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saying, “Alas, Heaven has bereaved
me!” #17 - Confucius was besieged in
Kuang. Yan Yuan was the last to
#14 - When Yan Yuan died, arrive to see him. Confucius said, “I
Confucius wailed bitterly. thought you had died.”
His disciples said, “Master, you are Yan Yuan replied, “How would I dare
grieving too much!” to die when you, Master, is alive.”
Confucius said, “Am I? If I didn’t #18 - Yan Yuan asked what
grieve for him, who else would benevolence was.
deserve my grief?” Confucius said, “One who restrains
himself in order to observe the rites,
#15 - When Yan Yuan died, is benevolent. Once you can do this,
Confucius’ disciples wanted to give you will be unanimously considered
him a grand burial. a man of benevolence. Such a
practice wholly depends on oneself,
Confucius said, “You must not do not on anybody else.”
that.”
Yan Yuan asked again, “How can one
However, the disciples still gave him carry on such a practice?”
a grand burial. Confucius replied,
“Do not look at things that do
Knowing that, Confucius said, “Yan not accord with the rites;
Yuan treated me as if I were his listen to things that do not
father. But I could not treat him as accord with the rites;
if he were my son. Such a grand say anything that do not
burial was your idea, not mine.” accord with the rites; and
(Confucius objected to the grand do anything that do not
burial for Yan Yuan, especially accord with the rites.”
because of Yan Yuan’s economic
condition. When his own son died, Yan Yuan said, “I will follow what you
Confucius had buried him in a simple have said even though I am not
way. Therefore, he uttered the above gifted.”
remarks to reproach his disciples who
had not listen to him and gave Yan #19 - Yan Yuan asked how to
Yuan a grand burial.) govern.
#16 - Confucius said, “Yan Hui is Confucius said, “Use the calendar of
quite learned and virtuous but he is Xia, take the carriage of Yin, wear the
extremely impoverished. Duanmu ceremonial hat of Zhou and play
Ci is discontent with his lot. He Shao and Wu music. Abandon the
engages in trade and each time he music of Zheng and keep your
turns out to be successful.” distance from cunning men. The
