Chinese and Arabian Literature - E. Wilson - The Search For Mecca

BOOK XI
Comparative Worth of His Disciples
" '^ I ^HE first to make progress in the Proprieties and in
J_
Music," said the Master, " are plain countrymen
after them, the men of higher standing. If I had
to employ any of them, I should stand by the former."
" Of those," said he, " who were about me when I was in the
Ch'in
door."
and Ts'ai States, not one now is left to approach my
" As for Hwiii,"^® said the Master, " he is not one to help me
on : there is nothing I say but he is not well satisfied with."
" What a dutiful son was Min Tsz-k'ien ! " he exclaimed.
" No one finds occasion to differ from what his parents and
brothers have said of him."
Nan Yung used to repeat three times over the lines in the
Odes about the white sceptre. Confucius caused his own elder
brother's daughter to be given in marriage to him.
When Ki K'ang inquired which of the disciples were fond of
learning, Confucius answered him, " There was one Yen Hwui
who was fond of it ; but unfortunately his allotted time was
short, and he died ; and now his like is not to be found."
When Yen Yuen died, his father. Yen Lu, begged for the
Master's carriage in order to get a shell for his coffin. " Ability
or no ability," said the Master, " every father still speaks of
* my son.' When my own son Li died, and the coffin for him
had no shell to it, I know I did not go on foot to get him one
but that was because I was, though retired, in the wake of the
ministers, and could not therefore well do so."
On the death of Yen Yuen the Master exclaimed, " Ah me
"
Heaven is ruining me, Heaven is ruining me !
2' The men of virtuous life were Yen and Tsz-kung; the (capable) govern-
Yuen (Hwui), Min Tsz-k'ien, Yen Pih- ment servants were Yen Vu and Tsz-lu;
niu, and Chung-kung (Yen Yung) ; the the literary students, Tsz-yu and Tszspeakers
and debaters were Tsai Wo hia.
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