孔子世家 — Shiji

Confucius was born in Zouyi, in the district of Changping, in the state of Lu. His ancestors came from the state of Song. The earliest ancestor was Kong Fangshu. Fangshu begat Bo Xia; Bo Xia begat Shuliang He. Shuliang He had a union with a woman of the Yan family in the open fields, and Confucius was born. He had prayed at Mount Ni for a son, and thus obtained Confucius. Confucius was born in the twenty-second year of the reign of Duke Xiang of Lu. At birth his head had a depression in the crown, so he was given the name Qiu. His style name was Zhongni, and the family name was Kong.

When Confucius was seventeen, Meng Lizi, a great official of Lu, was gravely ill. On his deathbed he exhorted his heir, Yizi, saying: "Kong Qiu is descended from a sage, but that line was extinguished in Song. His ancestor, Fu Fuhe, was first in line to succeed in Song but yielded the succession to Duke Li. When Zheng Kaofu served the dukes of Dai, Wu, and Xuan, each successive appointment found him more humble still. As the tripod inscription says:

"With the first appointment, I bowed my head;

With the third, I stooped low,

Walking along the wall—no one dared insult me.

To feed my hungry mouth.

Such was his humility."

"I have heard that when the line of a sage dies, even if they do not rule in their own time, there will surely be one who attains prominence. Now Kong Qiu is young but loves ritual—could he be that one? When I am gone, you must take him as your teacher."

When Lizi died, Yizi and the Lu gentleman Nan Gong Jing Shu went together to study ritual with Confucius. That same year, Ji Wuzi died, and Ji Pingzi succeeded him.

Confucius was poor and of low status. When he grew up, he served as an official in the household of the Ji family, where his accounts were meticulously balanced. He served as an officer in charge of livestock, and the herds multiplied. Because of this he was appointed to the Ministry of Works. Later he left Lu, was driven from Qi, pursued in Song and Wei, and found himself in dire straits between Chen and Cai. He then returned to Lu.

When Confucius returned from Zhou to Lu, his disciples grew steadily in number. Visitors came from distant places, all receiving his instruction.

At this time Duke Ping of Jin was dissolute, the six ministers monopolized power, and they attacked the eastern vassals. King Ling of Chu had a powerful army and bullied the Central Kingdoms. Qi was large and close to Lu. Lu was small and weak: if it attached itself to Chu, Jin would be offended; if it attached itself to Jin, Chu would come to attack; if it did not defend itself against Qi, Qi's forces would invade. In the twentieth year of Duke Zhao's reign in Lu, Confucius was about thirty.

Duke Jing of Qi and Yan Ying came to Lu. Duke Jing asked Confucius: "In former times Duke Mu of Qin had a small state in a remote place—how did he become a hegemon?" Confucius replied: "Though Qin was small, its ambitions were great. Though its location was remote, its governance was just. He personally promoted the man of the five rams, conferring on him the rank of great minister, raising him from imprisonment and bondage. He spoke with him for three days and entrusted him with the government. With such an approach, even to become a True King would have been possible—the hegemon's role was something smaller."

Duke Jing was pleased. When Confucius was thirty-five, Ji Pingzi and Hou Zhaobo quarreled over a cockfighting match and offended Duke Zhao of Lu. The duke led an army to attack Pingzi, but Pingzi, together with the Meng and Shusun families, counterattacked the duke. The duke's forces were defeated, and he fled to Qi, where he was lodged at Ganhou.

Soon afterward, Lu fell into chaos. Confucius went to Qi, becoming a household officer of Gao Zhaozi, hoping to gain access to Duke Jing through him. He discussed music with the Qi music master, heard the Shao music, and studied it so intently that for three months he did not know the taste of meat—the Qi people praised him for this.

Duke Jing asked Confucius about governance. Confucius said: "Let rulers be rulers, ministers be ministers, fathers be fathers, sons be sons." Duke Jing said: "Well spoken! If indeed the ruler is not a ruler, the minister not a minister, the father not a father, the son not a son, even if there were grain, how could I get to eat it?"

Another time Duke Jing asked again about governance. Confucius said: "Governance lies in frugality." Duke Jing was pleased and intended to enfeoff Confucius with the fields of Nixi.

