar-frosts, leading to the drooping and fall of the flora. The eagle and heron

strike their prey mercilessly; creeping things hibernate. Plants and trees live

on their roots: fishes and turtles congregate in the deep pools. Their doing

these things is not seen: traces of these hidden activities is annihilated.

Birds that perch on trees use twigs for nests; water animals have holes. Wild

beasts spread straw in their lairs: human beings dwell in houses. Cows and

horses are for service in dry districts; boats require much water: the Hsiung Nu

produce and wear raw skins: Hunan and Kuangtung grow fine hemp. Each produces

that which is required for its own climate to meet the conditions of dry and

damp. Each is able to protect itself against the cold and heat, by means of its

own produce, and in order to obtain what is necessary for itself: convenient

goods and commodities meet the requirements of each place. From these evidences

we see that creation is strong in its naturalness. What need then for government

by the sage?23 There is no p. 10 need for him to act. Naturalness is enough.

  South of the Chiu I, dry-land industry is scarce and the water-way industries

are many. The inhabitants use short trousers for convenience of fording waters:

they have short sleeves for convenience in propelling their boats. These habits

arise from the watery nature of the districts.

  North of Yen Men, the natives do not eat cereals. They pay little regard to

seniority and age, admiring rather lusty youth and virility. The conventional

view pays respect to lusty strength. It is a custom for men never to let go the

bow from their hands nor to unsaddle their horses. Such is their habit. Hence Yü

disrobed when he entered the Nudity (Lo) kingdom, and wore his robes again when

he emerged from its border; this he did because he did not wish to interfere

with custom.24

  Now if people, in transplanting trees, should digregard the fit time for

doing so, all would wither and decay. On these grounds an orange tree, when it

is transplanted north of the river, changes its nature and becomes a citron. The

mynal and parrot (Ku) never cross the Tsi. If the Ho, badger (?) crosses the Wen

river, it dies. Its nature does not permit this transmigration. Its habitat

cannot be changed. Everything linked to the Tao rests in undisturbed repose.

They who are in line with the nature of things ultimately rest in wu wei.25 Such

nourish their life on quietism: they rest their spirit in passiveness. By so

doing they enter the gate of Heaven.26

  What is meant by "Heaven" is purity, clarity, directness, grounded on

reality, luminosity. Such is nature, as endowed by Heaven, when, as yet, it is

unmixed with worldly impurities. What is meant is that man has an implication of

accidental accretions, such as bias, angularity, sharpness of intellect,

duplicity, whereby men follow the world and traffic in the conventional. Now we

see that the natural thing is for kine to have cloven hoofs and horns in the

head and for horses to have manes and hoofs, undivided and whole: but it is the

device of man to put p. 11 bits in the horse's mouth and run a noose through the

ox's nose. They who follow Heaven, or the natural order, flow in the current of

the Tao. They who follow men get mixed with conventional ways. It would be

useless to tell the fish in the well about the horizon of the great ocean,

because it is cribbed in a narrow place. It would be vain to speak of the cold

of winter to the creeping things that know only of the summer's heat: they are

cognizant only of their own seasons. It would be useless to discuss broad views

with a narrow-minded scholar: he is bound to the conventional and tied to his

own orthodoxy. Hence the sage must not tarnish heavenly law by human things: nor

confuse natural laws with concupiscence. Without any planning, affairs find

their correct issues: without a multitude of words, faith is achieved, credence

is found: without anxiety, life is attained; and without effort, success is won.

He whose spirit is identified with the cosmic soul27 is partner of the Creator

in governing men.

  A good swimmer may sink; a good horseman may have a fall. That in which each

excels may become an Clever men may miss the mark.

occasion of injury. Hence it is not impossible for the smart man of affairs not

to hit the mark. The polemical person may meet with embarrassment, and the man

who strives for gain may not get all he is after. The might of the ancient

(engineer) Kung Kung28 struck at the Pu Chou mountain and crumpled down the

South Eastern corner of the Earth; yet in contending with Kao Hsin for the

throne, he was overwhelmed in defeat, involving ruin to his clan and failure of

succession to his family (for ancestral worship). I,29 the king of Kuangtung,

fled to the hills and dwelt in caves to escape being king; but the people smoked

him out of his cave and he failed to consummate his own desire for retirement.

  From these examples it is evident that success depends on opportunity (times)

rather than on strength, (for preeminence), government (or action) should rest

on the p. 12 Tao rather than on the Sage.30 The ground is placed low and not

high, hence it ever abides in peace, free from the dangers of a giddy height.

Water flows down, the currents do not compete for precedence. So it flows swift,

uninterrupted, undelayed.31

  In ancient time, Shun, for a whole year, tilled the land at Li Shan, and as a

result of his example, the tillers of Success of those who followed Tao.

the soil struggled for every crooked and awkward corner, each anxious to concede

the fertile plot to his neighbour. He also fished for a whole year on the

river's bank, and, as a result, the fishermen strove together for the currents

and rapids, each keen to concede the deep pools and quiet corners to the other.

During these times, Shun gave no lectures on morality nor on conduct, but,

maintaining the great way in his heart, his influence sped as though it were

divine. Suppose now that Shun were without this uprightness of character he

would never convert a single individual, though he were to preach to the public

and go talking from house to house. Thus we see that the unspoken Tao has a

mighty sweep.

  It is able to control the San Miao (aborigines) and induce the Yü people to

offer their tributes. It can Achievements of Tao.

transform the "Unclad Nation" and get revenues from Su Ch‛en (a distant tribe of

the north) without the issuing of a summons, or the heralding of edicts. The Tao

can resolve customs and change habits, by means of merely spiritual influence.

How could laws or punishments ever achieve so much? For this reason the sage

pays every attention to the culture of the fundamental rather than to the

adornment of accidental means (such as the impositions of laws and punishments).

He guards the spirit, and keeps the intellect in abeyance. Profoundly the work

is that of wu-wei "no action"; nevertheless there is nothing left undone.

Placidly no authority is excercised; yet there is nothing which is uncontrolled.

p. 13

  The meaning of Wu wei,{32} is that there is no going in advance of things.

The meaning of "wu pu wei" "there Wu Wei.

is nothing undone" is that, in following the cosmic spirit33 everything is done.

The meaning of "wu chih chô," ("not governing") is that there is no interference

with naturalness. And the phrase "there is nothing that is not governed", means

that the end is attained in correspondence with the mutual fitness of things.

  There is a raison d'être in the springing to birth of all creation; and each

thing knows how to guard its root.33a There is a raison d'être in the appearance

of hundreds of affairs: attention is only given to the intrusion of what enters.

Hence the exhaustless is probed, the limitless is reached, and matter is

illumined without confusion. There is mutual response without fatigue. By this

is meant that there is an understanding of the mind of Heaven. The Way is

understood.

  Hence they who have attained the Tao, possess a yielding mind; nevertheless

their work is invincible. (The Four Atributes of Tao. Meekness,

      Tenderness, Humility, Emptiness.

heart is humble, but the work is forceful). Now what I mean by this statement is

this: a yielding will has a reposeful ease, soft as downy feathers,—a quietude,

a shrinking from action, an appearance of inability to do. Placidly free from

anxiety, one acts without missing the opportune time; one moves and revolves in

the line of creation, One does not move ahead but responds to the fitting

influence. Hence the exalted and those placed in high station will inevitably

adopt the symbol of unworthiness,35 even as a high tower must depend on its

lowly base for foundation. Depending on the small, one comprehends the large;

from a circumscribed central seat (small space) one regulates the outside

domains: or the senses are controlled from within. Exercising a yielding spirit

one is firm: through tenderness one can be strong, and by these evolutionary

movements, in accordance with p. 14 the number of things, one attains the

doctrine of unity or the one.36 One is able, through this Unity, to adjust the

interests of all.37

  Let us now discuss what is meant by the statement; "His acts are strong or

forceful." During times of change, one is equal to any sudden crisis; one

disposes of calamities, and wards off difficulties, with invincible strength.

There is no enemy that is not overcome. Being capable of meeting every change

and judging the times, nothing can harm such an one.

  We may see, therefore, that he who would have firmness must do so by

yieldingness. He who would be strong The power of yieldingness:

      non-resistance.

must guard it by tenderness. A wealth of yieldingness gives an abundance of

firmness: an accumulation of tenderness yields strength. Take note of the nature

of the predominant events, and you will have an indication of whether misfortune

or happiness impends. Strength will overcome an unequal combatant; but two of

equal strength will have an equal resultant. Yieldingness will overcome anything

superior to itself; its strength is boundless. For this reason military strength

(is as a fire) will be extinguished. The strength of the tree bends to the wind

and is sawn for timber. The strong skin (of a drum) will crack. Teeth are

stronger than the tongue; but they decay sooner. Hence yieldingness and

non-resistance or tenderness are the mainstay38 of life; but the firm and hard

are the lackeys of death.

  Pioneers39 come to the end of their tether and die out early. Those who

follow, clutching to their skirts, reach the goal. How can it be known that it

is so? All who attain the good age of seventy, nevertheless have gained from the

past as regarding their actions and feel dissatisfied with most of their work,

as they look back on their mistakes. It is so even until they are dead. Hence

men like Ch‛ü Pei Yü40 felt that 49 years out of the fifty had been ineffectual,

the reason being that the pioneer has p. 15 the disadvantage of inexperience;

whereas his successor finds it so much easier to achieve the purpose. The

pioneer climbs high; his successor follows and gets help from him. The pioneer

descends to the depths and falls into ruin; he who follows will step on the

shoulder of the pioneer and take measures based on the experience of his

predecessor. The pioneer falls into dangers; the man who comes after gains from

experience. The pioneer is baffled in his plans, but his successor avoids the

pitfalls.

  From this it is seen that the pioneer forms the sharp point of his

successor's arrow. He is, as it were, the point of the lance.

  The point strikes the difficult obstacle, breaks its resistance and becomes a

buffer; but the handle suffers no harm, for the reason that it occupies a

secondary position and is cushioned by the buffer. This may be taken as the

universal view. The worldly-wise and intelligent cannot avoid the consequences

of this impulsion of the senses.

  What I mean by "successors" does not imply that they are immobile and without

initiative, nor that they are petrified and incapabable of motion. But what

these do is to pay attention to the harmonizing of every plan and act in concert

with occasion and take account of times and seasons. By the power of the Tao one

meets the need of every change, using the beginning to govern the end, and the

end to govern the beginning.41 His principle is that he does not lose that

whereby men are governed i.e. tao, for this reason that acting through the tao

others cannot control him. A critical business42 does not permit of

miscalculation: too early an act may miss fire; too late an act may fail to hit

the occasion. Time is ever on the flux and waits for no man, and so the Sage43

does not value a foot of jade, but rather an inch of time. Time is that which it

is difficult to get and easy to lose. Yü44 took time by the forelock and never

went back for a lost shoe, nor would he delay business by getting a hat from the

peg. Not that he strove for first place with another, p. 16 but that he strove

to catch every opportunity.45 Hence the Sage46 guarded a freedom from passions,

and preserved yielding complaisance.

  Acquiescent, men meet every crisis, always following and not leading. By

yieldingness and tenderness they gain repose;47 by equanimity and peace they

find stability. Great in achievement, they wear down every difficulty, and no

one can compete with them.

  Nothing in the world is more yielding and softer than water; yet its

greatness cannot be measured, nor its depths Greatness of yieldingness

      illustrated by water.

sounded. Its distance48 is endless; its vast expanse is without horizon. Its

rise and fall, its ebb and flow are immeasurable. Up in the skies it becomes the

rain and dew; down below it forms the fattening moisture, so that the whole

creation springs to birth and everything comes to fruition. Its greatness

embraces all living things; there is no trace of partiality; its enrichment

reaches even to the lowly worms, yet it asks no thanks: its abundance suffices

for the whole world and is never exhausted. Its virtue is distributed over all

nations, yet without self-expenditure. Its operations can never come to an end;

they are inexhaustible. It is so fine that it is impossible to grasp a handful

of it; strike it, yet it does not suffer hurt: grab it, and it is not wounded:

sever it, and yet it is not divided: burn it, and it does not ignite. Lost in

the slush, flowing into invisibility, disappearing as it gets mixed with earth,

nevertheless, it is not possible to scatter it into nothingness. Its advantage

is that it will penetrate into stone and metal; its strength consists in going

to every shore bearing ships for mankind. Moving full and free in the immaterial

regions, wheeling and revolving on high, as clouds, it returns again, falling

into the rivers and valleys and courses in bounding floods over the wide plains!

All creation, without partiality, receives its beneficent bounty.49 Whether

enough and to spare, or given sparsely, it comes from and returns to Heaven and

Earth, p. 17 and is bestowed on creation without favouring one or the other. It

is copious on every hand. Its heaving movements are great and concurrent with

all nature. It knows neither left nor right, curls round and encircles

everything, and is commensurate and contemporary with creation. This is termed

Supreme Excellency (Chih Te). Now the reason of water achieving this supreme

excellency in the world lies in its virtue of penetrativeness, in its irrigating

and effusive properties, so that Lao Tan was led to speak of it as the softest

thing in the world galloping through the hardest: issuing from the non-material,

it enters into the non-spatial, i.e. enters everything. "I know therefore," he

said, "that Wu wei is most advantageous." Now the immaterial, the formless, is

the great ancestor of wu, matter: the soundless, i.e. that which makes no sound,

is the great founder of sound. Their son is light; their grandson is water.50

All these are begotten of the formless or immaterial.

