Exemplary Figures / Fayan法言

Chapter 7. Things Rarely Seen

Chapter 7 Things Rarely Seen Verse Summary Far-ranging words from remote eras encompass heaven and earth, giving aid to divine insight. Profound and great, vast and broad, such words far surpass those of recent times and narrow scope.1 Thus, I have compiled chapter 7, “Rarely Seen.” 7.1 “Rarely have I seen people prefer what is remote.2 Recent writings they look at. Recent sayings they hearken to. But they turn their backs on those from distant eras.”3 Someonesaidtome,“Howcanyousaythatthesituationissoverydire? Students of the Way4 of the former kings fill the gates of officialdom!”5 “Candidates for office cannot help themselves.6 Were they free to do as they liked, they would stop.7 Only a few who have that option refuse to stop!”8 1 Giving both possible meanings for the binome er yan 邇言. 2 See also Analects 15.11: “He who will not worry about something far off will soon find something worse than worry close at hand.” 3 This line may well provide a gloss on the various meanings of er 邇 (close by, recent, something easily accessible). 4 Adding “students of” for sense. Below supplying “candidates for office” for sense. 5 Adding “of officialdom,” as implied; one might supply “palace” before “gates,” to the same end. 6 Meaning, they are forced to study old texts, including the Classics, to pass the tests to qualify for government office. 7 Cf. Analects 14.24: “Students in olden days used to learn for the sake of learning; students today study for the sake of other people” (古之學者為己，今之學者為人). Note the pun on the word yi 已, meaning “they have no other choice” or “they cannot help it.” Knechtges 1968, p. 100, translates this as “They have no other choice. If they had their choice, they would give them up. Few indeed are those who would not give them up if they had their choice.” Helmutt Wilhelm claimed that Yang tried to justify and rationalize contemporary institutions, according to Knechtges (pers. comm.); this seems doubtful. 8 Adding “have that option,” as implied. These few are wise enough to recognize the 102 | 103 Exemplary Figures 7. Things Rarely Seen 7.2 好盡其心於聖人之道者。君子也。人亦有好盡其心矣。未必聖人 之道也。 7.3 多聞見而識乎正道者。至識也。多聞見而識乎邪道者。迷識也。 7.4 如賢人謀之美也。 3 詘人而從道。如小人謀之不美也。詘道而從 人。 7.5 或問五經有辯乎。曰惟五經為辯。說天者莫辯乎易。說事者4 莫 辯乎書。說體者5 莫辯乎禮。說志者6 莫辯乎詩。說理者7 莫辯乎春 秋。捨斯。辯亦小矣。 3 My reading follows Wang Rongbao (1987, 10.215); and Yu Yue 1874. Sima Guang, cited in Wang Rongbao 1987, however, reads ru 如 (to be like) as wang 往 (to go toward): “To go to worthy men for their counsels. . . . To go to petty people for their counsels.” The two readings necessitate different punctuation. 4 I.e., shi 事, but Yilin 意林 in citing this passage wrote di 地 (land), presumably a nod to the “Tribute of Yu” chapter of the Documents, but hardly an adequate description of the entire Documents. 5 The most common Han gloss for li 禮 (rites) is ti 體 (embodiment). See the Shi ming 釋名 gloss. 6 Andrew Plaks (pers. comm.) ties these lines to an etymology offered by Chen Shi­ xiang (1974) when describing poetic theory, which has the phrase that means “stop and go” relate to dancing. 7 For li 理 as “innate” or “inherent pattern,” see Wenxin diaolong 1.3/6/6, which talks of the hanwen 含文 (pattern contained) in the Classics. 7.2 The noble man is defined by his desire to apply his whole heart and mind to the Way of the sages. Others, for their parts, may want to apply themselves wholeheartedly to something—but not necessarily to the Way of the sages.9 7.3 “Great discernment” means “acquiring considerable knowledge and experience and so ascertaining the straight path.”10 “Delusion” means “despite considerable knowledge and experience, choosing the bypaths.”11 7.4 With excellence12 like that in the counsels of worthy men, one impresses upon others the need to follow the Way.13 With the gross flaws found in the counsels of petty people, one subverts14 the Way so as to slavishly follow the lead of others. 7.5 Someone asked me whether the Five Classics contain any disputations.15 “Only the Five Classics are truly eloquent and discerning rhetoric! For explicating Heaven, there is no finer rhetoric than that of the Changes.16 For explicating the affairs of state, there is no finer rhetoric than that of the Documents. For explicating bodily decorum, there is no finer rhetoric than that of the Rites. For explicating the heart’s affects,17 there is no finer rhetoric than that of the Odes. And for explicating...