仲尼弟子列传 — Shiji

Confucius said that seventy-seven disciples had mastered his teachings and achieved true understanding, each a man of exceptional ability.

When Duke Ai of Lu asked which of his disciples loved learning, Confucius replied: "There was Yan Hui—he loved learning. He never transferred his anger, never repeated a mistake. Unfortunately his life was cut short, and now there is no one like him."

Ran Geng, styled Banni, was considered by Confucius to possess moral virtue. When Banni fell gravely ill, Confucius visited him and, taking his hand through the window, lamented: "It is fate! That such a man should have such an illness—fate indeed!"

Zilu asked about governance. Confucius said: "Lead by example, then exhaust yourself in service." When Zilu asked for more, Confucius added: "Never grow weary." Zilu asked: "Does a gentleman prize courage?" Confucius replied: "Righteousness is paramount. A gentleman who prizes courage but lacks righteousness becomes a rebel; a common man who prizes courage but lacks righteousness becomes a thief."

At that time, Duke Ling of Wei had a favored concubine named Nanzi. The heir apparent, Kuai Kui, had offended Nanzi and fled in fear of punishment. When Duke Ling died and his wife wished to install Prince Ying, Ying refused, saying: "The exiled heir's son, Qi, is still here." Thus Wei enthroned Qi, who became Duke Chu. After twelve years of Duke Chu's reign, his father Kuai Kui remained outside the state, unable to enter.

Zilu was rough by nature, fond of bravery and strength, with an upright and unyielding disposition. He wore a rooster-feathered cap and carried a boar-shaped ornament. He once treated Confucius with violence. Confucius gradually guided him through ritual and propriety, and later Zilu put on the robes of a scholar, formally offered a gift to acknowledge his allegiance, and through Confucius's disciples requested to become his student. Zilu asked about governing. Confucius said: "Lead the way and work the people hard." Zilu asked for further instruction. Confucius said: "Never be slack." Zilu asked: "Does the gentleman prize courage?" Confucius said: "Righteousness is foremost. If a gentleman prizes courage but lacks righteousness, he will create disorder. If a petty man prizes courage but lacks righteousness, he will become a brigand."

Another time, Zai Wo was sleeping during the day. Confucius said: "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of filth cannot be plastered." Zai Wo asked about the virtue of the Five Emperors, and Confucius replied: "You are not the man for such topics." Zai Wo later served as magistrate of Linzi, but became involved in a rebellion with Tian Chang, and his family was destroyed—Confucius regarded this as shameful.

Zigong asked: "Wealth without arrogance, poverty without flattery—how would this rate?" Confucius said: "Passable; but better still is poverty with joy in the Way, and wealth with love of ritual."

When Tian Chang plotted rebellion in Qi, he feared the noble families of Gao, Guo, Bao, and Yan, so he shifted his forces intending to attack Lu instead. When Confucius heard this, he said to his disciples: "Lu is the land of our ancestors, the home of our parents. The state is in peril—why do none of you act?"

Zilu offered to go, but Confucius stopped him. Zi Zhang and Zi Shi offered to go, but Confucius refused. Zigong requested permission to go, and Confucius consented.

The old grain has been exhausted, the new grain has been harvested, the wood for drilling fire has been changed—one year of mourning should be enough. The Master asked, "Would you feel at ease?" Zai Yu replied, "I would." The Master said, "If you feel at ease, then do it. A gentleman in mourning does not enjoy sweet food when eating, nor feel joy when hearing music, and so he does not act thus." After Zai Yu left, the Master said, "Yu is not humane! A child does not leave his parents' embrace until three years after birth. The three-year mourning period is the universal practice under Heaven." Zai Yu slept during the daytime. The Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dung cannot be plastered." Zai Yu asked about the virtues of the Five Emperors, and the Master said, "I am not the right person for such questions." When Zai Yu served as the Grand Officer of Linzi, he joined Tian Chang in rebellion, and his clan was exterminated. Confucius regarded this as shameful.

Duanmu Ci, a man of Wei, styled Zigong, was thirty-one years younger than Confucius. Zigong had a sharp tongue and clever words, and Confucius often rebuked his argumentativeness. The Master asked, "Between you and Hui, who is superior?" He replied, "How dare I compare myself to Hui! When Hui hears one thing, he understands ten; when I hear one thing, I understand two." After Zigong had completed his studies, he asked, "What sort of person am I?" The Master said, "You are a vessel." "What vessel?" "A sacrificial vessel of jade." Chen Ziqin asked Zigong, "From whom did Zhongni learn?" Zigong said, "The Way of King Wen and King Wu has not fallen to the ground; it lives among people. The worthy recognize its great aspects, the unworthy its small aspects. There is nowhere that the Way of Wen and Wu does not exist. Where could our Master not learn, and why should he have a constant teacher?" He also asked, "Whenever Confucius goes to a state, he always hears about its government. Does he seek this information, or do people give it to him?"