  Light, indeed, can be seen but not grasped; water can be handled but not

destroyed. Therefore, of those things that have shape nothing excels or is more

honourable than water. In coming into life it enters into death i.e. into the

shades of the carnal world: from non-existence, it treads the way of existence,

i.e. in having form, it departs from its original: from existence it passes into

non-existence, thus becoming a ruin.51 Hence this hidden purity, spiritual

repose, is the supreme power (te chih chih yeh).52 And yieldingness and

tenderness are essentials of the Tao: The immaterial53 in happy repose gives

rise to all things for the use of man. Reverently responding to influences, it

instantly reverts to its own root and then becomes merged in the formless.54

What is expressed by "formless" is Unity. What is termed the Unity55 Unity

      of Tao.

means something without compeer in the universe. Uniquely it stands alone.

Being-like it is placed alone.56 Above, it fills the heavens,57 below it

interpenetrates or connects together p. 18 the nine Points, the vastnesses, of

the world.57 No circle can compass, no square can fit it.58 It is the Great

Absolute and forms the Unity.56 This unity is the life of myriad generations,

everlasting without beginning, and most mysterious. It embraces (enfolds) the

Universe and opens the portal of the Tao59 (and is the Tao in operation).

Profound and abstruse, invisible, unalloyed, it alone abides in pure virtue. It

ever gives, but is never exhausted: it labours without effort. So, in looking

for it, you behold not its form: listening for it, you hear not its sound:

feeling for it, you get at no body. The formless (tao) begets the living form.

The soundless (wu-sheng) begets the five tones.60 The non-flavour harmonizes, or

gives substance to, the five flavours: the non-colour creates the five colours.

Therefore all that is seen comes from that which is not seen (wu). The material

springs from the immaterial. The Universe is its sphere. The nominal and the

real exist together. The tones are limited to five: but the variations and

combinations of the five tones are more than can be distinguished by the ear.

The composition of flavours61 is only five; but the combinations that can be

made of them are more than can be tasted. The colours are not more than five;

but their transformations are more than eye can apprehend. Hence in the matter

of tones, when Kung, the key, is set, the five tones are harmonized. In the

matter of taste, with sweet as base, the five tastes are completed. As regards

colour, with white as the ground, the five colours are blended. As to the Tao,

when the Unity62 is established, creation comes to birth. Therefore the doctrine

of the Unity covers the deep62 the pervasion of the Unity forms the mechanism of

the world. How pure in its entirety, similar to the unadorned jade!63 When

scattered, how turbid! It is opaque, but gradually becomes clear, ethereal, yet

gradually it becomes substantial. How stable! still as a deep pool. How buoyant!

It is like a floating cloud! It is as though it were not, and yet is: as though

lost, yet abiding. Creation massed together p. 19 passes through the one

portal:64 the root of all things emerges through one gate (the tao). Its

movements have no form: its transformations are God-like; its actions leave no

vestiges, constantly behind and yet moving in advance. Therefore the tao-man in

governing hides his intelligence; he blots out his symbols of majesty. Depending

on the Tao, he does away with cleverness: he acts in common with the people, and

everything is done on public ground. All is law. His regulations are

circumscribed; his demands are few; the lust for glory is eliminated;

concupiscence is expelled; anxieties are renounced. Regulations, not being

multifarious, can be superintended. Demands, being limited, are easily

satisfied, and results are gained. He, on the other hand, who depends on the

seeing of the eye, the hearing of the ear, going by what he hears and sees, is

full of care, yet without clear vision. He who governs by knowledge and anxious

thought, is full of labour, yet without definite results. Therefore the

Sage-King uniformly follows law,65 he does not change the ought nor alter the

constant of things. He follows the square; he is guided by the plumb line; he

conforms to the varying order of things.

  Now the movements of pleasure and anger are a corruption of the Tao;66

trouble and grief are abortions Self Culture. Reduce desire restrain

      feeling.

of virtue; love and hate are the failures of the heart; concupiscence and lust

are the embarrassments of nature. Great anger destroys the negative force (Yin)

of man's nature, and great joy disorders the positive (Yang). Great anger brings

dumbness; great fear leads to madness; sorrow and grief cause rage; sickness

gathers strength; when likes and dislikes come in profusion, then follow

adversities in their train. But a heart free from care and joy, supplies the

perfection of virtue. To be permeated with the Tao and not subject to

vacillation. gives the perfection of repose: not to be loaded with carnal

desires gives perfection of hsü, purity. When there p. 20 is no love and hate,

(likes and dislikes) there is the perfection of equanimity. When the mind is not

distracted by things, there is the perfection of simplicity (or intrinsic

truth). Ability to possess these five attributes ensures true fellowship and

communion with God.67 Fellowship with God gives possession of the inner self.68

Hence he who controls the extraneous, i.e. carnal desires, by this inner self

will fail in nothing. The mind having found itself, there will be full control

of the senses. Possessing the self the five inward parts will be maintained in

peace and anxieties tranquilised; the organs of the body will function correctly

and one will not give way to unseemly joy and anger. One's nerves will be firm

and strong. The sapient ear and eye will have a comprehensive penetration and

not err. Being resolute and firm, one will never break down. Autocrat of

      the World.

One will not overshoot the mark nor come short in one's actions. Such an one

will not be unhappy in a lowly position: nor will he eschew great duties. His

soul is not impetuous, his spirit is not unstable (perturbed). Profound and

undefiled, serene and reposeful, he is the autocrat of the universe.69

  The Great Way (Tao) is broad and level, not far from the person. The seeker

finds it in himself: going out for it, again and again, he returns within for

it.70 Pressure on it will move it; touching it or feeling after it will bring a

response.71 Its mutations are without substantial form and its visitations are

generous and free; everything is done with deliberation and serenity; to every

matter a suitable solution is found, as fittingly as an echo answering to the

sound or as an image reflecting an object. Whether such an one mounts to a high

station or descends to a low position, he never loses what he grasps (of the

Tao): whether treading the way of danger or walking in the paths of peril, there

is no forgetting the Tao. He who abides in this frame will lack not in virtue;

he disposes successfully of the myriad affairs of every complexity that p. 21

crowd before him. In attending to the affairs of empire, he is expeditious, like

(a boat) sailing with the wind.72 This is the meaning of Supreme ability,73 and

with this supreme ability comes joy.

  There were men of old who lived in hermit caves without losing their high

spirit. In later times there have been those exercising great power, but they

had daily anxieties and were not free from sorrow.74 We may gather from this

that the princely state75 does not lie in actual ruling so much as in getting

the Tao: Joy does not lie in riches and honours, but consists in the possession

of virtue and harmony. Knowing the greatness of the higher self, paying little

value to possession of empire, is indeed to be near the Tao.

  What is termed as joy? How can it be necessary to be placed in palaces and

towers, to serenade on lakes and in gardens,76 to hear the Chiu Shao and Liu

Ying77 orchestras, to dine on seasoned meats, to gallop in broad avenues or

shoot the turquoise kingfisher, in order to find it? Can these be said to

compose joy? The joy I speak of is the finding of the true self.78 The possessor

of this true life will not regard ostentatious expenditure as joy, nor will the

simple life be looked on with regret. He will accept a lot lowly or bright,—just

as the flower shuts and opens in response to the season. Wen Tzŭ expands the

idea in these words:—"He cherishes the truth of Heaven, he embraces the heart of

Heaven; he breathes in the spirit of Yin and Yang; he blows out the old (foul)

and breathes in the new: he closes with the Yin and opens with the Yang: he

contracts with the firm and expands with the tender: with the Yin and Yang, he

looks up and down: he is of one mind with Heaven and of one body with the Tao:

there are no joys and no sorrows: there are no pleasures and no angers." Thus

Tsû Hsia was thin, so long as his mind was at war with itself, i.e. when

governed by desire; but he became fat on getting the Tao.

  The Sage will not allow his person to be the instrument p. 22 of matter, nor

permit his peace to be disturbed by Spiritual joy lasts.

desire. Thus, when he rejoices, it is not with boisterous hilarity. When he

sorrows, he will not suffer his nature to be wounded. Circumstances ever change

and vary; there is nothing stable about life's conditions. The Tao-man, alone,

lives triumphantly (or cherishes the magnanimous point), abandoning worthless

things. He keeps step with the Tao. Therefore he has the wherewith to find his

true nature. Whether his pilgrimage be under a stately tree, or his dwelling be

in a secluded cave he finds enough to satisfy his nature. But the man who has

not found his true self, though he possess the empire for home, and the myriad

people for ministers and concubines, will not, on that account, find the

satisfaction of life.79 He who reaches the state of spiritual joy80 will find

everything minister joy to his person. And he who enjoys this joy has tasted the

supremest joy.

  Suppose every imaginable pleasure were at command of a person. The bells and

drums are prepared; pipes and Carnal joy vanishes.

organs arranged; the richest carpets are spread and the ivory ornamented poles

are gay with embroidered bunting; the ear hears the passion-moving music of Chao

Ko and Pei Pi; the most lovely courtesans are present, the tables are laden with

wines and delicacies, and the carousings are carried on from evening to dawn. In

the daytime he goes hunting, shooting at the high-flying bird, or with the

hounds stalking the wily hare. These are his pleasures, glowing with excited

passions under sensual enticements. I grant they have attractions; but they are

mixed with mortification, for when the carriage is unhitched, and the horses

unharnessed, the wine has ceased to flow and the music is ended, then the heart

is pulled up, as though the chill of death had passed over it: it is filled with

vexation, as though it had lost something. And the reason? They have not taken

the joy within to supply p. 23 the joy without, but rather used adventitious

joys to create an inward pleasure. There is pleasure as long as the music lasts,

but when the song is ended, sadness creeps on. Under such conditions, sorrow and

joy change about and mutually beget each other. The spirit is disordered. Not a

moment's rest can be found!

  If the reasons be examined how it is that one failed to get the substance of

joy and thus continued to injure The reason.

one's life daily? The cause is found in this that one has lost that, the doing

of which would give the possession of virtue to the mind.81 Hence the mind

within, not being at the centre (tao), one decorates oneself with those things

which come from without. These are artificial and do not enter into the marrow

and bone of life: they do not abide in the will nor remain in one's being.

Therefore, those things that enter from without, finding no host within, do not

abide: those things that issue from within, not being responsive to the outward,

fail to operate. Hence even an uninstructed person may be pleased on hearing

good words for guidance, and a worthless character may also esteem an account of

noble deeds and perfect conduct. Many approve, but few are those who carry these

good things out: the many approve, but few there are who act. The reason for

this is, that they are unable to recover the lost mind: they fail to revert to

the real nature. The inner and real nature fails to open out. What is learnt is

by way of compulsion: when this is the case, what is heard by the ear is not

impressed on the mind. The position is not unlike to the deaf man singing and

not hearing his own sounds. It is made for (the gratification of) others,

without any personal share in the enjoyment. The sound issues from his mouth and

passes away without his hearing it.

  Now the heart is the govenor of life.82 It, therefore, controls all the

members and the circulation of the fluids of sensation, referring everying,

forthwith, to the moral p. 24 When the Tao governs the mind a monarchy is

      needless.

realm (of conscience): conscience, in turn, enters the avenues of every action.

Therefore, when the mind lacks the inner control, any pride of authority in the

art of governing men may be compared to a person who is deaf trying to ring the

bell and beat the drum, or to a blind person trying to find pleasure in works of

art. It is plain they are perfectly incompetent to do so. So it is clear that

the king's instruments of government must not be artificial, (such as policy,

schemes, opportunism). An artifical creation would ruin the country, and he who

grasps power would lose it. In elucidation, the case of Hsü Yu might be given,

who thought little of the pomp of empire and would not change places with Yao.

His mind was not set on place and power. How may we account for such a view of

life? Because of empire and for empire.83 The essentials of empire are not in

pomp but in the individual, not in men but in myself: not in Yao the monarch,

but in Hsü Yu the individual representative: not in others, but in each

individual.84 To centre all in one is an artificial way. The natural way lies in

each following the law of nature. When the individual has got the Tao he

possesses everything. Thus clear on the principles of the mind, it will be found

that carnal desires, love and hate, are extraneous things, and do not pertain to

the mind.85 Hence there is no ground for pleasure, for joy, for pain. The whole

creation is in identity with Heaven. There is no right or wrong.85a Everything

is as it should be. All flux is under the light of Heaven: life is as death.

  Further the empire is possessed by the individual and the individual is

possessed by the empire. There can be no alienation between the individual and

empire. There is mutual identity. Thus, surely, there is no necessity for the

person who possesses the empire to exercise authority or grasp at power or to

have the prerogative of life and death, the promulgation of edicts and so on.

What I p. 25 mean by "possessing the empire" is not such as this: I mean that

the person has found himself. When self is found, the empire has also got a man.

When there is this mutual possession, we each exist together without a break.

How can it be that there is any alienation and that the empire cannot use me?

