Chapter 109: Three Questions on Hua and Yi

When Master Kong heard someone call himself 'We' and say he'd been waiting a long time, he raised his head and looked — wasn't it the Chongzhen Emperor himself, sitting there with a book in hand, smiling as he watched him?

Utterly shocked, Master Kong hurriedly fell to his knees and cried out 'Long live the Emperor!': "This student Kong Xingxie pays respects to His Imperial Majesty, long live, long live, long live!"

After Kong Xingxie finished his obeisance, he heard Chongzhen say coolly: "Master Kong, rise. We ordered Our men to invite Master Kong here because We have some doubts and wished to ask Master Kong to dispel them for Us."

Kong Xingxie stood up as bidden, but inwardly he understood — this was likely a feast with no good intent, a meeting with no good outcome; today's matter would probably be difficult to settle peacefully.

Though he grumbled in his heart, once the Son of Heaven spoke, Kong Xingxie had no choice but to answer. He bowed and said: "Your Majesty, please speak.

This student will tell all he knows."

Chongzhen, however, turned to Wang Cheng'en, who stood behind him, and said: "We shall have a few cups here with Master Kong. Have someone bring wine and dishes."

After Wang Cheng'en received the order and withdrew, Chongzhen said: "No hurry. We have quite a few questions. We'll talk as we eat in a moment." With that, he paid Kong Xingxie no further attention and simply waited quietly for the wine and dishes to arrive.

After a little under half a shichen, the wine and dishes were brought in. Only then did Chongzhen say: "Go fetch a stool for Master Kong."

Then he added to Kong Xingxie: "See how Our memory fails Us — We actually forgot to let Master Kong sit and rest first. We hope Master Kong will not take it to heart."

Kong Xingxie thought to himself: I fear it wasn't that you forgot, but that you did it on purpose? Yet his face remained utterly respectful as he replied: "This student dares not."

After another bow, he seated himself on the stool with only half his body. Whether in etiquette or demeanor, he was quite graceful, giving no cause for fault-finding whatsoever.

Chongzhen, however, raised his wine cup and said: "Come, let Master Kong drink a cup first, and answer Our first question."

Kong Xingxie hurriedly performed a salute and said: "This student is unworthy of Your Majesty's such generous regard — it overwhelms this student. May I ask what doubts Your Majesty has? This student will tell all he knows."

Chongzhen gave an "Mm," drained the wine in his cup in one gulp, and then asked: "Our first question is this: how does Master Kong, or rather the teachings of the Sage, regard the distinction between Hua and Yi?"

Kong Xingxie said: "In reply to Your Majesty, the Master said, 'The Yi and Di with rulers are not the equal of the various Xia without them.' This comes from the Analects, 'Bayi.' The Spring and Autumn Annals also states: 'If the Yi and Di act as Hua and Xia, then treat them as Hua and Xia; if Hua and Xia act as Yi and Di, then treat them as Yi and Di.' Therefore, this student believes that the Yi and Di are barbarians, and should be subjected to the civilizing teachings of the Sage, so that they may learn knowledge and understand ritual."

Chongzhen grunted an "En," raised his wine cup again, and said: "The second question: how does Master Kong regard the phrase 'repay resentment with virtue'?"

As a descendant of Confucius, how could Kong Xingxie not know this idiom from the Analects, 'Xian Wen'?

Although people commonly spoke of 'repaying resentment with virtue,' Kong Xingxie knew perfectly well the complete version of this passage: "Someone said: 'What about repaying resentment with virtue?' The Master said: 'With what then will you repay virtue?

Repay resentment with uprightness; repay virtue with virtue.'"

Kong Xingxie's thoughts raced, but he had no choice but to answer Chongzhen's question. He steeled himself and said: "In reply to Your Majesty, 'repay resentment with virtue' comes from 'Xian Wen.' The Master said: 'Repay resentment with uprightness; repay virtue with virtue.'"

Chongzhen, however, smiled and then asked: "Then what of repaying virtue with resentment? What should be done about that?"

By this point, Kong Xingxie was already drenched in cold sweat. Although it was not yet the third month and the weather still carried a chill, Kong Xingxie felt his clothes soaked through with cold sweat, sticky and exceedingly uncomfortable.

