Alex > Recent Status Updates

I must admit that I don't get the deal with the righteous villager.

"Mencius said: “Only now have I realized the true gravity of killing a man’s family members. If you kill his father, he’ll kill your father. If you kill his brother, he’ll kill your brother. There’s precious little difference between that and killing your father or brother with your own hands.”"

"Mencius said: “Emperor Hui of Liang was utterly Inhumane. The Humane extend their love to those they hate. The Inhumane inflict their hatred on those they love.”"

"Mencius said: “When all beneath Heaven abides in the Way, people use the Way to find themselves. When all beneath Heaven ignores the Way, people use themselves to find the Way. I never hear of using the Way to find the human anymore.”"

"Mencius said: “To feed people without showing them love – that is to treat them like pigs. To love people without showing them reverence – that is to keep them like pets. But honor and reverence are gifts not yet given. Honor and reverence without substance – you can’t lure the noble-minded with such empty gestures.”"

"Though a skilled carpenter is capable of judging a straight line with his eye alone, he will always take his measurements with a rule; though a man of superior wisdom is capable of handling affairs by native wit alone, he will always look to the laws of the former kings for guidance."
One of the few statements so far that I can appreciate.

"Mencius said: “Humanity overcomes Inhumanity the way water overcomes fire. But when people wield Humanity these days, it’s like they’re throwing a cup of water on a cartload of burning firewood. When the fire keeps burning, they claim water can’t overcome fire. This is the promotion of Inhumanity at its worst, and such people come to nothing but ruin in the end.”"

"When people see you’re like an animal, they think that’s all the potential you have. But does that mean this is the human constitution?"

"Mencius said: “When you speak of the virtues another lacks, think of the trials you may yet endure.”"

""And besides, do you feed people for their motives or their work?”
“For their motives.”
“So if there’s a man flinging mortar around and smashing tiles, and his motive is rice, do you feed him?”
“No.”
“Then you don’t feed people for their motives; you feed them for their work.”"
Mencius sure knew how to talk to communists.

Mencius refutes both the idea that we mustn't love our parents or other family members more than any other random person, and the idea that prices for things of the same kind should be decreed to be equal.

"In ancient times, when Emperor Wen ruled Ch’i5 – farmers were taxed one part in nine, descendants of worthy officials were insured a livelihood, there were inspections at border crossings and markets but no taxes, fish traps were not regulated, criminals were punished but not their families."

"People die, and you say It’s not my fault, it’s the harvest. How is this any different from stabbing someone to death and saying It’s not me, it’s the sword? Stop blaming harvests, and people everywhere under Heaven will come flocking to you."
Communists, take note.

"Tsze-kung said, “The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changes again, and all men look up to him.”"

"The Master said, “What the superior man seeks, is in himself. What the mean man seeks, is in others.”"

"1. The Master said, “Ts‘ze, you think, I suppose, that I am one who learns many things and keeps them in memory?”
2. Tsze-kung replied, “Yes,—but perhaps it is not so?”
3. “No,” was the answer; “I seek a unity all-pervading.”"
Maybe the best exchance in the Analects.

A more benign interpretation would be that Confucius simply said this would be preferable for the continued existence of the state. Hard for me to decide between the two interpretations, as Confuciian ethics seem to be more about maneuvering and advancing society than anything more transcendental.

According to Confucius, famine is preferable to loss of faith in the government.

"When he was passing the vacant place of the prince, his countenance appeared to change, and his legs to bend under him, and his words came like those of one who hardly had breath to utter them."

"When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honour are things to be ashamed of."

"The subjects on which the Master did not talk, were,—prodigious things, feats of strength, disorder, and spiritual beings."

"The Master said, “When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Woo acted the part of a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man. Others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity.”"

"The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, “What do his words mean?” Tsăng said, “The doctrine of our Master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,—this and nothing more.”"

"The Master said, “It is only the truly virtuous man who can love, or who can hate, others.” The Master said, “If the will be set on virtue""

"Confucius said of the head of the Ke family, who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, “If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?”"
Excuse me

From my introduction:
"I need not go on to enlarge on the homage which the emperors of China render to Confucius. It could not be more complete. It is worship and not mere homage. He was unreasonably neglected when alive. He is now unreasonably venerated when dead. The estimation with which the rulers of China regard their sage leads them to sin against God, and this is a misfortune to the empire."