WordPress VS Drupal for a new website

After I got the domain and registered on the Google Cloud platform. The next thing is choosing the application platform. WordPress and Drupal are both very popular and powerful, Joomla is another good option as well. But which one is better?!

After researching and giving a quick trial, I got some ideas about two of them. Firstly, they are all based on the LAMP structure, that means Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP. For most of the users, they don't care about this part. But for some developers, it's good to know some technical details. WordPress is easy to use and originally build for blogs, eventually it's get bigger and can do many things. Drupal and Joomla are seems to be a little bit hard for beginners, it may be easier for developers. Let's compare WordPress and Drupal in a brief.

Easy to use. The WordPress is the most easy to use one and there are lots of resources for references. And the learning curve is pretty good for beginners. There are many videos and tutorials to show how to use the WordPress. So it's obvious to use the WordPress as the platform for beginners and for whom don't have ideas about coding/programming. There are millions of plugins to choose for any kind of website. Drupal is on another side, it was build for a complex website for professionals. But there are millions plugins as well, it could be a very small size of website and could be a huge website to handle millions of users with huge data. There are more and more videos, tutorials, and blogs to teach people how to use the Drupal as well. So the WordPress is easier at beginning but it maybe a little bit harder in advance. Drupal is harder at beginning, but it will give more flexible and powerful in future.

Features. This one is really depending on the requirements. If you are going to build a regular website to show some contents and accept limited users and interactions, the most requirements of website are host contents. So the WordPress is the good choice, you can find a lot of themes and plugins to achieve your goal. If you have huge users or the website is going to handle complex procures and data, you want fully control your website. So the Drupal is the good choice for you. In my mind, WordPress is mainly used for social website, Drupal is good for commercial website.

Support. Both of them have a good community to get the free support. And there are some commercial support as well. As I know, if you need 24x7 commercial support, you may need to go to Drupal. The support from community may be delay and you need to wait for someone is willing to help you. There are many professional companies and/or contractors for the tech support for Drupal, and of course it's not free.

Security. Some people may argue the securities on the WordPress. I would say there is no 100 percent securities for any system. It depends on how you use it and how you handle it. If you have not much ideas about internet securities, anythings are the same to you. If you are a developer or you are an expert in software and internet, I believe both are the same to you as well. It seems I didn't say anything here about those two. So I mean if you know some thing about security, and you have important data to protect during the sessions. The Drupal is the one to you, but you need to take the responsibilities by yourself or get the support from third parties.

Overall, if you want to start quickly and your website is just showing fancy content, you definitely should go to WordPress. If you you are going to build a e-commercial website to handle huge traffics and important data, Drupal is your best one to go.

How to loose weight without medicine and going to gym

Loosing weight is always the first priority for most of ladies, and some gentlemen want to loose weight as well. Is the loosing weight that hard or is it really expensive? You need to sacrifice you health to take some medicine like orlistat, Belviq, Contrave, Saxenda, phentermine, and Qsymia. You may need your family doctor to give the prescription to buy those pills. It cost your expenses and may harm on your health, be caution on using those chemicals.

From what I observed and my personal experience, there is a very nature way to loose weight without any risks. If you observe most fat peoples, I mean how they eat. Please don't focus on what they are eating. The way they are eating any foods. I found most of fat peoples eat faster than average speed of most peoples. And most of the thin peoples or slim peoples are usually eating slowly. But how do we measure the speed of eating, the simple way is chewing one bite of food for at least 30 times.

The best example is from my previous company, our four to five guys from my team and another team usually have lunch together. The speed of eating lunch are three types, the fastest one, the slowest one and the average one. Sorry I lied, it's not the one, I mean groups. I am the moderate one in shape, and I'm in average speed on eating. The fattest guy is the fastest person on eating, the thinnest guy is one who eats in a long time. So the thing is very simple, if you want to lose weight, eat your food as slow as you can. And if you want to increase your weight, eat your food as fast as you can. So the principal #1 to lose weight is eating slow...slow...slowly, double or triple your eating time on same amount of food.

The another way to lose weight is 'Don't eat dinner'. It's really hard for some peoples who love the dinner very much. Sorry, that's the thing you need overcome! It doesn't mean you can not eat anything on dinner. I mean that you can eat an apple or a banana, or a cup of fruit juice. Less dinner is not only let you lose weight, it's a very health life style. I play strong badminton games for about 2 to 3 hours at night in a club, I usually don't have dinner instead of an apple or a banana. Honestly, there is about 5 to 10 minutes, I feel really tough in the game. I really want to get some food or at least candy, chocolate. Hold on it, it will gone in 5 to 10 minutes. But if you feel dizzy or if you have reaction of  low blood glucose during sports, get a small snake like a small apple or small piece of chocolate. No dinner will give you a good sleeping as well.

Summarize, two methods to lose weight naturally.

• Eat as slow as you can (chew one bite of food for at least 30 times)
• Snake of fruits instead of heavy dinner.

Create a web application/website on Google Cloud

Creating your own website or web application is a cool thing, there are several ways you can get this done. The first thing is a domain name, that is the name or label of the website something like google.com, microsoft.com or yahoo.com. Right now, create a website is pretty easy, you don't need to have any hardwares such as a workstation, lighting-fast cable, router and so on.

Let's start from the first stuff you need, the domain. There are many companies which you can purchase a domain name. Here are some very popular companies for registering your domain, such as namecheap.com, godady.com, 1and1.com, whois.com. The domain name you want to register is the one which is not registered yet by anyone. All the domain registration websites can check if the domain name you choose is already registered or not.

After get the valid domain name, you could go ahead to find a place where you can create a website. Most of the domain registration websites have the packages for domain purchasing, they usually supply a friendly graphical user interface to create a website. The price are variable between companies, you may need to shop around to find a good package for your requirements. Now, the cloud technology is very popular, most of the web hosting are based on the cloud platform. Some big companies are not only give a cloud platform, and give you a lot of features and services. Amazon AWS(Amazon Web Services) platform will give you accessing to their web services. The first year on amazon is free, but next year you may get a big bill. Google Cloud platform is another good choice. The first 3 months or two months are free, that depends on the package or products you choose. After the free trial, you can select to stay in Google or move to another platform or company, if you can backup all the data and files. Anyway, there are two to three months free trial, and after that the bill may as low as $2/month. So why not take a look to see if it's a good place to host my stuff.

Joining the Google Cloud platform are pretty simple, open the http://cloud.google.com and select one of the products like Compute Engine and then click on 'Start your free trial'. And then follow the page flow to finish the registration, the credit card information is needed but it won't charge you anything for now. After the registration, on the left side there are a bunch of menu items like most of web applications, select the 'Compute'->'Compute Engine'->'VM instances'. There will be an link or button for 'Google Compute Engine Tutorial', click on that. It will guide you to create your first back-end and front-end instance with an example. It's a good way to get start with Google cloud platform and understand how it works.

The basic tutorial steps looks like these:

• Create back-end instance, back-end means something like a database server.

• create front-end instance, front-end means application server/web server.

• Install and run the back-end database

            Enter these commands to install and run MongoDB. You can use the keyboard to copy and paste each command line. Click Done when you finish entering all the commands to close the SSH window.

