Original text
Zhong Gong asked his son Sang Bozi. Confucius said: "Yes, simplicity." Zhong Gong said: "Isn't it okay to live in respect and practice simplicity in order to be close to the people? Living in simplicity and practicing simplicity, is it really simple?" Confucius said: "Yong Zhi Yan Ru."
Bingxue Translation
(Yong) Zhonggong asked Confucius what he was like. Confucius said: "It's okay, it's relatively simple." Zhong Gong said: "If you are determined to be respectful, rigorous and attentive, simple in actions, and concise in political affairs, isn't it also possible to manage the people in this way? And if you are simple and casual to yourself, If you act simply (not cautiously), isn’t it too simple?” Confucius said: “Yong is right.” "If you are to be lenient, then you can." However, the premise of simplicity is to have the word "respect". If you have respect in your heart, you will do well if you act with reverence; if you live in simplicity and act in simplicity - if you have simplicity in mind, your actions will also be done. Jane, if you don't pay attention, you will be careless and the results will be uncontrollable. Master Qian Mu said: "If the superiors are not bothered, the people will not be disturbed. For example, in the early Han Dynasty, the harsh laws of Qin were removed, and the people rested, and then they were at peace. Therefore, the rule of law is simple. However, one must be respectful and respectful before there is a period of spiritual penetration."
It is said that Zisang Bozi was from the state of Lu. He was not bound by etiquette and law, and he was simple and easy-going. "Book of Rites" says: "Respect is not in the realm of etiquette." Qu Yuan said in "Nine Chapters? She Jiang": "The eldest son comes with his head bowed, and the mulberry husband walks naked. Loyalty does not need to be used, and virtuous does not need to be used." verse. The translation is - "Jie Yu is crazy and has his hair cut off, and his wife is cynical and runs naked. Loyalty may not necessarily be appointed, and honoring the virtuous may not necessarily give a position." Among them, Jie Yu should be the one with "Feng Ge laughs at Confucius", And "Sang Hu walking naked" should refer to this Mr. Sang. He ran naked in order to express his dissent. It seems quite scary now.
There is such a story in the "Shuo Yuan? Xiu Wen" chapter of the Han Dynasty. Confucius went to see Zi Sang Bozi. Zi Sang Bozi was naked (meaning without any clothes or hat). "The Master ridiculed him for wanting to be like human beings like oxen and horses." The disciple was unhappy, so he asked the teacher: "Master, why did you see this person?" He said: "His quality is beautiful but he has no writing. I want to describe it and write about it. (His beauty is unadorned. I will teach him what it means to be noble. )". After Confucius left, the disciples of Zisang Bozi were also displeased and said, "What is the point of meeting Confucius?" He said, "His quality is beautiful and his writing is complex. I want to talk about it and leave his writing behind. (He has many rules, so I will explain them to him.) What is breaking away from others)."
When Confucius and Zisang Bozi met, one was a man of red tape, the other was simple and informal, and the golden mean was the best. "The Analects of Confucius Yong Ye" 6.18 sentence, Confucius said: "Quality is superior to literature, and history is unruly, and literature is superior to quality, history. Literary quality is gentle, and then a gentleman." Confucius said, "If there is more simplicity than literary talent, it will appear rough and vulgar; {Living simply, practicing simplicity, For example, Jie Yu and Zi Sang Bozi}; if there is more literary talent than simplicity, it will lead to vanity and vanity. If literary talent is equal to simplicity, he will be a gentle gentleman."
Appendix Literature Reference
Xu Ying said: Zhong Gong said that one should respect simplicity and practice simplicity, and the gains and losses of living simplicity and practicing simplicity, but the master did this, can also be seen from the way of sages and sages.
"Songyang Lecture Notes" says: This chapter shows that Jing is the master of all things. The sentence "Yong Zhi Yan Ru", covers the profound and meaningful word "respect", which suddenly reflects the diligent work of Yao and Shun, Yu's overcoming difficulties, Tang's holy respect, and King Wen's respect. The outline of the rule of the world by emperors of all generations is all in Yong's In one sentence, the chapter "Cultivating Oneself to Respect" covers the outside and the inside, and is not the same as "Jian".
Master Ou Yi said: We are just talking about the way to serve the people, not criticizing Sang Bozi's ideas.
