In addition to discussing the role of Confucianism, this article also discusses the virtues of sages, gentlemen, scholars, elegant Confucians, minor Confucians, lay Confucians, laity, people, and contemptible people, and emphasizes the importance of learning and law.
Zhou Gong is a great Confucian, and he is a model.
The role of Confucianism is:
After the death of King Wu of Zhou, because King Cheng was still young, Duke Zhou was worried that someone in the world would betray the Zhou Dynasty, so he left King Cheng and inherited King Wu's career and ruled the heavens.
Duke Zhou ascended the throne and dealt with the affairs of the world, as if he should have these powers, but the people of the world did not think that Duke Zhou coveted the throne.
Duke Zhou killed Uncle Guan and turned the capital of Yin into ruins, but the people of the world did not think he was cruel.
The Duke of Zhou controlled the world and divided seventy-one vassal states, of which fifty-three were surnamed Ji, but the people in the world did not think that he was biased.
The Duke of Zhou taught King Cheng to understand the way of etiquette, so that he could inherit the career of his ancestors.
The Duke of Zhou returned the throne to King Cheng, but the princes of the world continued to submit to Zhou, and the Duke of Zhou also returned to the throne and worshiped King Cheng.
The position of the Son of Heaven cannot be held by a young person, nor can it be done by someone else. Whoever is qualified for this position will be submissive to him, and if not, the people of the world will turn away from him.
Therefore, the Duke of Zhou set aside to become a king and inherited the cause of King Wu and ruled the world, which was deeply afraid that the people in the world would turn away from the Zhou Dynasty.
When King Cheng was twenty years old and had grown up, the Duke of Zhou returned the throne to King Cheng to show that he would not destroy the law of etiquette and righteousness of his eldest son.
As a result, the Duke of Zhou no longer has the power to rule the world, he used to have the world, but now he doesn't, this is not Chan Rang; he couldn't control the world before he became a king, but now he can, this is not usurpation; this is because of the change in the order of status.
Therefore, Duke Zhou's substitution of the throne of the eldest son as a "branch" is not beyond the rules of etiquette, and the younger brother's killing of the elder brother is not considered cruel, and the transfer of status between Duke Zhou and King Cheng is not unpleasant. Relying on the stability of the world, he completed the exploits of King Wen and King Wu, and demonstrated the righteousness of the side branches and the monarchy.
If it weren't for a saint, it would be impossible to do it, and this is the role of Confucianism.
The following is a conversation between Xunzi and King Qin Zhao.
Sun Qingzi, that is, Xun Qing, Xun Condition
King Qin Zhao asked Sun Qingzi, "Confucianism is not good for governing the country, right?"
Sun Qingzi replied: "Confucianism imitates the kings, respects propriety and righteousness, prudencely behaves as courtiers, and makes their monarchs honorable.
If the ruler uses him, they will be a competent courtier in the court, and if they are not appointed, they will retire from the residence and be an honest and obedient commoner in the household register. Even if they are in a difficult situation, cold and hungry, they will not satisfy their desires with crooked ways, and even if they are so poor that they have no place to live, they can still understand the great righteousness of safeguarding the country.
Although no one responded to his call, he was well versed in the rules governing all things and nurturing the people.
If they are above men, they can become sons of heaven and princes, and if they are below men, they are also the pillars of the country. Even if he lives in seclusion in a poor alley, no one will disrespect him, because they do have Taoist skills.
The story of Confucius is also the role of Confucianism.
Confucius was about to serve as the secretary of the Lu State, and the profiteer Shen knew that when he sold the sheep, he did not dare to feed the sheep in the morning enough to deceive the buyer, and the Gongshen family also divorced his promiscuous wife, and the Shen clan, who was usually extravagant and wasteful, and misbehaved, also left the Lu country, and even the merchants who sold cattle and horses in the Lu country did not dare to ask for a price anymore, because Confucius treated them in the right way.
When Confucius lived in the Que Party, the children of the Que Party distributed the fish and beasts they caught, and those who had parents were more divided.
This is because Confucius edified them with filial piety.
A conversation between King Qin Zhao and Xunzi.
When a Confucian holds an official position in the imperial court, he can beautify the government and make the customs good as a common man. That's how it was when Confucianism was under people.
King Qin Zhao asked, "Then, what about when the status of Confucianism is above that of people?"