Left with no choice, Kong Xingxie could only answer: "In reply to Your Majesty, 'repay virtue with resentment' comes from the Discourses of the States, 'Discourses of Zhou.' To repay virtue with resentment is inhumanity."

Chongzhen continued: "Good. We have a few more questions, related to the ones above, and We hope Master Kong will instruct Us."

Kong Xingxie was terrified at heart. Matters having reached this point, he feared that what followed would be the moment the dagger was revealed.

Though his body still sat upright, his thighs trembled considerably. Were it not for the fear of breaching decorum before the sovereign, Kong Xingxie would likely have already lost control of his bladder from fright.

Chongzhen ignored Kong Xingxie's awkward state entirely. He drained another cup, then inexplicably began to chant: "Ask the world, what is love, that it binds life and death together?

Flying travelers from south to north, their old wings have weathered many winters and summers. Joy's delight, parting's sorrow — among them are yet more lovelorn souls.

You should have words to say: across vast miles of layered cloud, over a thousand mountains in evening snow, to whom does the lone shadow go?"

"The road by Fen River crossing, lonely the flutes and drums of bygone years; desolate mists still linger over the level woods.

What use are the soul-summoning songs of Chu? The mountain spirits weep in wind and rain.

Heaven itself envies — who would believe that orioles and swallows all alike turn to yellow earth? For a thousand autumns, ten thousand ages, it is left waiting for poets to come, singing wildly and drinking deep, to visit the Wild Goose Mound."

When he finished chanting the poem "Touching Fish - Wild Goose Mound," Chongzhen, with a somewhat crazed air, hurled his wine cup to the floor and burst into wild laughter. At this, Kong Xingxie could no longer keep his seat; his knees went weak and he collapsed to the ground in a kneel.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard outside heard the commotion and, with a rush, more than ten men surged in, surrounding Kong Xingxie, fearful that this man might imitate some Jing Ke trick and harm Chongzhen. Unexpectedly, Chongzhen pointed outside and roared: "Get out!

Without Our decree, none may enter."

After the numerous Embroidered Uniform Guard guards withdrew, Chongzhen looked at Kong Xingxie kneeling on the ground and sneered: "When We first read this 'Wild Goose Mound' poem, We felt only that its artistic conception was incomparably beautiful — even compared to 'Guan Ju,' it is no less fine.

We once thought that the man who composed this poem must have been a great Confucian scholar of his age."

His tone shifted, and Chongzhen then asked: "What does Master Kong think of Kublai Khan?"

Kong Xingxie said in a trembling voice: "In reply to Your Majesty, though Kublai Khan was a barbarian, he could still be called a heroic ruler of his generation. Moreover, he was fond of reading poetry and classics, and Master Yishan also honored him as a Grand Master of Confucian Learning."

Chongzhen sneered: "Indeed. A fine 'Grand Master of Confucian Learning.' In Master Kong's view, can We be called a Grand Master of Confucian Learning?"

Kong Xingxie was growing ever more terrified. He could only steel himself and say: "This student has long heard that Your Majesty is accomplished in both civil and martial arts, and that ordinarily Your Majesty never lets a book leave your hand.

Of course Your Majesty can be called a Grand Master of Confucian Learning."

Chongzhen said: "Hm, 'never lets a book leave the hand' — that's not quite accurate. We merely enjoy reading some miscellaneous books."

With that, he flipped through the book in his hand again and read aloud: "The people of Shu went to their deaths. They gathered in groups of fifty, and with blades they stabbed them all, then piled up the corpses.

By dusk, fearing some were not dead, they stabbed them again. Within the city walls, the skeletons numbered one million four hundred thousand; those outside the walls were beyond count."

After reading, Chongzhen sneered: "Does Master Kong know this book?"

Kong Xingxie said: "This student roughly remembers — it seems to be the Record of Chengdu, written by Master He Qingquan."

Chongzhen grunted another "En," and said: "Master Kong has indeed read widely, to have even perused such a miscellaneous book. No wonder the Duke of Yansheng holds you in highest regard, as a great talent destined to inherit the title in the future.

It's just that We recall the Sage Confucius once said a line: 'But for Guan Zhong, we should be wearing our hair loose and folding our lapels to the left.' What is the meaning of this saying?"

(End of Chapter)