test 7

Zi Lu (You), Zi Xi (Qiu), Zan You (Chi) and Gong Xihua (Dian) were sitting with the Master. Confucius said, “Although I am a day or so older than you fellows, forget about it for the time being. You are all always saying: ‘Our talents are unrecognized.’ Suppose your abilities were fully acknowledged. What would you do then?”

Zi Lu jumped to reply first, saying: “I would like to be in the position of the charge of a thousand-carriage state (a relatively small state) which was being threatened by the armies of the surrounding larger states, and suffering from crop failure. If I were in this position, within three years my people would be fearless and know how to take care of themselves.”

Confucius laughed at him.

He turned to Qiu and said, “What about you?”

Qiu said, “Let me have the government of a territory of 60 to 70 li, or maybe 50 to 60 li, for three years, and the people would have all they need. As for handling the affairs of ritual and music, I would seek the services of a noble man.”

“Chi, what about you?”

Chi said, “I cannot say I am capable of what the other two have proposed, though I would like to work toward it. At the services at the ancestral hall, or at the audiences with the Prince, I would like to serve as a minor assistant, dressed in the ceremonial gown and cap.”

“Dian, what about you?”

Dian set his lute down with its strings still ringing, and stood up. “What I would like to do,”he said, “is quite different from these three.”The Master said, “What harm can there be? Please speak as the others have.”

Dian said, “At the height of spring, all decked out in spring clothes, I would like to take five or six young men, and six or seven youngsters to go for a swim in the Yi river, enjoying the cool breeze at the Rain Dance Festival, and make our way back home, singing.”

Confucius sighed, and said, “Ah, lovely. I am with you, Dian.”

The three others left and Dian asked the Master: “What did you think about the words of those three?”

Confucius said, “Each just told his wish.”

“But why did you laugh at You?”

“Because to govern a state, you need propriety, and his words are totally lacking in humility. That's why I laughed at him.”

“But Qiu wasn't asking for a state.”

Confucius said, “Have you ever seen a territory of 60 or 70 li that wasn't a state?”

“At least Chi wasn't asking for a state.”

“Yes, but who besides the nobility can serve in the ancestral temple, or have an audience with the Prince. If Chi were to be a minor assistant at these affairs, who could be a chief assistant?”

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