Sun Qing replied: "Confucianism is above people, and their role is even greater! They have a firm will in their hearts, they use the system of etiquette and righteousness to repair the imperial court, and use all kinds of rules and regulations to rectify the government, and among the common people, the virtues of loyalty, faithfulness, benevolence, and altruism have become commonplace.
They will not do anything that is not proper for the sake of gaining the world, and kill an innocent person by mistake. This morality of being a monarch is accepted by the people and spread all over the world, then the people of the world will respond to him in unison.
What is the reason for this?
Because of his noble reputation, people all over the world admire him.
Therefore, the people around the monarch will sing his praises and welcome him, and those from afar will go to him without tire. In this way, within the four seas, like a family, there is no disobedience in a place with convenient transportation, and this is a role model.
The Book of Songs says: "From west to east, from south to north, there is no one who does not submit." ”
That's what happened. They are like that when they are under people, and they are like this when they are above people, how can it be said that they are not good for governing the country!"
The way of the ancient holy king is the highest embodiment of "benevolence" and is practiced according to the most moderate standard. What does it mean to be moderate? Answer: It is propriety. This "way" is not the way of heaven or the way of the earth, but the law that people should follow and the law that a gentleman should follow.
When a gentleman speaks of virtuousness, he does not mean that he can do everything that everyone can do; when he speaks of wisdom, he does not mean that he can fully know everything that others know; when he speaks of discernment, he does not mean that he can completely distinguish what others can discern; and when he speaks of scrutiny, he does not mean that he can fully observe what others can observe.
There is a limit to a gentleman's talent and knowledge. Inspecting the topography of the fields, identifying the barren and fertile soil, and arranging the order of grain planting, a gentleman is inferior to a peasant; a gentleman is inferior to a merchant in circulating money and goods, appraising the merits of goods, and arguing over the price; a gentleman is inferior to a worker in setting up compass rulers, displaying ink lines, and skillfully using tools; and disregarding right and wrong, and belittleing each other and ridiculing each other, and a gentleman is inferior to Hui Shi and Deng Xi.
As for the comparison of virtue to determine his rank, the evaluation of people's talents and the awarding of official positions, so that the sages and the unvirtuous can be in their respective positions, the talented and the untalented can get the corresponding official positions, all things can be properly used, all kinds of sudden changes are dealt with accordingly, so cautious that He Mo Zhai cannot express their opinions, Hui Shi and Deng Xi cannot penetrate their sophistry, speak in accordance with reason, and do things slowly and urgently, these are the strengths of a gentleman.
No matter what you do, if it is good for the principle, you will do it, otherwise, you will not do it, and this is called handling things correctly.
The doctrine of knowledge should be applied if it is beneficial to the principle, and if it is not, it should be discarded, and this is called the correct treatment of the doctrine.
If things and deeds are not right, they will cause evil deeds, and if knowledge and doctrine are not right, they will be evil doctrines. Evil deeds and doctrines are abandoned by people in a stable society, but in a chaotic society there are people who follow them.
As for the mutual transformation of the virtual and the real, the analysis of "separation from the white" and "contract difference", even the deaf person cannot understand it, the clear-eyed person cannot see clearly, the person who is good at argumentation cannot explain it clearly, and even with the wisdom of a saint, he cannot easily say it clearly.
Not knowing these things does not prevent him from becoming a gentleman.
Knowing this, it doesn't mean that he is not a villain. Just like a craftsman, if he does not understand these things, it does not prevent him from becoming a skilled craftsman, and if a gentleman does not understand these things, it does not prevent him from managing the affairs of the state.
The princes of the Son of Heaven who like adultery and adultery will mess up the law, and the common people will mess up things if they like adultery and adultery. The arrogant, stupid, and stupid people began to lead their followers, and to plead their strange theories, and to illustrate them with metaphors and quotations, that even when they were old, they did not know disgust.
This is called the stupidest person, and it is better to distinguish the good and bad of chickens and dogs to gain fame for it.
The "Book of Songs" says: "You are such a ghostly head, you can't see clearly without a shadow or form! Your face is so ugly that people can't see through it." I am writing this song to expose your capriciousness. That's what it means.
I want to go from humble to noble, from ignorance to wisdom, from poverty to rich, is that okay?
Those who study and can follow what they have learned can be called scholars, those who can work diligently can be called gentlemen, and those who can master what they have learned are saints. Since the highest can become a saint, and the inferior can become a scholar and a gentleman, then who can stop me from progressing?