The King of Yue cleared the roads and received Zigong at the outskirts, personally welcoming him to his lodging. He asked: "This is a barbarian land. Why does a great officer honor us with such a visit?"

Zigong said: "Recently I persuaded the King of Wu to rescue Lu and attack Qi. His intention was fixed, but he fears Yue. He says: 'Wait until I conquer Yue.' Thus Yue is surely doomed. Moreover, to have designs on revenge yet cause others to suspect you is foolish; to have such designs and let them be known is dangerous; to begin an enterprise before preparations are complete is ruinous. These three are the great hazards of enterprise."

Goujian knelt and bowed twice, saying: "I once misjudged my strength and fought with Wu, becoming trapped at Guiji. The pain cut to my marrow. Day and night my lips were parched and tongue cracked, yet I desired only to stand shoulder to shoulder with the King of Wu and die together. That is my wish." He then asked Zigong for counsel.

Zigong said: "The King of Wu is fierce and violent; his ministers cannot bear it. His state is exhausted by constant warfare; his soldiers endure it with resentment; his people resent their rulers; his ministers plot internally. Wu Zixu died for his counsel, and the Minister of Works, Bo Pi, exploits the situation, catering to the king's faults for private gain—thus he governs a ruined state. Now if you, my lord, genuinely raise troops to assist him, you will satisfy his ambitions; offer rich treasures to please him; use humble words to honor his rituals—his attack on Qi is certain. If he is defeated, it is your fortune. If he prevails, he will certainly march his forces against Jin. I will then travel north to meet the Lord of Jin, and together we will attack him. Exhausting Wu's finest troops against Qi and tying up his remaining forces against Jin, you will then exploit his exhaustion. This is how Yue will surely destroy Wu."

Unfortunate as I am, I lost my father in my youth. Unable to measure my own strength, I offended Wu, suffered military defeat and personal disgrace, and took refuge at Mount Kuaiji while my kingdom became a desolate waste. Thanks to Your Majesty’s bounty, I was able to continue offering sacrifices with the ritual vessels. Even in death I dare not forget this—how could I entertain any treacherous thoughts! Five days later, the Yue ruler dispatched Grandee Zhong, who bowed with his forehead to the ground and addressed the King of Wu: ‘I, your servant Zhong, envoy of the toiling servant Goujian of the Eastern Sea, presume to send a subordinate to inquire after Your Majesty’s attendants. I have learned that Your Majesty intends to uphold great righteousness, punish the strong and aid the weak, besiege the violent Qi and comfort the Zhou royal house. I request that all three thousand soldiers within our borders be mobilized, and I myself shall don armor and take up a sharp weapon, to be the first to brave the arrows and stones.’

Thereupon the lowly minister Wen Zhong of Yue was sent, bearing treasured vessels collected by his ancestors, twenty suits of armour, the Fuqu Lu spear, and the Buguang sword, to present as gifts to the military officers of Wu. The King of Wu was overjoyed and said to Zigong, 'The King of Yue wishes to accompany me personally on the campaign against Qi. Would that be acceptable?' Zigong replied, 'It would not be acceptable. To empty another state, exhaust its entire population, and then also have its ruler follow you—this is unrighteous. My lord, you should accept his gifts, permit his army to come, but decline the attendance of his ruler.' The King of Wu agreed and accordingly dismissed the King of Yue. Then the King of Wu mobilized troops from nine commanderies to attack Qi. Zigong thereupon left for Jin and said to the ruler of Jin, ...

Five days later, the King of Yue sent his minister Zhòng, who knelt with his head to the ground and addressed the King of Wu: "Your servant Zhòng, the humble viceroy of the eastern sea and emissary of King Goujiàn of Yue, ventures to send greetings to Your Majesty's officials. I have heard that Your Majesty intends to rise in righteous cause, punishing the strong and rescuing the weak, suppressing the violent Qi and comforting the house of Zhou. I beg to mobilize three thousand soldiers from our realm. I myself shall don armor and grasp weapons, to receive the first arrows and stones of battle. Moreover, I send forward the weapons preserved by my ancestors—twenty sets of armor, iron-pointed spears, and swords of exquisite temper—these to honor your military officers."

Zǐ Gòng thereupon journeyed to Jin. He said to the ruler of Jin: "I have heard it said that without advance planning, one cannot meet sudden crises; without prior preparation, one cannot defeat the enemy. Now, if Qi and Wu engage in battle and Wu does not prevail, Jin will surely be thrown into chaos. If Wu defeats Qi, he will certainly bring his forces to bear on Jin."

"Prepare your troops and rest your soldiers while awaiting developments," said Zǐ Gòng.