The meaning of "finding self" is that life is perfected—or the culture of the

person is perfect. When this is done, there is identity with the Tao.86

  Now if a person were able to enjoy himself by promenading on riverbanks and

by the sea shore (i.e. the Physical and spiritual joy compared.

emperor, who can go anywhere and do anything), by racing the great hunter Niao,

and decorating his umbrella with the turquoise feathers (a great minister), by

witnessing the great military dances and music (of Wu), by listening to the

strains of the Yao Lang, Ch‛i Lu, Chi Chen: by the performance of the popular

music of Cheng and Wei, by harmonizing the high and low sounds, by shooting the

high flying birds on the banks of the Chao, by hunting wild beasts in the

Imperial park of Yuan Yu, well and good. Why those are the very sports that the

multitude delights in and gets intoxicated with. The Sage man, placed amongst

these, does not find that they are any enticements to his spiritual life or

allurements to seduce his will and purpose, moving his heart by sudden passion

and leading him to lose his true nature. Rather he would prefer to live in a

secluded and poor village or to crouch within the recess of some dark gully or

in the retirement of some jungle, cribbed within a small hut, which has fresh

grass for thatch, a grass-made postern and an old crock for window, the hinges

of the gate formed of wisps of thc mulberry. The hut may leak above and be dank

below, the north-facing booth may be filled with dampness. After snow and sleet

have made slush of the ground, he plants his own melons and chiang (grain only

eaten by the poorest); he takes his walks abroad through the wide p. 26 morass

and tramps back and fore in the gorge of the mountain. Were the generality of

people faced with this sort of life they would wrinkle their faces, blink their

eyes and be full of distress at the disagreeable prospect. The sage placed in

such a situation, would not feel sad, downcast, envious or misanthropic, nor

would he, for the world, lose the grounds of his own inward joy by such

hardship. And the reason? Because within he is in touch with the spiritual

realm: he does not lose his will to virtue because of a high or lowly station,87

of wealth or poverty, of ease or labour of body. Just like the crow's "ya ya,"

and the Outward change does not move the mind.

magpies "tsie, tsieh;"—these sounds do not change with every changed condition

of the weather. The man of tao has his mind fixed, nor does he depend on

compulsion of circumstances in the flux of things: his mind does not await any

single chance of fortune to determine the ground of his self possession (tzû

tê). So what I mean by "possession" is that the nature of his life is

established in that which gives peace. Now the soul and body issue from the

central source. When the body functions perfectly, (moral) then nature and life

are completed. When these are completed, then the affections, such as love and

hatred, are begotten (a point of danger). Thus scholars have fixed principle of

morality in intercourse: and women have an unchanging rule of action as to

marrying again. These can never be changed.88 The eternity of Heaven and earth,

the height of Chiu mountain is not changed by one ascending a high hill or

descending into a depth; nor is a low location counted near. Therefore, the man

who has the Tao is not perturbed by poverty nor exhilarated by success. Being

placed on a giddy height gives him no feeling of danger; though holding a full

cup, it will not be upset. He is not polished at one time and rough at another

time: he does not change colour with time, he is not burnished when new and

tarnished when old. He can undergo trial89 without wear p. 27 The tao-man

      wears well.

and tear. He does not depend on power to be esteemed, nor on riches to be

honoured, nor on force to be strong. Agreeably he moves forward in harmony with

the fluctuating movements of the Cosmic Spirit. Thus he is naturally like the

metal hidden in the hills or the pearl in the deep. He does not look on

affluence as the source of joy nor lust for the symbols of power. Therefore he

does not look on success as ease of mind, nor on ingloriousness as a thing to be

dreaded. He does not consider a high position as peace nor a low position as

danger. Body, soul, spirit and will are each in the Heaven-appointed place.

  Now the body is life's tenement, the breath (passion nature)90 is life's

fulness: the soul is life's regulator. The three suffer by the aberration of

anyone from its function. The Sage-King gives to each man his proper office

where each will do his own work without interference of one with the other.

Therefore, to place the body in that which does not bring contentment is to

waste energies: to exercise the spirit in a sphere which is not suitable to it

is to scatter power: to employ the soul in operations that are unfitting is to

becloud clarity. It is essential that strict attention be paid to the proper

exercise of each of these three factors—body, breath, soul.

  Now let us consider such insignificant creatures as creeping worms and

zoophytes in their wriggling movements or crawling actions; they have their

likes and dislikes; they know what is helpful or harmful by reason of the

instincts they possess; these they follow. Should they suddenly lose these,

flesh and bones would be of no value to them.

  Now what is that power in man which enables him to gaze clearly and hear

distinctly, enables the body to stand erect and the limbs to bend and stretch at

will; what are those faculties that help him to distinguish white and black, to

appreciate the ugly and beautiful: what is that knowledge by which he

differentiates similarities and dissimilarities p. 28 and which enlighten him in

right and wrong? It is a fulness of spirit (ch‛i),90 the passion-nature that

supplies the person with capacity; and the soul gives it direction. How may it

be known that such is so? Men who have their wills bent on some object and their

minds concentrated solely on that, become oblivious to all else, so that in

walking they fall into a pit: the head may hit a post without their being

conscious of it: call him, and he does not hear. It is not because he has given

away eyes and ears that he is unable to respond. And the reason? The mind or

soul has let go that which it holds, i.e., the body. And so when it is centred

on the particular; it is dead to the general: centred in the inner, it is dead

to the outer: centred on the high, it is dead to the low: centred on the right,

it is dead to the left.91 When the soul is all-pervading, then it is

omnipresent. Therefore, the tao-man prizes the pure spirit uncontaminated by

desire, and his thoughts dwell in the spiritual.

  Now consider an imbecile. He does not know to avoid the hazards of fire or

water; he goes all unheeding into deep waters that are dangerous. It is not that

he, too, has not got a body, soul, spirit, will, but that he uses these

differently from other men. He has lost the proper use of these faculties and

fails in the correct exercise of them. For this reason his actions are erratic,

his movements not being under control. He acts, through life, like a tottering

person, staggering in passing through an uneven gate, falling into miry drains

or into the midst of pits and holes. Though endowed as others with the motors of

life, he cannot help being an object of merriment to men. And the reason? Body

and spirit do not act in mutual harmony. Thus, we may deduce that where the soul

is the dominant force, the body follows to purpose. But where the soul follows

the motions of the body, disaster ensues.

 

  Men of a covetous and ambitious nature, and of many passions, are allured

insatiably by power and ensnared by p. 29 the lust of position. They aspire

to

stand in the high places of the world, by reason of superior abilities which

 

 

implies a daily expenditure of their spirit. The longer this goes on, the

farther is the distance between spirit and body: steeped in these excesses,

return to normality is less likely. The body being closed up by these desires,

the heart opposes the entrance of higher influences. Thus the pure spirit of the

natural endowment has no freedom of action. Thus it constantly happens in the

world that disasters befall men who fail to see the right and who act contrary

to justice and who have the lost mind. Such people are of the "tallow candle"

class. This means that fire that burns quickly will die out all the sooner.

  The soul and spirit that are in repose are daily at the full and make for

strength. The impetuous spirit wears itself out early, leading to senility

(weakness). Therefore, the Sage-man nourishes his soul and moulds his spirit in

yieldingness and keeps the body in repose (equanimity): up and down in the

height and in the depth, he oscillates with the Tao. Serenely he yields to it:

compelled to take office, he makes use of it. He yields to it as to the robe he

puts on himself: he uses it as it were a swift arrow. Thus in all the fluxes of

nature there is nothing he fails to respond to: in the changing affairs of life

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

p. 101

RESPONSE OF MATTER TO THE

MOVEMENT OF THE COSMIC SPIRIT.

 

 

 

A COMPARISON.

  We may compare the Taoist view of life in one respect with that of Socrates.

Socrates maintained that he was at his best when his daimonion was working, and

his thought clearest when he was most sure of divine guidance. Prof. Bury says

that "Socrates represents his own life-work as a sort of religious quest: he

feels convinced that in devoting himself to philosophic discussion he had done

the bidding of a superhuman guide and he goes to death rather than be untrue to

his personal conviction. Because of this he became the champion of free

discussion and the supremacy of the individual conscience over human law." And

we have the Taoist view that human enactments and the wisdom of Sages may be

abolished. Tradition binds man and therefore is inferior to "conscience". If men

followed the Tao they would never be opportunists, but always act according to

principle and right. Both had unbounded faith in spiritual law. Mere human

knowledge is of itself wholly inadequate and uncertain. But the Tao is always

full to those who have the mind for it.

p. 102

V

DISSERTATION ON

THE RESPONSE OF MATTER TO THE

MOVEMENT OF THE COSMIC SPIRIT

{notes}

  The title is "Tao Ying (###)" Tao, the Cosmic spirit. There is the idea of

'hovering over,' 'moving on the face' of all things, and all, in acting, give an

automatic response to the tao. In examining the good and evil of every event, we

shall see the results of the corresponding responses.

  The mystery of existence.—Great Purity asked Exhaustless1 whether he knew

anything of the Tao. Exhaustless replied he knew nothing. He also asked Wu-wei,2

who replied he had some knowledge. "And is the knowledge you have of it finite?"

"Yes, it is finite," Wu-wei replied. "Well, then, how much do you know about the

Tao?" "I know that such things as yieldingness, firmness, courtesy and severity,

the negative and positive, the recondite and clear are possible through the Tao.

Thus it is possible for the Tao to enwrap Heaven and Earth, and to operate with

perfect response through the whole universe. This is the limit of my knowledge."

  Great-Purity also asked Without-Beginning,3 saying: "Formerly I asked

Exhaustless about the Tao, who replied he had no knowledge; and subsequently I

asked Wu-wei who replied that he had knowledge. We have thus the knowledge of

Wu-wei and the non-knowledge of Exhaustless. Which of them is right and which is

wrong?" Without-Beginning replied, "The non-knowledge of Exhaustless is the more

profound; knowledge is superficial; non-knowledge knows the intrinsic, but

knowledge only the extrinsic; non-knowledge sees the essence, knowledge the

accident." Great-Purity was surprised, and, sighing, replied; p. 103 "Thus,

then, is non-knowledge the same as knowledge? And is not-knowing the same as

knowing? There is no difference, who but knows that knowledge is non-knowledge

and non-knowledge is (really) knowledge. Isn't that so?" Without-Beginning

replied, "The Tao cannot be heard; the Tao that can be heard is not the Tao. The

Tao cannot be seen; that which can be seen is not the Tao. The Tao cannot be

spoken; were it possible to express it, then it would not be the Tao. Who is it

that can understanding the form of the formless?" Thus Lao Tzû said: (Chap. 2)4

  THE GOODNESS THAT IS RECOGNIZED AS SUCH BY ALL THE WORLD IS NOT THE GOODNESS:

  AND SO IT MAY BE SAID, HE WHO KNOWS DOES NOT SPEAK, AND HE WHO SPEAKS DOES NOT

  KNOW.

  A case of conscience. Silence is golden.—Duke Pei asked Confucius "May men

use dark hints or an obscure and subtle way of speech?" Confucius made no

response. Duke Pei5 said, "What about a stone thrown into the water?" Confucius

replied, "The expert swimmers of Wu and Yüeh would get to the bottom and feel

it." He again enquired: "What about the effect of throwing water into water? No

trace of one, as distinct from the other, would be found. Confucius replied,

"The two waters Chih and Sheng of Ch‛i, though mixed, would be detected as to

the tastes of each by such as I Shen." Duke Pei then said, "Such being the case,

men certainly cannot use occult language." To which Confucius replied, "Why say

it cannot be done?" Who knows the sense of words that are spoken? He who knows

what words signify does not express (his thought) in words."6

  "A fisherman must enter the deep water to catch his fish; a hunter must brave

danger and enter the lair to get his prey. This is inevitable and not a mere

matter of pleasure. Hence the most perfect language7 does away with words, and

the perfect action consists in Wu-wei. He who has but a superficial knowledge of

a matter in p. 104 dispute, is shallow and fails to go to the root."

  Duke Pei failed to adopt this advice (of Confucius) and died at Yu Shih. Lao

Tzû says: (Chap. 73.)

      WORDS ARE ONLY A BASKET FOR MORALITY:

      AFFAIRS ARE THE MEDIUM FOR REVEALING THE TAO:

      THE IGNORANT FAILS TO UNDERSTAND MY WORDS.8

 

  This fits the case of Duke Pei exactly.

  Theoretical laws are useless.—Hui Tzû created a system of laws for King Hui

for governing the kingdom. When completed, these were shown to all the scholars,

who, without exception, praised them. They were then presented to King Hui, who

was very pleased with them and showed them to Tsê Chien, who said they were

good. King Hui said, "Since they are good they should be put into operation."

But on Chai Tsê Chien objecting to the suggestion, the King wanted to know his

reason. Tsê Chien replied that when men carried a heavy log of wood, they ha'd

and ho'd, those behind responding to those before. This is the song they have

for stimulus in carrying heavy loads. They do not use the more classic songs of

Cheng and Wei with their high plaintive notes, simply because such are not so

fitting to the work. The rites for governing a country do not consist of written

enactments. Too much law is not good. This is as Lao Tzu says: (Chap. 57.)

      "WHEN LAWS AND COMMANDS ABOUND,

      THIEVES AND ROBBERS ARE MANY."

 

  The art of education is to teach, "How to see."9—T‛ien Pien was expounding

certain principles of the Tao to the King of Ch‛i, and the King, in the

conversation, said, "What I am faced with are the practical policies of the

Kingdom of Ch‛i; these principles of yours are useless as means to abolish the

distresses of the land. I want to hear something definite and practical on the

art of government." T‛ien P‛ien replied that though his words contained nothing

on government, yet they could be made to apply. And he gave this illustration.

"A forest is composed of raw timber; it has no ready-made material. Wood must be

p. 105 dressed accordingly to suit the need. Would the king kindly examine the

principles he had stated and adopt them to the needs of the government of Ch‛i.