In the past, he was just an ordinary person who was just a dumbfounded, but suddenly he could become as famous as Yao and Yu, and this was not from humble to noble! In the past, it was impossible to distinguish the difference between indoor and outdoor etiquette, and suddenly he was able to trace the root of benevolence and righteousness, distinguish between right and wrong, and deal with major affairs in the world as simple as distinguishing the black and white colors on the palm of his hand.
If a man has stored up countless treasures of gold and silver, even if he lives by begging, people will say that he is rich. His kind of treasure could neither be worn, nor eaten, and even if it were sold, it would not be sold quickly.
But people say he's rich, why? Isn't it because he really has a lot of wealth here?
In this way, the learned also become rich, and does not this make them rich from poverty?
So, though a gentleman is noble without an official position, rich without a fortune, trusted without speaking, majestic without anger, glorious in poverty, and happy in loneliness, are the noblest, richest, most dignified, and most solemn essences of a gentleman concentrated in this kind of learning?
Therefore, noble fame cannot be won by forming cliques, possessed by self-boasting, or obtained by the threat of a position of power.
If you fight with all your heart, you will lose your reputation, and if you are humble, you will gain it. If you act according to the right principles, you will maintain a noble reputation, and if you deceive and deceive, you will not gain a noble reputation.
Therefore, a gentleman should devote himself to his inner ideological cultivation, be humble in his behavior, devote himself to the accumulation of his own virtues, and follow the correct principles in dealing with things. In this way, then the noble reputation will be as clear as the sun and the moon, and the people of the world will respond to him vigorously like thunder.
Therefore, even if a gentleman is in seclusion, his reputation is still prominent, his status is humble, but he is glorious, and even if he is humble, he can still be superior to others.
The Book of Songs says: "The crane chirps in the swamp, and its voice soars into the sky." That's what it means.
The rude man, on the other hand, forms gangs, but his henchmen are becoming fewer and fewer, and he gains a more disgraceful reputation by unfair means of fighting for fame, and he is tired of toil, he desires comfort, and he himself is more dangerous.
The Book of Songs says: "Some people are not kind, always resentful of others, they only know how to fight for official positions, but they do not know how to be humble, and finally bring about their own destruction." "That's the kind of person I'm talking about.
If you don't have much ability but want to do big things, it's like having little strength and you have to carry a heavy burden, and there is no other end except for breaking your waist.
To boast of being a virtuous man is like a man with a stiff body who always wants to climb high, so that there are even more people who point to his head and laugh at him.
Therefore, the wise ruler arranges his position according to the virtue of the man in order to prevent confusion, and the faithful courtier is indeed talented before he dares to accept the position, so as not to embarrass himself.
The monarch does not arrange official positions in confusion, and the courtiers will not fall into an embarrassment when serving according to their ability, which is the highest state of governance.
In the Book of Songs, it is said: "The people around the monarch are very capable, and they all obey the orders of the king." This means that the relationship between the top and bottom will not be confused with each other.
It is the virtue of ordinary people to follow customs as appropriate, goods and money as treasures, and to maintain the body and continue life as their highest standard.
If one's conduct is lawful, strong-willed, and does not disturb what one has learned because of one's own desires, one can be called an upright person.
He is law-abiding and strong-willed, and likes to correct what he has learned, and uses it to correct his original disposition; his words are mostly appropriate but not fully understood; his actions are mostly appropriate but not entirely proper; most of his considerations are correct but not thorough; he can be called a loyal gentleman who is able to carry forward his own morality and enlighten others who are inferior to himself.
Practicing the laws of the emperors of the past is like distinguishing between black and white, adapting to the changes of the time, as easily as simple numbers as counting one and two, obeying etiquette and acting with equanimity as if moving the limbs of the body, seizing the opportunity and establishing the skill of meritorious deeds as if knowing the changes of the four seasons, governing political affairs, pacifying the people, and uniting billions of people as one person, so that one can be called a saint.
It's neat, everything is so organized. Majestic, he is so respected.
Unwavering, he's so consistent, so clear.
Peace and stability, everything can be maintained for a long time.
He's so happy that he doesn't slack off in carrying out his principles.
Zhao Zhao Yaoyao, he used wisdom so clearly.
O diligent, how his deeds are in accordance with the law of propriety.
An An Taitai, how brilliant he is.
And kind, he loves the goodness of others so much.
Conscientious, he's so worried about what others are doing wrong.
