f Kung-ch[']oh, the boldness of Chwang of P[']in, and the attainments
in polite arts of Yen Yu; and gift him further with the graces taught
by the 'Books of Rites' and 'Music'--then he may be considered a
perfect man. But," said he, "what need of such in these days? The man
that may be regarded as perfect now is the one who, seeing some
advantage to himself, is mindful of righteousness; who, seeing danger,
risks his life; and who, if bound by some covenant of long standing,
never forgets its conditions as life goes on."

Respecting Kung-shuh Wan, the Master inquired of Kung-ming Kia,
saying, "Is it true that your master never speaks, never laughs, never
takes aught from others?"

"Those who told you that of him," said he, "have gone too far. My
master speaks when there is occasion to do so, and men are not
surfeited with his speaking. When there is occasion to be merry too,
he will laugh, but men have never over much of his laughing. And
whenever it is just and right to take things from others, he will take
them, but never so as to allow men to think him burdensome." "Is that
the case with him?" said the Master. "Can it be so?"

Respecting Tsang Wu-chung the Master said, "When he sought from Lu the
appointment of a successor to him, and for this object held on to his
possession of the fortified city of Fang--if you say he was not then
using constraint towards his prince, I must refuse to believe it."

Duke Wan of Tsin he characterized as "artful but not upright"; and
Duke Hwan of Ts'i as "upright but not artful."

Tsz-lu remarked, "When Duke Hwan caused his brother Kiu to be put to
death, Shau Hwuh committed suicide, but Kwan Chung did not. I should
say he was not a man who had much good-will in him--eh?"

The Master replied, "When Duke Hwan held a great gathering of the
feudal lords, dispensing with military equipage, it was owing to Kwan
Chung's energy that such an event was brought about. Match such
good-will as that--match it if you can."

Tsz-kung then spoke up. "But was not Kwan Chung wanting in good-will?
He could not give up his life when Duke Hwan caused his brother to be
put to death. Besides, he became the duke's counsellor."

"And in acting as his counsellor put him at the head of all the feudal
lords," said the Master, "and unified and reformed the whole empire;
and the people, even to this day, reap benefit from what he did. Had
it not been for him we should have been going about with locks unkempt