            Update packages and install MongoDB. When asked if you want to continue, type 'Y'.
            sudo apt-get update
            sudo apt-get install mongodb
            The MongoDB service started when you installed it. You must stop it so you can change how it runs.
            sudo service mongodb stop
            Create a directory for MongoDB and then run the MongoDB service in the background on port 80.
            sudo mkdir $HOME/db ; sudo mongod --dbpath $HOME/db --port 80 --fork \
            --logpath /var/tmp/mongodb
            After you enter the final command, click Done and then confirm that you want to leave the page to close the SSH browser window.

• Install and run the web app on your front-end VM

            Enter these commands to install the todo web application. You can use the keyboard to copy and paste each command line. Click Done when you finished entering all the commands to close the SSH window.
            Update packages and install git, NodeJS and npm. When asked if you want to continue, type 'Y'.
            sudo apt-get update
            sudo apt-get install git nodejs npm
            Clone the sample application and install application dependencies.
            git clone https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/todomvc-mongodb.git
            cd todomvc-mongodb;npm install
            Start the todo web application. Note: The IP addresses below are internal IPs for communication between servers. You can find these IP addresses on each server’s details page.
            nohup nodejs server.js --be_ip 10.240.253.122 --fe_ip 10.240.2.76 &
            After you enter the final command, click Done and then confirm that you want to leave the page to close the SSH browser window.

But there is a little problem on step 'npm install'. If you just follow the instructions, you will get the following error message on step 'cd todomvc-mongodb; npm install'.
    npm WARN package.json mongoose@3.6.20 bugs.email field must be a string email. Deleted.
To fix this problem, first thing is making sure you are in the directory 'todomvc-mongodb' on the SSH window. If not, just navigate to the directory by 'cd todomvc-mongodb', and then use the command 'vi package.json' to edit the file package.json. On the line 10 change the content from
       "mongoose"   : "~3.6.2",        to            "mongoose"   : "~3.8.1",
And then rerun the command 'npm install', it will work fine. At the end of the tutorial, you should see your sample page like this.


Congratulations! You have finished the first sample on Google Cloud.

Zhongyong - The Conduct of life - by Ku Hung-Ming

INTEODUCTION 



The present volume is a translation of one of the 
four Confucian canonical books called the Chung 
Yung, which has been translated by Dr. Legge 
as the " Doctrine of the Mean." The Chinese 
word Chung means central — hence right, true, 
fair and square ; and Yung means common, or- 
dinary — hence universal. The two Chinese words 
therefore mean the true, fair and square, universal 
standard of right ; in short, the common-sense of 
right. 

The survival of the Chung Yung is attributed 
to K'ung_Chi, the -grcr dson of Confucius, who, 
fearing lest, as time went on, erruis should creep 
into it, committed it to writing. The book, how- 
ever, is not all made up of the sayings of Confucius, 
but contains much of K'ung Chi's own philosophy 
of life, founded more on insight and discernment 
than strict logic. Few works have been held in 
higher esteem by the intellectual classes of China. 
In the glowing words of Ch'eng, the master of 

the greatest of all commentators, Chu Hsi : 
" It first speaks of one principle ; it next spreads 
this out, and embraces all things ; finally it re- 
turns and gathers them all up under one principle. 
Unroll it, and it fills the universe ; roll it up, and 
it retires and lies hid in mysteriousness. The 
relish of it is inexhaustible. The whole of it is 
solid learning. When the skilful reader has ex- 
plored it, he may carry it into practice all his life, 
and will find that it cannot be exhausted." 
Legge, the pioneer of English translation from the 
Chinese classics, says of the Chung Yung that 
" it gives the best account we have of the Con- 
fucian philosophy and morals, and will repay 
careful study, and holds its place not only in 
China, but in the wider sphere beyond it." The 
Chung Yung is the third of the four great books 
of Confucian teachings known as the " Four Shu." 
The others are The Lun Yii or Analects, already 
translated in The Wisdom of the East series by 
Mr. Lionel Giles, the Ta Hsiieh, generally known 
as The Great Learning, and attributed to Tseng 
Ts'an, a famous disciple of Confucius, and finally 
the writings of Mencius, contained in seven 
volumes. 

The present book, together with the Ta Hsiieh, 
translated by Dr. Legge as The Great Learning, 
or, as it should be properly rendered, " Higher 
Education," forms what may be called the Cate- 
chism of the Confucian teaching. It was my 

intention to publish these two books together. 
But I have not been able to bring my translation 
of the other book into a shape to satisfy the 
standard at which I aim. My object, after 
I have thoroughly mastered the meaning, is 
not only to reproduce the matter, but also the 
manner of the original. For, as Wordsworth 
says of all literature of really intrinsic value : 
"To be sure, it is the manner, but the matter 
always comes out of the manner." But to be 
able to reproduce the manner — what in litera- 
ture is called the style — of the great and wise 
men of the past, one must try to put oneself 
in the same state of mind as that to which they 
attained — a thing one finds not easy, living in this 
modern world of the " civilisation of progress." 

Most people now believe that the old order of 
things in China is passing away, and they hail the 
coming era of thejiew learning and of Jthe civili- 
sation of progress into this country. . I for one 
do not believe that the old order of things in 
China can pass away. The reason is because I 
feel that the old order of things — the Chinese 
civilisation and Chinese social order — is a moral 
civilisation and a true social order, and cannot 
therefore, in the nature of things, pass away. 

Now, it is the sense of responsibility in human 
conduct that makes not only civilisation but 
human society possible. Just think of a state 
of society where everybody disregards the feeling 

of moral obligation in every relation of life. It 
is impossible to imagine that such a state could 
exist for one single hour or instant. Think, on 
the other hand, of a state of society where every- 
body acts solely and in perfect accordance with 
this sense of moral obligation. That would be 
an ideal existence in which not only police but 
all government would be unnecessary. 

I say therefore that the Chinese civilisation is 
a moral and true civilisation because in the first 
place it not only recognises this moral obligation 
as the fundamental basis of its social order, but 
it makes the perfect attainment thereof in men 
its sole aim. Consequently, in the social order, 
the scheme of education, the method of govern- 
ment, and all social appliances have for their aim 
and object to educate men to the sense of this 
moral obligation ; and all those habits, tastes, 
modes, and pursuits of life alone are encouraged 
which are calculated to make it easy for men to 
obey the moral obligation. In short, the ideal 
goal which Chinese civilisation sets before man- 
kind is not infinite happiness for everybody, 
which means infinite self-indulgence for every- 
body, but the complete and perfect " realisation 
of true moral being and moral order in mankind ; 
so that the Universe shall become a cosmos 
and all things can attain their full growth and 
development." 

I am well aware how very far the Chinese as 

a nation and as individuals are at present from 
the realisation of the high ideal of their civilisa- 
tion. But at the same time I think it right to 
say here that even now, looking upon the present 
demoralised state of things in China, the Chinese 
civilisation, if one would take the trouble to in- 
terpret and look into the inside of facts, cannot 
be considered a failure. If you judge a civilisa- 
tion by the extent to which men of means living 
under that civilisation can enjoy themselves, 
then the Chinese civilisation -is certainly a failure. 
But if you judge a civilisation by the standard 
of strength and effectiveness of the sense of moral 
obligation in the nation living under that civili- 
sation, then I think I can show that the Chinese 
civilisation even now is not a failure, but, on the 
contrary, a wonderful success. 