In this way, he can be called a saint because his Word is born of single-mindedness.
What does it mean to be single-minded? Answer: Maintain deity and stability.
What gods and stability?
Answer: Governing a country in a well-thought-out way is called a god. Nothing can subvert it, it is called solid. If you are both a god and a firm, you can be called a saint. The so-called saint is the sum total of the Tao. The Tao of the world is concentrated here, and the Tao of the emperors of the past dynasties is also concentrated here.
Therefore, the Tao of the Book of Songs, the Book of Songs, the Book of Rites, and the Book of Music also belong here.
The Book of Songs talks about the will of the saints, the Book of Books talks about the political affairs of the saints, the Book of Rites talks about the actions of the saints, the Book of Music talks about the coordination of the saints, and the Spring and Autumn Period talks about the subtle words of the saints. Therefore, the reason why "National Style" is not a debauched work is because it is used to restrain it;
The reason why "Xiao Ya" is Xiao Ya is because it is used to beautify, the reason why "Da Ya" is Da Ya is because it is glorious, and the reason why "Song" has reached the highest peak of poetry is because of its spirit to run through.
All the ways of the world are concentrated here, and if you follow it, you will get prosperity, if you do it, you will be destroyed, if you follow it, you will not get good prosperity, and if you go against it, you will not be destroyed.
One guest said: "Confucius said, 'How great is the Duke of Zhou, who is more courteous but noble, who is rich but thrifty, and who is more vigilant when he defeats his enemies.'" ”
He replied: "I am afraid that this is not the behavior of the Duke of Zhou, nor is it the opinion of Confucius. ”
After the death of King Wu, King Cheng was still young, Duke Zhou set aside King Cheng and inherited the career of King Wu, he ascended to the throne of the Son of Heaven, stood with his back against the screen, and the princes cautiously rushed to the palace to worship.
At this time, to whom was he courteous and courteous! He established a comprehensive rule over the whole world, divided 71 vassal states, and there were more than 50 surnamed Ji, and the descendants of the Zhou royal family, as long as they were not extremely stupid, did not become noble princes. Who can say that Zhou Gong is thrifty?
King Wu sent troops to crusade against the king of Xu, the day of the army coincided with the day of the soldiers, marched to the east, rushed to the Tai Sui, the soldiers went to the river and encountered the flooding of the river, to Huaicheng and the city wall collapsed, to the Gongtou Mountain, and encountered a landslide. Uncle Huo, the younger brother of King Wu, was scared and said, "Three days after sending troops, there have been five disasters, I'm afraid the time is not yet ripe for the crusade, right?"
But the Duke of Zhou said: "The king of Zhou cut out Uncle Wang's heart and imprisoned Uncle Wang's Jizi, and the court was ruled by traitors Fei Lian and evil, so he chose elite soldiers to continue to advance, ate in Qidi in the morning, camped in Baiquan in the evening, and approached Muye at dawn the next day. As soon as the war began, the soldiers of the king of Zhou turned against each other, so the Zhou army borrowed the power of the merchant to kill the king. Therefore, it was not the Zhou army that killed the king, but the merchants.
Therefore, the soldiers of the Zhou army did not behead and capture the enemy, therefore, there was no reward for charging into battle, after the army returned to the country, they collected the armor and weapons, unified the world, and set up music, so they replaced the original "Shao" and "Hu" with Zhou music "Wu" and "Xiang". In the whole world, there is no one who does not change his mind and submits to the Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, every family does not have to close its door, and there is no limit to walking around the world. At this time, who else should be on guard?
The father is the best person in the world to drive chariots and horses, but if there are no chariots and horses, he cannot show his talents;
Hou Yi is the best archery person in the world, but if there is no bow and arrow, he cannot show his superb skills;
A person like Confucianism is good at making the people of the world harmonize, but if there is no land of 100 miles, he cannot show his function. If the chariot is sturdy and there are good horses, but he cannot reach a distance and travel thousands of miles a day by relying on these, then he is not a father; if the bow is adjusted and the arrows are very straight, but he cannot shoot at a small target in the distance, then he is not a hindrance; if he cannot coordinate the people and unify the world, and cannot subdue a violent country, then he is not a great Confucian.
Even though those great Confucians live in seclusion in remote streets and alleys and shabby houses, although they are poor and have no place to stand, the princes and princes cannot compete with him for fame; although he governs a small country that is only a hundred miles square, the people with a large country of thousands of miles cannot match him; and nothing can shake him in striking at tyrannical countries and unifying the world; this is the characteristic of great Confucianism.
