Chuang Tzu Chapter 4, Section C

[Marblehead]

Section C

 

Zi Gao, duke of She, being about to proceed on a mission to Qi, asked Zhongni, saying, 'The king is sending me, Zhu Liang, on a mission which is very important. Qi will probably treat me as his commissioner with great respect, but it will not be in a hurry (to attend to the business). Even an ordinary man cannot be readily moved (to action), and how much less the prince of a state! I am very full of apprehension. You, Sir, once said to me that of all things, great or small, there were few which, if not conducted in the proper way, could be brought to a happy conclusion; that, if the thing were not successful, there was sure to be the evil of being dealt with after the manner of men; that, if it were successful, there was sure to be the evil of constant anxiety; and that, whether it succeeded or not, it was only the virtuous man who could secure its not being followed by evil. In my diet I take what is coarse, and do not seek delicacies - a man whose cookery does not require him to be using cooling drinks. This morning I received my charge, and in the evening I am drinking iced water; am I not feeling the internal heat (and discomfort)? Such is my state before I have actually engaged in the affair; I am already suffering from conflicting anxieties. And if the thing do not succeed, (the king) is sure to deal with me after the manner of men. The evil is twofold; as a minister, I am not able to bear the burden (of the mission). Can you, Sir, tell me something (to help me in the case)?'

 

Zhongni replied, 'In all things under heaven there are two great cautionary considerations: the one is the requirement implanted (in the nature); the other is the conviction of what is right. The love of a son for his parents is the implanted requirement, and can never be separated from his heart; the service of his ruler by a minister is what is right, and from its obligation there is no escaping anywhere between heaven and earth. These are what are called the great cautionary considerations. Therefore a son finds his rest in serving his parents without reference to or choice of place; and this is the height of filial duty. In the same way a subject finds his rest in serving his ruler, without reference to or choice of the business; and this is the fullest discharge of loyalty. When men are simply obeying (the dictates of) their hearts, the considerations of grief and joy are not readily set before them. They know that there is no alternative to their acting as they do, and rest in it as what is appointed; and this is the highest achievement of virtue. He who is in the position of a minister or of a son has indeed to do what he cannot but do. Occupied with the details of the business (in hand), and forgetful of his own person, what leisure has he to think of his pleasure in living or his dislike of death? You, my master, may well proceed on your mission. But let me repeat to you what I have heard: In all intercourse (between states), if they are near to each other, there should be mutual friendliness, verified by deeds; if they are far apart, there must be sincere adherence to truth in their messages. Those messages will be transmitted by internuncios. But to convey messages which express the complacence or the dissatisfaction of the two parties is the most difficult thing in the world. If they be those of mutual complacence, there is sure to be an overflow of expressions of satisfaction; if of mutual dissatisfaction, an overflow of expressions of dislike. But all extravagance leads to reckless language, and such language fails to command belief. When this distrust arises, woe to the internuncio! Hence the Rules for Speech say, "Transmit the message exactly as it stands; do not transmit it with any overflow of language; so is (the internuncio) likely to keep himself whole."

 

Moreover, skilful wrestlers begin with open trials of strength, but always end with masked attempts (to gain the victory); as their excitement grows excessive, they display much wonderful dexterity. Parties drinking according to the rules at first observe good order, but always end with disorder; as their excitement grows excessive, their fun becomes uproarious. In all things it is so. People are at first sincere, but always end with becoming rude; at the commencement things are treated as trivial, but as the end draws near, they assume great proportions. Words are (like) the waves acted on by the wind; the real point of the matters (discussed by them) is lost. The wind and waves are easily set in motion; the success of the matter of which the real point is lost is easily put in peril. Hence quarrels are occasioned by nothing so much as by artful words and one-sided speeches. The breath comes angrily, as when a beast, driven to death, wildly bellows forth its rage. On this animosities arise on both sides. Hasty examination (of the case) eagerly proceeds, and revengeful thoughts arise in their minds; they do not know how. Since they do not know how such thoughts arise, who knows how they will end? Hence the Rules for Speech say, "Let not an internuncius depart from his instructions. Let him not urge on a settlement. If he go beyond the regular rules, he will complicate matters. Departing from his instructions and urging on a settlement imperils negotiations. A good settlement is proved by its lasting long, and a bad settlement cannot be altered - ought he not to be careful?"

 

Further still, let your mind find its enjoyment in the circumstances of your position; nourish the central course which you pursue, by a reference to your unavoidable obligations. This is the highest object for you to pursue; what else can you do to fulfil the charge (of your father and ruler). The best thing you can do is to be prepared to sacrifice your life; and this is the most difficult thing to do.'

[konchog uma]

When Sir High, Duke of She, was about to depart on a mission

to Ch'i, he inquired of Confucius, saying, "The mission en-

trusted to me by the king is a very weighty one, but I expect that

as ambassador the treatment given to me by Ch'i, though quite

respectful, will not be attentive. One cannot push even a com-

mon man, how much less a head of state! This makes me very

anxious. You have often told me, `Only through the Way can one

reach a happy conclusion in any affair, whether large or small. If

one does not succeed in an affair, then there will surely be trouble

from the way men react. If one does succeed, there will surely be

trouble due to a dislocation of yin and yang. Only a person of

integrity can escape trouble whether he succeeds or not: I stick

to plain fare and eschew fine cuisine, so that my kitchen boys

never feel as though they have to cool themselves off. Yet, this

morning I received my commission and in the evening I'm

drinking ice water. I feel like I'm burning up inside! I haven't even

been exposed to the actual circumstances of the affair and

already I'm suffering from a dislocation of yin and yang. And if I

do not succeed in this affair, there will surely be trouble from the

way men will react. Faced with both of these troubles, it is more

than I as minister can bear. Tell me, sir, what I should do. "