Now, it is well known that in many parts of 
China at the present moment the greater portion 
of the population is living on the verge of starva- 
tion. It is also well known, or at least should be 
known, that the local authorities in China have 
no police, or any military force worth speaking 
of, to keep order. Nevertheless I think it can 
be shown that, taking the same area and size of 
population in any of the worst parts of these 
famine-stricken districts, there will be found 
there a smaller ratio of lawlessness, breaches of 
public order and crime than is to be found, say, 
in the wealthy and prosperous foreign model 

settlement of Shanghai, where there is a police 
force costing half a million taels a year. The 
Rev. Arthur Smith says : " The answer to Con- 
fucianism is China." I reply : Yes, the answer 
to Confucianism is China, only I say, you must 
look at China from the essential, moral side, and 
not merely from the electric-light side. 

Indeed, if anything more is needed to prove 
what I have said, that the Chinese civilisation is 
a wonderful success, this one fact alone should 
prove it beyond any doubt or cavil : that not- 
withstanding the present demoralised state of 
the public services and the hunger-stricken con- 
dition of the people, the Chinese Government is 
still able to keep its public engagements with the 
foreign Powers for the Boxer indemnity. For 
what force is this upon which the mandarins in 
China depend, to make each unit of these four 
hundred millions hungry people in China pay up 
for a debt with which they individually have had 
nothing to do ? This force in China is not police 
or physical force. It is the force of the highly 
developed, law-abiding instinct of the Chinese 
people. Whence comes this instinct which is now 
standing so well the test and strain of present 
conditions ? It comes from a strong sense of 
moral obligation. But whence do the Chinese 
obtain this ? The answer is : from Chinese 
civilisation. I say, therefore, that Chinese civili- 
sation is a wonderful success. 


In the following translation then this idea of 
moral obligation, which forms the basis of human 
conduct and social order in the scheme of the 
Chinese civilisation, will be explicitly set forth. 
There is of course no " new learning " in all this, 
but what is better, there is true learning in it. 
The enunciation of it in some form or other is to 
be found in the best literature of every nation 
that has ever had a civilisation ; and what is most 
remarkable, as I have shown in the notes I have 
appended to the translation of the text, the 
enunciation in the same form and language as it 
is in this book, written two thousand years ago, 
is to be found in the latest writings of the best and 
greatest thinkers of modern Europe. 

Ku Hung-ming. 




THE CONDUCT OF LIFE 

  I
The ordinance of God is what we call the law 
of our being. To fulfil the law of our being 
fa what we call the moral law. The moral 
law when reduced to a system is what we call 
religion. 

The moral law is a law from whose operation 
we cannot for one instant in our existence escape. 
A law from which we may escape is not the 
moral law. Wherefore it is that the moral man 
watches diligently over what his eyes cannot see 
and is in fear and awe of what his ears cannot 
hear. 

There is nothing more evident than that 
which cannot be seen by the eyes and nothing 
more palpable than that which cannot be 

perceived by the senses. Wherefore the 
moral man watches diligently over his secret 
thoughts. 

Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the 
issues of life.— Prov. iv. 23. 

When the passions, such as joy, anger, grief, 
and pleasure, have not awakened, that is our true 
self, or moral being. When these passions awaken 
and each and all attain due measure and degree, 
that is the moral order. Our true self or moral 
being is the great reality (lit. great root) of exist- 
ence, and moral order is the universal law in the 
world. 

When true moral being and moral order are 
realised, the universe then becomes a cosmos 
and all things attain their full growth and 
development. 


II 
Confucius remarked : " The life of the moral 
man is an exemplification of the universal moral 
order. The life of the vulgar person, on the other 
hand, is a contradiction of the universal moral 
order. 

" The moral man's life is an exemplification 
of the universal order, because he is a moral 
person who unceasingly cultivates his true 
self or moral being. The vulgar person's life 
is a contradiction of the universal order, 
because he is a vulgar person who in his 
heart has no regard for, or fear of, the moral 
law." 

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. 




III
Confucius remarked : " To find the central 
clue to our moral being which unites us to the 
universal order, that indeed is the highest 
human attainment. People are seldom capable 
of it for long." 




IV 
Confucius remarked : "I know now why there 
is no real moral life. The wise mistake moral law 
for something higher than what it really is ; and 

the foolish do not know enough what moral law 
really is. I know now why the moral law is 
not understood. The noble natures want to 
live too high, high above their moral ordinary 
self ; and ignoble natures do not live high 
enough, t.e., not up to their moral ordinary 
true self." 



" There is no one who does not eat and drink. 
But few there are who really know the taste of 
what they eat and drink." 

Goethe says : "0 needless strictness of morality while 
Nature in her kindly way trains us to all that we require to 
be! strange demand of society which first perplexes and 
misleads us, then asks of us more than Nature herself ! " — 
The moral law is the law of our moral nature ; and moral 
nature, what we call our moral being, is nothing else but our 
true or ordinary self. 



V

Confucius remarked : " There is in the world 
now really no moral social order at all." 

The word too here means the moral law finding its expres- 
sion in social order. Confucius in his time, as Carlyle and 


Ruskin in modern Europe, considered the world to have gone 
on a wrong track ; the ways of men and constitution of 
society to be radically wrong. 



VI 
Confucius remarked : " There was the Em- 
peror Shun. He was perhaps what may be 
considered a truly great intellect. Shun had a 
natural curiosity of mind and he loved to inquire 
into near facts (literally ' near words,' meaning 
here ordinary topics of conversation in every-day 
life). He looked upon evil merely as something 
negative ; and he recognised only what was good 
as having a positive existence. Taking the two 
extremes of negative and positive, he applied 
the mean between the two extremes in his judg- 
ment, employment and dealings with people. 
This was the characteristic of Shun's great 
intellect." 

What is here said of the Emperor Shun in ancient China 
may be also said of the two greatest intellects in modern 
Europe— Shakespeare and Goethe. The greatness of Shake- 
speare's intellect is to be seen in this : that in all his plays 
there is not one essentially bad man. Seen through Shake- 
speare's intellect, such a monster of wickedness of the popular 
imagination as King Richard the Hunchback, becomes not 
a villain who makes " damnable faces," not even a really 

despicably bad man, but, on the contrary, a brave heroio 
soul who is driven by his strong, ill-regulated, vindictive 
passions to awful acts of cruelty and finally himself to a 
tragic end. 

Goethe elsewhere says: "What we call evil in human 
nature is merely a defective or incomplete development, a 
deformity or malformation — absence or excess of some moral 
quality rather than anything positively evil" 



VII 
Confucius remarked : " Men all say 'We are 
wise' ; but when driven forward and taken in 
a net, a trap, or a pitfall, there is not one who 
knows how to find a way of escape. Men all say, 
1 We are wise ' ; but in rinding the true central 
clue and balance in their moral being (i.e., their 
normal, ordinary, true self) and following the 
line of conduct which is in accordance with 
it, they are not able to keep it for a round 
month." 

In other words, before a man undertakes to carry out anj 
scheme of reform in the state of his affairs or the affairs of 
a nation, he must first of all take in hand the reform of his 
or their own being. In short, moral reform must precede all 
and every other reform. 



VIII 
Confucius remarked of his favourite disciple, 
Yen Hui : " Hui was a man who all his life 
sought the central clue in his moral being, and 
when he got hold of one thing that was good he 
embraced it with all his might and never lost it 


As the Emperor Shun in the text above is the type of the 
intellectual nature, true representative of what Mr. Matthew 
Arnold calls Hellenism, so Yen Hui here is the type of the 
moral, emotional, or religious nature, true representative of 
what Mr. Arnold calls Hebraism. 