His words and deeds are in line with etiquette and righteousness, he is resolute, he can deal with crises and emergencies just right, he can change with the changes of the times, no matter how the outside world changes, his Taoism is consistent, this is the model of Confucianism.
When he was destitute and frustrated, the vulgar Confucian scholars laughed at him, and when he became prominent, all the heroes and heroes were influenced by him, and the unrighteous people would flee from him, and those who persisted in heresy would fear him, and everyone would be ashamed of him.
When he is prominent, he will be able to unify the world with official luck, and when he is in a difficult situation, he will be able to stand alone.
Heaven can't make him die, and the earth can't bury him, even the era of Xia Wei and thieves can't defile him, if it's not a great Confucian, you can't live in the world like this, and Confucius and Zigong are such people.
Therefore, there are vulgar people, there are vulgar Confucians, there are elegant Confucians, and there are great Confucians.
It is a vulgar person who does not study, does not pay attention to justice, and takes the pursuit of wealth as the goal.
Dressed in wide garments with a wide belt, and wearing hats high in the middle and low on both sides, and roughly imitating the ancient holy kings, it is enough to disturb the world; They behave in the same way as the world, but they do not know how to dislike themselves, but they do not yet know how to dislike them; their speech is no different from that of Mozi, but they cannot be clearly distinguished; they are vulgar Confucian scholars who deceive the foolish people by boasting that their kings have deceived foolish people, and they are proud to have enough savings to make ends meet; those who obey the nobles, who serve their cronies, who praise the nobles, who are their servants at peace and do not dare to have any other aspirations, are vulgar Confucian scholars.
Following the example of the emperors of later generations, the system was unified, and the etiquette was respected and the "Book of Songs" and "Book of Songs" Reduced to a secondary position, his words and deeds have basically met the requirements of the basic laws and regulations, but his wisdom has not yet been able to solve the problems that are not covered by the law and education, and the things that have not been reached by seeing and hearing, even if he has wisdom, he cannot touch the class; if he knows, he will say that he knows, and if he does not know, he will not deceive himself, and he will not deceive others externally, and according to this concept, he will respect the sages, revere the law, and dare not slack off, and this kind of person is a noble Confucian scholar.
Emulate the holy kings of ancient times, summarize etiquette and righteousness, unify the system, grasp a lot of knowledge according to a small amount of knowledge, grasp modern things according to ancient things, and deduce everything in the world according to a single thing, if it is a thing that is in accordance with benevolence and righteousness, even among birds and beasts, it can be identified as if it were black and white; strange things, strange changes, which have never been heard of or seen, and suddenly happen, can be dealt with etiquette and righteousness, without any doubts and shame, and publicize the law to measure it, just like the symbols and verses, which are completely compatible, this is the great Confucianism。
Therefore, if the monarch rules with vulgar people, then the country of ten thousand times will also be destroyed; if the vulgar Confucian is appointed to govern, the great country of the ten thousand times can only be preserved; if the noble Confucian is in power, the country of the thousand times will be safe; if the great Confucian is appointed to govern, even if it is a small country of a hundred miles, it can be maintained for a long time, and after three years, the whole world can be unified, and the princes of all countries will be called vassals; if the great Confucianism is appointed to govern the great country of the ten thousand times, the government will be generous, the country will be stable, and it will soon be famous all over the world.
It's better to hear than to hear, it's better to see it with your own eyes than to hear, it's better to know than to see, and it's better to practice it than to know it. The unity of knowledge and action has reached the extreme.
Through practice, you will be able to understand the reason, and if you understand the reason, you will become a saint. There is no other trick for a saint to take benevolence and righteousness as the foundation, to properly judge right and wrong, and to match words and deeds without any difference, but to put what he has learned into practice. Therefore, even if you hear a lot but do not see it with your own eyes, you will inevitably make mistakes, if you see it but you don't know it, even if you remember it, you will make mistakes, and if you know it but don't put it into practice, even if you have a lot of knowledge, you will be in trouble. If you don't hear it, you don't see it, and even if you do it right, it's not benevolence, and if you do it by chance as the fundamental method, you will fail a hundred times if you do it a hundred times.
