The Chinese Classics Volume 1

Excerpt: ...given to the chief of the Mang family.' Finally he said, 'I am old; I cannot use his doctrines 2.' These observations were made directly to Confucius, or came to his hearing 3. It was not consistent with his self-respect to remain longer in Ch'i, and he returned to Lu 4. 6. Returned to Lu, he remained for the long period of about fifteen years without being engaged in any official employment. It Sidebar He remains without office in Lu, B.C. 516-501. was a time indeed of great disorder. The duke Chao continued a refugee in Ch'i, the government being in the hands of the great Families, up to his death in B.C. 510, on which event the rightful heir was set aside, and another member of the ducal House, known to us by the title of Ting 5, substituted in his place. The ruling authority of the principality became thus still more enfeebled than it had been before, and, on the other hand, the chiefs of the Chi, the Shu, and the Mang, could hardly keep their ground against their own officers. Of those latter, the two most conspicuous were Yang Hu 6, called also Yang Ho 7, and 1 See the 史記, 孔子世家, p. 2. 2 Ana. XVIII. iii 3 Sze-ma Ch'ien makes the first observation to have been addressed directly to Confucius. 4 According to the above account Confucius was only once, and for a portion of two years, in Ch'i. For the refutation of contrary accounts, see Chiang Yung's Life of the Sage. 5 定公. 6 陽虎. 7 陽貨. Kung-shan Fu-zao 1. At one time Chi Hwan, the most powerful of the chiefs, was kept a prisoner by Yang Hu, and was obliged to make terms with him in order to obtain his liberation. Confucius would give his countenance to none, as he disapproved of all, and he studiously kept aloof from them. Of how he comported himself among them we have a specimen in the incident related in the Analects, XVII. i.-- 'Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a...