IX
Confucius remarked : "A man may be able 
to renounce the possession of kingdoms and 
empire, be able to spurn the honours and 
emoluments of office, be able to trample upon 
bare, naked weapons : with all that he shall not 
be able to find the central clue in his moral 
being." 

The word chiin in the text above, literally " even, equally 
divided," is hero used as a verb meaning " to be indifferent 


to," hence to renounce. As in the chapter immediately 
following that in which he describes the characteristics 
of the great intellect, the writer of this book shows the 
conceit and uselessness of the half intellect, the charac- 
teristics of false Hellenism ; so in the present chapter follow- 
ing the above in which he gives the true type of Hebraism, 
he here again quotes another saying of Confucius showing 
the characteristics of false Hebraism, the evils and abuses 
resulting from the loss of balance on the moral, emotional, or 
religious side. 




V
Tzu-lu asked what constituted force of 
character. 

Confucius said : " Do you mean force of 
character of the people of the southern countries 
or force of character of the people of the northern 
countries ; or do you mean force of character in 
an absolute sense ? To be patient and gentle, 
ready to teach, returning not evil for evil : that 
is the force of character of the people of the 
southern countries. It is the ideal of the moral 



Gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness 
instructing those that oppose themselves. — 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. 

" To lie under ajrms and meet death without 

regret : that is the force of character of the 
people of the northern countries. It is the ideal 
of the brave man." 

" But force of character in an absolute sense 
is another thing. Wherefore the man with the 
true force of moral character is one who is easy 
and accommodating and yet without weakness 
or indiscrimination. How unflinchingly firm he 
is in his strength ! He is independent without 
any bias. How unflinchingly firm he is in his 
strength ! When there is moral social order in 
the country, if he enters public life he does not 
change from what he was when in retirement. 
When there is no moral social order in the country 
he holds on his way without changing even unto 
death. How unflinchingly firm he is in his 
strength ! " 




XI 
Confucius remarked : " There are men who seek 
for some abstruse meaning in religion and 
philosophy and live a life singular in order 
that they may leave a name to posterity. This 
is what I never would do." 

" There are again good men who try to live 
in conformity with the moral law, but who, when 


they have gone half way, throw it up. I never 
could give it up." 

" Lastly, there are truly moral men who un- 
consciously live a life in entire harmony with the 
universal moral order and who live unknown to 
the world and unnoticed of men without any 
concern. It is only men of holy, divine natures 
who are capable of this." 




XII
The moral law is to be found everywhere, and 
yet it is a secret. 

The simple intelligence of ordinary men and 
women of the people may understand some- 
thing of the moral law ; but in its utmost 
reaches there is something which even the 
wisest and holiest of men cannot understand. 
The ignoble natures of ordinary men and women 
of the people may be able to carry out the 
moral law ; but in its utmost reaches even 
the wisest and holiest of men cannot live up 
to it. 

Great as the Universe is, man with the infinite 
moral nature in him is never satisfied. For there 
is nothing so great but the mind of the moral man 
pan conceive of something still greater which 

nothing in the world can hold. There is nothing 
so small but the mind of moral man can conceive 
of something still smaller which nothing in the 
world can split. 
The Book of Songs says : 

" The hawk soars to the heavens above and 
fishes dive to the depths below." 

That is to say, there is no place in the 
highest heavens above nor in the deepest 
waters below where the moral law does not 
reign. 

Emerson says : " The moral law lies at the centre of 
Nature and radiates to the circumference. It is the pith 
and marrow of every substance, every relation and every 
process." 

The moral law takes its rise in the relation 
between man and woman ; but in its utmost 
reaches it reigns supreme over heaven and 
earth. 

Morality begins with Sex. Students of German literature 
may remember Faust's confession of faith to Margaret ; 

" Lifts not the Heaven its dome above ? 

Doth not the firm-set Earth beneath us lie ? 
And beaming tenderly with looks of love, 
Climb not the everlasting stars on high ? 

Do we not gaze into each other's eyes ? 

Nature's impenetrable agencies, 
Are they not thronging on thy heart and brain, 

Viewless, invisible to mortal ken, 
Around thee weaving their mysterious chain ? 

Fill thence thy heart, how large soe'er it be, 
And in the feeling, when thou utterly art blest, 

Then call it what thou wilt — 
Call it Bliss ! Heart ! Love ! God ! " 




XIII
Confucius remarked : " The moral law is not 
something away from the actuality of human life. 
When men take up something away from the 
actuality of human life as the moral law, that is 
not the moral law." 

The Kingdom of God is within you. 
The Book of Songs says : 

" In hewing an axe handle, the pattern is not 
far off." 

"Thus, when we take an axe handle in our 
hand to hew the other and glance from one to 
the other there is still some distance between 
them as compared with the relation, between 

the moral law and the man himself. Where- 
fore the moral man in dealing with men 
appeals to the common human nature and 
changes the manner of their lives and nothing 
more. 

" When a man carries out the principles of 
conscientiousness and reciprocity he is not 
far from the moral law. What you do not 
wish others should do unto you, do not do 
unto them. 

" There are four things in the moral life of a 
man, not one of which I have been able to carry 
out in my life. To serve my father as I would 
expect my son to serve me : that I have not been 
able to do. To serve my sovereign as I would 
expect a minister under me to serve me : that 
I have not been able to do. To act towards my 
elder brother as I would expect my younger 
brother to act towards me : that I have not 
been able to do. To be the first to behave 
towards friends as I would expect them to 
behave towards me : that I have not been 
able to do. 

" In the discharge of the ordinary duties 
of life and in the exercise of care in ordinary 
conversation, whenever there is shortcoming, 
never fail to strive for improvement, and when 
there is much to be said, always say less than 
what is necessary ; words having respect to 
actions and actions having respect to words. Is 

it not just this thorough genuineness and 
absence of pretence which characterises the 
moral man ? 



XIV 
The moral man conforms himself to his life 
circumstances ; he does not desire anything 
outside of his position. 

Finding himself in a position of wealth and 
honour, he lives as becomes one living in a position 
of wealth and honour. Finding himself in a 
position of poverty and humble circumstances, 
he lives as becomes one living in a position of 
poverty and humble circumstances. Finding 
himself in uncivilized countries, he lives as be- 
comes one living in uncivilized countries. Find- 
ing himself in circumstances of danger and 
difficulty, he acts according to what is required 
of a man under such circumstances. In one 
word, the moral man can find himself in no 
situation in life in which he is not master of 
himself. 

In a high position he does not domineer over 
his subordinates. In a subordinate position he 
does not court the favours of his superiors. He 
puts in order his own personal conduct and seeks 


nothing from others ; hence he has no complaint 
to make. He complains not against God nor 
rails against men. 

Thus it is that the moral man lives out the 
even tenor of his life, calmly waiting for the 
appointment of God, whereas the vulgar person 
takes to dangerous courses, expecting the 
uncertain chances of luck. 

Confucius remarked : "In the practice of 
archery we have something resembling the prin- 
ciple in a moral man's life. When the archer 
misses the centre of the target he turns round 
and seeks for the cause of his failure within 
himself." 




XV 
The moral life of man may be likened to 
travelling to a distant place : one must start 
from the nearest stage. It may also be likened 
to ascending a height : one must begin from the 
lowest step. 

