Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) WANG YOUPU'S ...

Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) onW A N G Y O U P U ' S S A C R E D E D I C T L E C T U R E :" E X H O R T A T I O N S O N C E R E M O N Y A N D D E F E R E N C E "Among the ancients there was a man named Lou Shide. He once asked his brother,ʺSupposethatsomeonespitinyourface.Howwouldyoureacttohim?ʺWhenhisbrothersaidhe would just wipe it off, Lou Shide said, ʺIf you wipe it off, the man will hold you in evengreatercontempt.Justacceptitwithasmileandwaituntilitdriesofitsownaccord.ʺJustthink,meekLouShideafterwardsrosetobecomeprimeminister.Isnʹtthisevidencethatʺthehumblegainʺ?Howdotheself‐satisfiedlose?Self‐satisfactionoccurswhenapersonisimpressedwithhisownimportance.Itdoesnotreferonlytopropertyownersandofficialswhorelyontheirmoneyandinfluencetodeceiveandhumiliateothersandthusinvitedisaster.Italsoreferstoyoungmenwhocalltheireldersʺoldfogiesʺandeveniftheyarepoororfeebledonotaddresstheminarespectfulmanner;italsoreferstoyoungmenwhotelllocalofficialsandgentry,ʺWewill not cringe before you,ʺ and arrogantly try to gain the upper hand. This emotion of selfsatisfactionwill inevitably lead a man to exceed what is appropriate to his station. He willundertakedaringacts,bringingoncalamity.Thisshowshowʺtheself‐satisfiedlose.ʺThe principles taught by these two sentences may be compared to an earthen vessel.Whenthevesselisempty(=modest)itcanstillgain.Ifitisfull(=self‐satisfied),youcannotputmorethingsintoit,andifyouforcethemyoumayoverturnthevesselorbreakitintopieces.Fromthiscanbeseenhowthehumblegainandtheself‐satisfiedlose.Theseprinciplesmayalsobecomparedtoamanwhohassomechronicdisorders.Knowingthathisbodyisweak,hewillbe careful in all matters, not daring to eat much food or indulge in wine or women.Consequentlyhemayenjoyalonglife.Themanwhodoesnʹthavetheslightesthealthproblem,bycontrast,willdependonhisstrengthandvigor.Hewilleatandthengorighttosleep,takeoffhisclothesindraftyplaces,andshownoteventheleastmoderationinregardtowineandwomen.Thenonedayhegetsanincurableillness.Arenʹttheseaccurateexamplesofhowthehumble(=cautious)gainandtheself‐satisfiedlose?Formerly there was a Mr. Wang Yanfang who was exceptionally ready to defer toothers. Once a cattle thief, when captured, said, ʺI will willinglyreceive my punishment, butplease donʹt inform Wang Yanfang.ʺ When Wang heard of this, he sent someone to give thethiefapieceofclothandpersuadehimtobecomegood.Fromthisincidentthethiefbecamesoreformedthatwhenhesawsomeonedrophisswordintheroadhestoodguardingittilltheowner came back to get it. In antiquity there also was a Mr. Guan Youan who was equallydeferential.Whenanoxbelongingtoanotherfamilycameandatetheyoungshootsofhisfield,hewasnotatallangry,buttooktheox,tiedhimtoatree,andbroughthimgrasstoeat.Becausehe was so accommodating and humble, all the people of his village reformed. In a time ofrebellion,thebanditsdidnʹtbotherhim,andthosewhohadfledfromdangercametohimforprotection.Justthinkofit:whenonemanknowshowtoyield,awholedistrictcanbereformed,and even bandits can be influenced. Arenʹt ceremonial behavior and deference then realtreasures?Asia for E duca tors l Columbia University l http ://afe.easia.columbia.edu Page 6 of 7