Cheng Zi said: Although Zi Sang and Bo Zi's bamboo slips are desirable, they are not perfect, so Master said it is acceptable. Zhong Gong said that if the inner master is to be simple in respect, it will be straight; if the inner master is to be simple and simple, it will be sparse, which can be said to have achieved his purpose. He also said: If you live in respect, you will have nothing in your heart, so you will be simple in everything you do; if you live in simplicity, you will first have the heart to be simple, and there will be one more word for simplicity, so it is called too simple.
Zhu Zi said: If you treat yourself with respect, there will be a master and strict self-government. If you practice simplicity to reach the people, things will not be troublesome and the people will not be disturbed, so it is acceptable. If we first treat ourselves simply, then there will be no master in the middle and autonomy will be sparse, and what we do will be simple. Wouldn't it be too simple and impossible to measure and maintain?
"The Analects of Justice" says: (Family records record that the uncle lived without clothes, and the master ridiculed him for wanting to be like a human being like an ox or a horse) There is etiquette in being respectful, and "No disrespect" in "Li". Judgment is the rule of Shun, and Shun's rule is the rule of inaction. This shows that Zhong Gong's learning of Cheng Ji and Cheng Wu is different from that of the hermits.
"The Analects of Justice" says: If you cannot be respectful and your actions are simple, you will no longer be able to maintain your own standards, and your actions will inevitably lead to laziness, or even more outrageous and rude, then the people must also be disciplined. It is useless and cannot be cured.
"Songyang Lecture Notes" says: "Ju Jing" means that there is a master, and if everything can be done smoothly and without trouble, then simplicity will definitely win, isn't that right? "Staying simple" means that there is no owner, and if everything is careless and careless, simplicity will miss the mark. Isn't it too simple? In terms of simplicity, the disadvantages of simplicity are indescribable. Needless to say, the debauchery of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, just like Wen Jing's resting with the people, but the etiquette, music and humility are not neglected, there are also disadvantages of being too simple.
"Four Books Wing Notes" says: If you live in a Jian Jian, you will be shrewd, take urgent matters seriously, have a strong sense of authority, and insist on controlling the common people. If you live in a Jian Jian, the people will be blessed with peace and tranquility. , If you get one and leave two, you can't take care of both spiritually, you are greedy for leisure and worry about hard work, and you don't know it. If you do this, the people will suffer from the disadvantages of being careless and rash.
Lu Jishan said: A respectful person has an insight into the situation, follows its program, and is spirited in everything he does. Living in simplicity, letting go of everything and having nothing to do with it, waste things and cause harm, it’s so wonderful!
Chen Zhen said: In the last days, the rules and regulations are established, as dense as a net. If you abide by the regulations, the wise will find it difficult to circumvent them, and if they are complicated and complicated, the world will not be in trouble. Knowing that simplicity can dispel troubles, and knowing that respecting it can improve simplicity.
"The Hengjie of the Four Books" says: Since ancient times, holy kings have only lived in a respectful and simple manner. Confucius said, "Governing with virtue is like Beichen." To govern without doing anything, to respect oneself and to the south, is all righteousness. In later generations, people who talked about mysteries were entrusted to Huang Lao, who regarded abandoning everything as wise and being in a trance as mysterious. The people who talked about heaven and carved dragons continued to spread their influence, and the inaction of the saints was also mixed with heresy. The Zhou Dynasty declined and its Taoism was abolished, and the Qin Dynasty focused on cruelty and violence, and the people were in dire straits. When the Han Dynasty flourished, the harsh laws of the Qin Dynasty were removed, and the people rested. One or two virtuous men, such as Shen Gong and Gai Gong, etc., ignored the formalities and listened to the people's livelihood, and peace was achieved for a while. However, a few people and literary scenes only have the general idea of ??being respectful and frugal from the sages and sages. If there is a practical learning of respecting and practicing simplicity, the rules should be more than this.
Lin Xiyuan said: Looking at the clear talks in the Western Jin Dynasty, when the Central Plains fell to the barbarians, Zhong Gong's words were verified.
Bibliography of this chapter
"The Analects of Confucius", "The Analects of Confucius", "The Analects of Confucius", "The Analects of Confucius", "Guisi Analects of Confucius", "The Analects of Confucius", "The Analects of Justice" and " "New Interpretation of the Analects of Confucius", "Commentary Notes on the Analects of Confucius", "Key Points of the Analects of Confucius", "The Meaning of the Analects of Confucius", "Biography of Mao's Poems", "Xunzi", "Zhuangzi", "Shuo Yuan", "Four Books on Essays", "Four Books of Constant Interpretation", "Yushu Storytelling", "Four Books" "Yi Notes" "Songyang Lecture Notes"