Zǐ Gòng was skilled in the arts of commerce and commodity trading. He delighted in praising others' virtues and never concealed others' faults. He served as minister in both Lu and Wei, accumulating thousands in gold. He died at last in Qi.

Yán Yǎn was a native of Wu, styled Zǐ Yóu. He was forty-five years younger than Confucius. Having completed his studies under Confucius, he became magistrate of Wǔchéng. When Confucius passed through, he heard the sounds of strings and singing. Confucius smiled and said, "Why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken?"

Bǔ Shāng, styled Zǐ Xià, was forty-four years younger than Confucius. Zǐ Xià asked, "'A beautiful smile with dimples, lovely eyes with their bright glance—white silk takes on colors.' What does this mean?"

Zǐ Gòng asked, "Who is the superior man—Shī or Shāng?"

Confucius said to Shāng, "Be a gentleman-scholar, not a petty-scholar."

Another time, traveling between Chén and Cài, they were in dire straits. Zǐ Zhāng asked about proper conduct.

Confucius said, "That is fame, not accomplishment. The truly accomplished man is upright by nature and loves righteousness; he reads others' words and observes their expressions; he thinks always of humbling himself before others. Such a man will prosper in state and clan. But he who seeks fame merely puts on an appearance of benevolence while acting against it, yet never doubts himself—he too will be known in state and clan."

Tángtái Mièmíng was a native of Wǔchéng, styled Zǐ Yǔ. He was thirty-nine years younger than Confucius. His appearance was most unappealing. He wished to study under Confucius, who thought him of limited ability. Yet after completing his studies, he withdrew to cultivate his conduct. He never took shortcuts—unless for official business, he would not seek audience with ministers or high officials.

Confucius said, "When the state follows the Way, hold office. When the state abandons the Way, to hold office is shameful."

Yuán Sī replied, "I have heard it said: one without wealth is called poor; one who learns the Way but cannot practice it is called ill. As for me—I am poor, not ill."

Gōng Yě Cháng was a native of Qi, styled Zǐcháng. Confucius said, "Cháng would make a suitable husband. Though he was once imprisoned, it was not for any crime of his." He gave him his daughter in marriage.

Nángōng Kuò, styled Zǐróng, asked Confucius, "Yì was skilled at archery, and Ào could overturn boats—yet neither died a natural death. Yǔ and Jì worked the fields themselves, yet they came to rule all under heaven. What do you make of this?"

He replied, "When spring clothing is ready, I would don my cap with five or six companions and six or seven youths. We would bathe in the Yi River, enjoy the breeze at the Rain Dance Altar, and sing our way home."

Zǐlù replied, "There are the people to govern, and the altars of grain and soil to serve. Why must one read books before one can be said to have learned?"

Qin Ran, courtesy name Kai. Gongxia Shou, courtesy name Cheng. Xirong Zhen, courtesy name Zixi. Gongjian Ding, courtesy name Zizhong. Yan Zu, courtesy name Xiang. Qiao Dan, courtesy name Zijia. Ju Jingjiang. Hanfu Hei, courtesy name Zisuo. Qin Shang, courtesy name Zipi. Shen Dang, courtesy name Zhou. Yan Zhipu, courtesy name Shu. Rong Qi, courtesy name Ziqi. Xian Cheng, courtesy name Ziqi. Zuoren Ying, courtesy name Xing. Yan Ji, courtesy name Si. Zheng Guo, courtesy name Zitu. Qin Fei, courtesy name Zizhi. Shi Zhichang, courtesy name Ziheng. Yan Kuai, courtesy name Zisheng. Bushu Cheng, courtesy name Ju. Yuan Kangji. Yue Kai, courtesy name Zisheng. Lian Jie, courtesy name Yong. Shuzhong Hui, courtesy name Ziqi. Yan He, courtesy name Ran. Di Hei, courtesy name Xi. Bang Xun, courtesy name Zilian. Kong Zhong. Gongxi Yuru, courtesy name Zishang. Gongxi Zhen, courtesy name Zishang.

The Grand Historian remarks: Scholars often praise the seventy disciples of Confucius. Those who extol them sometimes exaggerate their merits, while those who disparage them sometimes detract from their true worth. In either case, not having seen their actual bearing, such appraisals are based merely on hearsay and the disciple registers. Among these, the ancient texts from the Kong family come closest to the truth. I have compiled the names and accounts of the disciples entirely from the questions and answers of the disciples recorded in the Analects, arranging them in order. Where there were doubts, I left them unrecorded. Teaching flourished in Queli, and the Way resided in Zouxian. Those of extraordinary ability took their places, and outstanding scholars ascended to the hall. They cleaved to benevolence and immersed themselves in the six arts; their aspirations were united, their methods shared. They directed the instruction and managed the ceremonies; the ritual vessels were resplendent and abundant. Alas, he never achieved supremacy, remaining an uncrowned king in vain!