The Book of Songs says : 

" When wives and children and their sires are 
one, 
'Tis like the harp and lute in unison, 


When brothers live in concord and at 

peace 
The strain of harmony shall never cease. 
The lamp of happy union lights the home, 
And bright days follow when the children 
come"


Confucius, commenting on the above, re- 
marked : "In such a state of things what more 
satisfaction can parents have ? " 

In what follows, I have ventured to alter the sequence of 
the sections as they stand in the original text. The following 
section stands in the original as Section XX. 




XVI
Duke Ai (ruler of Confucius' native state) 
asked what constituted good government. 

Confucius replied : The principles of good 
government of the Emperors Wen and Wu 
are abundantly illustrated in the records 
preserved. When the men are there, good 
government will flourish, but when the men are 
gone, good government decays and becomes 
extinct. 

" With the right men the growth of good 


government is as rapid as the growth of vegeta- 
tion is in the right soil. Indeed, good govern- 
ment is like a fast-growing plant. 

" The conduct of government, therefore, 
depends upon the men. The right men are 
obtained by the ruler's personal character. 
To put in order his personal character, the 
ruler must use the moral law. To put in 
order the moral law, the ruler must use the 
moral sense. 

" The moral sense is the characteristic attribute 
of man. To feel natural affection for those nearly 
related to us is the highest expression of the 
moral sense. The sense of justice is the recog- 
nition of what is right and proper. To honour 
those who are worthier than ourselves is the 
highest expression of the sense of justice. The 
relative degrees of natural affection we ought to 
feel for those who are nearly related to us and the 
relative grades of honour we ought to show to 
those worthier than ourselves : these are that 
which gives rise to the forms and distinctions in 
social life. For unless social inequalities have a 
true and moral basis, government of the people 
is an impossibility." 

According to Confucius, here, the basis of social inequalities 
rests upon two moral foundations, viz., the moral sense, the 
highest expression of which is natural affection — the feeling 
of love which all men feel for those nearly related^to them — 
and the sense of justice, the highest expression of which is 


hero-worship — the feeling of respect and submission which 
all men feel for those worthier than themselves. In the 
family, natural affection makes submission easy, and in 
the state, hero-worship makes subordination natural and 
proper. But in Europe the plea for the justification of social 
inequalities is interests. The people are told to submit to the 
constituted authorities and to put up with social inequalities 
because it is to their interest to do so ; for if they allow the 
anarchists to have their way and destroy social inequalities, 
the evils which will result from this will be worse than the 
evils of social inequalities. 



" Therefore it is necessary for a man of the 
governing class to set about regulating his 
personal conduct and character. In considering 
how to regulate his personal conduct and character 
it is necessary for him to do his duties towards 
those nearly related to him. In considering how 
to do his duties towards those nearly related to 
him it is necessary for him to understand the 
nature and organisation of human society. In 
considering the nature and organisation of 
human society it is necessary for him to under- 
stand the laws of God. 

" The duties of universal obligation are five, 
and the moral qualities by which they are carried 
out are three. The duties are those between 
ruler and subject ; between father and son ; 
between husband and wife ; between elder brother 
and younger ; and those in the intercourse 
between friends. These are the five duties of 


universal obligation. Intelligence, moral character 
and courage : these are the three universally 
recognised moral qualities of man It matters 
not in what way men come to the exercise of 
these moral qualities, the result is one and the 
same. 

" Some men are born with the knowledge of 
these moral qualities ; some acquire it as the 
result of education ; some acquire it as the result 
of hard experience. But when the knowledge is 
acquired, it comes to one and the same thing. 
Some exercise these moral qualities naturally and 
easily ; some because they find it advantageous 
to do so ; some with effort and difficulty. But 
when the achievement is made it comes to one and 
the same thing." 



Confucius went on to say : " Love of know- 
ledge is the characteristic of men of intellectual 
character. Strenuous attention to conduct is 
the characteristic of men of moral character. 
Sensitiveness to shame is the characteristic of 
men of courage or heroic character.* 

" When a man understands the nature and 
use of these three moral qualities, he will then 
understand how to put in order his personal con- 
duct and character. When a man understands 

* See note on Section VIII, p. 20. 


how to put in order his personal conduct and 
character, he will understand how to govern men. 
When a man understands how to govern men, he 
will then understand how to govern nations and 
empires. 

For every one called to the government of 
nations and empires there are nine cardinal 
directions to be attended to : 

1. Putting in order his personal conduct. 

2. Honouring worthy men. 

3. Cherishing affection for, and doing his duty 
towards, his kindred. 

4. Showing respect to the high ministers of 
state. 

5. Identifying himself with the interests and 
welfare of the whole body of public officers. 

6. Showing himself as a father to the common 
people. 

7. Encouraging the introduction of all useful 
arts. 

8. Showing tenderness to strangers from far 
countries. 

9. Taking interest in the welfare of the princes 
of the Empire. 

" When the ruler pays attention to putting 
in order his personal conduct, there will be respect 
for the moral law. When the ruler honours 



worthy men, he will not be deceived. When the 
ruler cherishes affection for his kindred, there 
will be no disaffection among the members of his 
family. When the ruler shows respect to the 
high ministers of state, he will not make mistakes. 
When the ruler identifies himself with the in- 
terests and welfare of the body of public officers, 
there will be a strong spirit of loyalty among the 
gentlemen of the country. When the ruler be- 
comes a father to the common people, the mass 
of the people will exert themselves for the good 
of the state. When the ruler encourages the 
introduction of all useful arts, there will be suffi- 
ciency of wealth and revenue in the country. 
When the ruler shows tenderness to the strangers 
from far countries, people from all quarters of the 
world will flock to the country. When the ruler 
takes interest in the condition and welfare of the 
princes of the empire, he will inspire awe and 
respect for his authority throughout the whole 
world. 

" By attending to the cleanliness and purity 
of his person and to the propriety and dignity of 
his dress, and in every word and act permitting 
nothing which is contrary to good taste and 
decency : that is how the ruler puts in order his 
personal conduct. 

"By banishing all flatterers and keeping away 
from the society of women ; holding in low esti- 
mation possession of worldly goods, but valuing 


moral qualities in men : that is how the ruler 
gives encouragement to worthy men. By raising 
them to high places of honour and bestowing 
ample emoluments for their maintenance ; sharing 
and sympathising with their tastes and opinions : 
that is how the ruler inspires love for his person 
among the members of his family. By extending 
the powers of their functions and allowing them 
discretion in the employment of their subordinates : 
that is how the ruler gives encouragement to the 
high ministers of state. By dealing loyally and 
punctually with them in all engagements which 
he makes with them and allowing a liberal scale 
of pay : that is how the ruler gives encourage- 
ment to men in the public service. By strictly 
limiting the time of their service and making all 
imposts as light as possible : that is how the ruler 
gives encouragement to the mass of the people. 
By ordering daily inspection and monthly exami- 
nation and rewarding each according to the 
degree of his workmanship : that is how the 
ruler encourages the artisan class. By welcom- 
ing them when they come and giving them pro- 
tection when they go, commending what is good 
in them and making allowance for their ignorance : 
that is how the ruler shows tenderness to strangers 
from far countries. By restoring lines of broken 
succession and reviving extinguished states, 
putting down anarchy and disorder wherever 
they are found, and giving support to the weak 


against the strong, fixing stated times for their 
attendance and the attendance of their envoys at 
court, loading them with presents when they leave, 
while exacting little from them in the way of con- 
tribution when they come : that is how the ruler 
takes interest in the welfare of the princes of the 
empire. 

