1. A disciple’s words are like those of the Master

A disciple asked Zeng Zi: “Have you ever asked Mr. Zeng (Confucius) about mourning (being an official and then losing his official position)?” (Zengzi) said: "What he said is: 'I hope to be poor soon after death, and I hope to rot quickly after death.'" Youzi said: "This is not what a gentleman said." Zengzi said: "I (indeed) am from Mr. (Confucius) He heard it." Youzi said again, "This is not what the gentleman said." Zengzi said, "I heard it with Ziyou." Youzi said, "It is true." He said this with a purpose." Zengzi told Ziyou. Ziyou said: "It's amazing! Youzi speaks very much like your husband! At that time, my husband was living in the Song Dynasty. He saw Huan Sima making a stone coffin for himself, and it was not completed for three years. The teacher said: 'Such extravagance, (people) It is better to die and rot as quickly as possible. "I hope (people) to rot as soon as possible." It was said for Huan Sima (who originally lost his official position and left the state of Lu) and he must bring treasures with him when he returns home. He went to see the king. The master said: "If you treat money like this, it is better to become poor as soon as possible after the funeral." I hope you will become poor quickly after the funeral. "Zengzi told Ziyou what he said. Have a son. Youzi said, "Yes. Didn't I just say what I said, sir?" Zengzi said, "How do you know that?" Youzi said, "The etiquette formulated by sir for Zhongdu includes: coffin (board) four inches , the coffin (board) is five inches. Based on this, I know that (Sir) does not want to decay quickly (after death). In the past, when Mr. Lu lost his official position, he planned to go to Chu State, so he asked Zixia to (inquiry) first. He also asked Ran You to contact him. Based on this, he did not want to become poor quickly (after losing his official position)."

2. Zhan Yulang

Lang fights. Uncle Fool met Ren who entered the castle to rest with a sword. The foolish man said: "Although the corvee makes the people hard and the tax burden is heavy, a gentleman cannot plan for the country and a scholar cannot devote himself to the country. This is not acceptable. I dare to say this and it should be done!" "So he and the neighboring boy Wang Chu went to the battlefield to join the battle, and both of them died in the battle. The people of Lu did not want to use their child's funeral to hold Wang Chu's funeral, so they asked Confucius for advice. Confucius said: "They can take up arms to defend the country. Isn't it reasonable not to bury their children in funerals?"

3. Tyranny is fiercer than a tiger

Confucius passed by On one side of Mount Tai, there is a woman crying in front of the tomb, looking very sad. Confucius stood up and leaned against the crossbar, and sent Zilu to question the woman. Confucius said: "You are crying so sadly, as if something is very sad." The woman said: "My father-in-law was eaten by a tiger, my husband was also eaten by a tiger, and now my son has also been eaten by a tiger. "Confucius asked: "Then why don't you leave here?" The woman replied: "There is no harsh tyranny." Confucius said: "Students, remember, harsh tyranny is more ferocious and terrifying than a tiger." p>

4. Datong

Once upon a time, Confucius once participated in the wax sacrifice of the State of Lu. After the sacrifice, he went out to visit the balcony outside the ancestral temple, and Confucius sighed deeply. Yan Yan was beside him and asked, "Why is the commander sighing?" Confucius replied: "In the era when the Great Way is implemented, as well as the era when the wise kings of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties were in power, I, Confucius, have no chance of catching up, and I yearn for them. "In the era when the Great Way is implemented, the world is for everyone. all. Elect virtuous and talented people to govern the world, and people should pay attention to trust and live in harmony. Therefore, people not only regard their relatives as relatives, but also regard their children as children, so that the elderly can enjoy their lives in peace, the elderly people can have a place to contribute their talents, and the young people can get a good education. The elderly without a spouse, the young without a father, the elderly without children, and the disabled can all be provided for. Men each perform their own duties, and women each have their own husband's family. People don't want to leave their belongings in useless places, but they don't necessarily have to be stored in their own homes. People worry about not being able to use their strength, but not necessarily for themselves. Therefore, conspiracies and machinations are suppressed and cannot be realized, and bad things such as robbery, stealing, killing, and stealing goods will not occur, so even the door outside the house does not need to be closed. Such a society is called a world of great harmony.

"Now that the great road has disappeared, the world has become the property of one family. People regard their relatives as relatives and their children as children. Property and labor are all privately owned. The power of princes and emperors became hereditary and became a legitimate ritual system. Cities, ditches and ponds were built as solid defenses, and rituals were formulated as rules and regulations to determine the relationship between king and minister, to make the relationship between father and son honest, to make the relationship between brothers harmonious, and to make the relationship between husband and wife harmonious. The harmonious relationship allowed various systems to be established, the land and residences were divided, and the brave and wise people were respected; so conspiracies and conspiracies arose, and wars arose from this. King Wu, King Cheng of Zhou, and Duke Dan of Zhou thus became outstanding figures in the three generations. None of these six gentlemen did not carefully follow the etiquette system, and they used it to examine people's credit, expose their faults, and establish their reputation. A model of etiquette shows the people the rules of etiquette. If there is any abnormal behavior, the powerful will reject it, and the people will regard it as a disaster.

”