The King would find them adaptable. Though they may not abolish the

embarrassments of the country, yet this is the Tao that moves Heaven and changes

the world in the evolutionary flux. The affairs of Ch‛i are small in

comparison." This episode exemplifies Lao Tan's statement: (Chap. 14.)

      THE FORM THAT IS FORMLESS

      THE PHENOMENA THAT HAS NO SUBSTANCE

 

  The King wanted practical advice on the administration of Ch‛i, and T‛ien

P‛ien gave him general principles. Now the actual manufactured article is of

less importance than the trees of the forest, since the one depends on the

other. The forest is nothing without rain; rain is nothing without the

operations of Yin and Yang; Yin and Yang are nothing without the essential

co-operating harmony; harmony is nothing without the Tao.

  A word of advice to the avaricious profiteer. True self-interest.—When Sheng,

the Duke of Pei, gained the kingdom of Ching, and on his failing to distribute

the contents of the Treasury between the people, members of his party, after the

lapse of seven days, came in and told him, "If what is gained illicitly is not

distributed to the public, distress is sure to come. It is better to burn the

treasures, if they cannot be distributed amongst the people, so that disaster

may not befall us." Duke Pei would not listen to the advice. In nine days Duke

Shê attacked the place, and having gained entrance, distributed the goods in the

treasury amongst the multitude: he also issued the munitions of war, in the

Treasury, to the people. In consequence of this he captured Duke Pei after

investing his palace for nineteen days. The Kingdom didn't really belong to Pei

and his desire for it may be said to be a piece of avarice. That he failed to

act generously towards the people, and serve his own true self-interest thereby,

showed that he was most stupid as well as avaricious. The p. 106 niggardliness

of Duke Pei was in no way different from the love of the owl for its young.10

This agrees with Lao Tzu's saying: (Chap. 9.)

  IT IS ENOUGH TO CARRY A FULL VESSEL; DON'T TRY TO ADD TO IT AND MAKE IT TO

  OVERFLOW.

  TRYING TO SHARPEN A POINT ALREADY SHARP MAY MAKE IT HARD TO KEEP AN EDGE AT

  ALL.

  Character is the essential thing in a ruler. Hereditary power is

useless.—Chao Chien Tzû adopted Hsiang Tzŭ as his heir. Tung Ngo Yu objected on

the grounds of Wu Hsü's (Hsiang Tzŭ) obscurity, holding he was not fit to be a

successor. Chien Tzŭ replied, "that his character was such as to ensure success.

He would bear indignity for the sake of the kingdom."

  Some time after, Chih Pei when drinking with Hsiang Tzŭ slapped his face. A

minister suggested he should be put to death for this, but Hsiang Tzŭ, the King,

argued that the deceased Prince had adopted him because he could bear personal

indignity for the throne. "Do you think," he said, "that he put me in this place

to slay people?" After the passing of ten months Chih Pei invested Hsiang Tzŭ at

Ching Yang. Hsiang Tzŭ divided his army and attacked him on either side and

routing Chih Pei slew him and made his skull into a drinking vessel. This

confirms Lao Tzŭ's saying: (Chap. 26.)

  HE WHO IS CONSCIOUS OF HIS PROWESS BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHO MAINTAINS

  GENTLENESS AND PATIENCE, IS HE TO WHOM WILL FLOW ALL THE STREAMS OF EMPIRE.

  The inspired man is the discerning man.—Yeh Ch‛üeh sought to know the Tao

from Pei I. Pei I replied, "If you correct your deportment, and guard your eyes

from wandering, the blessings of Heaven will come down on you. If you preserve

your knowledge, and rectify your standards the Spirit will soon settle on your

person: and virtue will abide with you. If you exercise the Tao it will make its

abode with you. Unsophisticated as a new born calf, never asking the why or

wherefore of its p. 107 origin,"—but before he had finished this sentence, Yeh

Ch‛ueh seemed to have lost interest in what Pei I was saying, so he got up and

departed singing this ditty as he was going, "His form and limbs look withered

and dried up: his mind looks dead like ashes. Truly I don't know how to deal

with such a show of stupidity. I have no mind to talk to him. What kind of a man

is he really?" This just confirms Lao Tzŭ's saying:

  "CAN HE WHO IS CLEAR ON EVERY MATTER BE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE IN DISCERNMENT?"

  The use of the mailed fist is not the way to maintain the fruits of

victory.—Chao Hsiang Tzû attacked Ti and overpowered him and took his two

prefectures of Yu Jen and Chung Jen. The messenger came to announce the victory

and to offer congratulations, and when Hsiang Tzû was about to sup, it was

noticed that he was of a sad countenance, which led them to say, "People find it

a matter of joy to become possessors of two cities in a morning. So what may be

the cause of the present sadness of the Prince?" Hsiang Tzû replied to them,

"The floods of the two rivers last only three days at most. Storms of winds and

rain pass over quickly. There is no accumulated merit in our Chao family; how is

it that now, in one morning, two cities have fallen to me? Is not this ominous

of disaster?" When Confucius heard of this, he said, "The good fortune of the

family of Chao must increase. Dejection, or moderation of spirit, is the

foundation of greatness, and hilarity is the root of decay. It isn't victory

that is difficult, but the maintenance of the fruits of victory: this is the

difficulty. The worthy kings of the past who maintained victory in this spirit,

handed down their happiness to their successors. Ch‛i, Ts‛u, Wu, Yueh gained

victories in their time, but eventually fell into decay, simply because they

failed to apprehend how to maintain victory. This can only be done by making the

Tao dominant." Confucius, for example, could manipulate the ponderous gate of

the city, but never displayed p. 108 his physical strength before man. It is

said that Mei-tzû (who knew no art of war) maintained the defensive and

offensive against Duke Yu P‛an and brought him to submission, but not by

military force. They knew that the effective way of maintaining victory was by

looking upon gentleness, right not might, as the strong power, just as Lao Tzû

says: (Chap. 4.)

      WHEN THE IMPALPABLE TAO IS OPERATING,

      THE RECIPIENT IS UNCONSCIOUS OF ITS OVERFLOW.

 

  Not Might but Right.—Hui Meng had an interview with King Sung K‛ang. He wore

his characteristic way of restless feet, of humming, and coughing, and speaking

with rapidity, during the visit. The King said, "What I admire is the

achievements of valour, humanity and justice. Have you, Sir, anything to

instruct me?" Hui Meng replied, "Your servant has a Way according to which even

the shafts of the valiant will do me no harm, neither can force, however

cleverly used, succeed against me. Great Prince have you truly a mind to try

it?" The King replied, "Very excellent! It's just what I want to hear about."

Hui Meng continued, "But the shaft that will not penetrate me, the attack that

will not succeed against me, do not seem, after all, the best. Your servant has

still a superior way; such a way that a man with courage will not dare to use

force against me: though possessing the power, he will not venture to use it

against me. This lack of daring to thrust and attack will not be from want of

will. Your servant has a way still higher than this even. This highest form will

make men naturally lose the desire to stab and kill for the display of daring

and courage. Still simple absence of the intention of using force does not

produce a mind of love and care. So I have something still better than even this

way, which will give unfailing delight to all men and women. This best way is of

more worth than the valour of force: it is superior to these four other ways. Is

the Great King the only one not desirous of it?" King Sung responded that he

desired p. 109 above all things to get this. Hui Meng replied. "This way is

really no other than the doctrines of Confucius and Mei. Kung Ch‛iu and Mei Tsê

were princes, though they had no territory: they were leaders, though without

official status. None in the country, be they men or women, but craned their

necks and stood on tip-toe that they might find and win the help of their

doctrines. You are a great King, ruling a large empire: were you sincerely to

have this ambition, every part of your kingdom would benefit; and so you would

greatly excel Confucius and Mei.

  King Sung having nothing to say in reply, Hui Meng departed. The King said to

those about him, "What a talker! My guest overcame me thoroughly, when

speaking." This way agrees with what Lao Tzu says: (Chap. 23.)

  COURAGEOUS IN NOT USING FORCE IS THE WAY OF LIFE.

  Whence we may gather that the greatest courage lies in not exercising the

might that may be at one's command.

  The King is the conning man.—In ancient times, Yao had nine assistants, Shun

seven, and Wu Wang had five. Yao, Shun and Wu Wang were not experts in any one

thing, like their assistants. They sat in their offices receiving the reports of

successful operations. They were, however, masters in their estimate of the

abilities of men. Now, a runner can never beat the great horse, Chi, in a race:

but when this horse is hitched to a carriage, it is not able to beat a man. In

the north is a beast, which goes by the name of Chüeh, with front quarters like

a rat, and hind quarters like a hare. When it runs, it stumbles (as it has short

forelegs and long hindlegs); it falls when it walks. This animal always picks

out the fragrant grass for the Chiung Chiung Chü Hsü and supplies it with this

grass (another animal with long forelegs and short hindlegs. It can't ascend

hills). The Chiung Chiung, therefore, always carries the Chüeh on its back,

because of the infirmity of its legs.

  Here we have a case of one ability throwing its disability on another. This

fits in with Lao Tzu's words: p. 110 (Chap. 74.)

  "THE INEXPERIENCED WHO WOULD DO THE WORK OF A MASTER-CARPENTER, STRANGE IT

  WOULD BE WERE HE NOT TO INJURE HIS HANDS."

  Everything is easy to him who has the Law.—Po I counselled Prince Wei Ssu

(the new king) on the art of government on civil and moral lines. The Prince

said, "Mine is a small country, a country of only 1,000 chariots. I would apply

your advice to such." Po I replied that Wu Hu, the lifter of 100 catties would

think nothing of lifting one catty. This means that a small country can all the

more easily carry on government on moral and civil methods.{11}

  Tu Hê counselled Chou Chao Wen, the Prince, on how to pacify the

empire.—After the disruption of Chou, Wen Chun asked advice of Tu Hê on the best

way to settle the country, saying, "I would earnestly learn from you how to

bring peace to Chou." Tu Hê replied. "If you cannot act on the words of your

servant, there is no possibility of pacifying Chou. If you can put my words into

practice, Chou will settle down of itself." This is the meaning of the saying:

'Don't fight for peace. Peace will come naturally.' The principle is expressed

by Lao Tzû thus: (Chap. 28.)

  "THE GREAT LAW MUST NOT BE CUT UP AND TAKEN IN DRIBLETS. TO TELL THE PARTS OF

  A CARRIAGE DOES NOT MAKE A CARRIAGE."

  Be guided by big and generous ideas. Avoid a parsimonious spirit.—It was a

law in Luh that, when any of their people were taken prisoners and made slaves

by the Feudal Lords, their ransom should be paid out of the Treasury, should an

opportunity offer itself to liberate them; Tzû Kung ransomed one such captive

but declined the redemption money offered by the Treasury. Confucius told him:

"Tzû, you have not done quite right. Whenever the sage takes any matter in hand

(or acts), he supplies a principle that affects the conventions of life and the

manners p. 111 of society, with the result that the effects of the teaching

would be handed down to succeeding generations. He never acts with a view to his

own individual case. The kingdom, at the present time, has but few wealthy

people; the majority are poor. To receive the cost of a ransom from the Public

Treasury should not be looked on as avaricious: it would be impossible to redeem

many under present conditions, if help from the Treasury were not accepted.

Under such circumstances, no Luh prisoners in the hands of the Feudal Lords

could be ransomed after this." This view of Confucius showed that he was

profoundly versed in the true spirit of reform and proper principles of action,

which is consonant with Lao Tzu's dictum: (Chap. 52.)

"PERCEPTION OF THE GERM IS ENLIGHTENMENT."

  Militarism is baneful.—Wei Wu Hou enquired of Li K‛e12 the cause of the decay

of the Wu nation. His reply was: "Wu often fought and often conquered," i.e., Wu

was too often victorious in war. Wu Hou answered that frequent victories in war

should lead to the greatness of a country, and he could not see how this could

be the cause of decay. Li K‛ê replied, "Frequent wars exhaust the people:

frequent victories make the masters drunk with pride. The more the pride, the

more is the vitality of the people consumed in vainglorious wars. Few are the

countries that can stand such a strain and not decay. Pride and arrogance lead

to licence and anarchy, exhausting resources and people. Thus, there come hatred

and dislike, leading to all sorts of schemes and devices (for amelioration of

hardships). The strange thing is that Wu did not succumb much earlier." When it

did fall, Fu Ch‛ai (the minister) committed suicide at Kan Sui. Lao Tzu's words

give the principle: (Chap. 9.)

  "TO WITHDRAW AFTER SUCCESS IS WON AND NAME ESTABLISHED IS A GOOD PRINCIPLE OF

  ACTION, AND IT IS THE LAW OF HEAVEN."

  The Saviour of his Country.—Ning Yüeh13 desired an p. 112 official post from

Duke Huan of Ch‛i, but he had no means of getting an interview with him. In the

meantime he followed the work of a merchant, and was on his way to Ch‛i, driving

his cart loaded with goods. Resting one evening outside the city gate, Duke Huan

came out to receive a guest for whom the gates were opened. The carts round the

gate were ordered to move off. The lamps and lights were many and the retainers

were numerous. Ning Yüeh saw his opportunity and, tapping the horns of his cow,

sang a ditty in high clear notes. Duke Huan tapped the arm of his attendant,

saying, "How strange! That singer can be no ordinary person. Let him come in the

train of the carriages."14 When Duke Huan had returned home, his attendants

waited his instructions regarding the guest. The Duke prepared court robes for

him for an interview. Ning Yüeh talked about how to govern a country at the

interview. Duke Huan was delighted and was about to offer him a post, when the

entourage remonstrated that the guest was a man of Wei, and that Wei was not far

away. The prince had better send a man to enquire about his past record and, if

good, he could then be engaged." "Not so," replied the Duke, "if it be found

that there are some minor defects against him, we shall lose the excellent

services of a man for some slight error of his in the past. This is how

governors lose the scholars of the country. You can always judge from what you

hear: and, after hearing, there is no need of enquiries into the past. This man

is quite agreeable to me. To get just the right men is a difficult matter. Men

must be estimated at their best."

