During the period of the Three Huan dictatorships, Kong Qiu and his disciples already had a certain influence in the political life of the State of Lu, on the one hand, because the king of the State of Lu wanted to use the power of Confucius to balance the Three Huans, and on the other hand, the Three Huans had a tendency to waver on the question of whether to use Confucius's ideas to govern the country.
Duke Lu Ding appointed Zilu as the magistrate of Jisun's fiefdom, and Duke Lu Ding appointed Confucius as the chief sikou to take care of the affairs, and Confucius had the act of the three capitals, but unfortunately it was a failure. During the reign of duke lu ai, Ji Kangzi appointed Zigong as envoys to the states of Wu, Yue, Qi, and Jin, and appointed Ran You as the commander of Ji's zai and army.
Confucius went to the post of Grand Sikou at the age of 56, left the state of Lu, and moved back and forth in chen, Cai, Wei, Chu and other countries for 14 years, and when Confucius was 70 years old, Ji Kangzi welcomed Confucius back to Lu from the State of Wei. Although Lu Aigong and Ji Kangzi could not reuse Confucius again, they often asked Confucius about politics.
Duke Lu Ai, son of Duke Lu Ding, reigned in 494 BC and reigned for 26 years. After the death of Confucius, the Duke of Lu Ai, worried about the strength of the Three Huans, wanted to threaten them with the power of the princes, and the Three Huans were also afraid of the difficulties of the Duke of Sorrow, so the contradictions between the monarchs and the courtiers were very deep. Duke Ai wanted to use the power of the Yue state to attack Sanhuan. Sanhuan first attacked the Duke of Wai, who fled to Wei, Zou, and Yue, and the Lu people welcomed the Duke of Wai back to China and died in the house of the Youshan clan. Therefore, by the time of Lu Mogong, the son of Duke Lu Ai, Lu Jun's status was no longer as good as that of Sanhuan.
Duke Lu'ai was at a disadvantage in his power struggle with Sanhuan, and he had the desire to revive the office, but overall, he was a very mediocre monarch.
Lu Aigong asked Confucius, "Is it beneficial to wear a dress, tie a belt, and wear a traditional top hat?" ”
Confucius quickly and respectfully replied, "Why could Your Majesty ask such a question?" Those who wear mourning clothes and carry filial sticks do not listen to music, not because their ears cannot hear, but because they wear mourning clothes, so they do; those who wear sacrificial dresses do not eat meat dishes, not because their mouths cannot taste, but because they wear sacrificial clothes to make them like this. I've heard the saying that people who are good at business don't stick to loss-making business, and respectable elders don't go to the market to do business. Whether wearing a dress, wearing a belt, and wearing a traditional top hat is beneficial to benevolence, this question, you think about it privately, you should understand it. ”
Lu Aigong asked Confucius about the top hat that Shun was wearing, but Confucius did not answer. Duke Wai asked three times, but Confucius still did not answer. Lu Aigong said, "I asked you about the top hat that Shun was wearing, so why didn't you talk?" ”
Confucius replied, "The emperors of ancient times all had their own pursuits, but they were simply dressed, and their governance was dedicated to the growth of hair and disgusted with destruction." Therefore, the phoenix perches on the trees in the row, the unicorn wanders freely in the countryside, and the crow and magpie nest are visible. You don't ask about that, but you ask about the top hat That Shun wears, so I don't answer. ”
Lu Aigong then changed his mouth and asked, "I was born in the deep palace, raised under the care of women, and never knew what sorrow was, what sorrow was, what was labor, what fear was, and what was danger." ”
Confucius felt that lu aigong was a little incurable, and deliberately replied: "Your Majesty's question is a question that the monarch of Shengming is concerned about." I Kong Qiu is just a lowly person, how can I know this?
The Wai Gong said, "I have no place to ask except you." ”
Confucius said: "Your Majesty entered the gate of the Taimiao Temple to the right, from the east steps to the hall, looking up to see the rafters of the roof beams, looking down to see the ancestral spiritual seats on the table, the ritual utensils of sacrifice are all placed there, but your ancestors are gone, you think from these aspects, so how can sorrow not arise spontaneously?"
As soon as dawn came, His Majesty began to get up and comb his hair and wear a hat, and at dawn he sat in the courtroom to deal with political affairs, and if one thing was not handled properly, it could become the beginning of the disaster.
Your Majesty began to handle political affairs at dawn, did not retreat until the sun was far to the west, and there were princes and princes who had fled from various countries who had been waiting for your reception at the bottom position.
His Majesty walked out of the palace to the gate tower of the four-square gate of the capital city, where you could look at the four suburbs of the Lu kingdom and see the scattered thatched houses in the ruins of the fallen country.
I've heard the saying that the monarch is like a boat, and the people are like water. Water can carry boats, and water can also cover boats. If you think about it from this aspect, how can there be no sense of danger? ”