Another Three Stories About Confucius

Story 1: When Confucius in a Hard Time

Confucius once said about his favourite disciple, “Hui is a great gentleman. With a bamboo bowl of rice and a gourd-cup of water he lived in an alley of poverty. Others could not have endured his misery but Hui has never changed his happy disposition. Hui is a real gentleman.” (Analects 6:11) In 489 BC Confucius and his followers entered a war zone, and they were surrounded by hostile armed men for seven days with no food except wild herbs. But Confucius’s spirits were not dampened and he kept singing to his zither. Gent-Road said, “A gentleman in such conditions, can he be said to be destitute?”

Confucius said, “What a truth you have spoken! A gentleman is rich if he has Tao but poor if he has departed from Tao. Now I have the Tao of benevolence and righteousness as my goal. Even though we are hard-pressed by a chaotic time, how can you say we are destitute? We have the Tao within, and have virtue to help us face the trouble. In the winter of snow and frost we notice only the flourishing green pines and cypresses. How lucky I am to live in such a trouble time!” Confucius again played his zither singing. Gent-Road was so excited by his master’s words, he took over a buckler and started dancing, and all the disciples joined the singing. ( Chung Tzu, Chapter 28; Analects , 15.2)

Story 2: Confucius talks about Six virtues and Six foils

Confucius asked his disciple You, “Have you heard the six phrases about the six foils?”

“No.” You said, “I haven’t.”

“Then sit down,” Confucius said, “and I will tell you:

“If you love jen (benevolence or kindness) but do not like to study, you will be foiled by ignorance.; If you love wisdom but do not like to study, you will be foiled by superficiality; If you love honesty but do not like to study, you will be foiled by back-slapping; If you love boldness but do not like to study, you will be foiled by scathing; If you love braveness but do not study, you will be foiled by chaos; If you love persistence but do not like to study, you will be foiled by arrogance.” (from Analects: Chapter 17)

Story 3: Yang Ho Wishes to See Confucius

Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius did not want to see him. On this, Yang Ho sent a present of a roasted pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Ho was not at home went to pay his respects for the gift. They met each other, however, on Confucius’s way home.

Yang Ho said to Confucius, “Come, let me speak with you.” He then asked, “Can one be called benevolent if he keeps his jewel in his bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?” Confucius replied, “No.” “Can one be called wise if he is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?” Confucius again said, “No.” “The days and months are passing away; the years do not wait for us.” Confucius said, “Right; I will go into office.”