  Duke Huan acted quite correctly in this matter. Thus Lao Tzû says: (Chap.

25.)

  "HEAVEN IS GREAT; EARTH IS GREAT; THE TAO IS GREAT; THE KING IS ALSO GREAT.

  WHEN THOSE FOUR GREATNESSES EXIST WITHIN THE BORDERS, THE KING SHARES ONE OF

  THEM."15

  The man worthy to rule and be king.—Tan Fu,16 the p. 113 great ancestor,

lived in Pin. Being attacked by the Tartars, he hid tribute of furs, cotton,

silk fabrics, precious stones, which, being refused, made him say, "What the

Tartars want is land: wealth and goods will not satisfy them." T‛ai Wang Tan

Fu17 reasoned in this way: "To live with the people (elder brothers) and kill

their brothers, to mingle with the fathers and slay their sons are acts I will

not be a party to; so rest you here in peace. To serve the Tartars will not be

different from serving me. Moreover I have heard it said, "Don't hurt the people

for the sake of territory." So, taking his staff, he departed. The people clung

to him, and they went forth and founded a kingdom near the Ch‛i mountain. The

great ancestor Tan Fu may be accredited with knowing how to preserve his kind.

  Though rich and honourable, he did not injure his person by his mode of life:

though poor and lowly, he did not permit the love of gain to entangle his

person. As it is now, there are those who would look upon it as a great calamity

to lose the titles and emoluments of their ancestors; but they regard it as a

light matter to mar the bodies handed down through long ages. Is this not a

silly view of life? Listen to what Lao Tzu says: (Chap. 13.)

  "THE EMPIRE CAN BE ENTRUSTED TO HIM WHO HONOURS HIS BODY FOR THE SAKE OF HIS

  COUNTRY. THE EMPIRE CAN BE COMMITTED TO HIM WHO LOVES HIS BODY FOR THE SAKE OF

  HIS COUNTRY."

  Moral strength is gained by conquest of the desires. Loss of two worlds. True

vision.—Kung Tzû Mu of Chung Shan, talking to Chan Tzû, said, "What is your

opinion of the man whose thought and will are always occupied in guarding his

inner life or personal nature?" Shan Tzû replied. "He has the best view of life.

Thinking thus of life, he condemns the sway of passion."

  Kung Tzû Mu said, "Though knowledge of the law may exist, what if there is

failure to subdue the desires?" To which Chan Tzû replied, "Failure in

self-conquest means submission to desire. Would you not grieve at p. 114

acquiescence to the passions? On the other hand, inability to win self-conquest

and a forced submission to the passions implies a double loss. Persons who

experience this double suffering belong to a short-lived race." Lao Tzû speaks

thus: (Chap. 55, 32.)

  "THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HARMONY IS CALLED THE CONSTANT LAW OR RULE OF LIFE. THE

  KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONSTANT LAW GIVES TRUE INTELLIGENCE: THE WELL-BEING OF LIFE

  IS CALLED HAPPINESS. THE MIND, USING THE FORCES OF THE FLESH, IS CALLED ANIMAL

  STRENGTH. SO, BY USING THE LIGHT AND REVERTING TO THIS ENLIGHTENMENT, NO

  CALAMITY WILL THEN BE BEQUEATHED TO THE BODY."18

  A mere knowledge of the art of government is insufficient for ruling.—Chuang

Wang of Ts‛u consulted Chan Ho on how to govern a country. He replied, "I am

versed in the government of the person, but not in the government of a country."

Tz‛u Wang further said: "I have come into possession of the Penates and Lares19

and would like to learn how to preserve them." Chan Ho replied, "Your servant

has never heard of any country being in disorder when the person of the ruler is

well-governed: nor, on the other hand, have I ever heard that order can be had

in a nation where the personal life of the ruler is disordered. So I place the

whole responsibility (of government) on the person,—personal renovation. I would

not venture to attribute it to the art of government itself." This is confirmed

by what Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 54.)

  "THE PERSON WHO IS UNDERGOING TRAINING IN VIRTUE POSSESSES THE REAL VIRTUE."

  There is no bloom in any stereotyped law of life.—Duke Huan was reading in

his study, when a wheelwright, who was trimming wheels outside, leaving his adze

and awl, came near and asked the Duke what he was reading. The Duke replied "The

books of the Sages." The wheelwright asked where these men were now, to which

the Duke responded that they were all dead. The wheelwright p. 115 said: "These

books are but the dregs and lees of the Sages." The Duke Huan was angered and

said, as the colour mounted his cheeks: "Do you, a workman, venture to criticise

my reading! If you can justify yourself, well: otherwise you will be put to

death." The wheelwright replied, "Of course I can justify myself. Permit your

servant to explain himself from his own work of wheelwright. If the wedges are

driven in too fast, they will not enter (but break): if driven in too slowly,

they will not be firm: neither too slow nor too fast is an art whereby the hand

and will wholly act in concert, and in this way perfect workmanship is got. Your

servant cannot transmit this expertness to his son, nor can the son get it from

him, and so he is still working at wheels, though close on 70 years of age. It

is so with the words of the sages; the real bloom of them died with their

authors, and there is nothing but the empty lees and husks remaining."20 Lao

Tzŭ's words supply the principle: (Chap. 1.)

  "THE TAO THAT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN WORDS IS NOT THE UNCHANGING TAO; THE NAME

  THAT CAN BE NAMED IS NOT THE UNCHANGING NAME."

  A wily old diplomat.—In ancient time Han Tzŭ, the city-engineer, being Prime

Minister of Sung, spoke to the King, making the following suggestion: "The peace

and unrest of a nation, the government and the anarchy of the people depend on

the king's rewards and punishments. Rewarding with titles and the giving of

largesse is what the people like. Let the King himself exercise this power. But

the death penalty and punishment arouse the disgust of the people. Let your

servant, therefore, discharge this function." The King of Sung replied, that it

was a good suggestion, since he would get the praise and his minister bear the

brunt of opprobrium, and he was sure that the Feudal Lords would not scorn him

for this. Nevertheless, continued the King, when the people realized that the

autocratic powers of death were in the hands of the minister, the officers would

pay him respect and the p. 116 people would fear him. In less than a year, Tzŭ

Han overshadowed the king and usurped the power of government. Lao Tzŭ says:

(Chap. 36.)

      "THE FISH SHOULD NOT LEAVE HIS POOL.

      THE SHARP TOOLS OF AUTHORITY SHOULD

      NOT BE GIVEN INTO OTHER HANDS."

 

  Tradition is no law of life.—Wang Shou carried his books and went to see Hsü

Feng at Chou. Hsü Feng observed that things should respond to change and

circumstance. Customs and practices change, and what does for the present may be

useless for a later time. Books come from words, words come from knowledge, and

knowledge changes. A library becomes dead stock and so useless. The knowing man

knows this. On hearing this, Wang Shou burnt his books very joyfully. Thus Lao

Tzû says: (Chap. 5.)

  "THOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE FOR WORDS TO EXPRESS THE THEME EXHAUSTIVELY, YET IT IS

  BETTER NOT TO GO INTO EVERY DETAIL."

  Conserve and concentrate the mind.—Tzû Pei, Mayor of the Palace, invited

Chwang Wang to a feast, which he accepted. Tzû Pei was wanting in courtesy; and

so the king did not keep the appointment. One day the Mayor was standing in the

courtyard and looking north (towards the King), Tzû Pei said, "Ancient kings

kept their appointments; do you not really mean to go? I fear your servant has

committed some fault." "I have been told," replied the King, "that you prepared

a feast for me in the Ch‛iang T‛ai. This fairy edifice looks south on the Liao

mountain, at the foot of which are the waters of Fang Huang. On the left is the

Yangtse, on the right is the Hui river. The joy of such a scene would make one

forget death itself. Such joy is not for such an imperfect man as myself. I

would be afraid that I should never return, were I to go." As Lao Tzû says:

  "NOT TO LOOK ON WHAT STIRS THE DESIRES IS THE WAY TO KEEP THE MIND FROM

  WANDERING."

p. 117

  A discerning wife.—Chung Erh, the son of the Duke of Tsin, in the course of

his wandering life happened to pass through Ts‛ao, the prince of which country

showed him no courtesy. However, the wife of Hsi Fu Chi, a minister, said to her

husband: "The prince is not very attentive to the son of the Duke of Tsin. I

notice that all who accompany him are able men. When they return into power they

are certain to come and attack Ts‛ao. Why don't you pay some attention to them?"

Hsi Fu Chi, in consequence, presented them with a costly feast and sent a

present of jade. Chung Erh took the food but declined the jade. After returning

to his country, he organised an expedition against Ts‛ao and gained its

submission. He commanded the three regiments not to enter the village of Hsi Fu

Chi. We find this principle enunciated by Lao Tzu in the words: (Chap. 39.)

      "IN HUMILITY YOU WILL FIND SALVATION;

      IN BENDING YOU WILL FIND FREEDOM."

 

  Stoop to conquer.—K‛ou Chien, the King of Yüeh, failed to win in the war with

Wu. He lost his country and fled. He was in distress at K‛uei Chi. His anger

blazed; his courage rose like the gushing waters of a fountain. He had a mind to

marshall his best troops and attack the enemy. But he thought discretion the

better part of valour. Instead, he submitted to his enemy, and his wife became a

serving maid. He personally carried the musket before the King, like a common

soldier. Notwithstanding, he eventually took his master Wu a prisoner at Kan

Sui. Thus we find Lao Tzû saying: (Chap. 40.)

  "THE YIELDING SPIRIT WILL OVERCOME THE FIRM SPIRIT: THE GENTLE SPIRIT WILL

  TRIUMPH OVER THE AGGRESSIVE. THERE IS NO ONE IN THE WORLD BUT KNOWS IT; YET NO

  ONE IS ABLE TO PUT IT INTO PRACTICE."

  The King of Yüeh put it into practice himself and rose to be the autocrat of

China.

  Noblesse oblige.—Chao Chien Tzû died, and before p. 118 his burial, the

magistrate of Chung Mu transferred his allegiance to Ch‛i. Five days after the

burial, Hsiang Tzû took his troops to the attack of Chung Mu: however, before

his soldiers were even posted round the place, 100 feet of the wall fell down,

whereupon Hsiang Tzû sounded the retreat and withdrew. The commanders

remonstrated with the Prince, maintaining that Heaven itself showed its approval

of their cause in punishing the crime of Chung Mu, in that it had caused the

wall to crumble of itself before them, a sure indication that they should not

retire. The prince replied in these words: "I have heard that Hsü Hsiang used to

say: 'The Superior Man doesn't take advantage of an enemy's difficulty nor press

him when he is in danger.' Let them mend their breech and we will renew the

attack." The people of Mu, on hearing of this fine spirit, begged that they be

received back and capitulated. This episode illustrates this saying of Lao Tzû:

(Chap. 42.)

  "YOU HAVE ONLY NOT TO STRIVE AND NO ONE IN THE EMPIRE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTEND

  WITH YOU."

  Intuitive sagacity.—Duke Mu of Ts‛in spoke to the horse-expert, Pei Lu,

asking him whether his son Tzû Hsing, seeing he was old himself, could buy him a

good horse. His reply was that a good horse may be judged from its form, stand,

muscles and bones: but a super-excellent horse was not to be judged by these

outward points. In looking for such a horse, form should be lost sight of; the

stand of the horse may be indecisive or need not be particularly good, the

texture may be indifferent. A unique horse of this kind would not raise dust in

galloping nor leave a trace of its steps behind it. My son's qualities are

secondary. He may recognise a good horse, but not the unique one. I have an

assistant, however, who helps me in feeding and grooming the horses, who is in

no whit inferior to myself: his name is Chiu Fang Yin. Please interview him."

The Duke commissioned this person to buy a horse. He returned in three p. 119

months with the information that he had got a horse in Shan Ch‛iu. Duke Mu asked

him what kind of a horse it was, and he replied that it was a stallion of yellow

colour. Men were sent for it, and, when it came, it was found to be a black

mare. The Duke called Pei Yoh and said what a mess the man whom he had

recommended had made of things. He neither knew the colour of the hair, nor the

quality of the animal: neither was he aware of whether it was a stallion or a

mare. "What kind of a horse-fancier could such an individual be?" Pei Yoh

breathed deeply and heaved a sigh saying: "Is it as bad as that! This man is a

thousand times superior to me as a connoisseur of horses. What Yin sees in a

horse is its natural endowments and not merely the outward accidents. In seeking

its vitality, he doesn't think of the flesh and bone: he looks for the intrinsic

merits, without regarding the extrinsic form. He searches for the essentials and

has no eyes for the non-essentials. He looks for what he wants to see and pays

no attention to what he doesn't want to see. Such points as he observes are

above the mere form of the horse." When the horse was led in, it proved to be

truly a horse of a thousand li. This illumines the saying of Lao Tzû: (Chap.

45.)