Therefore, if a person does not have the teachings of a teacher and does not know the law, if he has wisdom, he will commit theft, if he has courage, he will rob, if he has talent, he will make trouble, if he can discern it, he will make strange remarks, and if he is good at arguing, he will definitely make false sophistry. However, with the teacher's teachings, if you know the law and have wisdom, you will be able to quickly attain it, if you have courage, you will soon become mighty, if you have talent, you will be able to achieve success quickly, if you can perceive clearly, you will be able to quickly understand things, and if you are good at argumentation, you will be able to quickly judge right and wrong. Therefore, having the teachings of a teacher and having a testimony is the greatest wealth of the people, but otherwise, without the teaching of the teacher and the lack of testimonies, it will become a disaster for the people.
If there is a teacher who teaches and understands the law, he will attach importance to the accumulation of learning, and the teacher's law itself is also acquired through the accumulation of study, not innate, and it cannot govern itself independently. Nature is not something we can acquire, but nature can be changed, and accumulation, which is not something we have a given, can be created. Customs and habits can change people's minds, and if they are influenced by customs and habits for a long time, they will change people's nature. As long as you concentrate and don't be half-hearted, you will be able to pass through the gods and be in harmony with heaven and earth.
Therefore, the accumulation of soil can become a high mountain, the confluence of a trickle can form the sea, the accumulation of a day is called a year, the highest place is the sky, the lowest place is the earth, the six directions of the universe are called the poles, and ordinary people can become saints by accumulating good deeds and reaching the level of perfection.
Those who must work hard to achieve something, continue to practice to succeed, continuous accumulation to improve, and finally reach perfection can become saints. Therefore, saints are the result of the accumulation of ordinary people's good deeds.
When people accumulate experience in hoeing grass and plowing fields, they become farmers, when they accumulate experience in chopping, they become carpenters, when they accumulate experience in selling goods, and when they accumulate experience in etiquette, they become gentlemen. The sons of the craftsmen inherited their father's business, and the people of the city were content with their profession. The customs and habits of the Chu State are the customs of the Chu State, the Yue State has the customs and habits of the Yue State, and the Central Plains has the customs and habits of the Central Plains. These are not innate natures, but the result of acquired accumulation and training.
Therefore, if people behave cautiously, take customs and habits seriously, and cultivate and hone their virtues, they will become gentlemen, and if they indulge their temperament and do not study hard, they will become villains. If you become a gentleman, you will always be in peace and glory, and if you become a villain, you will often encounter danger and shame. There is no one who does not want peace and glory and disgust with danger and disgrace, but only a gentleman can get what he likes, and the villain can only incur what he hates every day. The Book of Songs says: "For so many virtuous people, you do not invite them and appoint them, but you take care of those who are vicious and value them." If the people want to resist, are they willing to be brutalized? "That's what I'm talking about.
The categories of people are: he is always partial in his thoughts, but always wants others to think that he is impartial and selfless, his actions are dirty and despicable, but he wants others to think that he is cultivated, and he is shallow and ignorant, but he wants others to think that he is smart, this is the idea of ordinary people.
Only by abandoning selfishness in thought can we be just, only when action overcomes lust can we be virtuous, and only then can we have wisdom and be open-minded and studious, and then we can be called a little Confucian.
Be content with justice in thought, be kind in action, have wisdom, and be able to understand the laws of various affairs, so you can be called a great Confucian.
The great Confucian can serve as the third prince beside the Son of Heaven, the small Confucian can serve as the scholar and doctor of the princes, and the ordinary people can only be craftsmen, farmers, and merchants. The etiquette system is the standard for the monarch to measure the merits of the rank of the ministers, so that all the categories of people are included.
A gentleman's speech has boundaries, his behavior has standards, and his words and deeds are specialized.
When it comes to political requirements, we must take the stability and existence of the country as the criterion; when it comes to the requirements of aspirations, we must take being a scholar as the criterion; and when we talk about the requirements of morality, we must take not deviating from the contemporary emperor as the criterion.
The way of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties before was too far away, and it was debauchery and absurdity, and it was incorrect for the law to deviate from the emperors of the present day. Whether one's own ideas are high or low, big or small, they do not exceed these aspects, and a gentleman exerts his own thoughts with this as the boundary.
Therefore, when a prince asks about political issues, he will not tell him if he does not involve the safety or survival of the country; ordinary people will not teach him if they do not involve how to be a scholar; and if the doctrine of the hundred schools of thought does not involve how the contemporary emperor governs the country, he will not listen to him.
This is that a gentleman has boundaries for speaking and standards for action.