"
Respecting Mang Kung-ch'oh, he said that, while he was fitted for
something better than the post of chief officer in the Chau or Wei
families, he was not competent to act as minister in small States like
those of T'ang or Sieh.
Tsz-lu asked how he would describe a perfect man. He replied, "Let a man
have the sagacity of Tsang Wu-chung, the freedom from covetousness of
Kung-ch'oh, the boldness of Chwang of P'in, and the attainments in
polite arts of Yen Yu; and gift him further with the graces taught by
the 'Books of Rites' and 'Music'--then he may be considered a perfect
man. But," said he, "what need of such in these days? The man that may
be regarded as perfect now is the one who, seeing some advantage to
himself, is mindful of righteousness; who, seeing danger, risks his
life; and who, if bound by some covenant of long standing, never forgets
its conditions as life goes on."
Respecting Kung-shuh Wan, the Master inquired of Kung-ming Kia, saying,
"Is it true that your master never speaks, never laughs, never takes
aught from others?"
"Those who told you that of him," said he, "have gone too far. My master
speaks when there is occasion to do so, and men are not surfeited with
his speaking. When there is occasion to be merry too, he will laugh, but
men have never overmuch of his laughing. And whenever it is just and
right to take things from others, he will take them, but never so as to
allow men to think him burdensome.
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