After staying in Wei for over a month, Duke Ling of Wei rode in the same carriage with his consort, with the eunuch Yong Qu seated beside them, while Confucius was made to ride in a following carriage. They paraded through the marketplace. Confucius said, 'I have never seen one who loves virtue as much as he loves beauty.' Ashamed of this, he left Wei and passed through Cao. That year, Duke Ding of Lu died. Confucius left Cao and went to Song, where he and his disciples practiced rituals under a large tree. The Song Minister of War Huan Tui wanted to kill Confucius and had the tree pulled up. Confucius departed. The disciples urged, 'We should hurry away!' Confucius said, 'Heaven has bestowed virtue upon me—what can Huan Tui do to me?'

Later Duke Jing received Confucius with respect but did not inquire about ritual. Another day Duke Jing said to Confucius: "I cannot treat you as I treat the Ji family, but I will receive you at a level between the Ji and Meng families."

Confucius was forty-two when Duke Zhao died at Ganhou, and Duke Ding took the throne. In his fifth year of rule, summer, Ji Pingzi died and Ji Zihan succeeded him.

Wu attacked Yue, destroying Kuaiji, and obtained bones as long as a carriage. The Wu envoy asked Confucius: "Which bone is the largest?" Confucius said: "Yu summoned the mountain spirits to Kuaiji. The chief of the Fangfeng arrived late, and Yu killed him and displayed his corpse. His bones filled a carriage—this was the largest." The Wu guest said: "Who are the spirits?" Confucius said: "The spirits of mountains and rivers are sufficient to govern the world under heaven. Their guardians are called spirits; those of the soil and grain are public officials—all belong to the king." The guest asked: "What does the chief of Fangfeng guard?" Confucius said: "The lord of the Wangwang clan guards the mountains of Feng and Yu, and his surname is Li. During the periods of Yu, Xia, and Shang he was known as Wangwang; in the Zhou period he became Changdi; today they are called Daren." The guest asked: "How tall are these people?" Confucius said: "The Jiaozao are three chi tall—this is the extreme of shortness. The tallest are no more than ten times that—this is the extreme of height."

The Wu guest said: "Splendid, indeed, is the sage!"

Therefore Confucius did not take office. He withdrew to compose the Poetry, Documents, Rites, and Music. His disciples grew ever more numerous, coming from distant places, all receiving his instruction.

In the eighth year of Duke Ding's reign, Gongshan Bu Niu, discontented with the Ji family, joined with Yang Hu in rebellion. He wished to depose the rightful heirs of the three families—the Meng, Ji, and Shusun—and install in their place the illegitimate sons whom Yang Hu favored. He seized Ji Zihan, who tricked his way to freedom.

In the ninth year of Duke Ding's reign, Yang Hu was defeated and fled to Qi. Confucius was fifty years old.

Gongshan Bu Niu, based in Fei, rebelled against the Ji family. He sent for Confucius. Confucius had long followed the Way, yet remained gentle and modest, with no opportunity to test himself—no one had yet employed him. He said: "Perhaps the way Zhou Wen and Wu rose from Feng and Gao to become kings—even though Fei is small, could it not be sufficient?" He wished to go. Zilu was displeased and tried to stop him. Confucius said: "He who summons me—does he do so for nothing? If he were to employ me, would I not establish a new Zhou in the East?"

Thereafter Duke Ding appointed Confucius as Governor of Zhongdu. Within a year, all the regions modeled themselves on his governance. From Governor of Zhongdu he rose to Minister of Works, and from Minister of Works to Minister of Crime.

Qi helped Wei besiege the city of Qi because the Wei heir Kuaikui was there. In the summer, the temples of Duke Huan and Duke Xi of Lu caught fire, and Nangong Jingshu went to extinguish it. Confucius was in Chen at the time and heard of it. He said, 'The fire must be at the temples of Huan and Xi?' Later it proved to be so. In autumn, Ji Huanzi fell ill. While being carried in a sedan chair to see the Lu city walls, he sighed and said, 'Formerly this state was almost on the verge of prosperity. Because I offended Confucius, it did not prosper.' Turning to his successor Kangzi, he said, 'When I die, you will surely become chief minister of Lu; when you become chief minister, you must summon Zhongni.' Several days later, Huanzi died and Kangzi succeeded to his position. After the burial, Kangzi wished to summon Confucius. Gong Zhiyu said, 'In the past our late lord employed him but could not see it through to the end, and became the laughingstock of the feudal lords. If we now employ him again and again fail to see it through, we will be laughed at by the lords a second time.' Kangzi asked, 'Then whom should we summon instead?' He replied, 'We must summon Ran Qiu.' So they sent an envoy to summon Ran Qiu. As Ran Qiu was preparing to depart, Confucius said, 'Return! Return!'