" For every one who is called to the govern- 
ment of nations and empire, these are the nine 
cardinal directions to be attended to ; and there 
is only one way by which they can be carried out. 
In all matters success depends on preparation ; 
without preparation there will always be failure. 
When what is to be said is previously deter- 
mined, there will be no breakdown. When what 
is to be done is previously determined, there 
will be no difficulty in carrying it out. When 
a line of conduct is previously determined, 
there will be no occasion for vexation. When 
general principles are previously determined, 
there will be no perplexity to know what 
to do. 

" if those in authority have not the confidence 
of those under them, government of the people 
is an impossibility. There is only one way to 
gain confidence for one's authority. If a man is 
not trusted by his friends, he will not gain the 
confidence for his authority. There is only one 
way to be trusted by one's friends. If a man does 
not command the obedience of the members of his 


family, he will not be trusted by his friends. 
There is only one way to command the obedience 
of the members of one's family. If a man, look- 
ing into his own heart, is not true to himself, 
he will not command the obedience of the 
members of his family. There is only one way 
for a man to be true to himself. If he does 
not know what is good, a man cannot be true 
to himself." 

" Truth is the law of God. Acquired truth is 
the law of man." 

" He who intuitively apprehends truth is one 
who, without effort, hits what is right, and with- 
out thinking understands what he wants to 
know ; whoso U2& is easily and naturally in 
harmony with the moral law. Such a one is what 
we call a saint or a man of divine nature. He 
who acq uires UvSH is one who finds out what is 
good and holds fast to it. 

" In order to acquire truth, it is necessary to 
obtain a wide and expensive knowledge of what 
has been said and done in the world ; critically to 
inquire into it'; carefully to ponder over it ; 
clearly to sift it ; and earnestly to carry it 
out." 

" It matters not what you learn, but when you 
once learn a thing you must never give it up 
until you have mastered it. It matters not what 
you inquire into, but when you inquire into a 
thing you must never give it up until you have 


thoroughly understood it. It matters not what 
you try to think out, but when you once try to 
think out a thing you must never give it up until 
you have got what you want. It matters not 
what you try to sift out, but when you once try 
to sift out a thing, you must never give it up until 
you have sifted it out clearly and distinctly. It 
matters not what you try to carry out, but when 
you once try to carry out a thing you must never 
give it up until you have done it thoroughly and 
well. If another man succeed by one effort, you 
will use a hundred efforts. If another man 
succeed by ten efforts, you will use a thousand 
efforts." 

" Let a man really proceed in this manner, 
and, though dull, he will surely become intelli- 
gent ; though weak, he will surely become 
strong." 




XVII 
Confucius remarked : " The Emperor Shun 
might perhaps be considered in the highest sense 
of the word a pious man. In moral qualities 
he was a saint. In dignity of office he was 
the ruler of the empire. In wealth all that 
the wide world contained belonged to him. 


After his death his spirit was sacrificed to in 
the ancestral temple, and his children and 
grandchildren preserved the sacrifice for long 
generations. 

" Thus it is that he who possesses great moral 
qualities will certainly attain to corresponding 
high position ; to corresponding great prosperity ; 
to corresponding great name ; to corresponding 
great age. 

" For God in giving life to all created things 
is surely bountiful to them according to their 
qualities. Hence the tree that is full of life He 
fosters and sustains, while that which is ready 
to fall He cuts off and destroys." 



The law of the survival of the fittest is here announced 
two thousand years ago. But Confucius' interpretation 
of this law is different from the modern interpretation. 
The survival of the fittest means, not the survival of 
the most brutally strong, but the survival of the morally 
fittest. 



The Book of Songs says : 

" That great and noble Prince displayed 
The sense of right in all he wrought ; 
Adjusting justly, grade by grade, 

The spirit of his wisdom swayed 
Peasant and peer ; the crowd, the court. 


So Heav'n, that crowned his sires, restored 
The countless honours they had known ; 

For Heav'n aye keepeth watch and ward, 
And through the son renews the throne." 

"It is therefore true that he who possesses 
exceedingly great moral qualities will certainly 
receive the divine call to the Imperial throne." 




XVIII 
Confucius remarked : " The man perhaps who 
enjoyed the most perfect happiness was the 
Emperor Wen. For father he had a remarkable 
man, the Emperor Chi, and for son also a re- 
markable man, the Emperor Wu. His father 
laid the foundation of his House and his son 
carried it on. The Emperor Wu, continuing the 
great work begun by his ancestor the great 
Emperor, his grandfather Chi and his father 
the Emperor Wen, had only to buckle on his 
armour and the Empire at once came to his 
possession. 

" The Emperor Wen was a no less distin- 
guished man. In dignity of office he was the 
ruler of the Empire ; in wealth all that the 
wide world contained belonged to him. After 


his death his spirit was sacrificed to in the 
ancestral temple, and his children and grand- 
children preserved the sacrifice for long genera- 
tions. 

" The Emperor Wen never actually ascended the 
throne. But his son, the Duke of Chow, ascribed 
the achievement of founding the Imperial House 
equally to the moral qualities of the Emperors 
Wen and Wu. He carried the Imperial title up 
to the Great Emperor (Wen's grandfather) and 
the Emperor Chi (Wen's father). He sacrificed 
to all the past reigning dukes of the House with 
imperial honours." 



This rule is now universally observed from the 
reigning princes and nobles to the gentlemen 
and common people. In the case where the father 
is a noble and the son is a simple gentleman, the 
father, when he dies, is buried with the honours 
of a noble, but sacrificed to as a simple gentle- 
man. In the case where the father is a simple 
gentleman and the son a noble, the father, when 
he dies, is buried as a simple gentleman, but 
sacrificed to with the honours of a nobleman. 
The rule for one year of mourning for rela- 
tives is binding up to the rank of a noble, 
but the rule for three years of mourning for 
parents is binding for all up to the Emperor. 
In mourning for parents there is only one rule, 


and no distinction is made between noble and 
plebeian. 




XIX 
Confucius remarked : " The Emperor Wu and 
his brother, the Duke of Chow, were indeed 
eminently pious men. Now, true filial piety con- 
sists in successfully carrying out the unfinished 
work of our forefathers and transmitting their 
achievements to posterity. 

" In spring and autumn they repaired and put 
in order the ancestral temple ; arranged the 
sacrificial vessels, exhibited the regalia and heir- 
looms of the family, and presented the appro- 
priate offerings of the season. 

" The principle in the order of precedence in 
the ceremonies of worship in the ancestral temple 
is, in the first place, to arrange the members of 
the family according to descent. Ranks are 
next considered, in order to give recognition 
to the principle of social distinction. Services 
rendered are next considered as a recognition 
of distinction in moral worth. In the general 
banquet those below take precedence of those 
above in pledging the company, in order to show 
that consideration is shown to the meanest. In 


conclusion, a separate feast is given to the elders, 
in order to recognise the principle of seniority 
according to age." 

To gather in the same places where our fathers 
before us have gathered ; to perform the same 
ceremonies which they before us have performed ; 
to play the same music which they before us have 
played ; to pay respect to those whom they 
honoured ; to love those who were dear to them — 
in fact, to serve them now dead as if they were 
living, and now departed as if they were still 
with us : this is the highest achievement of true 
filial piety. 

