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"In the case of a private man's obtaining the empire, there must be in him virtue equal to that of Shun and Yu, and moreover there must be the presenting him to Heaven by the preceding emperor. It was on this latter account that Chung-ne did not obtain the kingdom.
"When the throne descends by natural succession, he [Pg 137] who is displaced by Heaven must be like Keh or Chow. It was on this account that Yih, E Yin, and the duke of Chow did not obtain the kingdom.
"E Yin assisted T‘ang so that he became sovereign of the kingdom. After the demise of T‘ang, T‘ae-ting having died without being appointed in his place, Wae-ping reigned two years, and Chung-jin four. T‘ae-Kah then was turning upside down the canons and examples of T‘ang, and E Yin placed him in T‘ung for three years. There he repented of his errors, was contrite, and reformed himself. In T‘ung he came to dwell in benevolence and moved towards righteousness, during those three years listening to the lessons given to him by E Yin, after which that minister again returned with him to Poh.
"The duke of Chow's not getting the kingdom was like that of Yih's not getting the throne of Ha, or E Yin's that of Yin.
"Confucius said, 'T‘ang and Yu resigned the throne to the worthiest; the founders of the Ha, Yin, and Chow dynasties transmitted it to their sons. The principle of righteousness was the same in all the cases.'"
Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "People say that E Yin sought an introduction to T‘ang by his knowledge of cookery; was it so?" Mencius replied, "No, it was not so. E Yin was farming in the lands of the State of Sin, delighting in the principles of Yaou and Shun. In any matter contrary to the righteousness which they prescribed, or to the course which they enjoined, though he had been salaried with the empire, he would not have regarded it; though there had been yoked for him a thousand teams, he would not have looked at them. In any matter contrary to the righteousness which they prescribed, or to the course which they enjoined, he would not have given nor taken even a single straw.
"T‘ang sent persons with presents of silk to ask him to [Pg 138] enter his service. With an air of indifference and self-satisfaction, he said, 'What can I do with these silks with which T‘ang invites me? Is it not best for me to abide in these channeled fields, and therein delight myself with the principles of Yaou and Shun?'
"T‘ang thrice sent persons thus to invite him. After this, with the change of purpose displayed in his countenance, he spoke in a different style, saying, 'Instead of abiding in the channeled fields, and therein delighting myself with the principles of Yaou and Shun, had I not better make this ruler one after the style of Yaou and Shun? had I not better make this people like the people of Yaou and Shun? had I not better in my own person see these things for myself? Heaven's plan in the production of this people is this:—That they who are first informed, should instruct those who are later in being informed, and those who first apprehend principles should instruct those who are slower to do so. I am the one of Heaven's people who have first apprehended; I will take these principles and instruct this people in them. If I do not instruct them, who will do so?'
"He thought that among all the people of the kingdom, even the private men and women, if there were any that did not enjoy such benefits as Yaou and Shun conferred, it was as if he himself pushed them into a ditch. He took upon himself the heavy charge of all under Heaven in this way, and therefore he went to T‘ang, and pressed upon him the duty of attacking Ha, and saving the people.
"I have not heard of one who bent himself and at the same time made others straight; how much less could one disgrace himself, and thereby rectify the whole kingdom? The actions of the sages have been different. Some have kept far away from office, and others have drawn near to it; some have left their offices, and others have not done so; that in which these different courses all [Pg 139] meet, is simply the keeping of their persons pure.
"I have heard that E Yin sought an introduction to T‘ang by the principles of Yaou and Shun; I have not heard he did so by his knowledge of cookery.
"In the 'Instructions of E,' it is said, 'Heaven, destroying Keh, commenced attacking him in the palace of Muh; we commenced in Poh.'"
Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "Some say that Confucius in Wei lived with an ulcer-doctor, and in Ts‘e with Tseih Hwan, the chief of the eunuchs; was it so?" Mencius said, "No, it was not so. Those are the inventions of men fond of strange things.
"In Wei he lived in the house of Yen Ch‘ow-yw. The wife of the officer Mei and the wife of Tsze-lu were sisters. Mei-tsze spoke to Tsze-lu, saying, 'If Confucius will lodge with me, he may get to be a high noble of Wei.' Tsze-lu reported this to Confucius, who said, 'That is as ordered by Heaven.' Confucius advanced according to propriety, and retired according to righteousness. In regard to his obtaining office and honor or not obtaining them, he said, 'That is as ordered.' But if he had lodged with an ulcer-doctor and with Tseih Hwan, the chief of the eunuchs, that would neither have been according to righteousness nor any ordering of Heaven.
"When Confucius, being dissatisfied in Lu and Wei, had left those States, he met with the attempt of Hwan, the master of the Horse, in Sung, to intercept and kill him, so that he had to pass through Sung in the dress of a private man. At that time, though he was in circumstances of distress, he lodged in the house of Ching-tsze, the minister of works, who was then a minister of Chow, the marquis of Ch‘in.
"I have heard that ministers in the service of a court may be known from those to whom they are hosts, and that ministers coming from a distance may be known from [Pg 140] those with whom they lodge. If Confucius had lodged with an ulcer-doctor and with Tseih Hwan, the chief of the eunuchs, how could he have been Confucius?"
Wan Chang asked Mencius, saying, "Some say that Pih-le He sold himself to a cattle-keeper of Ts‘in for five sheepskins, and fed his cattle for him, to seek an introduction to Duke Muh of Ts‘in; is this true?" Mencius said, "No, it was not so. This is the invention of some one fond of strange things.
"Pih-le He was a man of Yu. The people of Ts‘in by the inducement of a peih of Ch‘uy-Keih and a team of Kuh-ch‘an horses were asking liberty to march through Yu to attack Kwoh. Kung Che-k‘e remonstrated with the duke of Yu, asking him not to grant their request, but Pih-le He did not remonstrate.
"When he knew that the duke of Yu was not to be remonstrated with, and went in consequence from that State to Ts‘in, he had reached the age of seventy. If by that time he did not know that it would be a disgraceful thing to seek for an introduction to Duke Muh of Ts‘in by feeding cattle, could he be called wise? But not remonstrating where it was of no use to remonstrate, could he be said not to be wise? Knowing that the duke of Yu would be ruined, and leaving his State before that event, he could not be said to be not wise. As soon as he was advanced in Ts‘in, he knew that Duke Muh was one with whom he could have a field for action, and became chief minister to him; could he be said to be not wise? Acting as chief minister in Ts‘in, he made his ruler distinguished throughout the kingdom, and worthy to be handed down to future ages; if he had not been a man of talents and virtue, could he have done this? As to selling himself in order to bring about the destruction of his ruler, even a villager who had a regard for himself, would not do such a thing; and shall we say that a man of talents and virtue did it?"