Flags, plumes, feathers, shields, halberds, spears, swords, and drums burst forth with shouting. Confucius strode forward, ascended the steps without completing the first level, and raised his sleeve: "Our two lords meet in friendship—why should the music of barbarian hordes be here? I command the officials to stop!" The officials wished to remove the performers, but they would not go. Confucius looked sharply at Yan Ying and Duke Jing. Duke Jing's heart abashed, he waved them away.

Soon the Qi steward came forward again: "Please permit the palace music." Duke Jing agreed. Actors and dwarfs performed before the lords. Confucius strode forward, ascended without completing the first step: "A common man who cunningly deceives the lords of the realm deserves death! I command the officials to enforce the law!" The officials applied the law, and the performers were torn apart.

Duke Jing was terrified and shaken, knowing that he had fallen short of righteousness. Upon returning, he was greatly frightened and said to his ministers: "Lu assists its ruler with the Way of the gentleman, yet you alone instructed me with the ways of the barbarians, causing me to offend the ruler of Lu. What can be done?"

The minister replied: "When a gentleman errs, he apologizes with substance; when a petty man errs, he apologizes with rhetoric. If my lord truly regrets this, he should apologize with substance."

Duke Jing then returned the territories of Yun, Wenyang, and Guiyin that he had taken from Lu, to make amends.

He executed the Lu great officer Shao Zheng Mao, who had corrupted governance. During the three months when he participated in state affairs, those who sold lambs and pigs did not inflate their prices; men and women kept to their separate sides of the road; nothing was picked up from the roads; visitors from the four directions who came to the city did not seek out officials but were given what they needed and sent on their way.

The people of Qi were alarmed. "When Kong Qiu governs, he will surely become hegemon," they said. "Once he is hegemon, our lands will be next to his. We should offer territory first. Why not simply give them land?" Li Chu said: "Let us first try to obstruct him. If obstruction fails, then we can offer land—that would not be too late."

Ji Zihan finally accepted the Qi women and their music. For three days he did not attend to government. When the suburban sacrifice came, he did not distribute the sacrificial vessels to the great officers.

Confucius then set out. He lodged at Tun. The officer Shi Ji came to see him off: "The master has done no wrong." Confucius said: "Could I sing a song?" He sang:

Let us be carefree and at ease,

Shi Ji returned. Ji Zihan asked: "What did Confucius say?" Shi Ji told him the truth. Ji Zihan sighed: "The master blames me for the group of musicians."

In his later years Confucius took delight in the Book of Changes. He composed the Tuan Commentary, the Xici Commentary, the Xiang Commentary, the Shuogua Treatise, and the Wenyan Commentary. When reading the Changes, the leather straps binding the bamboo slips snapped three times. He said, 'If I had a few more years, and continued like this, my understanding of the Changes would be fully cultivated.' Confucius taught with the Odes, the Documents, the Rites, and the Music. His disciples numbered about three thousand, of whom seventy-two were thoroughly versed in the Six Arts. Many others, like Yan Zhuozou, received instruction from him extensively. Confucius taught under four categories: culture, conduct, conscientiousness, and trustworthiness. He resolutely avoided four things: no preconceptions, no dogmatism, no obstinacy, and no egotism. Matters on which he exercised caution were: fasting, war, and illness. The Master rarely spoke of profit, fate, and benevolence.

Yan Yuan arrived later, and Confucius said, "I thought you were dead." Yan Yuan replied, "While you, Master, are alive, how would I dare to die?"

Confucius left Cao and went to Song. He was practicing rites with his disciples beneath a large tree when Sima Huan Tui of Song, wanting to kill Confucius, pulled up the tree. Confucius fled. The disciples said, "We should leave quickly." Confucius said, "Heaven has bestowed virtue upon me—what can Huan Tui do to me?"

Confucius went to Zheng, where he became separated from his disciples. He stood alone at the eastern gate of the outer city. A man from Zheng said to Zigong, "There is a man at the eastern gate. His forehead resembles Yao's, his neck resembles Gao Yao's, his shoulders resemble Zi Chan's, but from his waist down he falls three inches short of Yu. He looks dejected, like a dog that has lost its home." Zigong reported this truthfully to Confucius. Confucius laughed cheerfully and said, "The appearance is of little account. But to call me a dog that has lost its home—so it is, so it is!"