The performance of sacrifices to Heaven and 
Earth is meant for the service of God. The per- 
formance of ceremonies in the ancestral temple 
is meant for the worship of ancestors. If one 
only understood the meaning of the sacrifices to 
Heaven and Earth, and the signification of the 
services in ancestral worship, it would be the 
easiest thing to govern a nation. 




XX 
Confucius remarked : " The power of spiritual 
forces in the Universe — how active it is every- 


where ! Invisible to the eyes, and impalpable 
to the senses, it is inherent in all things, and 
nothing can escape its operation." 

It is the fact that there are these forces which 
make men in all countries fast and purify them- 
selves, and with solemnity of dress institute 
services of sacrifice and religious worship. Like 
the rush of mighty waters, the presence of unseen 
Powers is felt : sometimes above us, sometimes 
around us. 

In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" The presence of the Spirit : 
It cannot be surmised, 
Inspiring fear and awe." 

Such is the evidence of things invisible that 
it is impossible to doubt the spiritual nature of 
man. 




XXI 
The intelligence which comes from the direct 
apprehension of trurii is intuition. The appre- 
hension of truth which comes from the exorcise 
of intelligence is the result of education. Where 


thero & truth, there is intelligence 1 where there 
is intelligence, there is truth. 




XXII
It is only he, in the world, who possesses 
absolute truth who can pet to the bottom of the 
law of his being. He who is able to get to the 
bottom of the law of his being will be able to get 
to the bottom of the law of being of other men. 
He who is able to get to the bottom of the law of 
being of men will be able to get to the bottom of 
the laws of physical nature. He who is able to 
get to the bottom of the laws of physical nature 
will be able to influence the forces of creation of 
the Universe. He who can influence the forces 
of creation of the Universe is one with the 
Powers of the Universe. 




XXIII
The next order of the process of man's mind 
is to attain to the apprehension of a particular 
branch of knowledge. In every particular branch 


of knowledge there is truth. Where there is 
truth, there is substance. Where there is sub- 
stance, there is reality. Where there is reality, 
there is intelligence. Where there is intelli- 
gence, there is power. Where there is power, 
there is influence. Where there is influence, 
there is creative power. It is only he who 
possesses absolute truth in the world who can 
create. 




XXIV
It is an attribute of the possession of absolute 
truth to be able to foreknow. When a nation 
or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be 
lucky omens. When a nation or family is about 
to perish, there are sure to be signs and prodigies. 
These things manifest themselves in the instru- 
ments of divination and in the agitation of the 
human body. When happiness or calamity is 
about to come, it can be known beforehand. 
When it is good, it can be known beforehand. 
When it is evil, it can also be known beforehand. 
Therefore he who possesses absolute truth is like 
a spiritual being. 




XXV 
Truth means the realisation of our being ; and 
moral law means the law of our being. Truth 
is the beginning and end (the substance) of exist- 
ence. Without truth there is no existence. It 
is for this reason that the moral man values 
truth. 

Truth is not only the realisation of our own 
being : it is that by which things outside of us 
have an existence. The realisation of our being 
is moral sense. The realisation of things out- 
side of us is intellect. These, moral sense 
and intellect, are the powers or faculties of 
our being. They combine the inner or subjective 
and outer or objective use of the power of the 
mind. Therefore with truth everything done is 
right. 




XXVI 
Thus absolute truth is indestructible. Being 
indestructible, it is eternal. Being eternal, it 
is self-existent. Being self-existent, it is infinite. 
Being infinite, it is vast and deep. Being vast 
and deep, it is transcendental and intelligent. 


It is because it is vast and deep that it contains 
all existence. It is because it is transcendental 
and intelligent that it embraces all existence. It 
is because it is infinite and eternal that it fills all 
existence. In vastness and depth it is like the 
Earth. In transcendental intelligence it is like 
Heaven. Infinite and eternal, it is Infinitude 
itself. 

Such being the nature of absolute truth, it 
manifests itself without being evident; it produces 
effects without action ; it accomplishes its ends 
without being conscious. 

The principle in the course and operation of 
nature may be summed up in one word : it exists 
for its own sake without any double or ulterior 
motive. Hence the way in which it produces 
things is unfathomable. 

Nature is vast, deep, high, intelligent, infinite, 
and eternal. The heaven appearing before us 
is only this bright, shining spot ; but when 
taken in its immeasurable extent, the sun, moon, 
stars, and constellations are suspended in it, and 
all things are embraced under it. The earth, ap- 
pearing before us, is but a handful of soil ; but 
taken in all its breadth and depth, it sustains 
mighty Himalayas without feeling their weight ; 
rivers and seas dash against it without causing 
it to leak. The mountain appearing before us 
is only a mass of rock ; but taken in all the vast- 


ness of its size, grass and vegetation grow upon 
it, birds and beasts dwell on it, and treasures 
of precious stones are found in it. The water 
appearing before us is but a ladleful of liquid ; 
but taken in all its unfathomable depths, the 
largest crustaceans, fishes, and reptiles are pro- 
duced in them, and all useful products abound in 
them. 

In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" The ordinance of God, 
How inscrutable it is and goes on for ever." 

That is to say, this is the attribute of God. 
It is again said : 

" How excellent it is, 
The moral perfection of King Wen." 

That is to say, this is the characteristic of the 
nobleness of the Emperor Wen. Moral perfec- 
tion also never dies. 




XXVII 
Oh, how great is the divine moral law in 
man ! Vast and illimitable, it gives birth and 


life to all created things. It towers high up 
to the very heavens. How wonderful and 
great it is ! All the institutions of human 
society and civilisation — laws, customs, and 
usages — have their origin there. All these in- 
stitutions wait for the man before they can 
be put into practice. Hence it is said : Unless 
there be highest moral power, the highest moral 
law cannot be realised. 

Wherefore the moral man, while honouring 
the greatness and power of his moral nature, yet 
does not neglect inquiry and pursuit of knowledge. 
While widening the extent of his knowledge, he 
yet seeks to attain utmost accuracy in the minu- 
test details. While seeking to understand the 
highest things, he yet lives a plain, ordinary life 
in accordance with the moral order. Going over 
what he has already acquired, he keeps adding 
to it new knowledge. Earnest and simple, he 
respects and obeys the laws and usages of social 
life. 

Therefore, when in a position of authority, 
he is not proud ; in a subordinate position, 
he is not insubordinate. When there is 
moral social order in the country, what he 
speaks will be of benefit to the nation ; and 
when there is no moral social order in the 
country his silence will ensure forbearance for 
himself. 


In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" With wisdom and good sense, 
He guards his life from harm." 

That is the description of the moral man, 

Confucius remarked : " A man who is foolish, 
and yet is fond of using his own judgment ; who 
is in humble circumstances, and yet is fond of 
assuming authority ; who, while living in the 
present age, reverts to the ways of antiquity : 
such a man is one who will bring calamity upon 
himself." 

To no one but the supreme head of the empire 
does it belong to disturb the established religious 
and social institutions, to introduce new forms 
of government, to change the form and use of 
language. At the present day throughout the 
empire carriage wheels all have the same 
standard form and size, all writing is written 
with the same characters, and in all the rela- 
tions of life all recognise the same established 
principles. 