"For all under heaven;" said Confucius, "there are two great

precepts : one is destiny and the other is duty. A child's love of her

parents is destiny and is inseparable from her heart. A subject's

service to his lord is duty. No matter where one goes, there is

always a lord from whom one cannot escape in heaven or on

earth. This is what I mean by "great precepts": Accordingly, one

who serves one's parents and makes them secure regardless of the

situation has attained the ultimate in filialness. One who serves

one's lord and makes him secure regardless of the conditions has

achieved the fullness of loyalty. One who attends to one's own

mind and who is not easily diverted by sorrow and joy, realizing

their inevitability and accepting them as if they were destiny, has

attained the ultimate of integrity. One who is a subject or a son

indeed sometimes has no alternatives. Then he must carry out

his affairs according to circumstances and forget about his own

person . What leisure has he for loving life and despising death?

Thus, sir, you may proceed on your mission.

"Allow me to report what I have heard : in diplomacy, states

that are near must rely on trust to maintain their ties, while those

that are distant must resort to words to show their sincerity and

words must be conveyed by someone. Now, one of the most

difficult things in the world is to convey the pleasure or displea-

sure of two parties to each other . If both parties are pleased, their

words will surely be full of exaggerated promise. If both parties

are displeased, their words will surely be full of exaggerated

insult. Any sort of exaggeration is false . Where there is falseness,

trust is missing . And when trust is missing, the one who conveys

the message is in danger. Therefore, in the Legal Counsels it is said,

`Transmit the gist of their sentiments, not their exaggerated

words, and you may perhaps preserve yourself whole.'

"Moreover, those who contest for supremacy with cleverness

begin openly but invariably end up in deception . In their ex-

cesses, they are full of chicanery. Those who drink according to

etiquette begin politely but invariably end up disorderly. In their

excesses, they are full of debauchery. It's the same with all affairs.

They may begin with consideration, but invariably end up i n

prevarication. Their inception may be simple, but as they ap-

proach their conclusion they become enormously complex.

"Words are like the wind and the waves, deeds verify or

invalidate them. Wind and waves are easily stirred up, verifica-

tion and invalidation easily end perilously. Therefore, rage often

results from no other reason than clever words and intemperate

phrases. When an animal is threatened with death, it cries out

involuntarily. Gasping wildly for breath, it gives vent to all the

viciousness it can muster. When people are pressed too far, they

will inevitably respond with evil intentions, not even knowing

why they do so. If even they themselves do not know why they do

so, who knows how it will all end? Therefore, in the Legal Counsels

it is said, Do not deviate from your orders . Do not force a

settlement. Immoderation is provocative overstatement: To devi-

ate from one's orders or to force a settlement endangers one's

undertaking. An excellent settlement takes time ; an unsatisfac-

tory settlement, once made, is irrevocable. One cannot be too

careful!

 

"Just ride along with things as you let your mind wander.

Entrust yourself to inevitability and thereby nourish what is

central. That's the ultimate course. What have you to do with

the response of Ch'i? Nothing is better than to fulfill your

destiny, but that's the hardest of all".

[konchog uma]

I think that the difference in translations of the very last line is weird.

 

"be ready to lay down your life"

 

"fulfil your destiny"

 

chinese to english translation is kind of weird in general it seems. I am not a big big fan of chapter 4 and all this political obligations talk, although i respect the value of it. It just doesn't speak to me, and i can see why Confucius is put in as the master instead of Chuang. I think it is subtly funny that he is giving daoist advice in these stories, but i am not sure it was meant that way, or if that is just my understanding of the attitudes of those times.

 

I think again that its a lot of verbage to say what can be said in the last line without any preamble,

 

"Just ride along with things as you let your mind wander.

Entrust yourself to inevitability and thereby nourish what is

central. That's the ultimate course. What have you to do with

the response of Ch'i? Nothing is better than to fulfill your

destiny, but that's the hardest of all".

[Marblehead]

Yeah, Chuang Tzu never had much good to say about 'political obligation' so it is understood that he would not be giving this advice.

 

I think his point is that if we do not put ourself in harm's way it is likely we will experience no harm. Keep out of politics!

[ChiDragon]

The best thing you can do is to be prepared to sacrifice your life;

"sacrifice your life" definitely was not ZZ's philosophy. He wants to be free of all obstacles in his life. That's what he meant by his own definition of "Wu Wei".

 

 

"chinese to english translation is kind of weird in general it seems."

 

"Just ride along with things as you let your mind wander.

Entrust yourself to inevitability and thereby nourish what is

central. That's the ultimate course. What have you to do with

the response of Ch'i? Nothing is better than to fulfill your

destiny, but that's the hardest of all".

 

且夫乘物以游心，託不得已以養中，至矣。何作為報也！莫若為致命，此其難者。」

 

且順應萬物以悠遊自在，寄託不得已以養心中精氣，這就是至好了。何必作意去報效國君呢！不如真實率情任於天命，這已經是很難的了。」

 

English translation:

Yet, let's follow the natural movements of all things. If it was not reliable, then let's cultivate the jing chi(精氣) within our hearts. That was the best we can do! Why should one purposely pay royalty to the ruler?! Perhaps we should, honestly and faithfully, just follow the destiny; thus this is a most difficult task already.

Edited November 14, 2011 by ChiDragon