CHAPTER XVIII.
1. Tsze-chang asked, saying, 'The minister
Tsze-wan thrice took office, and manifested no joy in his countenance. Thrice
he retired from office, and manifested no displeasure. He made it a point to
inform the new minister of the way in which he had conducted the
government;--what do you say of him?' 'The Master replied. 'He was loyal.' 'Was
he perfectly virtuous?' 'I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly
virtuous?'
2. Tsze-chang proceeded, 'When the officer
Ch'ui killed the prince of Ch'i, Ch'an Wan, though he was the owner of forty
horses, abandoned them and left the country. Coming to another state, he said,
'They are here like our great officer, Ch'ui,' and left it. He came to a second
state, and with the same observation left it also;--what do you say of him?'
The Master replied, 'He was pure.' 'Was he perfectly virtuous?' 'I do not know.
How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?'
Published
by The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, © Copyright 2003
by Anne Kinney and the University of Virginia