Although a man may occupy the position of 
tne supreme head of the empire, yet, unless he 
possesses the moral qualities fitting him for the 
task, he may not take upon himself to make 


changes in the established moral and religious 
institutions. Although one may possess the moral 
qualities fitting him for the task, yet, unless he 
occupies the position of the supreme head of the 
empire, he may not take upon himself to make 
changes in the established moral and religious 
institutions^]^ 

Confucius remarked : "I have tried to un- 
derstand the moral and religious institutions of 
the Hsia dynasty, but what remains of those 
institutions in the present state of Ch'i is not 
sufficient to give me a clue. I have studied 
the moral and religious institutions of the Yin 
dynasty ; the remains of them are still preserved 
in the present state of Sung. I have studied 
the moral and religious institutions of the 
present Chow dynasty, which are now in use. 
In practice I follow the forms of the present 
Chow dynasty." 




XXVIII 
To attain to the sovereignty of the world, 
there are three important things necessary ; they 
may perhaps be summed up in one : blamelessness 
of life. 

However excellent a system of moral truths 



A BLAMELESS LIFE 53 

appealing to supernatural authority may be, 
it is not verifiable by experience ; what 
is not verifiable by experience cannot com- 
mand credence ; and what cannot command 
credence the people will never obey. However 
excellent a system of moral truths appealing 
merely to worldly authority may be it does not 
command respect; what does not command 
respect cannot command credence ; and what 
cannot command credence the people will never 
obey. 

Therefore every system of moral laws must be 
based upon the man's own consciousness. It 
must be verified by the common experience of 
men. Examined into by comparing it with the 
teachings of acknowledged great and wise men 
of the past, there must be no divergence. 
Applying it to the operations and processes of 
nature in the physical universe, there must be no 
contradiction. Confronted with the spiritual 
powers of the universe a man must be able to 
maintain it without any doubt. He must be 
prepared to wait a hundred generations after him 
for the coming of a man of perfect divine nature 
to confirm it without any misgiving. The fact 
that he is able to confront the spiritual powers 
of the universe without any doubt, shows that he 
understands the will of God. The fact that he 
is prepared to wait a hundred generations after 
him for the man of perfect divine nature without 


any misgiving, shows that he understands the 
nature of man. 

Wherefore it is that it is true of the really 
great moral man, that every act of his life 
becomes an example for generations ; every- 
thing he does becomes a statute for genera- 
tions, and every word he utters becomes a 
law for generations. Those who are far away 
and do not know him look up to him, while 
those who are near and know him do not reject 
him. 

In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" There they found no fault in him, 
Here they ever welcome him ; 
Thus from day to day and night to night 
They will perpetuate his praise ! " 

Thus a moral man, unless he realises this 
description of a man, can never obtain at once 
recognition of his moral qualities throughout the 
world. 




XXIX 
Confucius taught the truth originally handed 
down by the ancient Emperors Yao and Shun, 
and he adopted and perfected the system of 


moral laws established by the Emperors Wen 
and Wu. He showed that they harmonise with 
the divine order which governs the revolu- 
tions of the seasons in the Heaven above and 
that they fit in with the moral design which is 
to be seen in physical nature upon the Earth 
below. 

These moral laws form one system with the 
laws by which Heaven and Earth support and 
contain, overshadow and canopy all things. 
These moral laws form the same system with the 
laws by which the seasons succeed each other and 
the sun and moon appear with the alternations 
of day and night. It is this same system of 
laws by which all created things are produced 
and develop themselves each in its order and 
system without injuring one another ; that the 
operations of Nature take their course without 
conflict or confusion; the lesser forces flowing 
everywhere like river currents, while the 
great forces of Creation go silently and steadily 
on. It is this — one system running through 
all — that makes the Universe so impressively 
great. 




XXX 
It is only the man with the most perfect divine 
moral nature who is able to combine in himself 


quickness of apprehension, intelligence, insight, 
and understanding : qualities necessary for the 
exercise of command ; magnanimity, generosity, 
benignity and gentleness : qualities necessary for 
the exercise of patience ; originality, energy, 
strength of character and determination : quali- 
ties necessary for the exercise of endurance ; 
dignity, noble seriousness, order and regularity : 
qualities necessary for the exercise of self-respect ; 
grace, method, delicacy and lucidity : qualities 
necessary for the exercise of critical judg- 
ment. 

Thus all-embracing and vast is the nature of 
such a man. Profound it is and inexhaustible, 
like a living spring of water, ever running out 
with life and vitality. All-embracing and vast, 
it is like Heaven. Profound and inexhaustible, 
it is like the abyss. 

As soon as such a man shall make his appear- 
ance in the world, all people will reverence him. 
Whatever he says, all people will believe it. 
Whatever he does, all people will be pleased with 
it. Thus his fame and name will spread and fill 
all the civilised world, extending even to savage 
countries ; wherever ships and carriages reach ; 
wherever the labour and enterprise of man 
penetrate ; wherever the heavens overshadow 
and the earth sustains ; wherever sun and 


moon shine ; wherever frost and dew fall : all 
who have life and breath will honour and love 
him. Therefore we may say : " He is the equal 
of God." 




XXXI 
It is only he in this world who is possessed of 
absolute truth that can order and adjust the great 
relations of human society, fix the fundamental 
principles of morality, and understand the laws 
of creation of the Universe. 

Now, where does such a man derive his power 
and knowledge except from himself ? How all- 
absorbing his humanity ! How unfathomable 
the depth of his mind ! How infinitely grand and 
vast his divine nature ! Who can understand 
such a nature except him who is gifted with 
the most perfect intelligence and endowed 
with the highest divine qualities of nature and 
mind ? 




XXXII 
In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" Over her brocaded robe, 

She wore a plain and simple dress," 


in that way showing her dislike of the loudness of 
its colour and magnificence. Thus the life of the 
moral man is unobtrusive and yet it grows more 
and more in significance ; whereas the life of 
the vulgar person is ostentatious, but it loses 
more and more in significance until it becomes 
nothingness. 

The life of the moral man is plain, and yet not 
unattractive ; it is simple, and vet full of grace ; 
it is easy, and yet methodical. He knows 
that accomplishment of great things consists 
in doing little things well. He knows that 
great effects are produced by small causes. 
He knows the evidence and reality of what 
cannot be perceived by the senses. Thus he is 
enabled to enter into the world of ideas and 
morals. 

In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" How deep the fish may dive below, 
And yet it is quite clearly seen." 

Therefore the moral man must examine into 
his own heart and see that he has no cause for 
self-reproach, that he has no evil thought in his 
mind. Wherein the moral man is superior to 
other men consists even in that which is not seen 
by men. 


In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" In your secret chamber even you are judged ; 
See you do nothing to blush for, 
Though but the ceiling looks down upon you." 

Therefore the moral man, even when he is not 
doing anything, is serious ; and, even when he 
does not speak, is truthful. 

In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" All through the solemn rite not a word was 
spoken, 
And yet all strife was banished from their 
hearts." 

Hence the moral man, without the induce- 
ment of rewards, is able to make the people good ; 
and without the show of anger, to awe them into 
fear more than if he had used the most dreadful 
instruments of punishment. 

In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" He makes no show of his moral worth, 
Yet all the princes follow in his steps." 

Hence the moral man, by living a life of simple 
truth and earnestness, alone can help to bring 
peace and order in the world. 


In the Book of Songs it is said : 

" I keep in mind the fine moral qualities which 
make no great noise or show." 

Confucius remarked : " Among the means for 
the regeneration of mankind, those made with 
noise and show are of the least importance." 

In another place in the Book of Songs it is 
said, 

" His virtue is light as hair." 

Still a hair is something material. " The 
workings of Almighty God have neither sound nor 
smell." There is nothing higher than that.