  "THE LONG STRAIGHTNESS LOOKS AS THOUGH CROOKED: THE BIG CLEVERNESS AS THOUGH

  DULL."

  The maxim that necessity knows no law is alien to the true art of

government.—Wu Ch‛i filled the office of Prime Minister of Ts‛u. Going to Wei,

he told Ch‛u I Jo that the King had overlooked his demerits and made him Prime

Minister; so he asked Ch‛u to please give an opinion on his personal qualities

as a man. Ch‛u Tzû asked, in turn, what his real aims were; to which Wu Ch‛i

replied that his policy was to lower the power of the nobles, to equalize the

scale of salaries, by lowering some and increasing the salaries of those who had

too little, to make the armaments of the nation perfect and, by constant

struggle, gain a dominant place for his country in the p. 120 empire. Ch‛u Tzû

responding said: "The ancients governed best by not making any changes in past

methods and not altering the usual practices. But since you propose doing so,

let me tell you it will not be good. I have also heard that enmity is an

inversion of nature: the military is an obnoxious instrument, on which people

depend in settling their quarrels. Strife is what men desire to eliminate. You

now secretly plan this method of brute force, and delight in the use of this

hurtful instrument. If you were to carry on those struggles, you would be acting

most banefully. Further, when you employed the Luh troops against Ch‛i, you

gained your purpose in spite of a bad cause: in like manner, you conquered Ts‛in

in the face of all right. I have heard it said, If you keep from bringing

disaster and miseries on men, you will keep yourself from your own ruin. By

ruining others, you complete your own ruin. I firmly believe that our country's

King has transgressed the laws of Heaven and wrecked human principles often; but

no disaster has, hitherto, overtaken him, and it must be that you are the man to

bring this on. Ah: wait and see!" Wu Ch‛i became alarmed and asked if there were

a possibility of avoiding such a catastrophe. Ch‛u Tzû replied that as the

catastrophe impending over all had already taken form,22 it would be impossible

to avert it. All that could be done was to alleviate any deleterious effects by

generous love and sincere actions. As Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 45.)

  "BLUNT THE EDGE OF YOUR DESIRES; SCATTER YOUR TENDENCY TO STRIFE; GET THE TRUE

  LIGHT OF THE TAO; MAKE YOURSELF ONE WITH THE COMMON MAN.21

  Great is humility.—When Tsin was going to attack Ts‛u, and when the army was

not more than 105 li away and still coming on, the ministers of Ts‛u asked

authority to meet the enemy and strike him. King Chuang responded that Tsin did

not attack Ts‛u, in the days of former Princes, so it must be that he was

personally guilty of something to bring on such shame. All the ministers replied

that p. 121 Tsin did not attack Ts‛u during the regime of past ministers, so it

must be owing to their fault that Tsin came to attack the country now. They

begged for an order to meet the attack. The King weeping bitterly, the tears

falling down his garments, rose up and made obeisance to all the ministers.

  When the people of Ts‛in heard of this, they said, "King and ministers are

vying the one with the other, each asking to bear the responsibility of our

aggression, the King even doing homage to his ministers." So they said, "This

expedition must not be made." The army returned. Just as Lao Tzû says: (Chap.

46.)

      "HE WHO CAN BEAR INDIGNITY FOR THE NATION

      HE IS THE MAN TO BE ITS MASTER."

 

  The character of a man worthy to be King.—In the time of Duke Ching of Sung,

the planet Mars was in the heart constellation, which so alarmed the Duke that

he called the astronomer Tzŭ Wei for consultation on the portent, who reported

that the appearance of Mars signified a judgment of Heaven, since the heart

constellation was the celestial arc that governed the territory of Sung.23

Further the Prince would have to bear the impending calamity: nevertheless it

would be possible to shift this on to the shoulders of the Prime Minister. But

the Duke objected to this since he carried the work of government and it would

be unfortuitous for him to die. "In that case," Tzŭ Wei said: "It could be

shifted on to the people." Again the Duke objected on the plea that if the

people were to die, he would have no one over whom to rule, and it would be

preferable for him alone to die. "Let it then be transferred on to the Seasons,"

said Tzŭ Wei. Once more the Duke expressed his unwillingness to this proposal,

since the livelihood of the people depended on the Seasons; for, should the

people experience a famine, they would die. "And were I," he continued, "to risk

the life of the people to save my own, who would desire to have me as their

King! My days are finished; so p. 122 there's an end of it. Don't say anything

more." Tzû Wei turned to the north, making his obeisance, said: "May I venture

to congratulate your Majesty? Though Heaven is placed high, it yet hears those

below. The Prince has given expression to the thought of a good man in his three

objections. So Heaven will surely reward the Prince threefold. To-night this

planet will move 21 li and the Duke will have 21 years' lease of life." In

response to the question of what assurance there was of this, Tzŭ Wei replied:

"The Prince spoke three times the words of a wise man and the star must remove

the distance I indicated. May I ask you to come outside and see? If it doesn't

deviate the distance mentioned, you may take my life." The Duke assented. That

evening the star did move away 21 li. Lao Tzŭ says: (Chap. 49.)

  "HE WHO CAN TAKE ON HIMSELF THE ILL OMENS OF A NATION SHALL BE THE KING."

  Room for all.—In olden times during the days of Chao, Kung Sung Lung said to

his disciples, "I have no use for men without talent." A guest came along,

wearing rough serge and a girdle of common hemp. He said, at an interview: "Your

servant has the talent of being able to shout." Kung Sung looked him up and down

and said to his disciples "Have we any criers?" They replied that they had none.

So the King ordered this stranger to be entered on the register. A few days

later, the disciples went to call on Yen Wang for consultation: on coming to a

river, the ferry boat was found to be far away at the opposite bank. So the

newly-enlisted crier was ordered to vociferate his loudest. The boat came, after

he shouted once. It is written that the Sage does not readily overlook the

service of any man with ability. Just as Lao Tzû expresses it: (Chap. 50.)

  "THERE IS NO MAN QUITE USELESS; THERE IS NO ARTICLE THAT IS WORTHLESS; THE

  UNITY OF THESE DIVERSE THINGS MAKE UP THE SUM TOTAL OF LIFE."

  Who should get the decoration?—Tzû Fa attacked p. 123 and overcome Ts‛ai. The

King Hsuan went out to meet him on his return, and gave him 100 acres of the

best land for the purposes of sacrifices. But Tzû Fa refused this grant on the

grounds that all government administration and tributes and the visits of the

Feudal Lords were the result of the King's merits. The issue of commands, the

distribution of orders and the dispersion of the enemy, even before the army was

engaged in battle, were the result of the awe inspired by the chief commander.

The victory of the army in battle was the result of the people's effort. To take

advantage of these successes, in order to increase personal emoluments and

honours, would be neither humane nor just. Hence I refuse." This episode shows

what Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 51.)

  "HE HAS ACHIEVED SUCCESS BUT DOES NOT THINK OF IT: THE VERY FACT OF NOT

  DWELLING ON IT ENSURES THAT THE RENOWN SHALL ABIDE WITH HIM."

  A contract is more than a scrap of paper.—Duke Wen of Tsin, in going to

attack the Yuan State, assured his ministers that the enemy would submit in

three days, and he converted them to his enterprise by this hope. But when the

three days had passed without the capitulation, Duke Wen withdrew his troops. An

officer said the place would capitulate in a day or two, therefore let them hold

on. The Prince replied that he was fully convinced that Yuan could be taken in

three days, when he made the promise: but as he failed to capture it within the

prescribed time he had given to his ministers, he had, therefore, broken faith

with them by such a promise of taking Yuan: so he would not take it. When the

people of Yuan heard this they said: "Having such a Prince, can we refrain from

surrendering?" Which they did forthwith. The people of Wen, hearing these

things, also begged to be received. Thus Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 52.)

  "HOW DEEP AND ABSTRUSE! WITHIN THE TAO THERE IS THE ESSENCE; THE ESSENCE IS

  ABSOLUTELY TRUE; IN ITS VERY CENTRE REPOSE SINCERITY AND GOOD FAITH."

p. 124

  First things first.—When Duke Kung I became Premier of Luh, the whole country

brought him presents of fish, knowing that he was fond of it; but he refused to

accept it. His pupils remonstrated with him and wanted to know why he refused

every gift of fish, seeing he was so fond of it? He gave as his reason that he

declined the presents for the very reason that he was fond of it. Were he to

accept such, he said, it would involve his vacating the post of minister; though

he liked fish, yet he could not afford to buy it himself (out of office). But

his refusal to accept any presents of fish did away with the necessity of

retiring from office, and thus he could afford to supply himself with fish

always. Thus he was clear on altruism and egoism. Just as Lao Tzû says: (Chap.

53.)

      "BY PUTTING HIS PERSON LAST, IT CAME TO BE FIRST.

      BY DENYING HIS BODY, HE PRESERVED IT.

      IT WAS NOT WHOLLY A MATTER OF UNSELFISHNESS

      THAT HE WAS ABLE TO GRATIFY HIS PRIVATE DESIRES."

 

  Another saying of his is:

  "SATISFIED WITH WHAT ONE HAS WILL PRECLUDE THE OCCASION OF SHAME."

  An elderly man of Hu Ch‛iu said to Sun Hsü Ao, "People have three kinds of

hatreds. Do you know them?" Well they are: "The scholars envy a high noble; the

king dislikes a great officer; and all dislike those with big salaries." Sun Hsü

Ao replied, "The greater my nobility, the less is my aim: the higher my post,

the lowlier my heart: the higher my salary the more I distribute. May I escape

these three hatreds, do you think? As Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 39.)

      "THE EXALTED MUST MAKE LOWLINESS THEIR BASE.

      THE HIGH MUST TAKE THE LOW AS A FOUNDATION."

 

  The man who acted as smith for Ta Ssû-ma was still beating buckles at 70

years of age without ever making a mistake in shaping even the finest edge. The

minister said to him: "Is it skill or is there some secret about it that you can

work thus?" The smith replied: "It is p. 125 practice and attention. When your

servant was twenty years old, I liked to beat buckles, and paid no attention to

anything else. I never examined an article that wasn't a buckle." Therefore in

the use of this skin, it came to be second nature to him, and by this

concentrated practice he became perfect. How much more may it be said of that

which is in constant use!

  This unconscious habit is even more than Wu-wei, Lao Tzu says: (Chap. 54.)

  "TO ACT ACCORDING TO THE TAO IS THE WAY THAT MAKES A PERSON ONE WITH THE TAO

  ITSELF."

  Bear present indignity and wait for empire.—Wen Wang sharpened his virtues

and cultivated his government, so that, in three years, two-thirds of the

country owned him allegiance. Chou, the emperor, was troubled when he heard it,

and said: "I really can't rise early and retire late and mend my ways and

cultivate virtue, belabouring my mind and wearing my body with heavy toils! But

if I don't do it and let him go and think no more about him, I fear he would

attack me." Ts‛un Hou Hu said to him; "Chou Pei Ch‛ang24 i.e. Wen Wang, is a

person of benevolence and justice and of good judgement. His eldest son, Fa, is

a man of courage and determination. His second son, Tan, is a person of pious

and frugal habits and possesses the gift of reading the drift of the times. But

should you try to follow his example, you cannot escape the danger of such a

course; if you take no notice of him and let him go free, you are bound to come

to a bad end. Even an ugly cap must be worn on the head. So I counsel you to

check him before his schemes are matured." Thereupon Ch‛u Shang held Wen Wang

captive in Yu Li. Whereupon San I Sheng, having a thousand ingots of silver,

sought for the most curious and precious stones in the empire. He obtained a

tandem of the tiger-marked horses, 300 pieces of black jade, 500 cowries, the

dusky leopard, the yellow p‛i, (bear) the blue kan (wild dog), and 2,000 pieces

of the white tiger with p. 126 the striped skin. Having collected these, he

presented them to Chou by means of an intermediary, the minister Fei Chung. When

Chou saw the gifts, he was delighted with them and liberated Wen Wang, killing

an ox and offering it to him as a parting gift. On his return home, Wen Wang

simulated an infatuation for building doors inlaid with jade and lofty towers,

played with girls and spent his time dilly-dallying with drums and music; but

really he was waiting his chance to fall on Chou. When Chou heard of these

infatuations, it made him say: "Chou Pei Ch‛ang has changed his way and altered

his course of life. There will be no more disquiet for me." Chou, however, did

not mend his ways, but cast the iron man,25 he took out the heart of Pei Kan,

and ripped out the embryo of a pregnant woman and slew the minister who

remonstrated with him. Wen Wang at length arose at these enormities and put his

plans into execution. Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 28.)

  "CONSCIOUS OF GLORY, YET BEARING PRESENT SHAME, SUCH A MAN IS AS A VALLEY TO

  WHICH ALL THE CURRENTS OF EMPIRE SHALL CONVERGE."

  Kings should stand in awe of the people.—Ch‛eng Wang sought advice from Yen I

on political matters, desiring to know how he should act so that the authorities

could gain the affection of the people. Yen I replied in these words: "Employ

them at suitable seasons:26 be mindful of their interests: respect their

feelings." In response the king wanted to know, further, how these things were

to be done. Yen replied, "Act with circumspection as though you were approaching

a deep pool or treading on thin ice." In turn, the king said, "Fearful for kings

then." Yen said, "Within the whole empire, if the king acts well, the people

recognise him as their pastor: if he acts ill, they look on him as an enemy. The

servants of Hsia and Shang became the enemies of the kings, Chieh and Chou, and

transferred their allegiance to Tang and Wu. The people of Hsü Hsia attacked

their ruler and p. 127 allied themselves to Shen Nung.27 All the world knows

these things. Kings should stand in awe." The principle is given by Lao Tzû in

these words: (Chap. 12.)