Confucius then arrived at Chen and took lodging at the home of Sima Cheng Zhen Zi. More than a year passed. King Fuchai of Wu attacked Chen and captured three towns before departing. Zhao Yang attacked Chaoge. Chu besieged Cai, and Cai moved to Wu. Wu defeated King Goujian of Yue at Kuaiji.

"My Way is not prevailing. How can I make myself known to future generations?" So, drawing upon the historical records of the various states, he wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals, covering from Duke Yin of Lu down to the fourteenth year of Duke Ai of Lu, through twelve dukes. It takes Lu as the organizing center, shows closeness to the Zhou royal house, traces back to the old institutions of Yin, and spans the three dynasties of Xia, Shang, and Zhou. The wording is concise, yet the ideas expressed are broad. Thus, when the rulers of Wu and Chu styled themselves kings, the Annals demoted them by calling them 'viscounts'; when the covenant at Jiantu actually summoned the Zhou Son of Heaven, the Annals concealed the truth by saying, 'The Heavenly King hunted at Heyang.' By extension, he used such cases to hold the contemporary feudal lords in check. The rectifying and condemnatory principles will later be taken up and carried forward by a true king. When the principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals prevail, disloyal ministers and usurping sons throughout the realm will be filled with dread.

Confucius resided in Chen for three years. When Jin and Chu fought for supremacy and both attacked Chen, and when Wu invaded Chen, Chen was constantly under attack. Confucius said, "Let us return! Let us return! The young men of our school are ambitious and forward-looking, but they have forgotten their beginnings."

So Confucius left Chen. Passing through Pu, he encountered Gongshao Shu's faction rebelling. The people of Pu detained Confucius. One of the disciples, Gong Liang Ru, had followed Confucius with five carriages of his own. He was a tall, capable man of great courage, and he said, "I once followed the Master through danger at Kuang; now we face danger here—it is a matter of fate. I would rather fight to the death with the Master than submit." The fighting was intense, and the people of Pu grew frightened. They said to Confucius, "If you will not go to Wei, we will release you." They made a pact with him, and he left by the eastern gate.

When Duke Ling of Wei heard that Confucius had come, he was delighted and went out to greet him at the suburbs. He asked, "Can Pu be attacked?" Confucius replied, "It can." The duke said, "My ministers think it cannot. Pu is the barrier between Wei and Jin and Chu. Is it not improper to attack it with Wei's own forces?" Confucius said, "Among the men there is the resolve to die; among the women there is the resolve to defend the western river region. Those I would attack are but four or five troublemakers." The duke said, "Well spoken." Yet he did not attack Pu.

Duke Ling grew old and neglected the affairs of government, not employing Confucius. Confucius sighed deeply and said, "If anyone were to employ me, in a single year I would accomplish what others take three."

Confucius was learning to play the qin from Shi Xiangzi. For ten days he made no progress. Shi Xiangzi said, "You may proceed to the next piece." Confucius said, "I have learned the melody, but not yet the technique." After some time, Shi Xiangzi said, "You have learned the technique—now you may proceed." Confucius said, "I have not yet grasped the intent." After more time, Shi Xiangzi again suggested proceeding. Confucius said, "I have not yet apprehended the personality of the composer." After still more time, he seemed to gaze into the distance, lost in deep contemplation, his spirit lifted, his gaze raised to distant heights. Then he said, "I have apprehended the composer—a dark-complexioned man, tall, with eyes like one gazing into the distance, as if he would rule all the realm—who else but King Wen could have composed this!" Shi Xiangzi stepped back and bowed twice, saying, "My teacher said this is indeed King Wen's composition."

Another day, Duke Ling asked about military formations. Confucius said, "I have heard about sacrificial vessels and ritual; I have never studied military matters." The next day, when he spoke with Confucius, he saw wild geese flying overhead, and his attention was no longer on Confucius. Confucius left immediately and returned to Chen.

The Grand Historian says: The Book of Songs has these lines: “The high mountain is looked up to; the great road is followed.” Although I cannot reach that state, my heart yearns for it. When I read Master Kong’s writings, I try to imagine what kind of man he was. Traveling to Lu, I saw his temple, his carriage, his robes, and his ritual vessels. The disciples practiced the rites regularly in his house, and I lingered there reverently, unable to leave. The world’s rulers and worthies have been numerous: glorious in their time, but once dead they are forgotten. Confucius was a commoner, yet his tradition has been handed down for more than ten generations and scholars still honor him as their master.

In winter, Cai moved to Zhou Lai. That year was the third year of Duke Ai of Lu, and Confucius was sixty years old.