      "WHAT MEN STAND IN AWE OF

      IS TO BE FEARED BY ALL KINGS."

 

  The principles of the Sages should be abolished, as they are the maxims of

robbers.—The followers of Chê, when asking their chief if thieves had any

principles, received the reply that it was not possible for them to be without

such. The person who could guess where the treasure was stored, was a superior

man: the first to enter was the man of courage: the last to leave, was the hero.

In the average division of spoils there was an element of justice. The member of

the gang who knew when to act was the man of knowledge. Where one of these five

factors was lacking no great act of plunder could be successful. Nothing in the

world could be done without these principles. From this it may be inferred that

the mind of the brigand must needs borrow the teaching of the sages for carrying

on his trade. Lao Tzŭ says: (Chap. 19.)

  "ABOLISH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SAGES, ABANDON SAGACITY, AND THE WELFARE OF THE

  PEOPLE WILL BE INCREASED A HUNDREDFOLD."

  Use for the rough diamonds of Society.—General Tzŭ Fa of Ts‛u liked to look

out for men of skill. He encouraged everyone who showed any talent. Now there

was a clever thief in Ts‛u who heard of this, so he went to see the general,

saying that he had heard he was on the look out for men of skill; that his was

in thieving, and as he would like to try his skill, he offered himself as a

soldier. Hearing this, the general was in such haste to see him that he could

hardly wait to put on his hat and robes to receive him civilly. His attendants

tried to dissuade him from showing any civility to a thief. The general replied

that this was no business of theirs.

  Not long after, Ch‛i marshalled its troops to attack p. 128 Ts‛u. Tzŭ Fa, the

commander of the Ts‛u army, was pressed and had to withdraw his forces three

times. The best leaders of Ts‛u had exhausted their plans and used every device,

but the army of Ch‛i still advanced and was stronger than ever. Just then the

quondam thief begged permission of the general to use his little talent. Tzŭ Fa

consented, and without asking any particulars, sent him off. So the thief

entered the camp of the Ch‛i commander and stole the curtain of his bed, as he

was sleeping, and brought it to his general. The general thereupon sent it back

by a messenger with the words that one of his soldiers found the commander's

curtains, when gathering fire sticks: so he was returning it to the man in

charge, by a messenger. The next day, the thief soldier stole the pillow of the

commander, as he was sleeping. This again Tzŭ Fa returned in the same way. The

next day he went and abstracted the commander's hair-fastening. Tzŭ Fa once more

returned the article. When the soldiers became aware of this, they were greatly

alarmed, and the commander held a consultation with his officers maintaining

that if they didn't immediately return home, it was not impossible that the King

of Ts‛u would get the commander's head next! He then withdrew the troops and

departed. This is, as the common saying has it, no gift is too little, no

ability too slight for the king to use. Just as Lao Tzŭ says: (Chap. 27.)

  "THE ROUGH DIAMONDS OF SOCIETY ARE THE MATERIALS FOR THE USE OF THE GOOD MAN."

  The true culture of the Tao and life.—Yen Hui told Chung Ni (Confucius) "I

have made progress." "How so?" asked Chung Ni. He replied "Hui28 can forego

Etiquette and Music." Confucius said: "Good, but your progress is not yet

complete." Another day, Yen Hui saw Confucius and said: "Hui has made progress."

"In what way? asked Confucius. "I have dispensed with Jen and I, Benevolence and

Justice" answered Hui. Confucius said "Very good, there is yet room to advance."

Yet p. 129 another day, on seeing him again, Hui said, "I can sit without being

conscious of my body. I have reached the abstraction of the Tao." Confucius

suddenly asked, "What do you mean by sitting in a state of abstraction?" Yen Hui

replied: "Lose all sense of the physical body: I can be detached from sentiency,

and be oblivious of this outward form and abandon knowledge: thus situated I

penetrate within the spiritual flux: passivity is what I mean by sitting in a

state of insensibility." Chung Ni replied, "Penetration into these implies a

state without shan, goodness, virtue: the state of spiritual passivitity or flux

implies a state without the constant principles and maxims of the Sages. You

have entered sainthood before me. I must beg to follow after you." Lao Tzŭ says:

(Chap. 10.)

  CLOTHED WITH ANIMAL SPIRIT AND SOUL EMBRACING THE UNITY AND ABIDING THERE,

  WITHOUT INTERRUPTION, THE UNDIVIDED VITAL BREATH IN A STATE OF YIELDINGNESS,

  SIMILAR TO AN INFANT CHILD, THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO BE BATHED IN THE TAO.

  A false move.—Duke Mu of Ts‛u mobilised his troops for a surprise attack on

Cheng. Ch‛ien Hsü disagreed with the proposal, on the grounds that for a

surprise attack to be successful, the chariots must not be over 100 li away, and

the infantry not over 30 li from the objective; that the plans must be secret

and not divulged; the soldiers' keenness must not have lost its edge (as it

would, after long marches); the commissariat must not be depleted: the people

must not be exhausted; but all, by uniting their keen spirit and abounding

strength in the objective, attack the enemy, and overawe him. "But in the case

before us," he said, "the distance is several thousand li: the territories of

several Feudal Princes must be crossed to make this surprise attack. Your

servant wonders whether the King would not reconsider the plan." But Duke Mu

refusing the advice, Ch‛ien Hsu in sending forth the troops wore mourning hemp

garments, and wept.

  The army on its march had to pass through Chou p. 130 and was met on the east

of it by a trader from Cheng Hsuan, Kao by name, who had come, inspired by the

command of the Baron of Cheng, to welcome the weary troops of Ts‛in by an

offering of 12 oxen. The three commanders were alarmed, and deliberated, saying

they had marched several thousand li to a surprise attack on a people, but

before they had reached their objective, people were aware of their purpose and

so were prepared: the surprise therefore would be impossible. The troops were

withdrawn and departed.

  Just then Duke Wen of Tsin fell sick and died; but before the burial had

taken place, Hsien Chen spoke to the young king, Hsiang Kung, saying: "My former

Prince, in days gone by, was friendly with Duke Mu, as is well known to

everybody, and none of the Feudal Lords but was aware of it. But here we find

that, even ere our dead King is buried, he (Mu) does not offer his condolences

nor ask permission to pass over our territory. This is because he sees our King

is dead and despises our new King. I beg for authority to attack him." This

being granted, Hsien Chen called up the army and, meeting the forces of Ts‛in at

Yao, routed them. He captured their three commanders and led them captive. On

hearing these tidings, Duke Mu put on sack-cloth and wailed in the temple, as he

related the events to the people. Lao Tzu says: (Chap. 71.)

  "TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND YET APPEAR NOT TO KNOW, IS THE HIGHEST ATTAINMENT. TO

  HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE AND YET GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF KNOWING, IS CHICANERY."29

  In the choice of a wife, don't be led away by the senses.—After the death of

the queen of Ch‛i, the King desired to choose a queen-consort from the

concubines. The matter still pending, he took counsel with the ministerial body.

Duke Hsueh, wishing to fall in with the purpose of the King, sent a present of

ten ear-rings of which one pair was most beautiful. One morning, later, p. 131

he enquired of the servitors which of the maids had the beautiful pair and

advised the king to make her his consort. (He thus wished to curry favour with

the king and the new queen). The king of Ch‛i was most delighted and heaped

honours on Duke Hsueh. Thus when the master's desires are revealed to the

servant, a handle is given the servant to control the master. Just as Lao Tzu

says: (Chap. 52.)

  "PLUG UP THE AVENUE OF THE SENSES; CLOSE UP THE DOOR OF THE DESIRES. THIS WILL

  STOP THE CARES OF LIFE."

  Another case of Newton and the sands.—Lu Ao,30 a man haughty and proud, went

touring towards the North Sea to find an arhat. Having crossed through to the

limit of the North, he entered the Hsuan Ch‛üeh mountain and arrived at the top

of the Meng Ku range. Here he met with a scholar-like person whose eyes were

deep set, his temples were covered with jet black hair, tears stood in his eyes:

he had the shoulders of a kite; his head was generous above and receding below.

He seemed full of merriment, as he danced in the breezes. He looked at Lu Ao and

appeared ill-pleased to see him there: the arms, that were swaying in his

gyrations, he let fall and slipped behind a stone column. Lu Ao came forward and

looked at him, just as he was seated on a tortoise shell and swallowing oysters.

Lu Ao addressed him thus: "I thought I was the only individual who had turned

his back on kith and kin to get a thorough observation of the uttermost parts of

the world. As a young man I was fond of travel, nor have I changed my habits in

old age; so having traversed the four quarters of the earth, I still had the

extreme north unvisited. To-day I find you, Sir, here! May it not be possible

that we may be friends?" The scholar-like man smilingly replied: "Hsi! you are

from China and have chosen to come to this distant spot. But you musn't think

this is very far. Here there are still the sun and moon, the stars, too, are

hung out here. Here the Yin and Yang still operate, and the four seasons p. 132

come and go. These parts compared with the unnameable places are still

circumscribed. But where I roam to the south there is the boundless waste; to

the north I stop in the profound gloom; to the west there is an illimitable

vista; on the east I go beyond the orient. In these distant regions there is no

firmament above nor earth below: there is no sound to be heard nor vista on

which to gaze; still further on, there is only the sound as of rolling waters.

Thither it is I have not been able to reach. Now Sir, having reached this place

to which you have voyaged for the first time, you musn't think you have reached

the end of the world: as a matter of fact you are far from that. Rest here, Sir:

I must go to Han Man.31 beyond the range of the nine Heavens. I musn't abide

here long." This strange man then lifted his arms and pulling together his body,

forthwith disappeared in the clouds. Lu Ao, looking after him, saw him not. He

stopped his chariot. Feeling annoyed with himself and with the turn things had

taken, he said: "Compared with that person I am no more than a yellow heron or a

worthless worm of the earth; I can only crawl a few feet in a whole day, whereas

he has already sped a long way. Isn't it grievous!" Thus Chuang Tzu says:

  "THE CREATURES OF A SHORT YEAR ARE INFERIOR TO THOSE OF A LONG YEAR. A LITTLE

  KNOWLEDGE IS INFERIOR TO GREAT KNOWLEDGE. THE MOTH THAT SEES THE MORNING

  LIGHT, DIES BEFORE A MON'TH COMES ROUND. THE CICADA KNOWS NEITHER AN AUTUMN

  NOR SPRING."

  These words show clearly that there are many things we can never know.32

  Let the King cultivate a conscience in the people.—Ch‛i Tzŭ ruled Shan Fu for

three years. Wu Ma-ch‛i, making himself incognito, went about to see the effect

of his administration. Seeing a fisherman throw back into the stream a fish he

had taken, he asked the reason why he did so, telling him that fishermen as a

rule kept the fish they had taken. What was the reason for his not p. 133 doing

so? The fisherman replied that Ch‛i Tzŭ didn't wish people to capture small

fishes. That was the reason. Wu returned to Confucius and told him this,

remarking that Ch‛i Tzŭ's virtue was perfect, in that he had induced men to act

in their privacy as though a monitor stood by their side with the warning and

admonitions of severe punishment. How could he have attained to this degree of

excellence? Confucius replied: "I have seen the statement that in government

sincerity in one thing will also appear in other things. Ch‛i Tzŭ has exercised

this art in his administration." Lao Tzû puts it in this way: (Chap. 12.)

  "EJECT THIS TO ACCEPT THAT, i.e. SUPPRESS THE PASSIONS AND FOLLOW THE TAO."

  Follow the Spirit and cultivate the habit of Wu-wei.—The Spirit of the water

said to Shadow: "Is Luminosity a spirit?" The Shadow replied, "Nay". The Spirit

of the water said, "How do you know?" Shadow replied, "The light passes Fu

Sang,33 the orient, and daily illumines the Universe. The brilliancy of the

light, tinging the four seas and the world, has no means of entering the closed

door and the stopped-up window, but spirit penetrates everywhere and floods

everything. Above, it spreads to the very borders and limits of heaven, below it

covers the earth, nourishing all creation. An image cannot be made of it. Up and

down, even to the extremities of the world and beyond, the Spirit's energies

operate. Luminosity cannot be such as spirit." As Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 43.)

  "THE MOST YIELDING THING IN THE WORLD INTERPENETRATES THE FIRMEST."

  Brilliancy{34} asked Non-Being, "Have you really an existence or are you

really non-existent?" Non-Being made no reply to this.35 Not able to see any

objective form which he could address, he kept gazing on Non-Being's appearance,

dim and vague. He gazed, but saw no manifest form; he listened, but discerned no

sound; he clutched at it, but failed to grasp anything; he viewed it, but could

not fathom it. Brilliancy exclaimed. "Wonderful! p. 134 Who can attain to this?

I can be the Invisible Spirit, but I cannot differentiate his qualities; I can

get to be nothing, but I cannot attain to the elimination of nothing itself."36

As Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 43.)

  "SINCE THE NON-BEING ENTERS INTO THE NON-SPATIAL, I KNOW THEREFORE THAT WU-WEI

  IS PROFITABLE."

  The Supremacy of the Spirit.—Pei Kung Sheng37 meditated a revolution. After

the end of an audience, he stood leaning on his lance; the point pricked his jaw

and the blood flowed, but without his being conscious of it. When the people of

Cheng heard of it, they said: "If he is unconscious of this, what will he not be

unconscious of!" This shows that when the spirit follows ideas beyond the

physical frame and the mind is flooded with thoughts and designs, there is no

attention paid to wounds nearer home. Hence, when the mind is occupied with

distant objects, things nearer the body are foregotten. Just as Lao Tzû says:

(Chap. 47.)

  "BY NOT GOING OUT OF YOUR DOOR YOU MAY LEARN OF THE AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTRY.

  WITHOUT LOOKING OUT OF YOUR WINDOW, THE HEAVENLY DOCTRINE CAN BE KNOWN. THE

  FARTHER YOU TRAVEL IN YOUR RESEARCHES THE LESS YOU KNOW."

  The saying is illustrated by the foregoing historical episode.

  Forts are not the best guardians of a frontier.—The emperor Ts‛in,38 anxious

about maintaining the empire he had won, assigned guardposts on the frontiers,

built the Great Wall, organized likin stations and bridges, erected

fortifications, prepared express services and appointed frontier officials.

Nevertheless Liu Pang captured the empire most easily.39

  When Wu Wang punished Chou and broke his power at Mu Yeh, he nevertheless

sealed up the grave of Pi Kan (Chou's founder): he exhibited notices of immunity

and protection over the shops of the merchants; he placed a guard at the door of

Ch‛i Tzu.40 He offered his respects p. 135 at the temple of Ch‛eng Ch‛iao; he

distributed the grain at Chu Ch‛iao; he disbursed the money-hoards at Lu T‛ai;

he broke his war drum and war staff; he unbent his bows and broke their strings;

he abandoned his palace and lived in the suburbs to show the settlement of peace

and the change of regime. He laid by the sword and adopted the ivory tablet,41

to show that all enmity had been laid aside. Whereupon the whole empire became

jubilant and praised him. The Feudal Lords brought their tributes (silk) and

paid court for 34 generations, without a break. As Lao Tzŭ says: (Chap. 27.)

  "HE WHO CLOSES WELL, THOUGH WITHOUT BAR AND BOLT, YET IT CANNOT BE OPENED. HE

  WHO BINDS WELL, THOUGH WITHOUT ROPE AND CORD, YET IT CANNOT BE UNTIED."

  The mental condition that will lead to mastery.—Yin Hsü tried to learn

driving, for three years, without success. He was extremely troubled and thought

hard on the matter. One night, in a dream, Ch‛iu Chia (the great charioteer)

appeared as his teacher. Going to call, the following day, on his usual

instructor, he was greeted with the remark, "It isn't that I dislike instructing

you; I fear it is that you are incapable of instruction. To-day I am going to

tell you the art of Ch‛iu Chia (I can't do more)." Yin Hsü turned to go, but did

the usual courtesy saying: "Your pupil has met with great good fortune. I truly

received his instruction in a dream last night." This is what Lao Tzü says:

(Chap. 16.)

  "WHEN THE MIND IS CONVINCED OF THE UNREALITY OF VISIBLE THINGS AND HOLDS

  STEADFASTLY TO THIS UNDISTUBED STATE, THOUGH THE WHOLE CREATION IS SPREAD OUT

  BEFORE THE EYES, I LOOK TO THE MIND."42

  Superior Men.—Formerly Sun Hsü Ao thrice gained the post of Prime Minister

without showing any special gratification. He also vacated the office thrice

without any compunction or manifestation of chagrin. Chi Tzû of Yen Ling was

pressed by the Wu people to become p. 136 their King, but refused the honour.

  Hsü Yu declined the throne and refused to accept it.

  An Tzû made an oath to Ts‛ui Shu that he would not change his loyalty to the

old house, though he were to suffer death for it.

  All these loyal men had a vision of something beyond the present. Their

spirits were indifferent to life and death, and so they were not to be beguiled

by any material conditions or worldly goods.

  The spirit of Self-sacrifice.—The Ching nation had a man named Tz‛u Fei, who

gained an excalibur in the army of the Kan country. On returning from the war,

he had to cross a river. When midway, a violent storm was raised by Yang Hou,

the spirit of the water, and two scaly dragons clutched the sides of the boat.

Tz‛u Fei asked the ferrymen whether they had ever survived another such storm.

They replied it was most unusual. So Tz‛u Fei with wide-open eyes, rolling up

his sleeves and drawing out his sword exclaimed: "A soldier may be persuaded by

the courteous way of kindness and justice, but he refuses to submit to

intimidation. You rotten and despicable creatures of the river! I wouldn't

grieve if I lost my precious sword in attacking you!" So, jumping into the

river, he slashed at the dragons and cut off their heads. All the passengers

were saved, and the wind and waves died away. Tz‛u Fei was made a Baron of

Ching, with territory. Confucius, hearing of it, remarked, "Tz‛u Fei did well in

drawing his sword at the hideous monsters of the river." Thus Lao Tzû says:

(Chap. 75.)

  "HE WHO ACTS, REGARDLESS OF LIFE, IS WORTHIER THAN THE MAN WHO PUTS LIFE

  BEFORE ALL."

  The man of fickle purpose is unfit to be a leader.—Shun Yu K‛un of Ch‛i

counselled King Wu to adopt the principle of Federation. The King accepted the

advice and gave him ten fine chariots to go to Ching. When about to depart, his

men held that federation was not good enough; so he offered the King the further

advice of p. 137 Imperialism.43 Just as he was departing with this alternative

idea, the King stopped him, as he had lost confidence in a man who had as

suddenly abandoned the purpose of federation, holding such a person incompetent

to work out the principle of imperialism, as he was unstable. Words should be

based on conviction, and business should be carried forward on fundamental

principles. When these are both lost, devices, though many, are useless. This is

the significance of the figure biting his finger cast on the Chou tripod.44 It

showed the mind of the ancient kings how they did not care to use forced

cleverness. Hence Sheng Tzû says, "A carpenter knows how to make a door. If he

only made one to open and not to shut, he would not know the intention and

raison d'être of a door."

  Personality must not be hampered.—Tien Chiu of the sect of Mei Tzû followed

the master's method. Desiring to see King Hui of Ch‛ing, he hung up the reins of

his fine carriage, vainly waiting audience. He remained a whole year at the

court without getting an interview. Some one advised him to go and see the King

of Ts‛u. This king received him gladly and gave him credentials to go as

minister to Ch‛ing. On arriving, King Hui finding that he was duly accredited

with a general's commission, received him willingly and gave him an audience. In

leaving the palace, he sighed deeply, saying to those around him: "I stayed for

three years at Ch‛ing without an audience; never did I imagine I could get one

viâ Ts‛u." In business matters it may be said: "The near is distant, and the

distant is near." Hence the ways of the great man may not be gauged by any

routine formula. He arrives at his object in his own way, and that is all about

it, as Kuan Tzu remarks: "An owl will not get to its destination if its wings

are tied."

  The great depths of the Feng waters do not keep any dust and debris on the

surface. Throw a needle in and it is quite visible at the bottom. It isn't the

depth, but clearness that matters. Neither fish, turtle, dragon, p. 138 nor

snake care to appear within. For the same reason cereals will not grow on a

stone, nor do deer and stags roam on the bare hills, since there is no cover to

give them hiding.

  Generosity of spirit.—Once on a time, Chao Wen Tzû asked Shu Hsiang45 which

of the six generals of Tsin would die first. He replied that it would be Chih of

the centre army: "because," he said, "this man in administering, carried on his

examination with harshness; he informed himself of vexatious details; he

regarded loyalty to consist in being stingy to his underlings and reckoned that

merit lay in gaining many good marks from the government. Such a person may be

likened to one stretching leather. Pull it, and it can be made larger.

Nevertheless, this is the way to tear it. Lao Tzû says:

  "HE WHO ADMINISTERS IN A GENEROUS SPIRIT WILL HAVE A SINCERE AND SIMPLE

  PEOPLE: HE WHO IS PETTYFOGGING AND VEXATIOUS WILL HAVE A PEOPLE IN POVERTY."

  Strict justice and loyalty.—The Duke of Ching asked T‛ai P‛u what was the

effect of his teaching? And the reply was: "It can shake the Earth." An Tzû, the

Prime Minister, went to interview the duke, and the duke said to him, "T‛ai P‛u

told me his ability could shake the Earth. Now how can he shake the Earth?" An

Tzû was silent and made no reply. He went out and spoke to T‛ai P‛u saying, "I

saw formerly the planet Kou in the region of Fang Hsin (###). Did it shake the

earth?" T‛ai P‛u replied, "Naturally it did." An Tzû withdrew and T‛ai P‛u went

to the Duke, saying he didn't mean to say that he could shake earth, but that

the earth was about to shake from natural causes. Tien Tzû Yang, hearing this,

said, "The perplexing silence of An Tzû arose from his desire to shield T‛ai P‛u

from death." His interview with T‛ai P‛u showed his desire to know the truth,

fearing lest the king should have deceived him in what he had said. It may be

truly said that An Tzû acted loyally to p. 139 his superior and graciously

towards those under him. As Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 58.)

  "SQUARE IN CONDUCT WITHOUT DEFECTS, TO BE JUSTLY STRICT WITHOUT INJURING,

  STERN IN DUTY WITHOUT IN JUSTICE."

  A mistaken judgement.—Viscount Wei Wen, at a feast he gave to his ministers

at Yang Ch‛ü (Tai Yuan), being somewhat under the influence of liquor, sighed

deeply, as he said: "I alone have no minister like to Yu Jang." For loyalty

Ch‛un Chung poured out a large cupful of liquor and held it up to the king

saying: "May it please you to drink up this 'as a fine.'" "Why so," replied the

king. "Your servant has heard it said, that the carrying out of the requests of

parents is not thought of as filial piety. A just prince does not think of the

loyalty of ministers who carry out their duties." Now what kind of man was Yu

Jang's king? He was a defeated prince. Viscount Wen drank the cup at one gulp,

saying: "The deed of Yu Jang arose from the lack of loyal ministers of the type

of Kuan Chung and Pao Hsü." Loyalty is seen in times of anarchy. Hence Lao Tzû

says: (Chap. 18.)

      "THE ANARCHY OF A NATION REVEALS LOYAL MINISTERS."

 

  Do not be puffed up by knowledge.—When Confucius was viewing the fane of Duke

Huan, in which was a vessel called Yu Chih,{46}—or the leaning tube,—he

exclaimed: "How splendid that we have seen this vessel!" Turning to his

disciples, he said, "Boys, bring some water." When the vessel was half filled,

it stood upright; but when the water reached the brim, the centre of gravity was

shifted and the vessel overturned. Suddenly Confucius changed countenance

saying, "Perfect is the lesson of holding the full vessel!" Tzû Kung, standing

at his side, said, "Please tell us more of this holding of a full vessel."

"Superfluity brings its penalty. There is danger in superabundance," said

Confucius. "What do you mean by this?" "When a thing has reached luxuriance,

decay has p. 140 also set in. Mirth is followed by melancholy; the sun goes down

after its zenith; a full moon wanes."

  Hence quick intelligence and a rich wisdom should be preserved by simplicity,

encyclopaedic information and wide attainments by lowliness, martial strength

and bold courage by awe, great wealth and position by economy, universal

beneficence by reserve and modesty. It was by observing these five qualities

that the empire was preserved. History affirms that the spirit of these five

principles could not be contravened with impunity. As Lao Tzû says: (Chap. 15.)

  "THEY WHO ADHERE TO THIS DOCTRINE HAVE NO DESIRE FOR EXUBERANCE. ONLY BY NOT

  BEING OVERFLOWING, ONE IS ABLE TO (LIVE) QUIETLY AND NOT TO HAVE NOTORIETY AND

  THUS BE ABLE TO KEEP A STATE OF MODESTY WITHOUT OUTWARD OSTENTATION."

  A criticism of current methods of government which were based on opportunism

and therefore a great contrast to true government based on the Tao.—Wu Wang

enquired of T‛ai Kung an opinion on his action in punishing Chou, whether the

world would not look on it as the murder of a master by his servant, and whether

his fears were groundless that the example might be followed by later ages,

giving rise to constant employment of troops and the perpetuation of strifes.

T‛ai Kung replied that the king's question was most excellent, saying, in

illustration, that sportsmen were anxious lest the hit was too slight before

they had the prey: but, once they had the bag, the fear was lest the flesh had

been torn too much. Did the king therefore desire to hold the nation securely

for long, he should shut up the avenue of the senses, i.e. the eye, ear, nose,

mouth of the people.

  The Tao was useless for the people and education but an evil.47 When the

people are all pleased with their occupations and their desires all gratified,

the cap of the general may be changed for that of the scholar. Let the sword be

sheathed and the ivory displayed. Let the people p. 141 be made to be in

mourning for three years so that the population be diminished. Let the high

refuse office and the masses yield their rights, and so keep them from strifes

and struggles. Let them rejoice in social feasts and be amused with music and

orchestras: let them be awed by religion: multiply etiquettes and swell

ceremonies in profusion, so that simplicity of nature may be buried in these

artificialities: let burials be costly and mourning be protracted, in order to

weaken the family power. Let them spend freely on pearls and ornaments: on silk

tassels elaborately worked, so that they may be impoverished. Let them dig deep

trenches and build high walls to exhaust their energies. Impoverished in family

wealth, diminished in population, their whole attention will be concerned with

their poverties.

 

 

 

 

Let social reforms move on these lines and it will be possible

 

 

 

to keep the country without the fear of loss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*****